Water

Wave Twenty Three

Her hammock swayed in the current and she groaned softly at the prospect of her first full day as a Scout. It had only been one tide-turn, but already Leira hated her new existence with every fibre of her being. She thought back to her arrival in the Scout section of the Citadel.

          She’d brought nothing with her. After their argument, she hadn’t even returned to her own chamber, leaving Eli to deal with her few possessions as he saw fit. Travelling from the Nest’s inner wall, where the Guardians lived, Leira had journeyed outward. She’d headed toward the Flame-Tails’ base, ready to start her first mission as a Scout. She hadn’t had to travel far.  

          Though Guardians lived slightly removed from the Citadel, Scouts needed to live on the edge of it too, so they could come and go freely. Before the Great Attack, Scouts and Guardians had worked together. Scouts were posted just outside the Nest, within range to communicate to the Guardians if any dangers approached. But there’d been no danger for so long that the two groups hardly ever mingled. Leira didn’t know a single one of them. Scouts who were posted on the Nest’s outskirts were more for show than to serve a real purpose. Their true purpose, Leira soon discovered, was to go out, far beyond the Nest. To search for resources, map the surrounding land, hunt for danger, track other herds, and report back to the Nest. At least, Scouts who’d passed their training could go out.

        Lying in the hammock, Leira still smarted at the memory of her first meeting with Firth, the leader of the Flame-Tails. She’d seen him around before, surrounded by others, their scarlet tails dashing back and forth in a blur of red as they left the Nest. But she’d never interacted with him – never interacted with anyone who wasn’t a Guardian, she realised – and his presence had been overwhelming. He’d towered over her as she approached their base.

          He’d obviously been awaiting her arrival and had a bored expression on his face. His skin was darker than most, bronzed almost, despite the depths they’d been born into. Tiny shimmering orbs, the size of shrimps, decorated his deep black hair, which hung down in threads to his waist. His arms had been folded against his massive chest and corded veins snaked their way across his wrists and biceps. And his tail! Leira knew Firth wasn’t to be messed with – his posture alone told her that. But his tail spoke more. It was ruby red and the light of the orbs in his hair shone downward and gave the impression that thousands of tiny jewels were glittering in Firth’s tail. Not a single scale was missing; there were no scars on him – his tail was perfect. He's proud as well as strong, Leira had mused. A dangerous combination. The thought had sent a thrill down her tail.

          She’d blushed then, remembering she was supposed to be connected to her Herd, especially to the Scouts. Thinking her own thoughts was a Guardian trait – a thing of the past now. She’d opened her mind and felt the hum and buzz of the Herd. Since her Testing, it was somehow difficult to reconnect; silence was more forgiving than the rush of Herd thoughts constantly in the back of her mind. Automatically, she’d to tuned in to those closest to her –the Guardian clan, her father, Cam. She stopped. She wasn’t a Guardian anymore. Besides, Cam was gone.

          Nervously, she’d looked toward Firth and reached out to him, changing the frequency of her thoughts to allow the connection.

          Firth had watched her with what seemed like silent amusement. When her thought reached his mind, his lip had curled up in a sneer. His cold blue eyes, the same shade as Eli’s, stared at her. They contained none of the warmth of her father’s. They were lined with squid ink, which made them stand out even more – two sapphires nestled within a jet black lining. He projected over her greetings, his own thought reaching her mind and cutting her off. It had the lilt of the Scout clan – melodic, yet harsh. Not refined, like the Guardians.
(You showed up then.)