Abominations ((Open to everyone))Rated M for gore*

[Saeleen Nortia]

Saeleen's claws dipped into the clear water, trickling quickly passed her. When they came out, dripping in water, her left wing stretched out, laying against the grassy floor as she splashed the water onto the leathery membrane. The skin was taut, as usual, and lacked blemishes and cuts. Saeleen was incredibly careful with herself, making sure she was healthy, trim, and beautiful. There was nothing really in this world that she hated more, or feared more, than being ugly. A light blue shone back at her, the filtered light reflecting against her scales. She was mid-way through cleaning when she dipped her large head down, lapping up the water calmly before returning to her washing. Each movement was precise and measured, and within a few moments she switched to her other wing. She didn't miss a spot, and just in case she did, she washed each section twice.

With her wings damp, Saeleen stood, fanning them as well as she could being surrounded by trees. Tail whipping side-to-side, Saeleen made her way from the woods, taking her time, until she was out in the open at a meadow. In fact, she believed she was close to Wolff Mansion, the place she had met the werewolf and vampire one evening. Perfectly content this evening, Saeleen made her way leisurely back to the same hill as the evening previous. Laying down, she folded her wings, tail curling partially around her as she watched the horizon, as though waiting for something. She wasn't, but Saeleen really had nothing better to do. Honestly, sometimes it was so boring being a dragon. Her tail tapped against the ground in a rhythm.

A strange noise echoed through the air. Her tail paused, and she looked up curiously, standing and careening her neck upwards to get a better look. It'd almost sounded like... Another dragon. Almost cautiously, she let out a similar noise, lighter than the first, in answer. Spreading her wings, she gave a sharp downwards push, and was airborne. The beating continued furiously for a short while until her wings spread out, catching up drafts of warm air and rising with the currents. The noise replied again, and she tilted her body closer towards the city, towards the forest. She let out a reply, louder than her last as she beat her wings, gaining altitude once again.

It was strange that the noise didn't seem to come from the air, but rather the ground. Most dragons met each other in the air. Was this one hurt? No answer. Frowning, Saeleen's wings tilted back, catching the air and slowing her as she began dropping to the ground. She landed at a jogging run, and soon slowed to a walk, until she stopped. Looking around, she let out another tentative cry. Again, no answer. Her tail lashed about, and she waited.

A crack in the woods caused her head to whip to the side, watching as a large creature emerged from the woods. Similar to herself, it had a long, serpentine neck. The neck ended in an almost humanoid face. Long pointed fangs stuck out of the top lips, denting the bottom lip and hanging down passed the chin. When it opened its mouth in a hiss, Saeleen could see rows of sharp teeth, leading back through the throat like a shark's. It stood on four green, scaly legs, though two arms stuck out of shoulders further up the body. Small, mangled wings folded along its sides, and a long tail whipped about behind it, rustling bushes, and chipping trees. It walked towards her, almost swaying with each step as it hissed again.

Rearing back its head, a blueish flame shot forth. Tongues of orange licked teasingly just inches from the dragon, and she stepped back, a slow fear creeping into her. There wasn't much a dragon was afraid of, but this monster was just unnatural. Flames shot towards her again, and she flapped her wings once, jumping out of the way before roaring back in warning. It continued advancing, and she stepped back, the two large creatures circling each other. The next bout of flames was met head on as Saeleen sucked in a large breath, breathing fire against them. It wasn't amazingly effective, fighting fire with fire. She beat her wings, fuelling her fire and drawing back the creature's before they both closed their mouths. Somehow the creature's eyes were dull, almost unintelligent, but they were fuelled with a hatred that frightened the dragon.

What the hell was this thing? It lunged forward, and Saeleen ducked, tucking her wings in and snapping down at the legs beneath the creature.

[Amarnath]

((Sorry it's not that great. XD I'm tired.))

He had only just begun to watch her when she started away. That creature. That Dragon. They were interesting creatures to Amarnath. Strong and elegant. Some graceful. Some beautiful. Some ugly and treacherous, but still amazing in their own right. He had not planned to watch. No, he had been heading to the small spring nearby, feeling the need to be back in the water again. Already his eyes seared with a dryness he hated, their blackness growing opaque. Nothing cloaked his body this time. He had risen from the waters where there were no humans, and consequently, no clothes to take. It felt better this way, though. It felt more natural, seeing as he did not wear clothing beneath the water.

After she was gone from his sight, he slowly came forward to the water, eyes ever watchful, ears at attention and fully aware of his surroundings. He knelt down beside it, and suddenly the water began to rise into the air and cover him, washing over him smoothly, splashing onto him, giving him that wet feeling he so loved. It was a relatively quiet process. He could not transform here. Not in such a small place, as he did not deem it safe. As he ran his hands through his coarse black hair, he heard sounds coming from a distance. The first was answered by a second call, and it continued, if only for a little while. His whole body went on edge, and he glanced around quickly for movement.

As curious as he was, he could not refrain from looking into it. Perhaps it involved the Dragon, and if that was the case, his interest would certainly be piqued. Getting up from his kneeling position, he started walking toward the sounds’ source, careful not to step on dry twigs lest he alert others to his presence. His movements were quick, sly, and silent. Everything he touched grew cold beneath that darkened skin, and the air he exhaled resembled that which belonged to someone in cold weather, wispy and smoky. Water dripped down his body from his hair, and a pleasing chill embraced him as a bit of wind blew through the trees.

Up ahead beyond some thinner trees, he saw blue light. Blue fire. He paused in his steps. He was not sure he was ready to get near flames, not so far away from the water. However, he kept moving, unafraid of what might happen. He could feel the anxiety and nerves rise in his body, and it made him excited, and perhaps a bit too energetic. Even his hands began to shake somewhat. What he saw when he reached the edge of the small clearing made his blood boil, but in a strangely good way. He found himself to the side of both creatures. The one facing the Dragon was simply abnormal, something he had never seen before. But again, for some reason, he found this exciting.

Then the creature turned its head toward him, and Amarnath realized he was too close to prevent his emotions from projecting outward. Unfazed by the pair of eyes staring at him, he stared back with an equally hateful glare, black eyes threatening. He opened his mouth in a vicious hiss that dared him to come after him. Maybe he would not think him worth it, but the mer creature was preparing for a fight nonetheless. He projected feelings of hatred, anger, and something of a deranged pleasure and bloodthirst.

