✔THE STING (onc-19)

6. 'Liar liar, pants on fire.'

Early morning sun rays peeked from the horizon to tinker on ChuChip's face making her eyes squeeze tight. The rowing oar had slipped out of Kai's hand as he had obliviously drifted off into a small nap, although it was his turn to row the boat.

A weird sound, which was neither a squawk nor a quack, woke him up. He suddenly snapped his eyes open and fumbled to grasp a hold on the oar stuck in its rowlock.

"Good morning, lad." The talebearer greeted him as he hovered above his head, "I see you are awake."

"Are we there yet? Where are we?" Sheila wiped a drool from the corner of her mouth, as she wondered groggily.

The golden bright light seemed to fade into blurriness as they ventured into a sinister fog that kissed the calm water. Sheila rubbed her eyes to ease herself into alertness. She shook Gabby and Zaren awake.

Kai stood up and released the oar from the lock and held it out, ready to fight anything​ that lashed out of water.

The strong iron taste lingered on their tongues, as they inhaled the foggy air. It was cold, almost stinging inside their noses, soon the stench of it became apparent - the stench of rot.

"Are you sure this is the way to the mainland?" Kai stammered scanning all around the boat, but all that appeared was a thick and cloudy fog.

"Indeed. We are only few yards away, I can almost see it." The seagull announced and Kai let out a breath of relief. But the weird noise again, nearing him stealthily didn't let him overcome his fear.

"Who is it? Reveal yourself." Kai screamed to no one in particular. He licked his chappy lips to open his mouth again, but Zaren was up and wrinkling his nose already.

"I knew it. I shouldn't have given you the chance at all." Zaren clenched his jaw as he held his dagger ahead. The boat suddenly shook, setting everyone's heart beat on race. Sal and kids slowly woke up, one after the other wondering at the fog that almost made their faces invisible to each other.

There was another jolt to the boat.
"Do you see anything down here? Around us?" Kai looked up into the sky to find the talebearer, but it was impossible to see through it.

"Not that stupid bird again, Kai." Zaren darted ahead to hold Kai by his collar. He spoke grinding his teeth, "it's only because of you, that we are---" he paused as the boat tilted to a side, only a little with a slow but echoing creak. A damp and hairy snout materialised through the fog, then a pair of black eyes.

Kai released himself out of Zaren's grip and bent towards the animal that was resting it's chin on the strake of the boat. "It's an otter," he chuckled, "it's just a sea otter."

Chuchip hopscotched on the wooden bars to crouch beside Kai.
"It's like a bear," she giggled extending her finger to touch the nose. Only thing that never faded from Chip's eyes was that amusement. She never stopped trying and poking things, no matter what.

"Hello li'l lady." The otter squealed, more like quacked. It went over all other's heads, but for Kai, it was loud and clear.

"Hi there." Chip went on to touch it, the otter wasn't intimidated at all. It even gave in for her touch, as if it was craving for it since years. Chip gasped, flinched and then bursted into an unstoppable giggle as Tibby and Bo joined in with her.

"Where are you people headed, may I ask?" The otter enquired, Kai had never witnessed any body speak to him with so much politeness before.

"Uh...the mainland, where ever it is." Kai replied. Scratching his head, Kai tilted his face up to look for the seagull again, but it was futile.