"I don't know. Obviously I also would like to keep living, and would try very hard to not die. But if it seemed like it was absolutely unavoidable, like I had a timer that would kill me no matter what I do, I would make sure you go somewhere that you are safe and happy."

Astrid nods gravely.

Lynn decides that her daughter needs a hug. She is going to offer one.

Hug.

"Is there anybody else who might know what I am?"

"I think some of the students have noticed the hair color changes, but - I'll explain that one away as you wanting to dye it. Other than that - if anyone knows, it's probably whoever was responsible for the basket."

"We could ask people, though. Not nurses I guess."

Lynn nods. "Yeah. I'd stick with people we trust, though. They might think it's a silly question, though - before I met you, I thought humans were the only things to look like humans."

"Okay. Who would be good to ask, then?"

"I don't know, I'm afraid. If I had an inkling, I would have already asked them."

"Okay. How do I tell if somebody is a nurse so I know not to ask them?"

"I think some nurses would be okay, depending on the person - it's not the station as a nurse that worries me, it's the ability to notice strange not-an-animal but looking-human things. They are more likely to notice, and so could react badly upon noticing. So - pay attention to how people act and if they're the type of people to not care about what other people want."

"How do you tell that?"

"Usually it takes time - I notice that how they treat people that are below them matters quite a lot. How they treat children, or waiters, or the hired help. There are other factors, but that's a bit harder to easily summarize."

"Are children and waiters below other people?"

"No," snorts Lynn. "Not in any way that matters. But sometimes people forget, because it's easier to do whatever you like with a waiter or a child. So you get a better idea of how a person really is, when they have the chance to be mean to someone with nothing stopping them, and they don't take it."

"Oh."

"I will do my best to make sure no one is mean to you."

"You're nice."

Lynn laughs. "Thank you, you're nice, too."

"Yay!"

"I will get you something nice for your birthday. To match." Pause. "... Which reminds me. You need one of those."

"A birthday?"

"A birthday is the day when you were born, and it's common to celebrate it and bestow presents as a way of saying 'I am happy you were born.' Christmas is similar, but it's for everyone rather than one specific person."