Screenshot of the mastodon UI, while composing this reply. The actual posts I'm replying to are in the main column on the right. The text area where I have to actually write the reply is small and separate, in a column on the left, with a stand alone tool-tip looking thing as the only indication this would be a reply.
https://media.hachyderm.io/media_attachments/files/111/773/075/429/805/234/original/04a8b46b422d60e3.png