Ekra listened to the blacksmith intently, the crowds dying to a buzz that barely lingered in her ears. If nothing else, the man sounded confident that he knew what he was talking about. Granted, that wasn't uncommon among merchants - Ekra had seen many bluffs on the trails through the Lost Woods, people hoping to intimidate or cajole the local skull kids into leaving them and their items alone. Rarely worked, of course, but this guy wasn't bluffing at least. He seemed to mean every word he said. As a bonus, he treated her as an actual customer: no question about her size or possible age, took her sleight of hand in good humor, and didn't talk down to her. Already she liked him and hoped four rupees were sufficient to pay. 

The terms were a bit confusing for someone who only had ever seen carving and other woodworking methods, but she nodded all the same as he gave his explanation. She supposed forging was like whittling. The blade looked as smooth as creations by particularly talented Deku scrubs, at least. Mining... well, metal came from underground and, at his mention of harvesting, she imagined seed pods dropping down metal when cracked. Though she knew it was impossible, she smiled at the idea that metal came from seeds that never sprouted. And then... well, did he mean melted? That was a term she knew; she'd seen frozen blocks defrosted by heat and fire, so she had an idea of what it meant. The metal was made liquid by heat. Her gaze shifted from the blade she held to her fingers. Even if skull kids weren't actual plant beings, they were no less prone to warping and blistering under fire. 

There was a moment where the crowd came back into focus - people shuffling aside, making way for someone else who Ekra had no knowledge about and currently no interest in - and faded just as quickly as the blacksmith told her about the knife itself. She'd never actually thrown a knife before. People had thrown daggers and swords in the past, with varying degrees of success (the worst being one who had missed so badly that the offending skull kid literally dropped out of his tree with laughter). The idea that a knife could be specifically made for throwing was new. On the other hand, she'd never tried throwing anything beyond Deku nuts, and the throwing knife she held was considerably larger. She leaned in closer, watching the movements through her mask as best as she could. She tried to mimic them, but she couldn't seem to quite get the wrist right. Probably due to inexperience. As neat as the knives were, if nothing happened at the festival, maybe it'd be best to drop them back off with the blacksmith before she went back home.

Then, the blacksmith did something unexpected: he offered her the knives for free. Her eyes widened and her beak dropped. Merchants giving away things... was not totally unheard of, but certainly rare enough even for common things like seeds and darts. Full weaponry, that was probably a whole different ballpark. She gingerly reached for the three other knives. And all she had to was promise to use them for good? ...like, not throw them at plain ol' wandering travelers? That part was easy, it wasn't much of a trick if the target was dead or badly hurt. She knew metal weapons could do that far more easily than Deku seeds could.

"I promise, mister!" Her voice came out slightly squeaky in her excitement, her hand still visible on the counter. Forging - it was something she'd have to consider, given her nature... which, actually, if he looked down at her hand right now, would be plain to see. Right. Skull kid in a town. She collected the throwing knives, face suddenly looking to the ground. "Thanks a ton, mister." The squeak was gone as she bagged the knives and fumbled for her wallet. Even if they were meant as a gift, well, it still seemed rude to not give anything at all. It was how merchants worked, she'd been told.