The Knight presses against him a little harder. They wish--they wish they could melt and wrap around to be even closer, as Greenhorn did when they were frightened. They could, possibly. Pride would have stopped them earlier, and now, they're merely too afraid to.

The query takes a few moments to register. Friend, he says, as well, as though assuring them off that fact. They aren't about to pull back to scrawl an answer, and so simply give a tiny lift of shoulders.

No, likely not. Truthfully, likely worse. He's trying to reassure. They're reluctant to allow much more of it.