“Yeh, yeh Serina” Merl said cautiously poking Serina’s shoulder.

‘Yeh’? me? Serina looked over.

“Yes, Merl?”

“Mmu, m’I adnik yrgnuh.”

Ahh… r-right…? Gestures, use gestures you’ve got more limbs than me it should be easy.

Growl~ Merl glanced away as her face flushed red.

oh, she was saying she’s hungry. Hmm, makes sense I hadn’t fed her, oops.

“Sure, wait here, I’ll be back soon.”

Serina turned around and flopped back deeper into the pool before she could swim out leaving Merl alone once more. Her magenta tail lightly hit the sharp rocks on her way out.

Hmm, Merls a small human, I don’t think her appetite would be as large as mine.

Swimming through the coral reefs, vibrant colours light up the dull foggy ocean. Ruins and shipwrecks, acting as homes for smaller fish. Swarms of tiny transparent fish encompassed a dead Mermaid, tearing her flesh off, devouring her.

Serina had found a Hobfish, her favourite, second only to man. Large round frontal body, paper-thin and wide ribbon-like tentacles as fins. With its dark coloured scales that absorb the ambient light around them, they’re difficult to find, as they live between the rocks in complete darkness. Despite being extremely poisonous they’re easy to handle due to their slow speed.

~

With the numbness fading Merl was able to move around rather well; unstable but functional. Behind Merl was a large tunnel leading up, around 3meters in diameter, a faint pulsating breeze blew through brushing against the glow worms above. Extreme cold radiated from it, what was up there? She’d rather not know.

Agh, I’m all crusty, dried blood and iron sands gonna be a pain to clean off.

Removing her light grey shirt, pants and underwear, sitting them in the water below the waterfall to soak. Small scars litter her limbs, bruises discolour her skin, all healing nicely bar one, a goudge where the bandage once sat. The water is cold but refreshing, turning from bright blue to dark and dull, the scent of iron taints the air.

Ah, now I’ve not anything to wear while it dries…

Lying on the dark metallic sand she waited for Serina to return and her clothes to dry. Her mind wandered.

why haven’t I tried to leave yet? Why do I feel safer next to a monster than my own fleash and blood? Am I afraid of what Serina would do if I tried? Is this merely an escape from my fears?

I’m, I’m not sure…

~

“Hey, Merl I’ve brought us… food…” As though her heart had sprung a leak, she blushed from head to tail.

Splash, splash. Her tail lightly whisking the water.

“Ho, yeh Serina… Uoy thgirla?” She asked lifting her head off her arm.

“Wh-why, are you undressed?” Merl’s expression didn’t change. She hadn’t understood.

Looking around she saw her clothes to the right.

Ohh, they’re drying.

~

Serina, sitting in the pool effortlessly gutting the fish. Nails that make short swords look blunt paired with frightening precision. Fascination and unease filled Merl. Serina had filleted, cut into bite-size chunks, skinned, and handed it over, not once looking at Merl.

“T-thanks” Merl said softly

Hmm, she hasn’t looked up once, it's making me feel, Uneasy?

Without anything to cook the fish, she had to eat it raw. Keeping occupied by looking at her surroundings and Serina in Infront of her, chewing on what’s left of the spine and head. Her tail wrapped around near her side using her fin as a plate. Her long smooth tail, purple scales with blue edges, every movement, elegant.

“K-kio?” Her movements became jiggered, twitching with every gaze.

So elegant, so, pretty.

“Nothing” Merl shook her head.

*

After eating her meal, she thanked Serina and got dressed. Conversing without a mutual understanding is difficult, even a basic understanding of each other’s words would be a massive improvement.

“’ I am’” Merl said pointing to herself.

Serina caught on.

“Mi estas” Serian mirrored, nodding in agreement.

“I am tired” Merl said while putting her hands together near her right ear.

“Mi estas Laca” Serina mirrored again.

Hmm, different words, yet the same sentence structure. Shouldn’t be too difficult to learn.

Different species, languages, customs, yet underneath they're frighteningly similar. They continued to trade.

~

She’s gone to sleep already?

After being treated better by a Siren than by her own family she ended up dropping her guard quickly. Sleeping peacefully, in a cave below the surface, Infront of a man-eating monster who’s more humane than most above.

She’s, shivering? Lying by the edge of the pool, Merl was huddled together.

Hmm. I guess it would be cold for humans.

Serina quietly crawled closer to Merl. Wrapping her arms around her and snuggled up close, cold, cold as ice. Hoping her body heat would help.

Thump, thump. In sync, they beat.