"...Alts," Mial says thoughtfully. "Huh."

"I'm Miles, this is my brother Mark, that's my alt Stalas, and that is my cousin Ivan," says Miles.

"Human?" says Mial.

"Well, Stalas is a dwarf."

"Stalas is rather absurdly tall for a dwarf. And skinny." (Stalas rolls his eyes.) "And the ears are wrong. Different kind of dwarf, I guess. Should I be fetching Aurin? What should I be telling Aurin? I think I've given him enough unpleasant surprises for a year today already."