Xuan glanced up when Luna spoke, his gaze shifted to the girl he had brought into their home. Mimi’s continual chattering settled as she braided some treated kelp for her jewelry making. “Luna,” Mother said softly. “Be nice.” The brown woman said one arm cradled an infant. Her hair was braided and had a lot of delicate kelp rope wound around the plait. Her dark eyes rested upon the new face and smiled warmly. “How are you feeling, little one?” She touched the girl’s forehead then the back of her neck to insure she was not suffering from a fever. “I bet you are hungry. A little food will do wonders. Xuan, go and get me a chunk of tuna.”
“Sure,” he said putting the rocks and three pronged silver metallic things back in Mimi’s basket. He pushed himself away from the wall, he moved to the fish scale curtain and pushed it aside before leaving the house. He moved up to the storage unit and untied the curtain covering the opening. He slipped inside and selected a nice chunk. The place was bare for the most part, after the communal hunt it will not be. It will give him more time to himself once there was food for his family. He left the storage and retied the curtain, he met his father outside the cave. “Any luck?”
“No,” he said with a shake of his head. “No one knows of any other families in the area. And no one recognizes the description.”
“Maybe the girl is lost,” he said then indicated the meat. “She is awake now.”
“Oh, good,” he said and the two entered the house. Father’s eyes went to his mate, she gave him a soft smile. He took the infant and patted the tiny back gently. “I am Roe,” he said, brushing some dark gray hair behind him. His tail had faint stripes down the outsides with the belly a bit lighter in color. He was an imposing figure, broad shoulder and chest, his arms were beefy as well from the hard work he did regularly. There was an acute likeness in facial features between Roe and Xuan, there was no doubt the two were blood related. The tattoos on their chests were identical as well, Xuan’s stopped at the bottom of his breast bone. Where Roe’s column continued down a little past his belly button with the names of his mate and children, some were doubled where his elder children had already taken mates, he had added them to his collage as easily as he welcomed them into his family. “This is my home, my mate, Shine, our children.” He glanced around. “Well most of them. We,” he glanced at his son. “Xuan found you in Midnight. Can you remember what you were doing there?”
“She is having a hard time speaking,” Shine said. “I am worried she hit her head or was stung by a jellyfish.” She looked at Xuan. “You didn’t notice a glob of jellyfish about?”
“No, Mother,” he answered handing her the food. “She was passed out when I located her. I noticed some shimmering around her but it faded quickly.”
“Those things are such trouble,” she shook her head, splitting the meat in smaller pieces as she did with her little ones and handed it to their guest. “I don’t want to cast a spell for healing if she hadn’t been stung, it would only make her sick.”
Roe put a hand on her shoulder. “Calm, my love. Getting worked up will not bring any answers.”
“I can’t imagine what her parents are going through, they must be beside themselves with worry. Their baby lost out in the depths.”
“Of course they are, word will reach the community soon. I have let everyone know to keep an ear out. They will come directly when her family comes.”
Mimi bit her lower lip suppressing some excitement. “It will be neat to meet others outside the community. It’s been many sleeps since someone new has come. I wonder if our new friend has any brothers my age.” Mimi wiggled a little closer still holding the palm size gold disk. “I bet they are very pretty like her.”
Xuan elbowed his sister. “Give her a chance to breath before pouncing her family. You are not old enough to be thinking of boys yet.”
Mimi folded her arms in front of her and stuck her nose toward the ceiling. “I am not a child, I am nearly ready for my circle.”
“Until then, I think I shall lock you in your sleeping room,” Roe said grabbing his daughter with his free arm, pulling her to his side and kissing her cheek. “You must stay young for a while yet, Mimi. Just a little longer for your father’s sake.”
Mimi embraced him. “For you,” she whispered.
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Xuan’s task of setting the starfish to a rock with a few others was done, he moved toward his waiting family when he stopped. He saw a few large tuna’s just beyond and slightly below his position. “Father,” he said pointing.
“Good eye, boy,” he said and they moved toward the target. “Get around it,” Father said pointing to Xuan.
Xuan moved down and disappeared into the inky blackness and hurried past the pod of tuna fish gripping his spear as he eased back up into the lighter area of the ocean. He had successfully flanked the large fish, on a signal from Father the four of them charged the fish and jabbed spears into the target. It thrashed and the others around it darted away, Xuan was hit hard in the chest with the tail fin which yanked his hold on the shaft of the spear. He swam closer and grabbed his weapon. Father was able to make the killing blow and they all paused peering around to ensure the struggle and blood hadn’t alerted any sharks in the area.
Winter and Hunter lashed the kelp rope around the fish and started pulling it down toward the caves. Father was close behind, Xuan was about to follow when he notice something sparkling. He studied the area, his brow knitted in confusion and he moved toward it. “What is it?”