[Saeleen Nortia]

Fire licked along her wings as she used them to block the rest of her body. At least she was partially fire-resistant. Dragons sort of had to be; otherwise they would have burned themselves to a crisp long ago. The problem was, they were only partially fire resistant. The heat seared, and she squinted her eyes closed, attempting to brush off the pain. Hearing the monster’s mouth snapped closed, she burst her wings open, lunging forward with the momentum, and shooting fire towards the monster. At the last moment, her wings beat, and she shot off in a different direction. Her tail lashed side-to-side, hissing. Her neck turned, wheeling around to protect it and face the creature better. Great wings beat at her side, taking place protectively along her sides like shields.

The creature was about to snap at her again when its head suddenly wheeled around, focusing on a new target. Saeleen followed its line of vision, and saw perhaps the strangest thing she could have in this situation. A naked man stood there, scars glistening off of his body. His skin was strangely dark, yet not a… natural dark. His facial features didn’t exactly match the heritages of darker skinned people. A roar from the monster turned her attention away from the man’s strange appearance. It began advancing on him, creeping forward in that strange waddle, tail whipping about as it moved, and body swaying with each step. It moved relatively slowly, compared to what she’d just seen it do. A vicious hiss caused her claws to dig into the dirt. A part of Saeleen told her to fly away. Just take off, run away. Save herself while she was still healable. As it was, she might have scars from the burns on her wings. She hated scars. They were ugly and noticeable.

Looking over to the man, she paused. Clearly he wasn’t a normal human. Humans didn’t walk around with a serious lack of clothes, much less with that many wounds. A look flickered in his eyes, one that she found resembled the monster between them. With it focused on the man, she crept up behind the creature. They were closer to the man now. The creature wheeled up on its two hind legs, malformed wings beating furiously to keep it up right. Once it found its balance, its neck careened downwards, pausing just two feet from the man before large jaws opened. It didn’t appear to be about to snap at him, rather it was attempting to intimidate. Fangs dripped large drops of saliva down at their feet, and the hot liquid steamed in the cool air around the man. As Saeleen neared, she was forced to pause.

Suddenly she was incredibly uncomfortable. Her blood boiled angrily, and she drew back, cutting off a hiss as she shook her head. Stepping back a few steps, the feeling faded away, and Saeleen shook her head again before advancing. As she neared again, the dreadful feeling took hold in her blood, and she roared, lunging forward and ripping at the creature’s already mangled wings. Blood swam across her vision, and at this point she wasn’t sure if it were the creature’s, or her own. She wasn’t quite sure how it happened, but within moments, the creature was pinned beneath her, and her jaws were clamped somewhere on its face. She’d assume the bottom of its jaw, as a burst of flame shot over her head, searing her scales. Saeleen didn’t feel the pain as the palms of her wings held down the creature’s hands, her other claws and talons pinning other limbs down.

Its tail lashed up, stabbing her multiple times, but the rage never failed her, and Saeleen’s long scaly neck began wrenching side to side. She could feel the bones beginning to give way, until the jaw was dislocated and shoved back. Still the creature thrashed under her, and she held on steadfastly. She was hungry for its pain and blood, revelling as it cried out in horror.

((Lol, I thought it was perfectly fine xD ))

[Amarnath]

Amarnath continued to stare back at the creature. It was like a stand off between them, a battle of will perhaps. He planted his feet where he was and responded to its roar with another hiss of his own. It moved oddly as it came toward him, and he himself took a step forward toward it. He was not afraid, and it seemed the creature knew it. The human-like face made him sickened, disgusted. He knew he was an abomination, something unnatural, and so was it. There was no sympathy however. Only hatred. He pressed it on. He could hear his heart beat strongly in his chest.

He noticed the Dragon moving in the corner of his eye, but he remained focused on the threat before him. He was not entirely certain that the Dragon itself was not a threat. Really, anything could be a threat to him. But, at the moment, this was his focus, the most direct threat. Although he was not one for working together with another person, he found he had little choice, and he also did not feel a problem with it. At least there would only be one opponent after the other was killed, and the eagerness to kill grew inside of him.

His stance did not change. His eyes kept their threatening gaze, hateful, angry, searing into those of the creature before him. It surprised him slightly when it stood up on its hind legs, and the wind from its wings caused him to take a step back. However, when he saw it come at him with an open mouth, he stepped back toward it again and hissed loudly, turning into something of a growl. It tried to intimidate him, but Amarnath matched it, again daring it to fight. Why had it not went on to bite him? It was uncertain. He could see it in its odious eyes.

The steam and hot liquid that dripped near him made him feel uncomfortable, but that feeling was pressed to the back of his mind. He could not let his mind falter. He could not let that kind of feeling through to the surface. The anger within him grew to a massive boiling point, but the heat was beginning to wear on his skin, almost like a heavy weight pulling down on his chest. But then he heard another roar, from the Dragon, and he leapt out of the way to avoid being crushed by the creature as it was forced to the ground.

Landing hard on the grass, he looked up to see the Dragon pinning the creature down, biting and thrashing. His eyes squinted, his anger still fueled. It took all his strength not to just attack both at the same time. It was possible. They were both right next to each other. . . . Within a matter of seconds, he was rushing forward. Blood from both splattered onto his body, and he felt him body’s soreness increase, the effects of the cool water wearing away. The cries he heard made him . . . pleasured, and he almost did not wish to stop it. However, it was soon to be ended, that feeling. Quicker than one could blink an eye, he slammed his hand at the creature’s head, a blow that could quite possibly end its life if it met the brain.

[Saeleen Nortia]

Blood dripped from somewhere. She couldn't be sure. Was it raining blood? She didn't give a shit. Rage boiled in her, and a distant part of her hid in fear. This emotion was foreign in her, it wasn't hers. No matter how long she could have fought with that monster, she never would have felt like this. This murderous hatred, the burning need to sink her teeth into something, right to the gums. Taste the metallic taste of blood as it filled her mouth and dribbled down her throat, to feel flesh and muscle give way to her talons. To pummel with her limbs and wings, destroy until there was nothing left. She was exhausted, and yet the rage continued to fuel her. It was an ecstasy like a drug, it was the throes of the most pleasurable sex, it was life and death mixed together in some perverted dance, and she was excited. She wanted to kill. She wanted to feel the life of this... this thing slip away, and she wanted it to happen violently. As violently as she could possibly make it.

