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Far away.. long ago..

glowing dim as an ember.

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Her current drives through the water while she races instinctively to catch up with the MeClans. The greedy creatures cackle through the dark waters, leaving bubbles behind. She follows them hurriedly, narrowing her white brows together and grinds her fangs in determination. The spear she holds slices through the water without any friction as her tail whips fast, aiding her to catch up with the dangerous mers. The mermaid's grip tightens on the steel weapon the closer she comes to halting the mers from taking off with their cargo.

She dips down stealthily, hiding within the piles of sand in the seaweed field. Crouching down to the sand bed, the mer sifts through the green masses skillfully, almost as if she's done this before. The three MeClans begin to slow, swimming into a dark stone cave hidden within weeds and moss above an abyss of darkness she knew all too well. The mermaid slithers towards the three residing within the stone fortress, debating her options. She could turn back now and help the others clean out the shipwreck, or she could retrieve the cargo no one missed. The mer nods, deciding her fate. She clutches her spear to her chest as she inches closer to the mouth of the cave.

When she glides through the opening, the mermaid realizes how dense the water becomes. Her scales ruffle from the change in the water's atmosphere as she cautiously explores the dark enclosure. The spear provides reassurance as the mer listens to the rattling of the savage monsters dwelling within the cave. The darkness hides the nocturnal creatures at the bottom, scampering away from her enormous sashaying tail. Another cackle vibrates through the water, directing the determined mer towards her destiny.

A light comes into her vision, and she investigates the fire cautiously. When the mermaid arrives to the opening of a room big enough to store seven hammerheads, she narrows her eyes as the three gather around a slab of stone. The three MeClans giddily sit on the sand bed next to their gathered treasures as the leader, a long gray-tailed mermaid, slams her fisted claw onto the slab of stone. She had gather the other mers' attention.

With a wide grin, she announces, "Wyllo, yer traysir." Her dull red eyes glower at the busty brunette.

Wyllo has pale skin and a beautiful orange sunset tail adorned with many fins. Her wild hair cascades around her shoulders, ending at her twiddling fingertips. The mer bolts upright when her name is called, and slams a sac onto the table. "Fur ya, Islana," Wyllo grins to her superior with razor teeth. She flaunts her chest unknowingly, causing the females beside her to growl.

Is... Islana? The mer, who hides behind the opening of the cavern, wonders internally.

Islana diverts her attention to the bag, searching the contents before pulling trinkets out one by one. She wasn't particularly interested in any of the items, pausing momentarily to look over them with little inspection. Once she was done, Islana nods sternly. "No extah, ony sa'sfying." The mer turns her nose up and leaves a cold shoulder to the brunette creature. The brunette mer hangs her head in shame as Islana narrows her eyes toward the murky brown colored mer.

"Tey'ie, gimmeh yers." Growled Islana.

Teylie, a dark skinned mer with a dull emerald tail, perks up. She bows, her braided green hair floating around her shoulders while she swims straight again. "All ya's, Islana!" She chirps in an over-pitched voice. Teylie turns to the side, heaving a crate on the slab with great effort, which causes the silver tailed mer to peak more of an interest in the object.

Islana inspects the crate, rising from the sand bed. She inspects the top, slicing her claws through the wood. The wood busts and splinters a bit from her claws digging with so much force. When she breaks open the crate, Islana brings out a fistful of herbs. "Wha's tis?" Islana questions, outraged. "Tis is nahtin!" She roars, creating fear in Teylie's eyes. Islana glares at the imbecile with malice before shoving the crate to the ground.

"Tere was noting leff, Islana—" Teylie squabbles, panicking.

"—tose dahmned Varks!" Wyllo growls defensively.

Islana slams her claw against the slab once more in anger before snarling at the two. Immediately, her minions bow, shamelessly displaying their necks. Islana hovers above the table and scowls at the two mermaids, seething in rage. She raises a claw to the mers, and before she could strike, the white haired mer dives backwards. She discreetly escapes through the tunnel she came in, leaving the whimpering MeClans behind. Had it not been for something snatching her tail, the mer would have swam by and never would have seen the creatures napping within the seaweeds.

Residing on a rock were three tiny little merlings, and all with slender white tails. Their tan skin contrasts to their white hair and the darkness. It was a wonder how the mermaid had not seen the three on the way in. Two females snooze quietly as the male whines and grabs for the sparkling white tail. When the mermaid stops, she finds a little thing nipping at her fluke. Dropping low, the mer discovers the three merlings hidden within the dark green weeds. She was surprised as any would be in her situation, and gently holds the merling. He still had his grip on her tail and she maneuvered it for him gently, only not to hurt him. The little trout never releases his grip on her fluke until their eyes catch. As strange as the little creature was, he did not whine nor fuss. She only saw a sparkle in his light gray eyes. He smiles before chomping down on her fluke, tasting her flesh.

This causes a sudden hiss from the mermaid. She jerks her tail away from the little predator until she spots the other two merlings waking from the scent of her blood. Her full black eyes widen from the three tiny mouths of sharp teeth coming after her. Hesitantly, she backs away, snatching her tail along with her, but it was too late; their mouths feast on her bleeding fluke. The mer holds in her scream to avoid the lingering MeClans. Snatching the spear from the sand bed, she jerks her tail enough to throw the merlings off her.

The mer dashes from the cave before circling the top, trying to draw any unwanted sharks to the cave instead of to her. With adrenaline pumping in her veins, she swims rapidly to the shallow water where the kelp grew. She grabs the end of the spear, cutting long pieces to wrap around the wound. Her eyes dart around the water, observing her surroundings before bandaging her fluke in a tight squeeze. The mer winces, but flips her tail, testing the fins. The mermaid sighs, softly huffing as she begins her trek back.

Only, she wasn't expecting to find the three merlings crawling off the edge of the cave.