"Depends what you mean by ordinary. Raiders, carnivores, and liars must think their way is perfectly ordinary, since all them can do it, but none of us could without breaking our covenants. Let's try experimenting with this translation magic. Sin. Magic. Superstition. Do those sound like synonyms to you?"

"No. 'Sin' isn't a word we have. 'Magic' is stuff like unicorn spells and pegasus cloudwalking and the powers Harmony Bearers have when we invoke the Virtues. And according to Princess Celestia friendship is also a sort of magic but I'm not sure exactly what that means, I assume there's some technical definition I don't know. 'Superstition' is beliefs that aren't backed up by evidence?"

"Now we're making progress! Well, far be it from me to give your culture the concept of sin if you don't have it. Essentially, most forms of cultural deviance and disobedience of the covenants don't go over well. Magic refers to things which can't be done within Khshassa- anything unnatural, especially if it's impressive or impossible given natural human abilities. This includes raiding, pillaging, stealing, and murder. This includes slaughtering, hunting, fishing, or otherwise capturing and killing animals. This includes lying, misrepresenting your intent, keeping secrets, and telling fictional stories. Basically, everything fun. Superstition refers to anything people believe will make their lives better, besides following the covenants- obviously, that includes magic, since magic includes anything unnatural- including things outside the covenants. A bit circular, but that's why they're synonyms. Make sense?"

"You're not allowed to tell stories or keep secrets? You're not supposed to be creative about making your lives better?"

"Ordinary people aren't. As I've said, I've chosen to make myself an exception for the benefit of the community. I could tell whatever lies I liked, although I find that I'm quite bad at it, compared to foreign magicians."

"Does that system work okay for your species? It sounds like it would be horrible for me. I guess your species might need to keep secrets less than mine does, but I think all the species I know that can tell stories or be creative have members who'd be hurt by not being able to do those things and a lot of members who'd be hurt by no-one being able to do those things. I guess advocate-scapegoats can find the animals who need to tell stories and the animals who need to solve problems creatively and have them tell stories for everyone and solve everyone's problems? But why make that necessary?"

"It's not my favorite cultural hangup. There are humans who can lie, though, plenty of them. They're all outside Khshassa, where they can sin in peace. I admit, I do enjoy being one of the few in our empire who can lie. Anyone else who wants it can leave. Most don't. Are you lying about something right now?"

"A little bit, yes."

"That's a nice change. I suppose it would be rude to guess what you're lying about?"

He's going to try it anyway, though; he mentally reviews the conversation so far.

"I guess it might be. Normally the animals I worry will find out wouldn't care how I felt about that and the ones who care what I feel about it already know."