The sparrow stared at her for a moment longer, his round eyes full of outrage and disbelief. Then, slowly, he gave in and started pecking furiously at the corn, grumbling in between bites.
Veer chuckled quietly beside them, shaking his head, while Cutie hid a smile behind his hand.
Kaya just leaned back, watching the sparrow eat, and muttered under her breath, "Unbelievable… even the birds here throw tantrums."
Kaya looked at Veer, her expression serious as the soft crackle of the nearby torches mixed with the sound of people laughing in the distance.
"Veer," she began, her brows knitting slightly, "why do those bull-tribe men need meat instead of green veggies or fruits? And…" she paused, glancing toward the lively marketplace that stretched behind them, "…is there a single tribe that rules over this whole capital? I mean, they mentioned taxes and guards — so who exactly organizes all that? Who makes the rules here?"
