She was looking around intently before she looked up at him, tilting her head. "Are you thinking we're camping out here tonight?"
"I don't think there is anywhere to effectively camp," he said with a small frown. "We might have to stay at an inn."
She blinked in surprise before starting to laugh a little. "That might be a good idea. You haven't bathed in 200 years."
"They allowed it sometimes," he said indignantly, starting toward a place to stay. "We can leave our stuff here as well."
Her laughter was small and lighthearted and she patted his arm reassuringly. "Don't worry. You smell nice. Like..." She paused, trying to think of the words for a moment. "Like pine. And something else, too, but I don't know. It's relaxing."
They went into the nearest Inn. It seemed nice enough, lit well by lamps. The man at the desk was old and gruff, and appeared to be blind in one eye.
The man squinted between the two of them, his expression rather unfriendly. "A demon, eh?" he muttered, her voice low and gruff. "We don't allow demons here."
"They cause nothin' but trouble," he said stubbornly. "They're violent and ill-tempered." Zerras was silent, only watching him.
Juniper got a stubborn look on her face, tilting her head in a way that would be familiar to Zerras. “It seems to me that you’re the one who’s ill-tempered,” she replied. “This man saved my life. He found me in the snow and he saved me from almost certain death.” She placed her hands flat on n the table, raising one eyebrow. “He is a hero, and you treat him with disdain because of his species. Is that really the reputation you want your inn to display?”
The old man glared at her. "Udrulon itself doesn't take kindly demons. Not just me. You can have a room, elf, but he can't stay."
She raised an eyebrow, squinting at him. “You should be ashamed,” she replied, her voice low. “You let the biases of your town make your decisions and then you hide from the consequences.” She took Zerras’ arm again. “He is a better person that you will ever be. He, at least, is no coward.”
She squinted at him before taking Zerras’ hand and pulling him gently to the door without another word.
She was seething, clearly furious as they left. “Can you believe that guy?” she asked, her ears pricked up in anger. “An absolute wiener.”
