<Go on, then,> he says, turning in place. This is a more involved maneuver than it is for a biped, including a careful repositioning of his hooves. <This way is north. Don't pull too hard on my mane unless you're about to fall.>

It's a reasonable question. Alloran is small for an adult male Andalite and can easily be described as delicate and dainty-looking, with a certain unicorn aspect. Not counting the eyestalks he's barely above six feet tall. His back slopes dramatically, without that dip in the middle that horses have, and bears that bristly mostly-upright mane.

<I saw a cadet formerly under my command running around with a human on his back,> he says dryly, and chooses not to mention any of the context. <She was around your size, but he wasn't fully grown. Decades later his brother helped extract a political figure in a similar way. I can't imagine it's comfortable but if I get a leg injury that doesn't matter. And I have other creatures that might be capable, but nothing... subtle. Besides, this is too close.>