Boo, meanwhile, raised his little hand and whispered with dramatic pity, "Uncle, you look like a grumpy sea potato."
Koel froze.
Everyone else froze too.
Koel turned his head very slowly, his eight arms curling like offended cats, and stared at Boo with the expression of a general who had witnessed a thousand battles but never an insult like that.
"Sea potato?" he repeated, his voice dangerously calm.
Boo nodded bravely. "Round. Moody. Squishy."
Alina's soul left her body. "BOO!"
Rocky clapped his hands softly. "I think he looks more like sea bread."
Kelpie sniffled into his mother's neck. "No… he's like grandpa mollusk…"
Koel's eye twitched so hard it looked like it might crack the cave wall.
King Corvus cleared his throat loudly, trying to hide a smile. "Regardless, Elder Koel, your actions today caused serious alarm."
Koel let out a long, annoyed sigh, finally looking away from the babies. His voice softened just slightly.
