Finally things were easing up enough that Rissie could get a move through the crowd, but as she did so, she was suddenly overcome by an uneasy feeling. No longer was she surrounded by tried-and-true kind strangers, once more was she in danger. She half expected to see that horrible smiling man from the milk bar coming for her from one of the clusters of people she was starting to squeeze past. Anyone could just reach out and grab her, and...

She missed the Zora until he was right up beside her, and as she spoke she spun about and startled away from him, bumping into one of those groups and quickly apologizing to the stout man who stopped her momentum dead in its tracks without really noticing that he had done so, since apparently anything one quarter of his mass wasn't annoying enough to bother considering. He continued his conversation uninterrupted, and she stared wide-eyed at the Zora for a few moments.

Something about horses. He was just making conversation? Was it part of a trap? He was smiling, and like all smiles, there was a predatory "I'm showing my teeth" feeling to it, but it didn't seem like he had ill intent. And it was obviously very rude of her to react like that to him if he were only trying to make pleasant conversation. She searched about for something to say in response, but she was drawing a blank. She hadn't even really heard what he said! How was she supposed to respond?

But, it was rude for her to keep him waiting while she tried to recall what he'd just said to her, so she settled for the polite way out of most such blunders. "I'm sorry," she muttered, bowing her head quickly.