“I don’t know,” he answered it took a few more strong strokes of his tail before he could make out a form. His heart raced as fast as he did to the floating woman. “Hey,” he called grabbing her arm, she was limp and her eyes closed. He check a pulse it was strong against his fingers. He scanned the area for the cause of her condition, he saw no predators or other members of her community. He carefully pulled her close and wrapped an arm around her waist.
His father shot toward them when Xuan and the female emerged in the darker layer of the ocean. “What happened?”
“I don’t know,” he said. “I saw her floating.”
"You don't know what a girl is?" Winter asked then looked at Hunter and they snickered. "You need to get out more."
“Enough. Let’s get her home,” Father said taking his son’s spear. “Mother will heal her. I'll ask around the community after the sleep to see if anyone knows her or her community.” He glanced around. "I bet her parents are beside themselves with worry."
Xuan kept her close to keep her warm as they made it to the cave. Mother was delighted at the large tuna and instantly worried about the girl they had found. She had examined her finding no injuries to heal and eased her near the wall were it was plenty warm and she could keep an eye on the girl for any signs of distress. Xuan went outside toward the stronger of the currents around their place where Father and brothers were already cutting into the fish. The current took the cloud of bloody water away from the house, he was assigned the horrific task of skinning.
Once all that was done, they stuffed the sections of fish into the upper storage compartment and sealed it shut with a rock. The family enjoyed a meal of tuna before they settled to a normal routine. Mimi showed her brother what she had found during the day of exploring the trench with her friends. She had found several large golden disks with some sort of writing stamped on them. Xuan examined a few of them while one of younger brothers tackled his tail and laughed. “These are not sharp to use as a tool.”
“I am thinking hair weights or jewelry. I think the color would go good against your tail.” She swam to it and put it against the narrow end of it before it yawned into his fin. “I think so.”
“What am I going to do with a tail ring?” Xuan asked with a chuckle dislodging the little one from his delicate and sharp ends of his tail. He tickled the little boy. “Don’t get him worked up or you will be putting him to sleep tonight.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said stroking the little yellow head. The child put Xuan’s hand on his belly to encourage another tickling. “Mama says no.” The little boy grew bored and swam toward the others to see what they were doing.
“Good eye, boy,” he said and they moved toward the target. “Get around it,” Father said pointing to Xuan.
Xuan moved down and disappeared into the inky blackness and hurried past the pod of tuna fish gripping his spear as he eased back up into the lighter area of the ocean. He had successfully flanked the large fish, on a signal from Father the four of them charged the fish and jabbed spears into the target. It thrashed and the others around it darted away, Xuan was hit hard in the chest with the tail fin which yanked his hold on the shaft of the spear. He swam closer and grabbed his weapon. Father was able to make the killing blow and they all paused peering around to ensure the struggle and blood hadn’t alerted any sharks in the area.
Winter and Hunter lashed the kelp rope around the fish and started pulling it down toward the caves. Father was close behind, Xuan was about to follow when he notice something sparkling. He studied the area, his brow knitted in confusion and he moved toward it. “What is it?”
“I don’t know,” he answered it took a few more strong strokes of his tail before he could make out a form. His heart raced as fast as he did to the floating woman. “Hey,” he called grabbing her arm, she was limp and her eyes closed. He check a pulse it was strong against his fingers. He scanned the area for the cause of her condition, he saw no predators or other members of her community. He carefully pulled her close and wrapped an arm around her waist.
His father shot toward them when Xuan and the female emerged in the darker layer of the ocean. “What happened?”
“I don’t know,” he said. “I saw her floating.”
"You don't know what a girl is?" Winter asked then looked at Hunter and they snickered. "You need to get out more."
“Enough. Let’s get her home,” Father said taking his son’s spear. “Mother will heal her. I'll ask around the community after the sleep to see if anyone knows her or her community.” He glanced around. "I bet her parents are beside themselves with worry."
Xuan kept her close to keep her warm as they made it to the cave. Mother was delighted at the large tuna and instantly worried about the girl they had found. She had examined her finding no injuries to heal and eased her near the wall were it was plenty warm and she could keep an eye on the girl for any signs of distress. Xuan went outside toward the stronger of the currents around their place where Father and brothers were already cutting into the fish. The current took the cloud of bloody water away from the house, he was assigned the horrific task of skinning.
Once all that was done, they stuffed the sections of fish into the upper storage compartment and sealed it shut with a rock. The family enjoyed a meal of tuna before they settled to a normal routine. Mimi showed her brother what she had found during the day of exploring the trench with her friends. She had found several large golden disks with some sort of writing stamped on them. Xuan examined a few of them while one of younger brothers tackled his tail and laughed. “These are not sharp to use as a tool.”
