How Green Becomes Wood

"That is very cute, you'll have to take her to the dolphins next. We actually have a baby right now," The employee said, "And we have replica sea lion fur, jaw, and whiskers here, so there is a whole lot to feel!"

Dark tried to suggest to Ivy she go see Mama, but she could not be persuaded to look away.
 
"Wow! This is so cool!" Alec breathed, petting the pelt. "Amazing! If it's a replica, how did you make it?"

Xander came over and took a turn gently fiddling with the whiskers. "What happens if a sea lion died? Would you keep that pelt?"
 
"Honestly, I don't know how they're made," The employee admitted sheepishly, "The materials are just provided to me. I know the cast of the jaw just come from a real one, but I don't know how they replicate the fur and whiskers. Honestly, I don't even know if they actually feel accurate, because I've not been able to touch a real one, but I trust what the zoo provides. As for keeping the pelt, I guess... I don't know. There's probably some law about it, or something."
 
"You're welcome!" The employee said cheerfully as other guests came to experience it.

Going with her sons back to Ivy and Dark, Daizi said, "Let's go to the dolphins. Ivy, do you want to go see the dolphins?"

"No!" Ivy replied, still pressed on the glass.

"Tifla, other kids deserve to watch," Dark reminded her, gently taking her hand.
 
"Come on, Mini!" Xander called as he hopped toward the exit. "There is more water to see. We're going to go see more swimming things."

"There is a lot of water to see," Alec agreed, pushing the stroller along. "We'll get to see more swimming things! And hopefully hear them, too."
 
"Look, your brothers are going," Daizi said, hearing the stroller and crutches moving off, "Don't you want to go with them?"

Ivy turned and looked at her brothers, then back at the sea lions, visibly hesitating. "Yalla, Hummingbird," Dark said gently, squeezing her hand.

There was an extended pause of uncertainty, but then she mumbled and started walking after Alec and Xander.
 
"I hear something splashing, but I can't see it from here," Alec said, craning his neck.

"They probably designed it that way on purpose to keep people moving," Xander replied. "Just keep to the right, and we should be able to see something in a minute."
 
"The dolphin exhibit is inside," Dark said, catching up with his sons while Ivy, still holding his hand, had a pouty look on her face, not understanding why she was being asked to walk away.

Once they got to the building, Dark had Ivy take Daizi's hand instead so he could hold the door for all of them instead before following them inside. Ivy walked in with them, a grumpy little look on her face, but as they walked inside, she first noticed the water, and she murmured quietly, tugging on Daizi's hand.

"Do you see something?" Daizi asked softly.

"Muyya," Ivy said.

"Muyya!" Daizi repeated.

"Well, let us go see it," Dark suggested.
 
As they approached, Ivy suddenly dropped Daizi's hand and tried to run to the glass but was slightly halted by her leash. "Mama!" She squeaked, looking at the dolphin swim by, "Fish!"

"It's not a fish," Daizi said, "It's a dolphin, they breathe air!"
 
"Dolphin!" Alec squealed, clapping. "That is so cool! Wow! They move even more beautifully than the sea lions!"

"There's another one!" Xander said, pointing. "Do you think they'll tell us thanks for all the fish?"
 
Xander hopped over and sat next to Dark to watch. It wasn't as good of a view, but he could rest his legs. He wasn't feeling tired or strained yet, but he had a feeling this was going to be a looooong day.

"That one jumped!" Alec reported. "What a splash for a little jump! I wonder if they have names? Do they like people?"
 
"I'm sure they do have names," Daizi said, crouching beside Ivy at the glass even though she couldn't see the dolphins at all, "Most zoo animals do, I think, and they're intelligent enough that I'm sure they have some degree of fondness for us."

"They sometimes use pufferfish to get high," Dark mentioned.
 
There was a pause. Then the twins both turned or shifted to look at Dark.

"Pufferfish can make dolphins high?" Alec asked carefully.

"How do you know that?" Xander queried.

"How high, exactly?"

"Do aquariums enable this behavior?"

"Or did they start it?"
 
"I read it somewhere, many years ago, but I do not know how high they get," Dark answered, "I doubt aquariums enable it because it is not kind to pufferfish."

"You should ask an employee about it, there's probably one somewhere around here," Daizi suggested.
 
Alec looked around and spotted someone who looked like an employee. He went over and studied the shirt and the badge to make extra sure they were an employee before he asked his question. "Excuse me, my family and I have questions concerning pufferfish and dolphins. If you have a minute, may we ask you about them?"
 
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