It was no light and simple matter that they discussed, and Hadama took in Chaele's words with intent interest and turned each concept over several times. Their viewpoints were not, perhaps, so far apart when it came to the natural rhythms of the world; the need for death to balance life, and life to balance death. He nodded solemnly in understanding and even, perhaps, agreement.
But as for exactly what constituted natural vs unnatural, he was less certain. He swam a little farther before pausing and venturing his opinion. "Humans are not the only predators that overhunt," he said with his usual care for each word as he explored these new ideas out with her. "Orcas and sea otters do so as well. As sea urchins would overharvest, and the algae that brings the red tide overreaches." He tilted his head in the moonlight, remembering years in his own life when things had been unbalanced. "When the orcas overhunt the otters in an area, the sea urchins become overabundant. They strip the mussels and the kelp. The damage can take many seasons to recover." He looked to Chaele curiously, and the mask she had created of the sea and shore. "I do not understand how people are different. Are they not also part of the natural cycle?"
But as for exactly what constituted natural vs unnatural, he was less certain. He swam a little farther before pausing and venturing his opinion. "Humans are not the only predators that overhunt," he said with his usual care for each word as he explored these new ideas out with her. "Orcas and sea otters do so as well. As sea urchins would overharvest, and the algae that brings the red tide overreaches." He tilted his head in the moonlight, remembering years in his own life when things had been unbalanced. "When the orcas overhunt the otters in an area, the sea urchins become overabundant. They strip the mussels and the kelp. The damage can take many seasons to recover." He looked to Chaele curiously, and the mask she had created of the sea and shore. "I do not understand how people are different. Are they not also part of the natural cycle?"
