[Casey's voice goes quiet from where he is perched atop their shoulders, his chin resting on their head, hands buried into feathers, but in turn, Rue's only gets stronger with the affection running through their strong frame.]

What is the point of having an owlbear for a mother if you do not let me baby you just a little like this? You can be a sassy growing teen for the rest of the world, but with me, you shall always be my darling boy. My little downy cub. [It helps that he's already so tiny in comparison, but Rue would still be coddling him if he was a foot taller too.]

Besides, it is a perfect fit upon my shoulders, isn't it? I barely feel a thing.