Sunlight

The Underwater Game

Weightless. Effortless. surrounding like a thin membrane that changed to my every moment. The water surrounds me as I opened my new eyes. my second eyelid I develop was snugly protecting my eyes and adjusting my eyesight to the new world. The darkness lifted slightly. Everything was shades of black and grey and the water plunged about 20 feet down. I twisted on my spine to face myself away from the surface and waved my powerful fin to dive lower into the water.

Hawke was a few feet to my right experimenting with her fin and adjusting to her new body. I reached out to her with my aura, trying to send the emotions of beginning our search for Neil. Communications as a siren were limited to our aura's and body langue. After all, we do need air to speak verbally. Hawke's excited aura meet mine and then pulled our joined auras in front of us towards the caverns.

The caverns were small underwater pockets of rocks and miniature caves. They provided a small obstacles course for practice swimming and made perfect places to hide. I knew Hawke wanted us to search there first so we split up to check both sides. I took the left and Hawke took the right. Both of us drew our auras back so that Neil wouldn't sense us growing near.

My hands gripped the underwater stones in the narrow passages as I pulled myself forward. It was easier to swim like this in tight spots so I didn't scrape my delicate fin. Where could he be hiding? The water was still other than the slight current pulling the blue-black ink off my golden skin. I looked around for that same golden skin that Neil and I shared. I felt the water stir slightly and I instantly stopped swimming looking around for any movement. And shift or spot of color in the black and grey. My eyes picked out nothing. I sent my aura out a little testing the darkness seeking out Neil's.

What I felt wasn't Neil's but Hawke's barreling into mine. It was ecstatic and urging me to find her. I pulled myself carefully out of the narrow passage I managed to wedge myself in. With a powerful flick of my fin, I propelled myself to where Hawke's aura was pulling me. Diving further down the deep water arms press against my sides and hair streaming up towards the surface.

I saw Hawke circling rapidly around a golden mass below her. I tugged on her aura to let her know I was above her. As one she dived propelling underneath Neil as I positioned myself above him. Neil only saw Hawke diving and was unaware that I was near and he began to swiftly glide towards the surface. I took my opportunity and slammed my aura into him trying to stun his emotions. I belted for him and as I was about to crash into him I twisted on my spin and rammed my fin into shoving us both away from each other. He shoved my aura away, trying to stun me as I did him. However I was prepared for his counter, and so was Hawke.

As Neil flanked to ram into me Hawke came from below and grabbing his torso and with the momentum of her going upward misdirected him from me. Hawke was then locked in an underwater wrestling match. Neil and Hawke flailed against the water trying to get the better grip and pin the others hands. However, Hawke wasn't alone and I dove into the fight. I took a while and but Hawke and I manage to grab one of his arms each and started to drag him towards the surface so that we could breathe air and yell at him. He didn't make it easy as he flails and twisted his fins to try and push us off course.

We persisted and swam on with Neil, every annoying attempt at escaping. The surface loomed before us with its glassy appearance that warps the rocks of the caves above. We broke the surface our faces streaming and hair plastering itself to our rubbery skin. The first breath of air was chilled and stale from being trapped inside the cave.

"Okay, you Win! Let go of Me," Neil complained, struggling against our grip splashing water everywhere and cutting deep ripples into the water.

"Look, at the poor baby struggling Nazzie, I almost feel sorry," Hawke purred.

"Fine, but next time learn to respect the rules," I laughed pushing his arm away from me.

"You're one to speak Nazeria, isn't it against the rules to be late after a hunt," the seething tone of Slith came from the edge of the pool. His green upper body was out of the water as he scrubbed ink from his body revealing his emerald skin and brown hair. I glared at him pulling my aura back towards myself to keep my emotions to myself. "I would hurry up and wash. All of you that is, the Wise one wants to speak to all the Hunters."

"I am ready whenever you are Slith," the deep enchanting voice of Leto whispered out of the shadows. My heart skipped at hearing that musical sound.