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Walk-walk-walk. At least the weather's nice today.

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After a few more seconds, Jala says abruptly, "Can I ask you a - strange question?"

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"...Yeah."

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"Is it true humans eat dolphins and whales?"

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"I think some do. They're not a major part of Pax cuisine. I never have. Why?"

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"I heard it was but I wasn't sure," she says. "Some of the things the shorebirds say... anyway. Just curious, I guess."

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"Shorebirds?"

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"Shallow-water merfolk. I'm from the depths," she says. "We don't see a lot of humans there."

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"I guess you wouldn't, no."

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Jala giggles. She has a sweet laugh, too.

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"Is there a reason you're curious about dolphins and whales in particular?"

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"...What do you mean?" she asks, confused.

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"Why are you asking about dolphins and whales and not - seals, octopuses, penguins, sharks, jellyfish?"

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"I don't know, do humans eat those too?"

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"I don't know about penguins. Everything else on the list I think is eaten by some humans."

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"Oh. Well, it was whales and dolphins I heard about," says Jala. She seems slightly uncomfortable, for some reason.

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"Is something wrong?"

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Jala hesitates, slowing down, shifting uncomfortably.

"...Have you ever eaten a dolphin or a whale?"
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"No. I said I hadn't," Bella reminds her.

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"It's just weird because humans make such a big deal about how they don't eat people," says Jala, twisting her hands together nervously.

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"Are you saying dolphins and whales are people?" Bella asks. "That's not common knowledge among humans, if true; I certainly didn't know it."

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"Well, maybe you don't know it," she says. "Are you sure everybody doesn't?"

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"I would expect to know it if lots of humans knew it. I suppose a handful of humans could know it and not be publicizing the information and then I wouldn't have found out. I really doubt that the humans who eat the whales and dolphins know they're eating people, although I could be mistaken."

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"I don't know how they could not," she says. "But maybe humans are just dumb."

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"Inattentive, perhaps," suggests Bella. "If I go near enough a dolphin or a whale should I expect to sense its mind with subtle arts? Do they speak a regular language of some kind? Do they do magic, tell stories, have names?"

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