Two Tails, One Rotten Heart

Let the hunt begin

Asherah was trying to kill Nala. That could be the only goal of the grinning siren as she thrusted the spear right at Nala's abdomen. Nala twisted and tried to get the other girls spear under her arm in the hopes of snapping it as Asherah had instructed her to do last week. The move was expected and the now laughing siren flung herself backwards taking Nala with her. Cheers and shouts could be heard on the sidelines from the other training sirens and Nala gritted her teeth, she had been beaten once a week fighting Asherah and she was determined to win this one. Nala flipped herself on her stomach and stayed low to the ground, one hand clenched on her spear while the other buried itself in the sand. She looked to the side to find Cari staring at her, she tilted her head just barely to the side and Nala took it to mean you can do this.

She didn't need Cari to tell her that, Nala had already decided she would be the winner of this match. Asherah leveled a grin at the low crouching girl and darted forward at the same time that Nala launched forward throwing a handful of sand right at the other girls face. There was the slightest second before Asherah threw her spear blindly and it would have caught and pinned Nala by the tail but she wasn't there, instead she had thrown herself to the side and wrapped herself around Asherahs back with her spear pointed at her throat. There was only Nala's panted breathe and silence from the crowd before they roared with approval. It was the first time Nala had won a practice fight against Asherah.

"Not bad tadpole." Cari had that small smile on her face that filled Nala with pride although she would deny it if ever asked.

"Yes yes Nala beat me and now she can take this spear out of my face." Asherah jabbed her elbow into Nala's side making her release the girl with a hiss.

Rubbing her side Nala replied, "There's no need to be so bitter Ash we all knew this day would come." Asherah snorted at her.

"At least I can kiss your wounds away." Cari slid closer to Asherah and nipped at her cheek. The girl gave a wicked grin, "We both know you'll leave new marks."

Nala gagged breaking the 'romantic moment' "I need food if I am going to be forced to listen to you two."
"Well I need food if I am going to hear you two bicker about this fight." Cari led the way to the dining hall as Asherah started in on Nala about everything she had done wrong and Nala responded in her sarcastic rude way. The crowd parted for them and Nala fell silent for a moment.

It had not hit her once in the months she had been undersea but she was one of the sirens now. She ate with them, trained with them, was as respected as Cari or Asherah, in fact the three were an inseparable group. They had snuck up on Nala and she hadn't even noticed until they were already attached to her. A smack on her arm, "You won't pin me ever again if you don't listen to what I say!" I wonder if there is a way to detach Asherah.

"Your Highness." They all turned to the palace guards loitering away from the crowd.

"What is it?" Cari turned to them.

"Your mother requests that she join her for a swim." They pointed at Nala. Asherah came closer to Nala's side and she gave the guards a lazy smile. "And for what does the Empress need her for?" It would be impossible to tell looking at her but Asherah could charm anyone, she was capable of putting on any skin to bend someone to her will and no one was sure how. Some said her voice carried the siren song at all times of the day so powerful that even other sirens could not help but draw nearer to her. Nala knew why Asherah asked, it was no surprise that Empress Aphrodite was not impressed with her not that Nala gave a damn.

"Nala join us for dinner after if there is still time." Cari looked at Nala and conveyed a message, try not to anger my mother and get yourself killed or you'll ruin my dinner.

Nala nodded and followed the guards away from the training grounds. She had not been at the palace since she first became a siren but it was as imposing as her first time here. They passed through the double doors and she was led down a hallway away from the throne room and down another hallway until they emerged at a garden. It was different from the seaweed garden where Nala had met Ula. A pang went through her at the idea of her sister but she quickly buried it as they drew nearer to the Empress. They passed lines and lines of different colored shells laid in different patterns over the ground. Nala wouldn't admit how beautiful it was.

The guards bowed before swimming away leaving Nala alone.

"I hear you beat Asherah in the practice battle. Is that true?"

"Yes." The Empress gently brushed one of the shells with the end of her tail the colors of the many shells somehow shinning off her and Nala's scales coating everything in blues and greens and oranges.

"I do not like you hanging around my daughter." Nala was momentarily shocked and frozen before disbelief bubbled up. She said nothing waiting for the Empress to impart more information. She turned to face Nala, "Cari is going to be Empress one day and she needs strong females beside her."

"What makes you think I am not strong? I have proven myself. I have beaten all the sirens in training." The Empress drew closer.

"Your strength," she said quietly, "is a ten foot wave. Capable of great destruction for one minute one moment and then gone and there is always the risk that you yourself will be swept away."

Nala didn't know why she cared, didn't want to examine the feeling too much but the idea of having Cari taken away from her with Asherah sure to follow was making it hard to breathe.

"You will have to prove yourself." Nala took a breathe.

"What exactly did you have in mind?" The words came through gritted teeth. The Empress gave her a look but didn't comment, "There is a hunt tomorrow and so you will accompany Cari and experience your first hunt." For a moment excitement shot through Nala's body like a tidal wave and then curdled up and die.

"Thank me."

Nala gazed at the Empress and said nothing. The two stood as still as pillars neither one budging and Nala knew that she should, she should show respect but the tone and the words grated her and the two words the Empress waited for did not come up. Instead a cold feeling spread through her body and her mouth twisted into a smirk. Nala turned to go, "I look forward to proving myself worthy and accompanying Cari. I shall go find her now." Nala turned back just for a second before disappearing back inside, "A pleasure Aphrodite, as always."

Cari and Asherah had different reactions when Nala told them the news. Asherah slapped her on the back hard enough to smack her against a wall which led to Nala hissing at her and sent the two of them into another fight. The siren got over it quickly and went on and on about her first kill, the taste of the blood and the celebration after. Cari...stared at Nala for a long time before wishing her luck and sending her off to bed in preparation for tomorrow but sleep wouldn't come. Did Cari think she was not capable? Like her mother had suggested? This was no longer something to prove just to the Empress but to Cari too, Nala would show her that she was as worthy and valuable as Asherah. Nala was going to be wanted. Even with that settled Nala couldn't sleep. She would kill someone tomorrow. What would Ula think?