[Need purses her lips slightly before she can make her expression resume steady, sharp-eyed neutrality. They've just met; it's not healthy for this boy to immediately crave her approval like he's a dog she raised from a pup. She reminds herself, the situation is strange and unstable and she doesn't have many of the facts. Also for all she knows withdrawing just yet will immediately put him into a spiral of shame, as young people are prone to.

It's exhausting to be a child. She's glad to be old.]

I see. I don't expect you to know everything, but now I must wonder if they appeared as you did and became hostile on sight or whether they hated you from their first moment here.

[Knowing that would tell her something... if she knew more. How annoying.]

One of them hurt you?