Laughter echoed through the cavern as Axen dove from above and crashed onto Marlow’s back. She rolled over and grabbed him out of the water. He cackled in her ear as she pulled him close with an arm locked around his waist while she tickled his ribs. His bone-coloured tail flapped wildly and his hands shoved at her arm as he wiggled and tried to get free.

“No tickling!” he howled in protest. “That is cheating, no fair! No fair!”

Marlow chuckled and leaned in to rub her nose against the boy’s before she twisted and dropped him into the sand. “I do not remember there being any rules against tickling,” she taunted as she leaned over him.

Axen huffed. His lips pursed and he blew a jettison of bubbles at her.

Marlow waved them away and rolled her eyes at his antics. “Do not be a sour loser,” she scolded as she poked him in the belly. “Have you had enough of games then? Perhaps we should just have a nap instead?”

Axen’s eyes widened, but before he could scramble away, Marlow flopped down on him, pinning his tail and poking her tongue out at him. She was careful to ensure she was not putting too much weight on him since he was so much smaller than she was. She did not want to risk hurting him.

“Marlow! Marlow, no! I do not need a nap, I am not a baby,” he protested. “Let me up.”

“No, I am pretty sure I heard you say you wanted a nap.”

“I did not. You are telling fibs. My momma says fibbing is not nice to do.”

“You are right,” Marlow lamented. “Maybe I am the one who wants the nap then. It can get very tiring chasing after cheeky little boys all day, you know.” She closed her eyes and began fake snoring.

Axen began to squirm more. His hands pushed against Marlow’s shoulders and his tail flapped wildly. “Hey! Do not fall asleep on me!”

“You two look like you are having fun.”

Marlow glanced up to find Precanna hovering in front of them. Her soft gray eyes were glittering as she smiled at them.

“Momma, help! Marlow is picking on me.”

Marlow sat up and waved politely at the other woman. Axen’s mother was a shorter mer with broad hips and skin like ash. Her hair was short and black at the roots that bled through gray to white tips. Her fin was flat and rounded, and she moved the paddle-shaped fin slowly to stay upright. “It certainly looked like you were having fun, Axen.”

“Well, I was not,” he huffed. He folded his arms across his chest and pouted.

“So you do not appreciate Marlow going out of her way to spend time with you?”

“Well, I-”

“I think you should remember your manners,” Precanna suggested. Though she had been patient and calm until now, an edge had leaked into her tone.

There was a moment of quiet before Axen turned to her. “Thank you for playing with me, Marlow.”

Marlow smiled and leaned sideways to gently bump her hand against Axen’s arm. “It was fun,” she agreed.

Marlow remained seated on the cavern floor as Precanna fussed over Axen for a few moments and then shooed her son away. “Thank you for entertaining him for a while, Marlow,” she sighed once Axen was out of range. “It is not very easy for him to be the only young Mer in our pod. He gets lonely. I know he can be a bit of a little squid sometimes, but I know he appreciates the attention and I certainly do not mind the occasional chance to have some time to myself.”

Marlow shrugged. “I do not mind, honestly. He is a sweet kid…he makes me feel less homesick. Besides, it was a nice way to pass the time.”

Precanna quirked a brow and sunk down beside her. “Are you waiting for something particular?”

Marlow ducked her head and shrugged sheepishly. “Nix,” she admitted. On instinct, Marlow glanced towards the cavern entrance in hopes of spotting the hunting party. But there was no sign of them yet. She sighed. It was not that Nix was always gone or that she felt abandoned, but the black and white mer joined a lot of the hunting parties while Marlow had not worked up the courage yet to leave the cavern and go very far. It was so dark and the ocean still terrified her.

“I am sure they will be back soon,” Precanna assured her. “It was just a small group, so they will not have ventured far.”

“I know,” Marlow agreed. She had spent several days in the water now and was beginning to learn some of the patterns and habits of the mer pod. “I guess I am just extra eager today, is all.”