“I am thinking hair weights or jewelry. I think the color would go good against your tail.” She swam to it and put it against the narrow end of it before it yawned into his fin. “I think so.”
“What am I going to do with a tail ring?” Xuan asked with a chuckle dislodging the little one from his delicate and sharp ends of his tail. He tickled the little boy. “Don’t get him worked up or you will be putting him to sleep tonight.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said stroking the little yellow head. The child put Xuan’s hand on his belly to encourage another tickling. “Mama says no.” The little boy grew bored and swam toward the others to see what they were doing.
Whew. I am glad it is alright. Nice pic.
The morning started like most in the Fen household, baby crying, the younger siblings waking, making noise and mother speaking sharply to keep them in line. The quarreling grew louder with each new voice adding to the numbers.
Xuan’s eye opened, he brushed some white hair out of the way and glanced about the small sleeping cove just above the communal space. He and his two older brothers slept after their long not real productive hunt during the waking hours. He opened his tail fin fully and stretched his arms above his head, he ached a little here and there from the long swim. It seemed that all the large school of fish had migrated elsewhere and a large squid which hindered their activities. Squids were not to be trifled with, they could kill a merperson quickly and easily. They did manage to gather some mussels and red prawns from the Midnight Layer above them. Xuan took a deep inhale and let it out, with so little food they would be going out again, until they obtained bigger game they would continually be hunting. A couple more sleeps before the community will gather together and do one large hunt. Recently that was the only way to fill the lower caverns with meat.
He knew he should go down and help his mother, the other part of him wanted to sleep just a little longer. He drifted closer to the warm rock heated naturally by molten rock under the surface and closed his eyes giving into the stronger urge to sleep this once. The peace didn’t last long, a child screamed, which in turn gave a few more reason to cry. He groaned softly, blinking at the glowing creatures clinging to the rocks around him. He pushed himself to the floor and picked up his belt carefully brushing off the rock dwelling worms that gave them light.
“I will be glad when I have my own cave,” the orange colored Hunter grumbled using his hands to move his body through the gap to the main room. His large tail bumped into the other two as he passed.
“Agreed,” Winter mumbled rolling his body to face the wall, his long braided blue hair wrapping around his torso. “It will be so peaceful without Hunter around.”
Xuan chuckled. “I don’t think that is what he meant, brother.” Winter only hummed drifting back to sleep. Another sharp scream echoed over the cavern followed by the gruff voice of father which stilled a lot of crying but excited cheers and greetings.
Xuan envied his brother’s ability to sleep through most commotion. He pushed himself away and down through the gap, folding his fin to make it through before spreading it open again.
His gray colored father was comforting a sobbing toddler half-awake, three others were clamoring for his attention. His brown colored Mother handed out mussels and red prawns to the rest of her brood. Each child was a different shade of color ranging from bright red to black, they were one of the most colorful group in the community. Mimi, a purple color younger sister wiggled from the room she shared with four of her sisters. She bolted to him and greeted him with a tight hug. “Hey there,” he said, opening her hand. “You still have that starfish?”
“I was going to get him some food,” she said.
“You know you are going to have to let it go, it doesn’t live this deep.”
She pouted and he held her for a moment, their tails moving in time to keep them near the ceiling and in place. “It’s my pet.”
“Your brother is right, Mimi. It belongs in Midnight.”
“I know,” she whined. “But I love it.”
“You want the starfish to find a mate and have a little family don’t you?
Mimi nodded peering at the creature in her hand. She let out a sigh then handed it to Xuan. “Can you when you are hunting? I don’t have the heart.”
“Sure,” he said taking the small creature from her.
“Speaking of which,” Father said giving the quieted toddler to Mimi. “Wake your brother, Xuan. We need to get more food before your mother throws us all out on our heads.”
“Oh,” Mother said with a snort.
Father chuckled and gave her a kiss on the cheek and started saying goodbye to his brood. As always Mother hugged each of them and insisted they be careful, and they responded they would look after one another.
Xuan moved back into his sleeping chamber and shook Winter awake, the two moved to the main room and waited for Father to finish with his children before they left. Xuan touched the sharp hunting knife on his belt and grabbed a spear crafted out of bone and rock. The cold of the undercurrents were sharp after being inside, Hunter joined them and they moved upwards to the Midnight Layer. Xuan’s eyes adjusted to the lighter part of the water and they spread out to find something large enough to feed the brood.