Twisting her talons, she heard a wet 'snap' as a bone broke somewhere in the creature's body. It might not have been intelligent, but it could feel pain, and it cried out. The noise of the crying, the noise of the snapping, it was all blood curdling, yet enticing all in one. A shiver ran through her body, a shiver of pure pleasure. Every bite down to the gums, she felt a flutter of relief and sharp shock of energy. She was fuelled by it, nurtured by it, enraged by it, frightened by it. The fear she felt deep down only heightened her animalistic rage. She'd never knew that such pain could bring such joy. She felt as though she could take the Gods out of the skies herself. She was on a killing high, she was invincible. A gurgling growl was made around the blood seeping through her teeth, creating bubbles, and she shook her head violently side-to-side. She wanted the climax, the end, the dessert to this fine dinner.

Pain flared from her side, and her head shot back from the monster, turning to confront whatever was causing the pain. It was the naked man, a hunger ate away at her. One that eating could not satisfy. She bit at him, snapping at his arms, torso, whatever. She bit blindly, bit at him, at the monster. She couldn't be sure who exactly she was hurting. Who she was killing. Her body shuddered, the thrill coming to a peak, she was almost there. A chunk of something from either the monster or the man, or possibly even herself, flew off in some direction. She didn't care. She wanted more. She never wanted it to end, yet she wanted to come to the peak. To explode in this joy. To experience the calm that would surely follow. Or perhaps it would be more energy that would follow. She could easily kill the man afterwards. A clean bite in half. No, she wanted him to suffer. She wanted him to strangle by his intestines, hang him by a tree with his own innards. Another gurgling growl, her muscles tensing. It was so close, she could taste it. Then it came.

The landing blow. The man's hand struck out, slamming into the monster's body. There was a pause, when time and space seemed to hang in eternity. Again her body shuddered, eyes rolling into the back of her head with the sheer pleasure. Her eyes flickered to reality, and she looked down at the creature. The light that fuelled its eyes drained, and an almost calm filled her. She didn't even realize her teeth were still buried in it until she had to open her mouth to move her head away. She was breathing heavily, and her eyes turned to the mermaid. The fear crept back, and she took a few good steps away, until there were at least ten feet between them.

Almost instantly the remnants of the rage fell away, like a curtain. She felt drained, tired, dirty, and just plain used and wrong. She looked down at herself in horror. At the blood, the scratches, the burns, the forming bruises. She stepped back again, turning an accusing eye towards the man. ”What...” She couldn't even get the question out. Her heavy breathing turned to something closer to hyperventilation. Wings beat softly at her side. She was too shocked to even take flight and take off. A moan left her mouth, and she collapsed to the ground. The pain from her wounds washed over her, but it was all drowned by the horror and shock of what she had just done. Certainly, dragons were capable of a lot, but she'd never thought she was capable of...

Tears trickled down her cheeks, and her form shimmered and shrunk, turning to her human form. She felt frail and vulnerable like this, but she wasn't in control of herself at the moment. Curling into ball, Saeleen tilted her head to the side and wretched the contents of her stomach. Swallowed blood dribbled onto the grass, causing her to cough and gag at the sight of it. She moved away from her mess, curling up tighter. Her stomach hurt. She felt disgusted, like the lining of her stomach was dirty and perverted. Wrong. She shuddered, this time not in pleasure.
”What are you?”

((Did I mention she's weak and one for theatrics? xD ))

[Amarnath]

He had not entirely expected the Dragon to lash out at him, but then, he had not known what to expect to begin with. As his hand met its mark, he rapidly dodged off to the side, trying to get away from the Dragon’s sharp teeth. He even gave a slight hiss at her, trying to warn against another attempt at attacking him. But he did not lunge forward in attack, instead holding himself back, simply watching, interested and curious. The reaction many people had to feeling his emotions seemed to dramatically increase in intensity with the Dragon. It was very strange but still, the curiosity was ever-growing, though it was far in the back of his mind compared to the weariness he was beginning to feel all over his body.

His body felt wet and sore, and bringing a hand to his abdomen, he could tell why. Blood slowly seeped from the scars, cracked open from the sudden stress on his body. It was amazing how easily his body was getting so weak so quickly. Lately, with all the things that had been happening, he had not allowed himself enough time to recuperate. That was one of his downfalls. His eyes did not leave the Dragon, though. They stayed steady and unwavering, two black holes that just soaked in all of the available light, and all that the female was. As the Dragon stepped away from the fallen creature, and him as well, the anger died away, as did the hatred, and a serene calmness replaced it, despite the pain he was beginning to feel.

The dark man stood straight and strong, however, kind of enjoying the cold red liquid streaming down his limbs. The blood of the creature coated his right hand, and the metallic smell filled his nostrils. At first it made him feel a little dizzy, a little light-headed, but then he was just fine, peachy. He was used to it by now. He had even come to the point of liking it. Pain was like an addiction, and the more there was, the more he needed to feel it. There was only one way of getting to the edge of that pain, but he was not sure he was ready for it yet. But he wanted to feel what it was like. One day. For now, this was enough, and he was inwardly on a high from it. Luckily, the only surface emotion was just serenity. Watching this Dragon, he thought that maybe he had caused enough problems. Maybe.

The accusatory look the Dragon gave him caused him confusion. He had not intentionally done something wrong. Immediately, he put up his mental defenses. His mouth was closed, flat-lined, his face blank as his eyes. He tilted his head and took a small step toward her, just as she had begun to speak. Pausing, he waited a moment. Waited to hear what she had to say. She looked so weak, and he knew he must look terrible in her eyes. What exactly was it that made her act so afraid? Was it the anger and hate? The bloodlust? He did not know what to do. He did not even know what he really wanted to do. Should he let himself go? Just finish her off, if that was possible? Should he help her? He felt a little disgusted with himself for considering the notion of kindness, but for some reason, he saw this as a prime opportunity to experiment. Or perhaps it was actual kindness. He did not know, and he would never admit to it.

When she changed forms, he slowly began to move toward her, this time with intentions other than harming her. Instead the feelings he emitted were soothing. He searched inside himself for something happy, but he could not find anything. This made him oddly saddened for a moment. Her question of him, it was something he could not answer. Not here. Not unless his time ran out and she witnessed his death. What if she would rather see that than receive his aid? He kept moving forward, until he was again in range of projecting his emotions. Serenity. Peace. Curiosity. Pain. And something of guilt which he had not earlier recognized. This was one of the few times he had noticed indirectly causing someone pain. It was foreign to him. He stopped at five feet, barely able to reach out to her with his mind. He wanted to see if she would let him come forward.

