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"Really? What do they taste like exactly, cause they look really odd to me. I'm used to eating insects and fish and the like but not bivalves." Though he would if that meant more pearls. "How do you cook them exactly..they sort of look like they would shrivel into nothing? Do they? Do they come out like a chip when you cook them?"

It was food and he was a male, what could he say, the culinary arts were delightful.

On a more serious note, he was glad she would not sell the two he had given her, he had felt right doing it. He wasn't sure why he had, pretty girl, pretty pearls, and she worked hard selling them, she should get to enjoy it.

Theriar blinked, that was kind of cool, a food that conviniently popped open when it was ready to eat. "Salty tasting then? How interesting," he had to admit that on the face of it they didn't look very appetizing but they were probably good for you like the greens no one really wanted to eat. It would be a different food to be sure, he should try it. "I would like to know how to catch them..but I'm afraid I cannot swim... is it terribly easy?"

More to the point should he trust her not to drown him once he got in the water..she was pretty small but he was not fond of wet anything.

Theriar swallowed, made a slight face at her retreating back, tucked away his treasures, slung the small pack over his shoulder and hurried after her. Fear fizzled down his limbs at the concept of giving his body up to the whims of the ravaging waves..it seemed so peaceful on shore..where you could you know see the things that wanted to eat you rather easily...was swimming really worth it?

His feet slid slightly in the sand..not even the earth here was solid. He huffed a little and marched onward to his fate, following her to the shore line and watching the waves with fascinated wariness.

Now was the time to get in the water but he felt rooted like the great trees of his homeland.

He convinced himself to get about a foot away from the roiling death trap, he had been stupid, he shouldn't have asked to learn to swim, now he looked like an idiot. He stared with stony silence, most unhappy.

Then she did the odd gesture with her arms and his yellow eyes fixed on hers. Surely if someone as diminutive and gentle as she could step into the waves and not be swallowed by them, so could he. Then again, she was a siren where he might as well been a rock, firmly of the earth and firmly bent on sinking to a watery grave.

He bit his lip, not realizing he was doing it, focused on her bright eyes, tried to keep breathing and stepped forward. His feet hit the water and he hissed like a cat. It was just a puddle, they had those in Jauhar...just a puddle..just a puddle.

He swallowed until he stood in front of her and refused to look at the mess he had just willingly walked into. He stayed very still. Trying not to dance from foot to foot cause that would lead to running out like water radaku were after him.

He was sad to say he was rather grateful for the pat, the reminder that there was someone else out here with him. Then he was blessedly distracted by the small shell that she handed him. He looked wistfully back at his bag on the shore...he wanted to put the shell in, but if he left the water he knew he would never go back in again.

She seemed to be poking about in the shallows..and as long as it remained that way (shallow), he would be okay right? Nothing big came up this way, there were no drop holes or pinchy creatures here...he rubbed a thumb along the edge of the small white shell, finding comfort from the smooth curve.

So he watched and occasionally when she wasn't looking he sneaked a step closer so he could get a better look at what she was looking at..but never actually being able to look down all the way himself.

Theriar took the thing on the half shell with a resigned look. Eck. Surely this wasn't food? He put it close to his mouth, sniffed and nearly gagged. Then squinted at her. "Arn't I supposed to cook it first? You can't eat this...slime raw can you?" Ewwwwwww.

He poked the squishy looking goop and was surprised at how tough part of it was. He continued poking it waiting for it to raise up grow teeth and bite him.

"Where is its mouth?"

Theri swallowed convulsively at her. Ick..she seemed to have liked it though? He still could not wipe the look off his face.

"Guess you can eat them raw, it just didn't look like it." he hiccuped and covered his mouth with his hand. He figured that if he were to eat one..he would cook it first, at least for the first time. It wouldn't do to throw up in front of someone who could at some point become his friend. He would be okay with that, he could use a friend and she was not loud or obnoxious..so win win.

"Another?" He looked at her hopefully. This one he would eat..if he could. He would give it his best shot anyhow. He was starting to get more comfortable, his shoulders relaxing somewhat.