Thoughtful silence only earned Hadama's respect and he moved with calculated slowness through the water so as to remain near to the human. She was an able swimmer but the waters were dark and the incoming tide occasionally carried stray jellyfish tentacles or stinging seagrass in its current. He gave her space enough to swim at her leisure, but stayed close enough to come to her aid if it was needed.
The sea did not often reward complacency.
Again the heart of their discussion found common ground, but the devil was in the details. The mermanta submerged for a few seconds to wet his face and hair, and surfaced again. "I think... it is natural for living things to oppose death," he began, stoic brow furrowing faintly in thought. "Though I do not think human cities are so different from coral reefs. But I have only begun to explore Haulani and Kaiholo recently. There is much I cannot see from the canals." And of other human cities he had no experience at all. In this, he trusted that Chaele's firsthand experience far exceeded his own.
"Your words for your own kind are harsh," he said finally, slanting a concerned glance towards the shaman as they came into waters shallow enough to stand in. "But I respect your intentions."
The sea did not often reward complacency.
Again the heart of their discussion found common ground, but the devil was in the details. The mermanta submerged for a few seconds to wet his face and hair, and surfaced again. "I think... it is natural for living things to oppose death," he began, stoic brow furrowing faintly in thought. "Though I do not think human cities are so different from coral reefs. But I have only begun to explore Haulani and Kaiholo recently. There is much I cannot see from the canals." And of other human cities he had no experience at all. In this, he trusted that Chaele's firsthand experience far exceeded his own.
"Your words for your own kind are harsh," he said finally, slanting a concerned glance towards the shaman as they came into waters shallow enough to stand in. "But I respect your intentions."
