MERMAIDS OF THE LONELY COAST (BOOK 1)

CHAPTER SEVEN

"THE TRIBES 2"
Her mother's tribe lived deep in lonely coast, at the bottom of the water, their territory had huge rocks, the walls and all around were decorated with tall sea weeds and sea shells and not too far away was a large ship that had sank to the bottom of the ocean. Ruth eyes had adjusted to the darkness and everything looked crystal clear to her, her tribe were more than Carmen's, they had more young ones and space.
"Welcome home Ruth"
Didi said and gestured to the crowd of mermaids and mermen going about their normal day life.
"Its beautiful"
The rocks were bright and had caves and some part of the ocean floor was covered with smooth flat stones. When they passed some Merfolks, they stopped and snarled at Carmen, she wasn't welcomed here. They would have attacked her if Didi and Cora hadn't told them to stay away from her.
"Are they always this hostile to outsiders?"
By outsiders she meant Merfolks from another tribe.
"Not really, we are quite Territorial, but the tribe Carmen comes from is not welcomed here at all. We are enemies.."
Cora said giving Carmen a scorning look when she said "enemies".
"It doesn't have to be like that, they are good people, the mistakes of the past should be forgotten"
"People? We are not people, we are the most evolved species in the water, and mistakes are not easily forgotten"
Didi said and lead them in between to large rocks.
"Your mother wanted unity amongst all tribes.. She was almost getting what she wanted until.."
Didi's voice broke slightly, sea horses swam away from them.
"Its been hard on her, losing both you and your mother"
Cora told her and swam to Didi, Ruth watch her comfort her, they bump foreheads gently.
"You must be strong"
She heard Cora tell Didi. Ruth sigh, in just a few weeks her life has taken a drastic turn, coming to Saint Bernard had be the only solution, now she wondered if she should have even come? She thought about Cleo, she was so for away from the surface, how much more Saint Bernard, she missed her father and Cleo, her old man must be so worried. She looked up, she couldn't see the surface, they were at the dept of the ocean. She sigh and swam away, Carmen followed behind, giving Ruth the space she needed. Ruth didn't understand why things had to be so complicated for her, her mermaid self was a secret she could never risk revealing, not to anyone, they would call her names and she would end up in an experiment table. She rested half of her body on a rock the other half hung free.
"Ruth, I know how you must feel"
"How would you know, you didn't spend most of your life on land, only to find out you are a full blooded aquatic creature"
"Yes that's true, but I know what it's like to be different, castigated and faced with fears and confusion... I'm sorry you had to face all this.."
Carmen placed a hand on her shoulder. Ruth smiled softly, suddenly something swam passed them to the other side. They both noticed a pale very light blue tail.
"Let's follow"
"No Ruth wait"
But Carmen was already too late, Ruth was swimming at a speed almost matching the very fast mermaid, she had no choice but to follow her, with a few long strokes she was side by side with Ruth, they made eye contact and nodded, they each swam really fast, matched their speed with the other mermaid's speed, they each swam by her side, she turned and looked at Ruth, then Carmen, her eyes were the lightest blue Carmen or Ruth have ever seen, her pupils were large just like that of a fish. She made a loud sound at them, then swam faster, they tried to catch up but couldn't she was took fast.
"She's too fast"
"What were you thinking going after another mermaid like that, you have to remember that there are other mermaids around the world, different tribes. Lonely coast has about three tribes living here, its uncalled for going after another Merfolk"
"I'm sorry, I just couldn't help it"
"You shouldn't have done that, now we've swam too far from your tribe, come we must go back"
"Can't you give me a tour"
"If you want a tour ask Didi she knows lonely coast better than I do"
Ruth looked up, she could see the moon, it was beautiful, she swam up, Carmen sigh and followed her. The moon memorized them both, but when Ruth looked away, Carmen was still stirring, Carmen's grey eyes turned white, Ruth gasp in fear, she didn't stop staring at the moon, instead she rose her arm, as though sh e was trying to reach up for the moon, the water around Carmen started Rising, fear and wonder overcame Ruth, was Carmen alright, why did her whole eye turn white, Ruth was about reaching for her when something grab her and swam backwards, she resisted but the grip was firm, she looked over her shoulder and saw the fast mermaid with white hair drawing her away, she stopped when they were a safe distance from Carmen.
"What is going on?"
"Do you want to die?"
"What?"
"The moon is the source of her powers, she is a rare Mermaid, one that has not been seen in lonely coast in a long long time."
Ruth looked back as the surrounding water rose up to the sky, then suddenly stopped, light shone into the water and touched Carmen, for a few minutes Carmen was glowing, then the glow disappeared and the water dropped back into the ocean with a force that sent a huge wave their way, the wave covered them and pushed them back into the water and held them there for a while before ceasing, they swam back to the surface.
"If you had been there when the water dropped, you would have been shredded into pieces"
The mermaid told Ruth, soon everything was back to normal, Carmen started looking around, obviously for her, she looked a little frightened.
"Ruth!!!"
"Over here"
Ruth waved at her, she swam to them, her head came out of the water and she looked at the other mermaid with scorn
"Who are you?"
"The one who just saved you from killing her"
"Oh.. Ruth am so sorry, I didn't know that was going to happen not now"
"Not now.. So you know what you are?"
The new mermaid asked
"Again I ask, who are you?"
"Am Yura"
"Of which tribe"
"The West tribe"
"That can't be, they don't exist anymore"
Carmen said
"Am the last of my tribe"
Realization struck Carmen, she remembered now, the West tribe had this colour of tale and their eyes were said to be the lightest blue, looking almost white, but how come this one still existed.
"My people all died wiped off the earth like insects, they suffered a great deal before the final death, am the only surviver and I remained undiscovered until now"
"Final death?"
"Yes, a war wiped out the largest tribe in lonely coast... Now I have no tribe, no family or people and no home.. I just stay hidden.."
"I'm sorry"
Ruth said and touch her shoulder, she shrugged and swam away from them.
"Come with us"
Carmen shouted after her, she pause, then turned and faced them.
"What?"
"Yes, please come with us"
Ruth pleaded.
"We both know, no tribe will accept me, we Merfolks are very protective of both our territory and family"
"My tribe will accept you"
Carmen said
"Thank you both so much, but I have no place with either of your tribes"
Yura said and swam away. Carmen and Ruth watched her with a little sadness
"Come on Ruth we must go back"
Ruth nodded she looked at the small Island in front of them and felt drown to it, but she looked away and went with Carmen.

Cleo came out from the store and was met by Lawrence Hale, Ruth's father, her heart skip a beat, Ruth's been gone for a week and three days, they were getting suspicious, she herself needed to leave town for a bit.
"Hey, good morning Lawrence"
"Emmmm Cleo dear, tell me is Ruthie okay, I mean its been almost two weeks, no phone calls, no message, and we don't know when she will return.. You can tell me, did she start having those nightmares again?"
Ruth brush back some strands of her.
"No no! Not at all, she's alright, she's stop having those nightmares a long time ago."
"Are you sure?.. Tell me the truth did she go see a therapist? I know being here is hard on her.. All those memories"
"No nothing like that.. I promise, if there was any problem, I'll let you know first.. I swear.. She will soon be back.. I promise"
"Okay.. Thank you Cleo, for everything.. I appreciate you for taking care of her.. Thank you"
He hugged her really tight..
"No problem Lawrence.. Ruth is like a sister to me"
"That's good to hear.. Alright.. See you later"
"Of course"
He kissed her cheeks and left.. Cleo sigh she was running out of excuses.. When was Ruth going to come back... She needed to see Gau