“Oh? Do you two have something planned for the day?”

Marlow flushed and shrugged. She always felt a little awkward bringing the topic up, since none of the other mer had seemed to understand her stance. A few had taken offense or seemed put off by it. But Precanna’s gaze was fixated on her and Marlow could not think of an acceptable lie to backtrack. “I am hoping that she will take me to the surface today,” she admitted after a moment of hesitation.

Precanna clucked her tongue. “Did Nix say that?”

Marlow shook her head and wrung her fingers together. Precanna did not sound upset, just solemn. “Not exactly. She told me on that first day that I should wait a few days to rest and heal up. It has been a little while now, most of the bite marks have closed up and I feel a lot better. She promised that she would take me once I was doing better, and we talked a little about it last night, so I am hopeful.”

When Precanna did not reply, Marlow risked glancing back over at her. Precanna’s expression was slightly pinched, but otherwise neutral, but it still made Marlow wince.

“I know you probably do not approve, but I need to know that my family is okay. I miss them a lot.”

To her surprise, Precanna leaned closer and placed a hand on Marlow’s arm. Like with most contact now, Marlow’s skin buzzed with excess warmth and energy where Precanna’s hand made contact. “I did not say anything about not approving, Marlow. You are free to make your own choices and I do not make a point of judging the choices of others so long as they do not cause harm to others. But I do implore you to be cautious.”

“My family would never hurt me,” Marlow protested.

Precanna inclined her head. “Maybe so, but they are not the only danger, Marlow. The shallows are no place for our people. Humans fear us and are repulsed by us. We have been hunted by them before, it is not unreasonable to fear being hunted again if we stray too close. The shallows offer far less cover, more turbulence and waves, and it is harder to get away if necessary. I just do not want to see anyone get hurt.”

“I will be careful.”

Precanna pursed her lips and shook her head. “It is not just you that I worry for, Marlow.”

“Nix.” Marlow twiddled her thumbs and shifted her weight. Of course she had no desire to put Nix at risk. The mer had continued to be incredibly kind to Marlow. She was funny and energetic and she listened, even if she was quirky and had a noticeable disconnect with Marlow’s interest in the shore. She was rapidly becoming a very good friend. “She just seems so capable,” Marlow admitted.

Precanna hummed. “She is. But even the most experienced hunter can get caught in an accident during a hunt, Marlow. And it is not just the dangers of the shallows that concern me.” She moved her hand from Marlow’s arm to lace their fingers together. “We all have our burdens and struggles Marlow, and Nix is no different. She is a very aloof mer, and yet she has grown very fond of you, very quickly. Please be careful with your friendship.”

“I will,” Marlow agreed. The conversation was making her feel very torn. She did not want to harm Nix – emotionally or physically – but she was also entirely unwilling to consider living the rest of her life in the ocean without at least trying to get back to her family. She knew Nix really wanted her to stay, though she still was not entirely sure why it mattered to her so much, but it was where all of Marlow’s extra patience was coming from. It was running thin, but she really did not want to abuse the mer’s feelings when it was clearly a sore spot.

“I should get back to Axen,” Precanna sighed. She pushed herself from the sand and plopped a hand on Marlow’s head. “Good luck, Marlow. I really, truly hope that everything works out for you; though I do hope you stick around. It has been a while since Axen has been this happy.”

Marlow smiled back and nodded. She watched Precanna cross the clearing and disappear into one of the alcoves in pursuit of her son. Then she was alone once more and she sighed. Everyone in the mer pod was incredibly welcoming and nothing like any of the legends she had heard about sirens while growing up. Nix – and a few of the others she had asked on occasion – were pretty insistent that the change Marlow had gone through was permanent, that there was no way to reverse it. Marlow wanted to protest and knew it was not going to stop her from exploring the option, but she had a dark feeling deep in her chest that confirmed what they were saying. The mer had done this through a sort of venom in their bite. One that she was now immune to, and even if she was not, a second attempt would not spark a change back. It worked one way, that made sense, even if she did not want to accept it.

