A woman studies a man as the subject of her research, never suspecting that he already knows her true motive. What she cannot see is that he has loved her for a long time and once saved her life, and he is quietly waiting for her to discover the truth.
Got it? That's the courtship dance. Learn it, then perform it for the female you've picked. Aran, I told you to learn the dance, not hug me. Like you. ...again.
You idiot! Didn't you see his fangs, those claws, and that incredibly powerful tail? He's not an ordinary merman. He's more like a siren out of legend! A siren? But he's never hurt me. Those creatures can tear you to pieces easily.
Once they pick a mate, they hunt them down, drag them off to some hidden place, and keep them prisoner until they've made it. Get out of there right now! It's too late.
When young males come of age, they typically leave their birth clan to find a mate and settle with a new community. It helps maintain genetic diversity.