Water

Wave Sixty Four

A cold evening current washed around the nest. Huge orb lights dotted the perimeter. They dimmed as the tide turned. Leira shivered. At this time of day, the herd congregated in the centre of the crater. Once they’d realised she wasn’t a threat, they let their shields down. They’d drift around, or settle on boulders in groups. It reminded Leira of the Scouts in the main chamber. Her heart wrenched as she remembered her friends. She’d been so absorbed with the new herd, she hadn’t thought of them for several tides.
         
Marilla, a young Mer with cropped brown hair and deep grey eyes, lounged next to Leira on a rock. She stretched her tail out and held it next to Leira’s, comparing them. Her shadowy scales dulled next to Leira’s and Marilla sighed. Her tail was covered with scars and welts. When they’d first met, Marilla chattered about them proudly, telling Leira about each fight she’d been in. Marilla had been looking after Leira since her arrival and Leira found it difficult to believe someone so friendly had been in so many vicious scraps. Violence was just their way of life, Marilla had explained cheerfully.
         
(What’s this?) Leira was drawn from her reverie. She felt a tickle on her tail and looked down. Marilla was tracing the line of her white markings, a stark contrast from her amethyst scales.
(Oh, I…) Leira’s thought trailed off. She couldn’t even begin to explain. She was saved from answering by the arrival of Arla. Arla had been one of the Mer who found her. He ruffled Marilla’s hair playfully as he swam. She batted his hand away, grinning. Marilla’s huge grey eyes followed Arla’s form as he continued past. She watched as he joined Naeco, and the two leaned in to project. They looked serious.
         
Leira couldn’t help but notice their eyes kept flickering in her direction. She realised she was staring. Marilla noticed too, and ran a hand through her hair.
(He likes you.) Marilla didn’t look at Leira as she thought it.
(Who?)
Marilla wouldn’t answer straight away. She shifted her tail away from Leira’s and put her chin in her hands.
(They both do. You’re new. Interesting. I bet they’ll display for you. You’re not a washed-up old fish like me.) Leira shot a sidelong glance at Marilla. She saw the ghost of a smile playing on her lips, but it was laced with menace.
(Never going to happen,) she thought back breezily. Leira knew she’d never mate with a Mer from another herd. Especially not one who was effectively keeping her prisoner. But she couldn’t quite put the way Naeco looked at her from her mind.
         
The evening orbs began to flicker and fade. Some of the older Mer drifted to their tents. Leira found herself with a group of Mer her own age, and tried to follow their conversation. It wasn’t easy. She noticed that unless one of them directly sought to include her, she couldn’t hear their thoughts. Bored, she began to look around. Her eyes met Naeco’s and she chanced a small smile. To her surprise, he returned it. The smile transformed his face, and Leira blushed at the warmth it radiaated.
         
Her attention was diverted when a lean Mer with soft blonde hair settled on the rock next to hers. His tail brushed hers gently and he leaned in.
(Mira.) Confused, Leira looked into the Mer’s dark eyes. He began to project again. Leira cringed at the sarcasm in his thought.
(Traditionally, when someone introduces themselves, you reply with your name…) He looked at her, waiting.
(Right! Sorry.) Mira continued to grin infuriatingly.
(It’s Leira.)
(I know.) Leira turned her head, unimpressed, and began to move away. A hand touched her waist as Mira thought hurriedly,
(Wait! Stay. Sorry…I wanted to come over, but you’re really difficult to….) He paused, his deep blue eyes searching hers. A blush began to work its way up his cheeks. (This isn’t going the way I…) His thought faded and he brought his arm up to rub the back of his neck. He took Leira’s hand in his.
(Look, can we start again? I’m Mira. You’re Leira.) Something about the way he thought and moved reminded her of Tal. Leira couldn’t help it. She blushed and returned Mira’s smile with a small nod.
(I’ll stay.)
         
Embarrassed, Leira pulled her hand back and returned her attention to the conversation. Arla and Marilla were debating in animated tones.
(-unning out of Sources!) Leira just caught the end of Arla’s passionate projection. Both his hands were clenching Marilla’s shoulders and his face shone with intensity. A hush fell as the others realised Leira was listening. Marilla pulled one of her shoulders free, but Arla kept a hand clamped firmly on her other.
(It shouldn’t have to be this way,) she thought, loud enough for Leira to hear. What shouldn’t, Leira wondered. Arla bowed his head and must’ve projected something privately to Marilla. She jerked her head back as though she’d been slapped. Arla released her from his grasp and Marilla darted away. Her tail brushed Arla’s face as she left. Leira saw a thin line of red appear instantly on his cheek.
         