She stared at the orange-brown shade of her skin and a familiar sensation of disgust pooled up from her gut. It was slowly happening less and less, but was still a sharp thorn in her side whenever it did flare up. Sometimes she forgot that she had a tail and would wrench her muscles painfully in an attempt to kick the legs that she no longer had. It had led to some janky, accidental motions when it happened that had gotten her some mirthful stares and sympathetic smiles a few times. Nix never taunted her, but Marlow got the sense that she wanted to and was just holding it in.

As her thoughts turned to Nix, Marlow began to mull over what Precanna had said. Aloof was a good term for Nix. She was helpful and involved and genuinely seemed to care about everyone in the pod, but she also always seemed like she was holding back, and there were definitely certain walls up that Marlow did not fully understand. Whatever struggles Precanna had hinted at, Nix was not willing to share. It was none of Marlow’s business and Nix was her friend either way, but she had not missed the way Nix would sometimes have a haunted look in her eyes or how she had accidentally startled the black and white mer from her thoughts while staring off into the water on more than one occasion. She could not help wondering what brought on the spells of distant behaviour.

But her curiosity was irrelevant. Nix would share what she wanted when she wanted or she would not. Marlow had been raised not to pry into conversation topics that might be personal or uncomfortable. Unless Nix wanted to confide, Marlow was not going to push.

She was just about to get up and swim off some excess energy when the hunting party began to trickle back in through the narrow tunnel that served as an entrance to the cavern. Soon the water around her smelled sharply of fish and excitement surged in Marlow’s chest. Her swimming had gotten a lot better with help and practice, so she rushed over to greet the returning mer as they made their way over to unburden themselves of the fruits of the hunt.

Nix was one of the last to enter, swimming alongside Delthor, and Marlow hurried over to them while her pent up requests began to spill breathlessly from her lips. “Nix, you are back! I know you are probably going to want to relax a bit, but I was wondering if we could talk now about going up to the surf…ace…” Marlow trailed off and pulled up short.

Nix was leaning bodily against Delthor and her features were warped into a grimace. She had her hands clapped firmly against one shoulder while Delthor had his arm around her to help guide her forward. Blood was oozing out from between her fingers and beneath her palm, and Marlow could taste the metallic tang of it as she breathed.

Instantly, Marlow’s focus shifted and she hurried closer. “Nix, are you alright? What happened?”

Nix coughed and waved a hand before returning it to her injury with a wince. “It is nothing to fret over, Marlow. I am fine. Spearfish interferred with the hunt. Natelngu. Hurts. But it is hardly a scratch. I am kitaki. Okay.”

“You are not alright,” Delthor argued. “You are a fool. Marlow, take her other side and help me get her up for treatment before your idiot guardian attracts every predator for clicks with the smell of her fool blood.”

Marlow hastened to obey and linked her arm through Nix’s – while still leaving her the leeway to keep pressure on her wound, and began helping Delthor guide her up to one of the higher alcoves.

Nix sputtered as she laughed snarkily. “If I am cellaite, then what does that make you, Delthor, for being saved by a fool?”

“A poor child-watcher, apparently.”

Marlow glanced at Nix and watched as the mer’s brows dipped into a furrow and her lips pursed. “Iqelciq. Liar. I am older than you.”

Now it was Marlow’s turn to frown. “You are?” Nix did not look too much older than Marlow herself, whereas Delthor looked to be in his late thirties or so. “Oh, do you mean you have been a mer longer?” she queried. She knew Delthor was human-born too. It almost seemed like they outnumbered the natural born mer in the pod. She supposed that was the fault of the sacrifice if the mer bred so infrequently.

“No, she means older, though she has been mer longer too,” Delthor corrected.

“But-”

Nix snorted and shook her head. A sloppy grin split her lips and she inclined her head towards Marlow. “The ice waters slow everything, Marlow.”

“What?”

