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"So anyway ... family's still dead, didn't kill Krul by myself, and I smell like orc."
"Did you want a piggy-back ride? Those always cheered up the younglings at the Citadel."
Dora frowned up at Saren. "I'm a dwarf, not a kid," she said. Truthfully, he'd never thought of her as one, despite her stature. He just didn't know how to help, other than with a good distraction.
"Right, right, sorry... Is that a no?"
"Um... no?"
"Hop on," he said with a grin, kneeling beside Dora and boosting her up. "Don't slip." He held her steady as he stood, and she squealed and swatted him.
"If ya wanted to cop a feel, ya could o' jest asked," she said with playful crossness, and giggled.
"I'll remember that."
After a few minutes of running, he spun her around off his back, and they collapsed to the ground in laughter. "Thank you," Dora said, and she was smiling, truly smiling, although he could still see the pain in her eyes.
"I'm sorry I couldn't do more," he said softly.
Her face moved closer to his, and Saren's heart raced. Was she going to kiss him? He hadn't thought about how much he might want her to until that moment. He closed his eyes --
And opened them abruptly when he felt Dora's friendly peck on his cheek, followed by a tug at his hair. "Ya got leaves in your hair," she said.
"It's camouflage," he replied, more flippantly than he felt.
"Well, don't hide too well," she said, "or we won't be able to find ya for dinner, and I'll have to eat your portion." She sat up. "Speakin' o' which... do ya smell that?"
Dora ran off without waiting for an answer. He sat up, watching her, and brushed the leaves out of his hair. It wouldn't do any good to think about this. She had Ramas, and he had... well, he'd figure it out eventually.
It was a long while before he stood up and followed the path back to camp.