Fakir nearly flinched, the claws not exactly painful, but the sharp pinching and digging certainly wasn't pleasant. He debated wearing an extra layer of his modified horse blankets, if only to make an extra layer that might dull Mesut's claws, but decided the extra weight and warmth from it wasn't worth it. He had eased into a more smooth pace that allowed him to keep moving, but hopefully also wouldn't dislodge the snake as he moved more of his coils on the centaur. At least for now, the naga didn't feel warm, and indeed, other than being heavy, actually felt pleasantly cool. Fakir wasn't sure if that would change as Mesut absorbed his warmth while simultaneously sunbathing. It was just another issue they'd have to learn about each other as they travelled, he supposed.<br/><br/>When Mesut started to speak, Fakir's ears laid flat, seeming to fold to amplify his ability to hear the snake over the wagon wheels clattering over the packed dirt road. For a while, he was silent, though soon hummed in contemplation. "You seem rather adamant about understanding humans, or anything outside temple life. I don't think such a feat can be done, personally, and expecially not from my view. I only interact with them for business, really. Some pleasure, I suppose, but when you see the world a certain way, it can be hard to change your views," Fakir noted. "Why are you asking? Once you return to the temple, this world will be cut off from you again," the centaur asked, curious now about Mesut's motivations.<br/><br/>"But, to answer... I suppose it's hard to put it in words. I'm no wordsmith and certainly not a teacher. A story-weaver, sure, but all travellers are to some extent," Fakir said before his brows furrowed. His hands reached to his midsection, moving to rest over Mesut's to stop the snake from scratching at his pelt. The centaur let out a heavy sigh, which came out more like a snort since his lungs were preoccupied with his gait when the snake's arms dropped, and the centaur felt an odd need to scold the snake, even though he'd done nothing wrong. Still, a slight tension had crept into his shoulders, and he suddenly wanted to bunch his body and stretch simultaneously. It was an odd sensation.<br/><br/>"Your questions are... not exactly bad or wrong. They are considered by many species to be personal. Not that it cannot be discussed, and indeed in some settings, it's discussed quite a lot. But we all differ. For me, this is not a topic I touch upon often. Probably because I am not expected to breed," Fakir tried to explain. "So a topic so open to your lifestyle is something more difficult for me to discuss. I daresay it's mostly ignorance that stunts this conversation for me. Again, it's something I have a very limited view on. You can guess all you want, but guessing doesn't mean knowing," Fakir said, neatly skirting the reminder of his time with that maid who had slid into his rented stable stall.<br/><br/>"Like how you got insulted when humans thought your temples had orgies with virgins. They guessed at your life, but it was wrong, and no one bothered to ask your temple. They had a limited view of temple life and guessed, and guessed wrong. But there are not many opportunities for lives like ours to ever met, let alone hold lengthy discussions," the centaur reached back to scratch at his mane, a habit he apparently had when he started contemplating harder than he usually did. "It's the same reason I don't know how to ask about your life. I know nothing of it, so I have never wondered about it. I might have wondered about the rumors of the temples, but never have I actively thought about Gulpasa or her children," the centaur said.