Salt & Spice

Chapter 2

I'd like to thank @Ryn-Argawel for the awesome image in the sidebar!

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The Sea Witch had been stolen away by humans many years before, or so the rumors went. Most humans had never seen one of the Sea People, so they came to stare at her in a cage filled with water. One day a human took pity on her, and helped her back to the ocean.

Once she returned to the shoal, however, nothing was the same. Her family and most of her friends were gone, for she was old by that time. The fry of her time had grown up, and had fry of their own. They welcomed her back, but she no longer felt like she belonged there. She found a cave to live in, and chose to spend the rest of her days there, close to but not a part of the shoal.

It was such a sad story, Honor mused. How awful it would be to be taken away for so long that by the time she returned her parents, Bravery, and Shimmer were all dead. She pulled the dinner pack closer to her chest, as though it could protect her from the dangers of the world.

The cave was well beyond the seaweed fields. When she was younger her friends used to speculate about what was inside. That's probably where the stories about eating fry had started. One day they had dared each other to go look inside. Bravery had come the closest, but had still turned away at the last second.

What if she's there and she saw me? he'd protested when they all teased him for it.

None of them had known her story at the time. The adults had thought it best to protect the little ones from the harsh reality, but instead they had created stories equally as horrifying as the truth.

Honor had seen the Sea Witch on occasion, but always from a distance. While working in the seaweed fields the Sea Witch would occasionally pass by, but Honor couldn't tell where she went or why. It certainly wasn't any of the usual places in the shoal's territory. She never ventured into the evening circles or the crop fields. Where else was there to go?

They stopped a few feet back from the cave entrance, unsure as to what she should do. None of the other Sea People lived inside a cave. Should they just go in? Anything could be in the dark, and she didn't relish the idea of surprising the Sea Witch. Still, Honor couldn't think of a better option, so she flicked her tail and, pulling Shimmer behind her, propelled them forward into the void.

The cave was lit with glowing plants, the likes of which Honor never knew existed, that gave the cave an eerie green illumination. A rock bed covered the floor, covered in plants that Honor didn't recognize. Their tendrils snaked up toward the light, waving softly in the water. Colors rioted across the garden, all shaded by the same strange light. She felt herself drawn to the mesmerizing garden, and ventured in even deeper.

Something brushed her shoulder. Honor jerked around and was faced by the Sea Witch herself. She was just as scary up close as the fry had feared. Long scars criss-crossed her thin, bony body. The Eldest had scars as well, but hers were from the wear and tear of a long life. Coral had clearly been abused. Unlike most Sea People, she didn't wear any ornaments. Every move was slow and painstaking, as though she was submerged in a thick mud instead of plain water. With a shock Honor realized that she must be older than the current Eldest, and the rightful leader of the shoal.

She cut her hand. It looks bad, Honor signed, then nudged Shimmer. The younger girl slowly held out her hand for inspection.

It's good you came here. That could get infected without treatment. What's your name?

Shimmer, she glanced over at Honor, as if she needed permission to speak. Her eyes were huge and looked as though they might pop out of her smooth face.