[Saeleen Nortia]

Her stomach roiled, but Saeleen had a feeling she wasn't about to vomit again. Pushing herself up a little, she grimaced. That didn't mean the disgusting feeling had yet to fade away. Nausea rolled through her, but she tried to push it back. Closing her eyes, Saeleen concentrated on the burns and cuts along her body. She knew her kind were capable of much, she wondered if healing were one of them. Magic caused her body to tingle, though from the pain she still felt, it hadn't done anything. Glancing down at her body, she flinched. Blood, though not oozing, dribbled down her arm, and burns glistened with puss, already blistering. Somehow looking at them made them worse, but she couldn't exactly look away. Not until she noted the man walking towards her, at least. He was about six or seven feet away when he paused, and again emotions washed over her like a fountain.

She looked up at him, body relaxing noticeably and her eyes softening slightly. The edge of pain was still there, doubled only by his own pain. Saeleen quickly came to realize that it was his emotions that she was feeling. They permeated her being, her body soaking them up like a sponge and reflecting through her thoughts. Closing her eyes again, she sent magic through the ground, into the plants around them. It was almost a cruel act, and for a moment, she refrained. But it was all there, at the tips of her fingers. Releasing a pent up breath, Saeleen drew the water from the plants. The grasses split open, water droplets bursting from them and hovering in the air until there was a fine mist. It grew, until water coiled, suspended in the air around them. The dried grass curled and died, but the dragon was indifferent to it right now.

For a moment, a surge of excitement fluttered through her. She'd done it. Letting out another breath, her breathing came short and sharp. A grin crossed her lips. The water wavered, on the edge of collapsing back into the soil, when her smile faded, and it returned to its steady flowing. Perhaps this was something she needed to practise more. Watching it intently, tendrils of water came towards her, covering her naked body. It was cold, but the cool touch only brought her back to her senses. It stung slightly, but the blood was washed away, and her wounds were cleaned. The pink water then turned on a concentrated thought, towards the man. Her eyes went to him, now calm, and the water flowed through the air, gently touching the man's body before covering him as well. Then it fell to the ground, one giant pink mass, and soaked into the dried grass.

She hadn't even really realized she'd been looking at the ground until she looked back up at the man. ”Are you a mute?” She asked finally, pushing herself up weakly into a sitting position. She felt cold. Water droplets still clung to her body, cooling her with every gust of wind. She shivered, looking around for a moment before pushing herself up. Looking down, she inspected the scratches along her body. Her lip curled up slightly, a sinking feeling filling her. She was hideous. The scratches marred her otherwise soft and unblemished skin. Light freckles sprinkled her shoulders and along her nose, but otherwise there was nothing amiss. Turning to look at her side, she grimaced further. A large blue bruise was forming, and she sighed. This was why she didn't fight. She didn't know if those cuts would scar or not, but she certainly hoped they wouldn't. Those bruises would linger, though, and eventually turn yellow.

For a moment, the air around Saeleen's body shimmered as thread wove from no where. Now this was a trick she'd mastered. Fashion was Saeleen's strong point, and if she knew anything, it was how to create clothing. It wasn't really difficult to bend the thin strands of plant and water into silk, and soon a mostly transparent article of clothing surrounded her. It looked almost like a robe, yet at the same time, it was lacking an opening. A garment of similar material spun into her hands, and she tentatively fingered it before holding it out as an offering to the man. Out of nothing, she couldn't really spin something less... revealing, but at least it partially hid her thinner scratches and the bruises.

[Amarnath]

Merpeople were naturally magical creatures, but Amarnath had never really experimented with all the possibilities. It was an odd sensation, to feel the presence of magic, and one that was non-threatening. At least, it was not yet, and he was still not sure about moving onward. He also knew that they could heal people, but he had never really put this to the test, except maybe once, but that had been a terrible experience for the other person in the end. He had not really tried. He had not really wanted to heal the person. Not in the way people thought of healing, not for that purpose. She was so cut up and bruised, and he just could not get it out of his head that somehow he had caused this to her. Somehow he had caused such a violent reaction. Most of him wanted to rejoice at the thought, but he repressed the feeling for the sake of the moment.

Every breath he took began to feel strained, and he could hear the raggedness of the air as he inhaled and exhaled. Though his breaths were otherwise even, his heart was still pounding madly, having yet to calm from the sudden excitement, however short-lived. The blood oozed slowly from the scars, while his left hand was held across his abdomen, as if he could prevent the blood from draining. With the rising and falling of his chest, he thought he could hear their crackling. He could definitely feel them pulling tight against him when the skin of his chest expanded beyond the limits of the scars. The warmth of the air was starting to bother him, warmer now because of the recent fire breathing in the area. Part of him hoped she did not suddenly turn into a Dragon again and cook him alive.

Momentary surprise came over him when he noticed what she was doing. The water droplets coming from the plants surrounding them. The mist. The coil of water. It made him miss and long for the ocean. It was strange, this. . . . What was it? Homesickness? But he did not have a home. No, the ocean was his home. But . . . home was good. Was it not? His legs started to visibly shake, but he stilled them almost as soon as they came about. He would not show weakness if he could help it. When the water started toward him, he had to force himself not to take a step back in caution. He braced himself, ready for whatever it was. But when it touched his body, all he felt was the cool sensation of the water, and relief washed over his mind. Some of the blood was washed away with the water as it fell from him, and already he regretted coming onto the land.

There was nothing he could do about her being cold. He did not understand how she could be so, when to him, the temperature out here was nearly unbearable. He nodded slightly at her question, almost automatically, and he did not look away when she stood. To this mer creature, there was nothing wrong with showing one’s natural body, unless it looked like his own, a scarred mess. He did not leer, though, and there was something in his normally empty eyes and his demeanor that said he was not staring at her because of her state of undress. He was truly curious about her, and about other things that were surfacing in his mind. She was beautiful. That he would not deny, and he could not say he would not like to have her, but that desire was merely a passing thought.

The garment she had woven looked weird to him, and again he tilted his head. It was only when she offered a similar one to him that he ventured to take a step toward her. Slowly, like an animal afraid of being hit, he made his way those last few feet to stand in front of her. He looked at the garment she held out to him, and he blinked, not sure what to do with it exactly. He was supposed to wear it, he assumed. But up close now, he could see better some of the cuts and bruises that remained uncovered by her “clothing”. He tentatively reached out a hand to take her offering, but instead of putting it on, he pointed at the largest area of bruises and cuts he had earlier seen on her body.

