Troubled mermaid

Playtime

Qin did not leave their hut after talking to the leader, the nice peacock came every day with meat and fruits for her and Muir, the eagle was not pleased about it but Qin told him this was fine, she told him she had made a deal with the peacock, she would give him ornaments and he would give them food. She had asked Máni where she could go to swim, Máni was delighted that she was speaking to him, he told her that there was a nice cool lake not that far from her hut, he asked if he could show her but Muir was quick to shut that down, Muir looked at Qin and told her she was not leaving this hut until the others came, Qin was a little bit sullen, she really wanted to swim but she knew he was only trying to protect her. She asked Máni if he could collect some seawater for her and he was quick to say yes, there was nothing he would not do for that cub, he wanted her to rely on him so that he had a better chance to be her mate in the future. Máni was quick to leave to gather seawater for her. Qin wanted salt for her family but also to sell, salt was expensive and hard to get so this would be a nice side hustle for them. She knew well that Curtis was a very wealthy beast, he had stones stashed all around the place but it did not hurt to gather more, plus it would make her a more desirable mate, she was more than just a pretty face and she could not wait to show what she could do.

Máni came back with the seawater but left quickly after that since Curtis, Harvey and Winston finally arrived. Qin was so happy to see them all, that she forgot about everything else. She knew they would be very tired and hungry so she sent Muir to hunt for them, he had mostly restored his energy and could easily hunt for them. While he went out, Qin gave them the fruits Máni had given her, she also tried to cook the meat Máni had given her but Harvey would not let her cook he was afraid she would hurt herself, so he took over. The aroma of the meat filled the hut, and made all of them salivate, while Harvey was cooking Qin concentrated on making a little salt for their meat, she took only a small amount of seawater and worked it until there was only salt left, she took the salt and put in on the meat Harvey was cooking, it smelled so good but she knew they needed it more than she did. When Harvey was finished cooking he gave Qin the largest portion of the meat but she declined the meat, telling him that she had eaten just before they arrived, they tried to argue but she would not let them, she told them to eat it all, she wanted them eat their fill and then rest well. Muir came back with a large stag, he was a skilled hunter and knew how to collect the meat from the stag, as he did Qin took the meat and used salt and herbs on the meat, then she gave it to Harvey to cook. Curtis, Harvey and Winston ate well that night, Qin told them the story about the red mermaid and the piranhas. They were relieved that she was safer here than elsewhere but still they were wary of the piranhas, Qin told them not to worry, she was just a cub, they would have no interest in a small thing like her but they all knew that was a lie, she was not only a very fair cub she was bright and kind, she would be wanted by all sorts of beasts and they had to be ready to protect her from them all.

The all laid down to rest in the hut except Muir, Muir was still working on the stag, he wanted to use the skin of the stag as clothes for Qin, the stag had been a white one, a very special one and he wanted to make something special for her, she had made them all kinds of jewellery and he wanted to gift her a pretty gift as well so he worked all night on making the skin right so he could make a dress for her.

The next day Qin woke up feeling refreshed, she was famished and wanted to eat fruits, just as she was going to go out and relive herself she saw Máni, he was just about to arrive with fresh fruit for her, she gave him a big smile and told him he did not have to bring her anything but still she accepted it and ate it with a happy face. Curtis came out ready to attack the poor peacock but Qin was quick to stop him and told him that Máni was her friend and they were bartering, he gave her food and she gave him ornaments. Curtis could see through the males intent but said nothing, he would stop this male from pursuing his cub. Máni felt pressure from the snake so he was quick to leave after giving Qin his fruits. Qin knew what Curtis was thinking so she told him she wanted to go to the lake and swim with him, she had been itching to morph and swim. Curtis took her into his arms and walked towards the lake, he had seen it when they had arrived so he knew where it was. When they arrived there was no one but them there, he put Qin down and she kept on concentrating on morphing, she had been concentrating since Curtis took her into his arms but it still took a long time. After a long while she was in her mermaid form. Curtis put her in the lake and went into the lake with her, she told him to try to catch her but he could not, he was a very adamant swimmer in his half snake form but he could not beat her speed even if he was much stronger than her. Qin laughed and was having a wonderful time, she caught a few fishes and ate them raw as she played hide and seek also with Curtis.

While they were playing other beasts arrived to bathe in the lake, one of those beasts was a male called Alva. His father had told him about the nice, pleasant female cub that had just arrived but he had not been that interested, she was only a cub after all, he would have been interested if she was an adult beautiful female, there was a female he had been courting for years now, he did everything she asked, she was after all the most beautiful female of this village. He had been courting her for ten years, he started when he only had one mark but she had not been interested in him until he got the second mark. He was the most handsome male in the village but females wanted strength and beauty in a mate so he made a lot of effort to get stronger but still she made him court her and do her bidding, he did not mind though she was a female and that is how they behaved. He had gone to the lake since the female had wanted him hunt a rainbow fish for her. He of course said yes even though he did not know how to hunt for fish, he did not eat fish, not a lot of beasts in this village did, she had just asked for it since she knew it was hard to catch a ranbow fish. He entered the lake and began to swim, he held his breath and went under, he could see all kinds of fishes but no matter how he tried he could not catch one, he was getting agitated, since he had no luck and just when he was close he had do go to the surface to breath, he was in the middle of the lake when he saw a big tale, moving fast under the lake, he had been a little frightened at first but then he thought that no dangerous creatures lurked in this lake, still he was curious so he tried to follow the tale but the tale moved too fast, he gave up, sulking wondering how he could catch a rainbow fish.

Qin had seen the beast swim in the lake, she had been watching him while playing with Curtis. She could see just as well under the surface of the lake as she could above, as soon as she saw the green hair and the green marks under his eyes she knew this was the same Alva as in the book, she wanted to tease him a little, he seemed so sullen so he yanked his foot and dragged him down the lake, at first Alva did not know what was happening and panicked, he swallowed water as he tried to gasp for air, Qin saw soon she had made a plunder, she had made him so scared that he thought he was going to die. She swam fast to the surface and let him go. Alva coughed and puked water, he was just about to scream at the beast that tried to kill him when he saw the little female cub, he was lost for words, that never happened to him, he liked to talk and loved hearing his own voice but now he was stumped. He just looked at her, not knowing what to say. Qin felt bad, she had done wrong and did not know how best to to react, she did the first thing that came to mind and that was to cry like a baby.

Curtis was quick to come to Qins help, he though that bird had hurt her and was about to kill him when Qin stopped him, she could not stop crying, she felt ashamed, she could tell Curtis between intakes of air that she had almost drowned the bird. Alva felt stunned, he was the victim but yet she was crying, he wondered if he had really done something to her, he was just about to apologise when Qin spoke first, she told him she was very sorry, she had only wanted to play with him, she had not meant to make him scared, she told him she would do anything if he would forgive her, Alva thought for a little while then said he would forgive her if she would hunt a rainbow fish for him. Qin was quick to say yes, she dove in the lake again and gave him alive rainbow fish in his hands, she told him she could give him more if he liked. Alva was very pleased, he had gotten the rainbow fish and could now present it to the female, he thanked Qin and swam back with the rainbow fish in his hand. Curtis looked at Qin and told her playtime was over, it was time to go back and have dinner.

I hope you liked it. Thank you so much for reading, liking and commenting, Have a great day everyone :)