Imani is small and lively, moving with the light-footed energy of someone who always expects a game to begin. Her skin has a warm cocoa sheen that seems to glow in bright sun; her brown eyes are wide and alert, rimmed with lashes that catch dust motes like they are stars. Her hair is in short, tight coils that she sometimes crowns with a ribbon made from stray bookbinding cloth. She favors dresses patched with colorful fabrics; the hems are clean but the knees are often smudged with chalk or ink. When she skips, her movements are quick, little hops that make her braid and ribbons bounce, leaving the impression of a small bird whose curiosity outweighs caution. Contradictory to her playful gait, she often carries a heavy leather satchel bulging with books and folded notes, so full it pulls at her shoulder as if burdening a much older scholar.