“Pay her no mind, Marlow. Nix is silty with pain right now and should not be taken too seriously,” Delthor advised.

Marlow pursed her lips, but nodded.

“I told you, I am kitaki. I can swim on my own.”

Delthor was right. It was best just to ignore Nix for now. Marlow followed him up into one of the divets in the cave and was surprised to find there was an air pocket trapped this far underwater. They broke the surface and then Delthor gathered Nix into his arms and hoisted her up out of the water and onto a slick, wide rocky ledge.

Marlow sneezed and felt water rush down her neck from her gills. It felt strange to inhale air again after so long submerged. The air was not stagnant, there almost seemed to be the faintest hint of a breeze from a gap in the rocks above their heads, but it was a little musty and moist.

Now that she was out of the water, blood was flowing more easily down Nix’s torso, staining the white skin of her chest and belly a bright cherry hue. It made Marlow’s heart squeeze and she hovered close by her friend.

A moment later, another mer broke the surface. Marlow had seen him once or twice, but had not properly met him. She had to shift back a little as he practically pushed her out of the way to pull himself up onto the ledge beside Nix. His skin was a sandy shade at his face and shoulders, but it morphed to a darker brown at his hips and into his tail, which was also decorated with the occasional tan splotch. He had a wide fluke and his hair was short, dark, and bristly. It stuck out around his ears, but he also had a coarse fur trail that ran down his spine to his tail from the nape of his neck. Marlow was not sure what to make of him, but now was not a time for questions.

“What did you manage this time?” the new mer huffed in a grumpy tone.

“A spearfish misaimed,” Nix reported. “Delthor is just overreacting. The wound is not deep.” She seemed a little more lucid now, which was a relief, though her face was still twisted into a tight grimace.

The new mer leaned over her and shooed her hands away. The puncture in Nix’s shoulder looked rather gnarly to Marlow, but she also knew very little about medicine aside from treating poison ivy or bramble scratches.

The mer clucked his tongue. “You should know better than to let your guard down, Nix. Watch your surroundings.” As he scolded her, the mer began to press a pulpy goop of chewed up plant into the small cavity in Nix’s shoulder.

Nix grimaced, but she did not protest the application of the plant. It had to hurt. “I was kelte, I-”

“Nix, please.”

Nix huffed and shifted on the rock. “I was alert, Grongo,” she corrected. “I took the blow for this one here, who had his back turned.” She indicated to Delthor. “Yet he calls me the cellaite.”

Delthor looked like he wanted to argue, but Grongo beat him to it. “Nevermind how it happened, just stay still.”

Nix fell limp and silent, though the scowl never left her features. It felt too quiet after a few moments, so Marlow could not help interrupting it. “Is she going to be alright?”

Grongo glanced up at her with a frown before returning to his task. He was still pressing at the injury with a green-red pulp. “The wound will heal quickly with no excessive movement,” he stated. “No more hunts for a few days.” That part was directed at Nix, who merely dipped her head. “But you should go,” the healter continued. “It is crowded enough in here, so shoo.”

Marlow tensed. She did not want to leave. “But I want to stay,” she protested.

Nix hummed in the back of her throat and beckoned Marlow closer. “Marlow, it is alright. Essuite. Be calm. Go now and let Grongo do as he must. I will find you after.”

“You will rest after,” Grongo objected.

Nix ignored him and instead brought her hand up to cup Marlow’s cheek. “I know what I promised, but I might be the one who needs a few days first.”

Marlow nodded. She was disappointed and still very eager to return home, but she could not ask Nix to do so after getting maimed on a hunt. It was hard to wait, but her friend’s health had to be more important right now. “I understand.”

Nix hummed and waved her away. “Good. Go now, no sense toiling. We will talk later.”

Though she would have rather stayed, Marlow did not want to be in the way, so she nodded. “Okay,” she agreed. She was reluctant to leave the air behind, but after only a moment’s hesitation, she dove back down and began to leave the alcove to give Grongo more space to work.