~Lake Waka, Southern Continent, Planet Carass, Sigma Universe~
Neema swam near the quiet shore. The sun warming her wenge colored skin. The lake was pleasantly calm today. The smooth water hid the creatures who lived within the lake well. Her tribe had fished these waters since time immemorial. The larger threats had a tendency to stay deep, where those they fed on resided. She slowly treads the water without concern. Her oblivious state failing to notice the slight wake moving towards her.
The wake disappeared entirely and suddenly. From below, she was hit by a tremendous force. Neema's eyes widened as her legs flailed as if they still moved through the water below. She slammed back into the warm liquid with a firm smacking sound. Before she could struggle for a breath of air, she was gently lifted back to the surface. Smooth scales rubbed against her back and thighs.
She looked into the toothy grin of something that resembled human but most assuredly was not. The sharp teeth akin to those of a Goliath Tigerfish but larger in number occupying a lipless mouth. Her eyes rose to meet those of the creature holding her up. Iridescent eyes with jet black pupils looked back at her.
"How is the tribe... to...day," a voice asked in her head.
Neema clapped, "much better! The tribe is good. You are getting much better."
The voice in her head continued, "I try better much. Easier help tribe."
She smiled at the Mami Wata. The mermaid creature had saved her life two years ago. The elders told them often not to swim past the shelf into the deeper parts of the lake. She had thought to explore the many caves along the shelf when a feral Eurypa Eel had tried to engulf her in its mouth. Jala had come from one such cave and ran a spear through the eel's jaws, easily driving it away. They had formed a blood bond then and there. Jala had learned quite a bit of her human's language since then. Jala was the only Mami Wata to bond with a human in ages. Most fisherman in the village had bonded with more cooperative Eurypas than she had escaped.
The village elders were still concerned for her. Little was known about Mami Watas aside from the fact that several villagers had died at their hands, or rather their spears. The pair made their way towards the fishing rafts. They had to approach very slowly so that they wouldn't scare the fishermen's familiars away. It was always assumed that the Mami Wata were the reason the Eurypas had moved to shallower depths. The last year had seen them grow more accustomed to Jala, but they still panicked if she swam in too fast.
Neema waved to her father. He released the net from one hand and returned the gesture. He had perked up in recent years. His lost lower leg no longer bothering him. She had been a young child when he lost the limb. A pack of Blerg dogs had approached the village while he and the other hunters were out on the savannah. The villagers had managed to hold them off until the hunters returned, but Neema's mother had died. While holding her mother, a Blerg had snuck up on her father and grabbed him by the leg. After those losses, he was markedly different. Other women within the village had tried to help raise her in his mental absence. When his mind returned, he resumed her upbringing in a much harsher way. This had led her to become highly independent as well as skilled.
The Eurypas warily watched Jala approach. There was little they could do as most of them had full mouths. The eels raised themselves up and rained fish into the boats of their partners. They then gathered into a thick slimy circular group. Fishermen on four different rafts glared at Neema and Jala. She hid her face in embarrassment. There was no way around this happening besides doing it again and again to get the eels accustomed to their presence.
"My swift one," her father yelled, "please take your familiar away for now. We have to take in extra fish so that we may trade with the Sampa for hide."
"Yes baba, I am sorry."
"Come Jala. Let us head to the river mouth. We do not want to make baba and the others miserable."
"I help. More fish in caves"
"What do you-," Neema tried interrupting.
Jala dove quickly, disturbing the defensive Eurypa. Neema tried following but could not keep up with her. The churning slowly dissipated as Jala faded from view. Neema tread water, her lungs were well-developed to wait for quite some time. A flood of movement came towards her. Her eyes widened as a school of hearty sized fish swam towards and then past her. Jala was right behind them, swimming swiftly from one side to the other.
Neema watched from below as the Eurypas eagerly swam towards the school. Their mouths swelled as they skirted the exterior of the school. The rest of the fish caught themselves within the waiting nets in their bid to escape Jala and the eels. Jala wrapped her arms around Neema's waste on her way to the surface. They broke through to the air together in time to see the fishermen working to row their boats to shore using the momentum of the careening fish in their nets. Without speaking, Jala put her hands out for Neema to push off of towards the beach. The boats hauling those fish captured by the eels were aided by said eels in their approach to the makeshift docks used by the fishermen. Neema walked along the beach towards her father. Jala had disappeared back to the depths of the lake.