With a roar, Arla leapt after Marilla. He seized her tail as she fled, heedless of her sharp scales. Leira saw dark droplets fly from his hands as he clung to her. Marilla twisted round, shredding Arla’s skin. She flew at him. From her vantage point, Leira could dimly make out the two Mer. They whirled together as they fought, bubbles masking their figures. Leira could only watch as the two became a blur of teeth and fins and scales.
         
The figures moved further from the others, out of the orb light. Leira jumped as she felt a hand brush her neck. She found herself gazing up at Naeco, who was watching his friends fight.
(Shouldn’t we do something?) Leira asked urgently. Naeco looked at her strangely, and Leira felt she’d missed something.
(Trust me, they don’t want our help,) he replied. His thought was steady, but Leira sensed his amusement. (Look.)
Leira followed Naeco’s instruction and looked out into the dark waters. Marilla and Arla had strayed into a darker section of the nest. She saw their silhouettes, still circling and twisting together, drifting toward the seabed. One of the silhouettes pinned the other to the sand, and reached its face down until they became one.
         
Embarrassed, Leira shifted her gaze away. She wondered how naïve Naeco must find her. She realised he hadn’t moved his hand from her neck. Suddenly aware of his touch, Leira’s back straightened as she turned to Naeco. He looked down at her, studying her face. His next thought interrupted their silence.
(Do you miss them?) Leira knew who he meant, but he misinterpreted her hesitation.
(Your herd, I mean.) Leira scratched at a rock with her fingernail. Flakes of stone fell away to the ground. She began to tease the scales on her lap back and forth, creating a ripple of violets and lilacs. Naeco watched her intently.
(I try not to think about them,) she replied finally. Naeco nodded. He seemed to want to project more, but stopped himself. Instead he put his hand on Leira’s.
(If you keep doing that, your scales will fall off,) he joked. Laughing, Leira stilled her hand.
(Can you believe those two?) Mira’s thought charged through the water and Naeco drew his hand away.
(Maybe they just wanted some alone time,) Naeco muttered. Mira ignored him and leaned in toward Leira. Leira felt the tension between them stretch taught.
(Jealous, Naeco?) The tension snapped. At Mira’s goading, Naeco reared up. The two rose above Leira’s head. Slowly, they circled.
         
Mira moved first. Extending his arms above his head, he twirled his body. Bubbles shot from him, encasing him. In the faint orblight, it looked as though he was covered in gold as the bubbles danced across his skin. Faster and faster he span, flicking his tail to gather momentum, until he became a blur of black and gold. He stopped. The bubbles settled about him. His chest rose and sank as his breathing slowed. Shaking his blonde hair loose from its binding, Mira twisted his tail before straightening. He turned to gaze at Naeco, a wordless challenge on his face. At first, Naeco did not respond. Then, he began to rise.
           
Naeco’s sleek tail moved powerfully as he swam. He followed the line of the crater, up and up, until he was far above them. He changed direction until he faced them. Gathering speed, he began to plunge. He tore down toward them getting faster and faster. As he plummeted, his fin caught on pebbles and rocks which began to skitter down the crater around him. Soon he was shrouded in a haze of dust as he raced against the rocks he’d dislodged. He reached the bottom and veered off just as the landslide he’d caused crashed to the seabed. He emerged through a glittering cloud of debris. The effect was dazzling. Watching them, Leira’s mind was thrown back to her time with the Scouts – Tal and Sol’s mock displays. These were nothing like them. These were real. And they were for her.
         
Naeco swam to them and flicked his tail. A stream of dust and sand flew from it. It landed on Mira. With a snarl, Mira lunged at Naeco. Naeco dodged the attack and raised his tail.
(Storm!) The thought ripped through the water. All of them turned in the direction it had been thrown from.
(There’s a storm coming!) A Mer was charging toward them, excitement etched on his face. He whirled to a stop when he reached the young Mer.
(When will it hit?) Naeco demanded, the challenge forgotten.
(Soon.)
         
Naeco beamed at the messenger.
(Tell the others.) His eyes lit up and a smile crept across his face. (Tonight we wait it out. As soon as the tide turns, we move!) The Mer nearby began to laugh and whoop. Marilla and Arla had returned and their exhilaration matched Naeco’s.
(You picked a good time to join us,) Marilla crowed. Her face was flushed as she flung her arm around Leira.
(Come on, get some rest. We ride on the next tide.)