Prey

Chapter Three: Dangerous Sharks.

The Atlantic Ocean.
September 9th, 2023.
6:27 pm.

     Their attempts to come after me once I'm finished with my hysterical performance did nothing to calm me down after I saw Kanto's true side. He viciously ate that fish, without any mercy whatsoever. I couldn't handle watching him devour the innocent creature without any warning or chase, so cruel and unusual to a tiny being. I could barely stand hurting a dog or a cat, let along a fish! I've won so many of them at the fair; they became my tiny underwater buddies.

I knew I couldn't handle becoming a mer, and because of the way I feel, I'll more than likely be exiled. I swam far away from the estranged mers as soon as my tail picks up the current. I'm too focused to not watch where I'm going, but luckily I managed to glide safely through the water. I try to erase the memory of what happened, yet my eyes keep seeing it over and over and over again. I felt my throat constrict, then I could barely breathe.

Tallese suddenly touches me, sending me reeling back and I begin to panic. "Hey, Pandora, hey!" She shakes me by the shoulders and nabs my attention.

Tallese finally manages to calm me down. She stops shaking me and holds me at arm's length. "Are you alright? Can you breathe?" Tallese inspects me head to tail, checking all my fins and scales.

"Tallese..." My breath came out wispy.

Breathing deeply, I brush my hair away from floating in my face as the others come swimming towards us. Tallese stops next to me, settling a hand on my overexposed shoulder. Her hand was soft and warm, like flower petals in the sun; she seemed genuinely curious about me.

"What didn't you like? The feeding..?" Tallese tilts her head, bugging her eyes at my facial expressions.

I connect eyes with her, and I noticed her smile turn upwards as if already knowing the answer. She gently floats closer to me and smiles reassuringly, petting at my hair.

I couldn't speak, only nod at her question. I continued to breathe deeply, feeling my heart rate decreasing when she mumbles a few words under her breath. A bright glow flows through my veins as I watch her press those dainty fingers against my skin.

When Larose slips her fingers away and spots Tallese touching me, she gasps, demanding, "Tallese! What are you doing—? Don't touch her!"

But Tallese continues her words and phrases, bringing heat to my body and a sense of peace to my mind. My veins begin to ignite in silver, softly warming my insides. The glow finally subsides as my heart comes to a normal rate. I finally felt normal and not anxious, and for that I looked to Tallese to gift her a grateful smile. She only nods softly with a knowing gleam in her eyes.

Larose pushes both of us back, shielding me with her body as she bares her teeth at Tallese. Tallese has no worried look on her face like I do mine, and it causes me to stop my mind from racing.

Tallese floats calmly and only holds a smile on her face as Larose speaks in a low voice, "Stay away from her, Tallese. I will rip you apart if you lay another hand on her again. Pandora is mine until she knows our ways, and I will not let another heal her without me, or my knowledge, marive."

Her voice was cold and domineering as Larose swished her blonde and azure locks to threaten the other three nearby. "And the threat is for everyone," she spits through gritted teeth.