"You know my little one, that would have helped the Eurypa welcome Jala long ago."
She pleaded with her eyes, "I did not know baba. I was as surprised as you, I swear by the spirits of the lake."
Her father chuckled, "I believe you little one. I am kidding with you. Although it would have helped many moons ago. The tribe could have also traded for far more from our neighbors if we had been pulling in nets like that. Your familiar helped us to gather far more than we would have in much shorter time. With loads like that, I may have to take up another hobby."
Neema smiled, "I will mention it to Jala. I am sure she would be most happy to help."
He smiled and shooed her away. Neema understood work was to be done. She began jogging towards the river that fed the sacred lake. It didn't take her long to reach the mouth. Their tribe lived just beyond the reach of the river's influence. Her gaze wandered across the river to the far shore.
This was the largest river around, running fast, wide, and deep. As powerful as it was, the creatures within the river itself were fierce in their own right. They had to be to overcome the angry river spirits. She proceeded to walk the banks towards the root of the river. Its waters rushed down from the mountains and split in two at the base. One side of the river flowed into the sacred lake and the other out into the ocean. At the split, few creatures swam. It was only on rare occasion anything from one side roamed to the other.
Neema felt eyes on her as she approached the water. Her father would be less than thrilled if he knew she came here, let alone how often. The wise woman gave her a brew to help strengthen her lungs for every delivery of split water. It was thought to possess magical properties, but this was believed to be a dangerous spot. There was a reason the hunters roamed the savannahs and not the forests. Even the wood at the edge of the jungle was only harvested in the direst of times.
She thought she could hear the jungle hold its breath. Her hands grew cold in the flow, both skins gurgled as water flowed in. She had to admit, the water here was beautiful. It reflected the clear blue sky and shimmered with a life of its own. Neema stood, corking both skins. As she stepped back onto the game trail that ran alongside the river back to the lake, goosebumps crawled across her skin.
Four pairs of eyes stared at the unassuming prey. They crept along the edge of the jungle, four more pairs appeared behind those, trailing roughly ten foot and at different heights. This continued for nearly a hundred yards before Neema became a near wreck of nerves. Usually unafraid of dangerous situations, she began to sprint when the river mouth and lake came into view. From behind her, she heard heavy thumps hurry to catch up to her.
Neema glanced over her shoulder to see four muscular tawny animals rushing towards her. The muscles of the beasts rippled with each lunging stride. She had never seen these creatures before. She doubled her pace until her vision began to blur from her lungs not being able to keep up their supply. The thumps steadily grew louder. The creatures' growls felt like they were in her ear. Something flashed before her. Neema ducked as a long metal object flew from the lake into the closest creature.
The three left standing circled the prone beast. They sniffed and then jumped when the spear yanked backwards towards the lake. A slightly larger version of the other four emerged slowly, a collar of fur around its neck. Three more smaller ones stood behind it. As Neema watched the confusing scene unfold, the spear took flight past her once again spearing another of the original four. The beasts left alive fled back to the jungle. She followed the spears path back into the water a second time. Just beyond the shore was Jala. An innocent wave.
"What? You can just- Thank you Jala!"
Neema ran across the beach and splashed into the water.
Jala swam towards her, "I was bring gift. You want see hope?"
"Hope?"
Jala looked around, pointing towards the village, "h-ho-hope?"
"Home? You want to show me your home?"
Jala smiled her toothy lipless smile, "yes! Home! You want see me home?"
"I would love to."
Neema moved closer as Jala pulled out an odd plant thing. Jala brought it near her face and the plant wrapped it's vines around her head. Neema looked at Jala with uncertainly. The mermaid just shaking her head. As Jala lead her deeper into the water until they were submerged, the plant at last stuck a pod into her mouth. It released a gas into her mouth which Neema inhaled. As Neema exhaled, the plant sucked the breath back, re-releasing more air into her lungs. She looked to Jala wide-eyed. She got a single finger to the mouth gesture in return. This was a secret worth keeping.