---
A corner of his mouth lifted before he could stop it. He did not let it become a smile. "You are weak," he said, and let the word be plain so that if she were the sort of traveler who only liked sweet tea she would taste the bitter and decide to leave. "I do not mean your body. I mean your species. What are you."
She met his eyes without flinching. "I am an ant."
He did not bother to disguise his immediate disbelief. "If you are an ant, why do you look like a human? You are not even a one star rank. Beasts do not transform until three star rank. Are you trying to jest with me? If you try anything funny I will end your life."
Her mouth opened in a small O and then closed. "Oh my," she said, and for the first time a real laugh touched her voice. "Do not say such scary things. I used to be over three star rank but my rank dropped to zero. I cannot tell you the reason. But I mean you no harm."
