Thindlebrim waved a dismissive hand. "That sentimental creature heard we'd have a new student and immediately began baking welcome cookies. Or cakes. Or some other inefficient use of perfectly good ingredients. She insisted it was important for morale."
He scoffed. "Utter nonsense."
Before Quinlan could respond, the clearing stirred again.
More figures stepped out from the paths, the crowd thickening with familiar and unfamiliar faces alike. Quinlan's gaze paused when he noticed a pair approaching together, their presence carrying a familiar elegance, yet something was different.
Their skin was dark, and their ears bore the same long taper as Luminara's, their features refined in the same elven way. But unlike the serenity of elves, he sensed a deeper animosity there, a generic tendency for violence that the elves lacked by nature.
"Dark elves?" Quinlan asked, honestly curious.
Miri yelped. "No, Quinnie, you can't call them that!"
