Shirley

“As much as I hate to admit it, you did good work today," Yorl says in the doorway.

"Aw, I appreciate you, too." I reach to bop his black nose, but he lifts his chin out of the way.

"Don't."

I stamp my foot. "Why does everyone in this city hate fun?"

"Do you think a stranger sticking their fingers up your nose is fun?"

"Up your nose? Gross. I was just going to tap it. Who's been trying to stick their fingers up your nose?"

"The human children," he grumbles. "Every chance they get.”
― Sara Wolf, Find Me Their Bones

“Be wary of those who will let you apologize for who you are.”
― Rachel Griffin, The Nature of Witches

“Academic papers were known for being non-biased documents, but if you read between the lines, you could peel away at the author. Solve them like an equation.
That had always been half of the fun of learning. Unraveling the author like a ball of yawn, finding out what made them tick, despite their best efforts to remain anonymous and push forward their ideas.”
― Bree Porter

“Stop it!" I flail my arms between them. "Both of you. Lucien, this is Yorl. Yorl, this is Prince Lucien."

Yorl freezes as Lucien narrows his eyes further at him. "Your Highness? In that gaudy getup?" He pauses, looking down. "With pants that tight?"

"It's better than no pants at all," Lucien snarls. Yorl shifts in his robe, his barely formed hackles raising straight off his neck in a golden ridge.

"I'm not a naked ape," Yorl fires back, "who needs them to begin with!"

The competitive pride is so thick I can practically smell it. People are staring. I clap my hands as loud as I can, like I'm trying to break up a feral-dog fight.”
― Sara Wolf, Find Me Their Bones