[Saeleen Nortia]

She blinked, watching the man curiously. It seemed strange, how cautiously he approached. She could feel his curiosity, it seeped from him like water, threatening to drown her, and it made her wonder if it were because of him that she, herself, was perplexed. Saeleen refrained from moving, half thinking that if she did, the man may run off into the forest, and she would never see him again. Why on earth she would want to see him again after what he had done to her was another oddity in its own right; one she did not wish to dwell on for now. From the hurt radiating off of him earlier, something gave her the idea that perhaps it wasn't his fault. Still, she wondered as to how a man such as himself could possibly appear so frightened. She, herself knew she should be frightened. Firsthand she had felt what he was capable of, yet her he was, creeping up at her as though she were the one who one should be cautious about of the two.

In retrospect, it wasn't much of a stretch, she had just done the equivalent of mauling a creature. She glanced over at it, grimaced slightly, and looked back over to the man. He took the garment, though she gave a slight frown when he didn't put it on. Instead, he pointed at her. Following his finger, she glanced at her bruises before shifting uncomfortably, covering them as best she could with her arm. It was obvious she disliked them.
”I can't fix those.” Her voice was almost depressed in its tone. She was upset about it. They were ugly, hideous, and they throbbed dully when her arm brushed against them. While she knew she should just get over it -there was nothing she could do about it- some part in her still clung to the feeling of distraught. Normally she could care less about showing off her body, now she felt uncomfortable, unattractive, and ugly. She wished she could better hide the bruises and cuts. Before, they may have been partially hidden by the garment, but now that the man was so close to her, it could hardly be counted upon to cover anything.

Her eyes travelled over to the monster, laying there, dead, on the ground. Cautiously, she moved away from the man and towards the beast.
”I've never seen anything like this. Have you?” Not expecting to hear an answer from the man, she glanced up at him for a moment before moving around the thing, inspecting its body. It was grotesque, and, really, the only thing she could deem 'pretty' of it was its colouration. A frosty blue-green. Its eyes were a strange orange, and even without the light of life, Saeleen shivered and moved away a few steps from the beast's head. Tentatively, she lifted one of the mangled wings, further mangled because of her. It flopped back to the ground, and suddenly a reeking scent rented into the air. The creature's body had began loosening up, muscles relaxing. Her lips curled as feces ran down the creature's nether regions. Although, glancing at the nether regions, she was given pause. Mostly one of horror, but curiosity leaked into her as she saw what could only possibly classify the creature as male.

Strange. Despite how dragon-like it was, it was obvious that this creature wasn't. The humanoid face said enough of that, but now this. Travelling down, she paused at the feet and inspected them as well. Certainly, her claws had manageable finger-like parts to it that allowed her to pick objects up, but this was most clearly the foot of a human, although large, scaled, and heavily clawed. She soon found that the hands, too, were almost humanoid in appearance. Her lip curled in disgust, and she stepped back.
”I don't know what it is, but we probably shouldn't just leave it here to be found by a human.” Really, she was mostly talking to herself. It seemed like she adapted quickly to having a mute companion around. ”Stay back, it's about to get hot.” Now, that was definitely directed to the man. She even glanced over her shoulder at him, waiting until he was back before she, herself, took a few steps back for good measure.

Curling her hands together, a heat burst forth until a fire caught, and sputtered for a moment. It grew quickly in size as she stretched her palms further apart. Until, finally, she pushed the ball of flame at the corpse. A charred mark sizzled on its side, and it took about ten more fire balls of varying sizes before finally the creature's body caught and raged. Once it was going, Saeleen ignored the revolting scent of burning tissue and scales and circled the pyre, burning the grass around it so the fire wouldn't spread.

It wasn't until she returned to the man's side that she had noticed the change in herself. It was like a barrier around him, one wherein if she walked into it, he could suddenly control her. He was a -... oh, what were they called? One would think with her age, Saeleen would know these things by now. Empath! She glanced at him once, out of the corner of her eye, before returning her gaze to the burning monster. Even from here she could feel the heat. It warmed her, and she gave a content sigh, wishing to go closer, yet at the same time finding it rude in herself to step away from her... company.
”What are you?” She asked him again, turning her full attention back to him, including her eyes.

[Amarnath]

It was not always his way to be tentative, but it was generally normal for him to be cautious. She did not appear to be threatening, at least toward him, and he had to be careful not to mistake what was caused by his projections for being her own cause of action or words. Seeing her frown when he did not put on the garment, he retracted his hand and put the thing on. It felt so odd. Clothing, that is. And it was a bit unlike clothing he was familiar with, even if the piece of clothing he was most familiar with was just a cloak to cover himself when he walked where humans trod.

He did not fully understand why she seemed so disgusted when she looked at herself, trying to cover her bruises up as if she was diseased. He wanted to say, I can. He knew it was possible, but he did not know how well it would go. He was very old and hence had a large magical buildup, but he did not usually find a use for it. The sympathy that came into his mind caused him to grow even more confused, and slightly unnerved. It could not be true sympathy. It just was not like him. But then again, he had hardly ever been put in a situation such as this, in which overexertion could be the death of him because he was on land.

As it concerned the monster which the Dragon, now woman, had practically mauled to death, well, he had seen many a creature over the years. Creatures from the sea were often considered some of the ugliest, creepiest, and most horrific. But had he ever seen one like this particular one? No. He had not. And frankly, he hoped he never would see another one like it again. He followed the girl with his eyes, while his body turned a bit after them, facing her and the creature. He did not go near it, although it was not out of fear, more out of the dislike of the hideous smell that began to waft through the air.

She did not have to tell him twice to get back. He did so without argument, and without a single sound from the contact between his bare feet and the ground. The moment she started with the fire, though, he slowly took yet another step back, just to put his mind more at ease. As the heat grew with the increase of fire, he grew slightly dizzy again. The garment did little to help the sickened feeling, and it really felt as though it was adding to the warmth. Weighing him down. Again he noticed the raggedness of his breathing, and he swallowed hard, a dryness growing in his throat that was very uncomfortable.

After she came to stand beside him, he really felt the heat. His eyes flickered momentarily before he forced himself to stay conscious. His limbs were growing weaker the longer he stood there, and the question she posed again, the same question he had already figured would be difficult to answer, was not helping his mind settle. Taking in a deep breath, however, he composed himself, gathered his thoughts, and turned his head to face her. He did not have an answer for her, and his entire mind was going blank. Suddenly he stumbled backward, nearly falling, his eyesight going in and out.

Closing his eyes tightly, he concentrated on figuring out what to do. Water. That was what he needed. He turned away from her, glancing over his shoulders with a feeling of invitation, but also urgency. He would not last much longer, and he was growing way too warm. Looking away, he started off into the woods, heading back to where he remembered the spring to be. It had not been too far, but his movements were slower than usual, his feet unsteady. He found himself leaning his shoulder against a tree for a moment or two, forgetting to see if the girl was even following him. Why would she? His skin was drying up, and the scars cracked and continued to bleed from earlier. Up ahead he could smell the water, but he wasn’t quite sure he would make it at this rate.

