Vera knew her father would not mind the merlings. He had been persuasive enough at hinting at her first pod for years, very well a decade, now. As a Varken Tribe Leader, he would welcome the creatures in as his own and train the male for his role. A smile rose on her cheeks at thinking about the little mer growing into a strong and handsome warrior. She would be proud, and she would fight for that pride. Vera knew the costs of taking another's offspring, but she didn't care. She killed mercilessly before, and will even do it all again for those little beauties if it meant their departure wouldn't happen.
Vera could only hope she wouldn't have the trouble of killing again. She wanted them peacefully. Her only hope is their parents abandoned them. Vera thought back to her father's guidance and what he had done for her. She always had him, never a mother.
Vera never thought to ask because most mers only had one parent. A mer with two different species of parents would rarely have both. It was considered an act of strength to fight for the right of the child, and if both parents had died, the merling was legendary; if they lived, that is.
Time flew by, and since there wasn't any sunlight, beneath the surface, Vera didn't know how long it had been when Kieva took Cochu's place with the infants and Cochu jets toward her. He stops within an appropriate length of her. She spots the look on his pale face, spotting the purple skin darkening. Vera swallows as he nears, curious as to what has provoked the aid. She gathers herself and blinks, daring the cecaelia to say the words she didn't want to hear.
Cochu hesitates in saying, "It seems tese 'ree merlin's 'ave adopted yer trays." Vera blinks, confused as he continues. "Tey all 'ave somehow copied yer pupils. Each of 'em are graced wit yer black ayes, buh en ta time we've had 'em, tey've changed trehmendohsly," he explains. Cochu speaks of the phenomenon as if he weren't curious at all.
Cochu swallows, clearing his throat. "Would yeh like ta see 'em?" Cochu hints at privacy, and although Vera is as astonished as she is, she happily obliged.
Vera nods once. "Yes, I would."
Cochu nods, then leads Vera to the three copytails. Vera swim next to the aid, and enters the room first. Kieva is there, tending to the children carefully. Each merling is sound asleep while the three mers converse. Vera instantly notices their presence as soon as she enters the smaller cavern. She instantly smiles at the sight of them and swims to their side. While she is taken with the merlings, Cochu and Kieva share a look of surprise. They didn't speak, only allowed the Vark to do as she pleased.
When Vera turns to Cochu, he begins, "Tere ayes are tere only changed features, buh as we've cohcluded, tese merlin's are Tagrises." Cochu concludes, causing Vera to stare at him in shock. Watching her expression for observation, Cochu continues. "As we know, Tagris mers are obsesseeve 'nd mostly 'ave merlin's en quads. You've recovered 'ree. Are yeh sure tere wasn't ah fourt?" He asks hesitantly, his tentacles coiling around the rocks before release if them to redo the simple movements.
Vera recalls the incident, traveling back to the cave and remembering the three merlings. Vera shook her head. "No, there were only three," she confirms.
Cochu glances at Kieva with an expression Vera can't seem to recognize. Vera raises her brow in question. When Cochu sees her look, he explains, "As an attempt ta bond wit ah parent, te Tagris children taste te blood of ah grown mer. Tey adapt te features of te bi'en, buh it can only be complete wit all four merlin's bonded ta te parent, or else tey will consume te attempt ta find another."
Vera swallows the information, realizing her mistake. Gritting her teeth, she narrows her eyes at the aid. "I'll find the last merling," Vera demands, eyeing the two in suspicion.
The aid and the shark nod, knowing the do or die situation she has to face. The aid specifies a few more qualities of the Tagris mers, but Vera barely pays attention. She was focused on giving the sleeping merlings to her father until she finds the last of the quad. She was either to live with four merlings, or to die trying. A Vark was known to never give in, and a Lumos always strived for life, so Vera only had the vast ocean weighing against her.
And the more she thought about it, Vera realizes just how big her home land is.
• • • • •
Things my heart use to know.
Things it yearns to remember.
• • • • •