Flannery had learned several important things during the walk back. First, Kiva was ridiculously easy to annoy. Second, the hole was never going to stop being funny. Third, Kiva remained completely fucking delusional about tackling someone from behind being a respectable way to win a race.

You ded cheat she insisted, trotting alongside Kiva with no concern whether the subject had already been exhausted. Dahn't care 'ow many fancy ambassadahr wahrds you use fahr it. You grabbed me and 'auled me into de dirt like sahme kend o' lunatic Never mind that Flannery herself had charged directly at Kiva to throw her off. That was different. When Kiva declared herself an excellent captor, Flannery snorted loudly.

Excellent? You fed me 'alf a mangled bird two bloody 'ooehrs ago and den marched me acrahss 'alf de cooehntryside. she bumped her shoulder against Kiva’s as she walked, too familiar for someone she’d met that afternoon. Her attention wandered freely as unfamiliar territory began giving way to something more settled. Her head turned this way and that without an ounce of subtlety, staring at whatever caught her interest. By the time the castle came into view, she went quiet for a few seconds. Foehck me she breathed, staring upward.

She was still looking it over when Kiva's voice raised, I brought a friend back with me! Something unexpectedly warm settled beneath her ribs. Stupid, really. They’d known each other for barely any time at all most of which they’d spent insulting one another, but Flannery liked the sound of it more than she would admit. Friend? Her grin spread Aw, Kiva. Dooehght I was yooehr prahperty

Then Kiva announced to everyone that Flannery had promised to behave and she paused. Oi! she barked, Stahp tellin' people dat like i'm sahme feral lettle bastard you dragged in ahff de road! She pushed forward before Kiva could answer, deciding that if strangers were already being invited along there was no reason to stand politely waiting for introductions.

I’m Flannery! she announced to the nearest collection of faces, tail swaying behind her. She fed me, tackled me, threatened to sken me alive if I embarrassed 'er, and now I live 'ere apparently

Nailed it.