"It's the only thing I could find that would fit on short notice," Winter counters. "I will make it fancier for you later if I must. But you need to put it on now."

And perhaps the ridiculousness of arguing about boring clothing with the giant owlbear will put more people at ease. Even if he doesn't, he looks around at the people with them, and says irritably, "I am ten times as dangerous as Rue. And you let me read stories to your children. You got used to me. Rue is a lot less likely to hurt anyone than me. They just look different, that's all." He knows these people, recognizes faces. He's lived here for going on three years now. They used to be afraid of him, but now they aren't.

Surely they can do the same with Rue if they must.