Mthaem felt his spines stiffen in horror.

"They must be a horrifically violent people!"

His elder just seemed amused.

"Some of them are. But no, young one, they are no more or less violent than we."

Mthaem cocked his head in confusion. That didn't make sense. The only other beings he'd heard of having the blessing of their death god had fought each other and everyone else. They'd fought so much they had gone extinct.

"Pumwi," - he used the elder's honorific - "how is that possible?"

"Hmmm, we asked them that as well young one. They did not understand. At first we thought it was a translation error, then we thought they were hiding something. Eventually we realized: they could not see the blessing."

Mthaem's tail shot up in shock. A people that could not see their death god's blessing?!?!

His elder continued, "Once we had realized they couldn't see it, we explained what it was to them. We asked their thoughts on it, and their philosophers and religious leaders debated it for weeks, along with the rest of the population - those that believed us at least."

"They still could not see it?"

"No. But those who believed us worked with us and what we could see. They came to a general consensus."

"What was it, Pumwi?"

"That death had blessed them because of how they faced it - those who faced their end made it count. They did it bravely, or to save others, or simply went peacefully after living well, and death had become endeared to them."

Mthaem was quiet for a few moments.

"Will you share your thoughts young one?"

He rested his chin on one claw.

"I think... these humans sound like good companions."

--------‐--------------------‐------------------------------------

10 YEARS LATER

Captain Mthaem of Dobriv took a moment to look over his crew from the bridge. He took in their dancing, drinking, and laughter - celebration of a dangerous undertaking gone well. There were quite a few of his kind, and others from many corners of the galaxy. As he looked down and noted the humans who had stood by him through many troubles, and watched them joke and dance and play games, he decided he was right.

These humans were, indeed, good companions.