He's caught looking and there's no annoyance, no scolding, just a smile and a nod. That's beyond promising, and his smile softens just a little.

"Mary the Mare," Detlef says, smile going back to a full grin. "I like it. Or Marion? Mare Marion. If she had a job, she could be the librarian." This. This right here is why every single cat and horse that lives in these stables have ridiculous names.

"And it works even more for her because Sir Lurk, you can see his tail sticking out from behind that hay pile there," he gestures, "has grown rather fond of her."