Out of habit, she starts to recite that old, even hackneyed bit about "the dew touches the sweet flag"...but breaks off halfway through in a way that would be painfully awkward and embarrassing to someone who knew it. Of course the baby demon doesn't, though, that's the point.

The baby demon is also, now that she's kneeling, taller than she is. She could have thought that out a bit better, but she was caught in a wave of sentiment and couldn't help herself.

"Of course I won't," she promises, smiling as gently as she can and hoping her toothblack is still decent. "Come here and tell me your name, little one."