[Saeleen Nortia]

From the corner of her eye, she could see the man wavering slightly, and she looked to him in concern. He almost fell to the ground, and without really thinking, she lunged forward to catch him, but he managed to steady himself at the last possible moment. She had to pull herself up short lest her attempt to save him knocked him over.
”Are you okay?”
Not a word, and he turned around, stumbling back towards the woods. She, herself, began to feel light headed,and frowned, blinking a few times as she watched him glance over his shoulder at her. A single feeling rang through the air like a bell. He was inviting her to come along, but they had to hurry. She gave a slight nod, though by now he'd already focused his attention back in front of him. They'd only made it a short ways in, and he was forced to lean against a tree, breathing heavily. She saw blood drip down his body, and frowned, looking higher to the source of the bleeding. Scabs had opened, and now they'd started bleeding again. She only felt the slightest of pains from him, though. The air around the man was thick, making it difficult for her to breathe and keep her thoughts straight.

They stopped, the man leaning heavily on a tree, seemingly unable to carry on. She made her way up to him, blinking back the thick feeling and shaking her head. What was it that he was trying to get to? The cooling wet smell of the air made it slightly easier to think, and she closed her eyes tightly for a moment, trying to properly think. Something seemed to give away, and she briefly looked down to see what it was. A piece of her garment fluttered down. Looking to the man, she noted his was already torn and ripped. They were just a little thicker than spider's silk; not meant for movement, much less traipsing through the forest. Her eyes closed again, choosing to, for now, ignore the damaged clothing. She wavered for a moment, the equivalent of a heatwave knocking into her. Opening her eyes, she glanced back over to him, frowning slightly, though in curious understanding.

Going towards him, she gently touched him, and quickly withdrew her fingers. He was... cold How could he be overheating? He was showing all the signs of it, though, and she pushed her questions away. Of course, to her, a lot felt cold when she came into contact with it. Dragons naturally ran at a higher temperature, even when she appeared as a human. Touching him probably wasn't helping him that much at this moment, but she drew closer to him anyways, forcing him to lean on her as she helped him hobble towards the spring. Chills ran through her body, causing goosebumps to rise on her skin as she forced him to walk. If he didn't, then she was going to drag him, because clearly he couldn't walk on his own.

The stream came into view, and Saeleen was breathing rapid, deep breaths. He was surprisingly heavy, she found once he was mostly being supported by her. In this form, she wasn't near as strong as she normally was, and it was easily showing by how hard her body seemed to take it. She had half a mind to just change and carry him the rest of the way, but it was hardly worth it. It was just a slight decline in the hill, and then they'd be there. She found once they were going down the hill, she had to pull back on him, lest they both tumble down. Something they ended up doing anyways when her foot caught around a root, or something. She didn't exactly have the time to look down and see what it was before they were both dangerously teetering, and then collapsing and skidding a little bit down the hill. Her knees became a little scratched up as they took the blunt of her fall, but she only gave herself a second's pause before standing and helping the man up as well.

They were less than two feet away, and she pulled him to it, finally letting him down onto the ground and stepping away. It was a relief to escape the cold of him, yet she still turned to the water, using it to wash her own cuts, leaving him to himself.

((Sorry, it's kinda short xD ))

[Amarnath]

((It’s no problem.))

He had ignore her words, not hearing them as such but only hearing mere sounds coming from her mouth. Trying to even his breaths, to clear his mind and calm his heart. The heat in the air bore down on him, and the weakness he felt was embarrassing to him, shameful. It was not exactly common for him to come into a situation like this, but it had happened before. How he had survived, he did not really remember, and even if that memory was still there, he could not think straight enough to recall it and put his memory into action.

Her touch surprised him, and he very nearly attempted to jump away from her, not sure whether to expect her aid or something else. But his body simply shied from that initial touch, too tired to get away. He flinched again when she returned her fingers to his skin, still surprised, and feeling the heat from her body, though somehow it was soothing, made him feel so nauseated. He gave a hiss of slight anger, a threat, when she started forcing him to lean on her, but, again, there was little he could do unless he wanted to just kill her there.

As they walked, he tried his best to carry as much of his weight as he could, understanding he was not exactly the lightest of creatures. The heat from her body made it seem as if his insides were going to boil, but by now, his mind had blocked out the pain, focused solely on breathing and pushing forward. His legs trembled at every step, and his vision blurred. His blood smeared, and the skin contact, the rubbing, it was hurting him. More than once, he tried leaning on his own two feet, but each time he stumbled, catching himself barely to keep both of them from falling.

Without warning, he felt himself falling, tumbling. The world was a jumble around him, and his head spun. His eyes closed protectively, but his limbs did little to help stabilize him. Hitting the ground below, when they stopped tumbling, knocked whatever breath he had right out of him. Shaking his head, he tried once again to clear it, and with eyes still closed, he accepted the girl’s help again, and when he smelled the water, felt the closeness of it, he was suddenly able to focus on what he needed to do. As soon as she released him by the spring, he pulled himself into it.

Relief flooded him as the water enveloped him, and once he was completely in, his mind went blank. His body began to change form, his legs morphing in that long, massive black tail. Slowly he moved it around in the water, getting back to its feel, enjoying it, loving it. The water cooled immensely with his presence. It was refreshing. The blood from his wounds was dissipating in the water, running slightly pink, but within moments, the wounds closed up. Not completely sealed. No, that would take days, or even longer. They were just no longer bleeding. The heat had left him, and now all he could feel was the coolness of the place.

That moment lasted only seconds, though it felt as though it could have been hours, and as soon as he had his bearings, he opened his eyes and looked up to where the girl was. Bringing his head above the surface, and without giving any warning, he struck out toward her like a snake striking at its prey. Only he did not slash or bite, just went to grab her arm and pull her into the water. Although it could be taken as an attack, nothing in his mind indicated a threat. It was once more serene and relaxing, even reassuring. If she did fall into the water with him, he would maintain the firm hold on her arm.

Delving, she may have felt the tingling of magic that was not her own, delving for all those little places where her cuts and bruises sat. In the water, his strength and power were so much stronger, and it was the only way he could think of to make this work properly. It felt good to him, relaxed as he was which was odd in itself, to be able to feel her in some way that was not normal. The cuts and bruises she had created in him an understanding of their depth, their severity or trifleness. He pushed a surge of magic into her through their contact, diminishing her wounds until he could no longer feel their presence. When he was finished, he quickly let go of her and pushed himself back.

