kirin and spoke, now less harshly. “Not eat long time. Eat now, strong.”

    Hoping not to offend these beings, Diliani tried to explain herself. “I’m sorry, but I have never eaten the flesh of an animal or bird, cooked or otherwise. I’m hungry and would like to eat your food, but I cannot.”

    Silarude eyed her inquisitively, then said, “You like Shillitum. Not eat animal.” The wrinkled one glanced at Broms, and they engaged in a lively conversation, Boros and the others joining in until Silarude looked back at Diliani. “But you differen from Shillitum. Smell same but talk differen, wear differen clothes. What eat?”

    “Almost anything from the forest,” said the kirin. “Honey, berries, seeds, mushroom...

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