Melanie sighs heavily. His gentle attempt to steer her back onto what he thinks is the right track is unhelpful, but it's also sort of moving. She doesn't get the sense that Mal is used to children or knows quite what to do with them, even the normal ones, and she is not a normal one. He's still trying, though. And if he truly believes she lives in this forest - that she has for years - then there's no reason not to think she couldn't keep doing it, and no reason for him to spend valuable ship-finding time trying to set her straight.
It's probably a good thing she doesn't cry easily.
"You're a good man, Captain Reynolds," Melanie says solemnly, reaching out to give his shoulder a gentle pat. It's an odd, formal little gesture, but she doesn't feel she knows him quite well enough for a hug, and a hug would unseat Niko, anyway. "But I'm not confused, and I'm not crazy. I'm telling you the truth, because," she falters a moment, pulling her hand back and dropping her gaze - why is she so determined to make him understand? - then continues, "because I don't want you to be upset when you don't find your ship here." Especially because his ship isn't even really lost, in all likelihood.
"Most dreams feel real when you're in them, right?" Melanie takes a step back. Nikolaos squeezes her shoulder in silent warning - kind as Mal has been, he still has a gun that he's quick to reach for - but Melanie quells him with a stroke of his feathers. "Even if it's weird or scary or doesn't make sense. But it's still a dream. Look."
She turns to Niko. "Maybe try something smaller," she advises, before adding, for Mal's benefit, "I promise we're not going to hurt you, or your horse."
Niko gives her an incredibly unimpressed look, but truthfully, he's also getting a bit tired of pretending to be a normal bird. That doesn't mean he relishes the idea of taking an even smaller shape, but he sees Melanie's point. After a moment's consideration, he turns into a squirrel, his grip still tight on her shoulder, his muscles tense in case they have to move quick.
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It's probably a good thing she doesn't cry easily.
"You're a good man, Captain Reynolds," Melanie says solemnly, reaching out to give his shoulder a gentle pat. It's an odd, formal little gesture, but she doesn't feel she knows him quite well enough for a hug, and a hug would unseat Niko, anyway. "But I'm not confused, and I'm not crazy. I'm telling you the truth, because," she falters a moment, pulling her hand back and dropping her gaze - why is she so determined to make him understand? - then continues, "because I don't want you to be upset when you don't find your ship here." Especially because his ship isn't even really lost, in all likelihood.
"Most dreams feel real when you're in them, right?" Melanie takes a step back. Nikolaos squeezes her shoulder in silent warning - kind as Mal has been, he still has a gun that he's quick to reach for - but Melanie quells him with a stroke of his feathers. "Even if it's weird or scary or doesn't make sense. But it's still a dream. Look."
She turns to Niko. "Maybe try something smaller," she advises, before adding, for Mal's benefit, "I promise we're not going to hurt you, or your horse."
Niko gives her an incredibly unimpressed look, but truthfully, he's also getting a bit tired of pretending to be a normal bird. That doesn't mean he relishes the idea of taking an even smaller shape, but he sees Melanie's point. After a moment's consideration, he turns into a squirrel, his grip still tight on her shoulder, his muscles tense in case they have to move quick.