[Saeleen Nortia]

Again she was watching him out of the corner of her eye. He intrigued her, and as he eased himself into the water, she could feel the slight tremors of magic. Turning to look at him, she watched in amazement as the two legs began to form together into a single, dark black thing. A tail, she quickly came to realize, as it formed scales. A... fish-like tail. She managed to peel her eyes from the magnificently large thing to look up at the man's face. He seemed so relieved, and it was beginning to make sense. Shocking cold ran up her finger tips, and she withdrew suddenly from the water, looking down to see the slightest of frost settling on it before the current drew it away. She rubbed her finger tips together, not enjoying the sharp chill in the least. They tingled in response, and she pressed them together until they became white, and as she released the pressure, pink flooded in instantly.

Her eyes looked towards the man as his head popped out of the water. He seemed so graceful and slow in the water, and she leaned forward slightly. Suddenly he lashed towards her, quickly like a viper, and grabbed onto her arm. Even though his pull was slight, Saeleen's hand slipped in the mud as she tried to pull away. A fear flashed through her, and it was only just held at bay by the serene calm that emitted from the merman. She swallowed, closing her eyes in the split second that it took from her to be pulled into the water. Freezing enveloped her, shocking her body into stillness. She pushed herself to the surface, body tingling from the cold. She must have went numb already, because she could no longer feel her cuts and bruises. Of course, she hadn't really payed them much heed the moment she was tossed into the water. It felt like something was in her. It pulsed, and she blinked the water from her eyes, becoming still until the merman finally released her arm.

She blinked, moving her arms, though to any sane person, it was obvious she wasn't a great swimmer. Saeleen could swim perfectly fine if she were a dragon, but she'd never really experimented with swimming as a human, two completely different swimming methods. She sputtered slightly as she went under. For a river, it was fairly deep. After a few moments of panic, she managed to grab a hold of something cold, and pull herself. Before she could blink the water from her eyes and actually see what she'd grabbed, she knew what it was. The merman. Using her free hand, Saeleen wiped the river water from her eyes, blinking in shock.

Her lips tingled, and she wasn't sure if it was because she was touching him again, or if it was because they were about to go blue. She was too cold to shiver, and glancing towards the shore, she attempted to move her arms the way she would as a dragon. It looked strange with this body, and wasn't near as effective, but she managed to eventually reach the bank and pull herself up. A small part of herself was disgusted at the feeling of dirt against her bare skin. The rest of her was just glad to be out of the cold water. While she wanted to curl up, Saeleen refrained from it, instead holding her hands together again until a small fire formed. Directing it around most of her body, she was able to evaporate a good portion of the water. She didn't dare use it to dry her hair, though; she rather liked her hair.

Water from it dripped onto her chest, rolling in small rivulets along her breast until it fell to the grass and dirt beneath her. She was dirty, and the dirt disgusted her, but at the same time, she wasn't all that thrilled of the idea of going back in. It was easier to retain body heat as a dragon, this body just sucked in general. She didn't know how humans survived. For a moment, just the thought of it repulsed her, she looked down at the dirt in disdain, but then she gave in. She was already dirty as it was, getting a little bit more so wouldn't hurt her. Allowing her body to lay down, Saeleen watched the merman, rolling partially on her side until her hands were resting on the very edge of the bank, her chin resting on them. Her fingers just brushed the tips of small waves from the merman and the current.

It took her a moment to realize that the scanty excuse for a garment had disappeared. Likely broke apart and was now flowing down stream. She honestly didn't care, it hardly offered protection from anything. The only thing it was meant to do was partially cover her bruises. Speaking of which, she glanced down. No, the cuts were still there, but she found as she sat up and twisted her body, she couldn't feel them. It was as though she were completely healed, but she could see that they were still there. Of course, they didn't look near as serious as they had before. Likely because the blood was all washed away now. She looked up at the merman. ”Did you do that?” She asked him, knowing full well he would know what she meant.

For a while, she simply stared at him, and then she sighed. He wasn't going to talk. She looked down at the ground, before situating herself so that the chill water sent shocks up her legs. She closed her eyes for a moment before a great warmth spread across her, burning her skin and giving it a slight red tint. She waited until it became unbearable, until it felt like her skin was going to burn off, and then she slipped in, and steam rose around them. The sudden shock of the cold was held at bay by the burning, and slowly she turned down the heat until the water around her warmed to a more tolerable temperature. Her fingers still gripped the bank, and she opened her eyes, a slight challenge in their depths. She knew he was the one that made the water impossibly cold. Slowly a smile spread across her lips. Not a mean smile, but a truly happy smile.
”Teach me how to swim.” It was more of a command, and had no hint of question in it. Without another word, she released the bank, struggling to keep her head up half decently. She hadn't strayed far from the bank. She couldn't really say she trusted him to save her life that much, but curiosity stirred in her. What would be his reaction? She gulped in a breath last second before she slipped under.

[Amarnath]

It did not take long for him to see that she was not a good swimmer by any stretch of the imagination. He watched as she went under, paralyzed for a moment, uncertain of what he should do. He had never been in a situation in which someone would need his help swimming. If anything, he was the one forcing them under, beneath him, outside of him. But he did not have to think about it much. Feeling her hands touch his body was such a strange sensation. Someone else touching him, rather than him touching them. Hurting them. He had been too out of it before to notice the feeling of it, but something about it felt different.

She was no longer so warm as before, which he quickly attributed to the coldness of the water, and the chill of his skin. Frost formed on the surface of the water around him, drifting away with the current but continuously forming. Winter’s chill was here around him. Always. And it was still summer. He wondered if, when she went away from him, it was because she did not want to touch him or because she simply wanted to get out of the water. Maybe he had nothing to do with it, but he could not stop wondering. Watching her climb up onto the bank, dirt marring her body, he could not help but wish he could smile as how astonishing she looked at that moment

The dirt only added to the beauty, in his mind. It did not make her ugly. He slinked back as she created the fire, but after, seeing the water drop onto her body from her hair made him . . . excited somehow. Perhaps it was just the idea of a woman getting wet. When she lied down and touched the tips of her fingers to the water, his breath caught in a way that surprised him. Quickly his guard went up again, a little troubled by the new feelings. His tail curled around in the water, reaching up to the surface and flicking into the air briefly. It had become something of a habit when he was thinking.

