They sat in quiet for a while.

Then, Stars had a thought, and twitched her ear. ‘Tenkata Fio,’ she said, slowly. ‘You live next door, don’t you?’

‘Yeah, you met my husband?’

‘Ketika?’ Stars guessed. Then, when Tenkata nodded she pressed back her ears and winced. ‘He was very rude to Kekik Distro.’

‘Oh?’ it was Tenkata whose ears twitched, now. And he frowned as he looked confused. ‘Was he?’

Stars nodded. ‘Yes. He said she wasn’t a “regular person,” because she looks different. It’s rude to tell people they look different, even if it’s true. It’s not her fault she looks the way she does. She didn’t even mean to call Klict! It just happened to her, because Kay’oten wanted to hurt Ka’harja and me.’

Realisation hit Tenkata, then, and he mouthed a very quiet oh before a weak chuckle found its way out of him. ‘Is that why she slammed the door on him, then?’