Why would I shield you from it, and then ask you to fight? [That's the stupidest thing he's ever heard. It doesn't matter if Keith's original question would help Connor along to that exact interpretation. Because it likely would still be an opinion he'd hold.]

I want to get you somewhere safer, but you might need to be able to knock it away as we move. But since you are apparently completely unable to fight, I'll have to improvise. [Is the weird Dungeon and Dragons kid judging him? Probably. Or judging him more.]