He tilted his head as she seemed to inspect herself. Her wounds did look better, and it appeared that she did not feel the pain of them, but he made it a goal in his head to develop those abilities further, knowing he had the power but not the control to properly heal another’s wounds. It may not be useful to him as much as to others, but it would be nice to have the options. He ducked slightly into the water, where his black eyes were still above the top, and in answer to her question, he only flicked the tip of his tail above the water’s surface again. Of course, he had. He would not have yanked her into the water otherwise. At least for now.

Her stare was engaging to him. Her hazel eyes, accented by the brown color of her hair. The freckles on her cheeks were befitting and brought out the color of them. How many times had he had the chance to stare at a woman’s face like this? Not many, and none he could recall. It was so intriguing! What was she thinking? Did she hate him? Did she also find him interesting, or did she secretly wish she could run, only afraid he would chase her? He doubted the latter. He only chased people when they were in the water, and when he felt it would be satisfying to do so. Some people just were not worth the energy.

Again he pushed himself away slowly, wary of her re-entering the water, something he thought she would detest. It was her smile that confused him, astounded him, and as she started speaking, he allowed himself to come forward, though still uncertain, not knowing how to react to a happy face, especially her happy face. This night had turned into something so odd so rapidly. His body tensed, and when she let go of the bank and tried to swim, he could not force himself move. It was like he was frozen in place, for once in his life afraid to move. But as soon as he saw he go under, he immediately dove forward and reached out to grab her arm to pull her back above where she could breath.

He caught her eyes, but he could only look at them for a few seconds before turning his head away. He went to place one of her hands on his shoulder, beckoning that she hold on to him for support. If she complied, he would begin showing her how to move her arms. Teaching her how to move her legs would prove difficult, at least somewhat. He had something in mind that few humans had mastered. Maybe she would.

[Saeleen Nortia]

A flood of relief washed through her when she felt the cold hands around her arm. Within moments, her head broke the surface of the water, and she was pulled up. Using one hand to wipe water from her eyes, she fluttered them, and her gaze met his. The look was only held for a moment, and she frowned slightly. She was cautious, and regarded her current emotions like how one would regard someone who had just broken their trust. She couldn't trust her emotions to be her own at the moment, especially not in such close contact with the merman. Saeleen was slowly coming to be able to distinguish the two, but the moment she did, she felt again as though she were being ripped under a tide, unable to tell up from down, or left from right. It was a roller coaster, one that after the initial drop, wasn't so bad, but still sent thrills of uncertainty after every drop.

Her arm wrapped around his shoulder, and while she attempted to keep her body at its warm temperature; it was obvious that her body felt chilled on the surface, and while most women would be embarrassed by it, Saeleen didn't care. With her arm around his shoulder, her body began drifting on top of him, and she was helpless to stop it as his tail moved them through the water. She watched as his arms moved, memorizing the movements and tightening her grasp around his shoulders. Slowly, her arms looped over him, hands gently pressing against his chest in a more solid grip. He was swimming relatively slowly, and she watched as his arms moved in careful, precise demonstration. Her chin rested against his shoulder, and a... an excitement coursed through her veins.

She knew for a fact it couldn't have been because she was finally learning how to swim -properly- as a human. No, she believed this excitement was more of the socializing variety. While completely content in the company of others, she just often... wasn't. More often that not, Saeleen was alone, she'd mastered the art of keeping herself entertained. Whether that be grooming, flying, hunting, or even taking a swing down to the ocean and walking along the waves or taking a short dip. Either way, it was often by her lonesome, and while she'd enjoyed the company of the werewolf and vampire, something about the company of this person in particular, she preferred. Maybe it was that he was quiet, like herself, or maybe there was just something else. Perhaps it was her curiosity about him; she'd never actually seen a mer-folk up close, let alone touch one. Now she was holding onto one as water threatened to pull her off of him.

Eventually she was drawn to slip off of him and practice on her own. She felt... safer, now that he had dove down for her in the waters. At first she'd thought she would have gone right under, but by copying his movements, even with only her arms, she managed to just keep up. The water was up to her chin, and she wasn't quite as comfortable with it as he was, to allow the rest of her face to sink down. So she looked rather ridiculous, propelling herself ever forward with her head tilted back as far as it could go, while looking forward. Despite how much she despised making a fool of herself, a grin came across her face before she slipped under a little and pushed herself back up. Spitting gross water out, she managed to half-suspend herself while her other hand wiped her face.

Glancing down slightly, she noted her hair. It flowed around her as though it were suspended in air, yet clearly it wasn't. She hadn't really known hair had done that, she'd never swam, or even bathed as a human before, it was a curiosity that perplexed her. Her fingers tangled in it slightly before she pulled them free to continue her strokes as the merman had shown her. Her legs remained together, useless and simply floating along with the rest of her. She suddenly rolled onto her back, and as a fear flashed through her, her stomach began to sink, but then she drew in a deep breath, puffing out her stomach slightly and closing her eyes. To her somewhat amazement, she began to float, and tentatively letting out a short breath, she became used to this new position, and glanced over at the merman. It was better than a bed, save for the chill.

She floated there, beginning to go with the stream. Saeleen had no idea how to control her direction, much less swim against a slight current. It was her assumptions that he'd follow along with her, no, more of an expectation. She didn't think he'd just leave her there. While she'd been doing well, she had to break the serene calm, just to make sure he hadn't left her. There was a slight panic as she had difficulties righting herself completely, but once she had, she noted that he was, in fact, still there. Swimming to wards him, she held onto him again, clinging to him like a baby to its mother. As she put more of her weight on him, than on her own dependence, she found it was easier to breathe. She hadn't realize she'd been holding most of her air in until she was holding onto something more sturdy in the water, now she could breath properly and completely.

While she felt much better about her swimming skills, something told her the merman wasn't quite done with her swimming lesson just yet. After a quick, questioning glance into his eyes, she tentatively wrapped an arm around his shoulder, hand resting on the other shoulder behind his neck. Being supported like this, the rest of her body was able to relax, eventually pushing up against him. Her legs curled up slightly, crossing, as though to hide herself, even though everything was under the water an hidden anyways. This close to him, she frowned slightly, looking away. It was uncomfortable staring into his eyes for too long, but then she forced herself to.

His eyes were strange. Incredibly dark, unnaturally so. They were designed to pierce the darkness and grant him sight when most others would be blind. She blinked, a flutter of confusion running through her before she looked away again. This time downward, and she took his hand with her free one. Guiding it, she placed it on her leg, just above her knees as they curled up under her. It was a relatively clear indication to continue with the teaching; 'Show me what to do with these.' She blinked, taking her hand off of his and allowing his to linger there on her skin.