Xuan’s eye opened, he brushed some white hair out of the way and glanced about the small sleeping cove just above the communal space. He and his two older brothers slept after their long not real productive hunt during the waking hours. He opened his tail fin fully and stretched his arms above his head, he ached a little here and there from the long swim. It seemed that all the large school of fish had migrated elsewhere and a large squid which hindered their activities. Squids were not to be trifled with, they could kill a merperson quickly and easily. They did manage to gather some mussels and red prawns from the Midnight Layer above them. Xuan took a deep inhale and let it out, with so little food they would be going out again, until they obtained bigger game they would continually be hunting. A couple more sleeps before the community will gather together and do one large hunt. Recently that was the only way to fill the lower caverns with meat.
He knew he should go down and help his mother, the other part of him wanted to sleep just a little longer. He drifted closer to the warm rock heated naturally by molten rock under the surface and closed his eyes giving into the stronger urge to sleep this once. The peace didn’t last long, a child screamed, which in turn gave a few more reason to cry. He groaned softly, blinking at the glowing creatures clinging to the rocks around him. He pushed himself to the floor and picked up his belt carefully brushing off the rock dwelling worms that gave them light.
“I will be glad when I have my own cave,” the orange colored Hunter grumbled using his hands to move his body through the gap to the main room. His large tail bumped into the other two as he passed.
“Agreed,” Winter mumbled rolling his body to face the wall, his long braided blue hair wrapping around his torso. “It will be so peaceful without Hunter around.”
Xuan chuckled. “I don’t think that is what he meant, brother.” Winter only hummed drifting back to sleep. Another sharp scream echoed over the cavern followed by the gruff voice of father which stilled a lot of crying but excited cheers and greetings.
Xuan envied his brother’s ability to sleep through most commotion. He pushed himself away and down through the gap, folding his fin to make it through before spreading it open again.
His gray colored father was comforting a sobbing toddler half-awake, three others were clamoring for his attention. His brown colored Mother handed out mussels and red prawns to the rest of her brood. Each child was a different shade of color ranging from bright red to black, they were one of the most colorful group in the community. Mimi, a purple color younger sister wiggled from the room she shared with four of her sisters. She bolted to him and greeted him with a tight hug. “Hey there,” he said, opening her hand. “You still have that starfish?”
“I was going to get him some food,” she said.
“You know you are going to have to let it go, it doesn’t live this deep.”
She pouted and he held her for a moment, their tails moving in time to keep them near the ceiling and in place. “It’s my pet.”
“Your brother is right, Mimi. It belongs in Midnight.”
“I know,” she whined. “But I love it.”
“You want the starfish to find a mate and have a little family don’t you?
Mimi nodded peering at the creature in her hand. She let out a sigh then handed it to Xuan. “Can you when you are hunting? I don’t have the heart.”
“Sure,” he said taking the small creature from her.
“Speaking of which,” Father said giving the quieted toddler to Mimi. “Wake your brother, Xuan. We need to get more food before your mother throws us all out on our heads.”
“Oh,” Mother said with a snort.
Father chuckled and gave her a kiss on the cheek and started saying goodbye to his brood. As always Mother hugged each of them and insisted they be careful, and they responded they would look after one another.
Xuan moved back into his sleeping chamber and shook Winter awake, the two moved to the main room and waited for Father to finish with his children before they left. Xuan touched the sharp hunting knife on his belt and grabbed a spear crafted out of bone and rock. The cold of the undercurrents were sharp after being inside, Hunter joined them and they moved upwards to the Midnight Layer. Xuan’s eyes adjusted to the lighter part of the water and they spread out to find something large enough to feed the brood.
I am so bad at titles.
“Love you less? No. What else would have stopped them? Nothing. You saved a lot of people pain. Sure their families will lie to everyone about how good their demon spawn were. They will grieve and life will go on. The world a little brighter without their taint.” He patted her back affectionately. “I wouldn’t worry about it anymore.” He shivered as his drained energy filled in her state of confusion, it was a beautiful rush like conquering a daunting task with excellence. The ‘hunger’ pain went away and he was now sure of how he was to stay strong.
He gave her a small grin when she kissed him, she hid her face too quickly in his shirt respond to it. He gritted his teeth for a moment while he held her feeling the waves of emotions lapping through him. He smiled at what he felt from her energy he closed his eyes and enjoyed the moment. “Don’t be confused. Feel refreshed and put it behind you as easily as you did your old name. You are a new person now, right? So why let all of those past regrets bog you down? You cannot change the past. Don’t let them continue torturing you from the grave. If you do they win. They are dead, let them rot.”
Vince was dying to tell her about what he was going through. All the wonders he discovered so far, he thought about what she had been talking about tonight and squashed that idea. Some day he will share his secrets with her. “Sleep, you have been driving a long while. I am sure you are exhausted. Can you turn on the T.V. and leave the remote nearby before you drift off? I doubt I will not sleep tonight.”
He gave her a small grin when she kissed him, she hid her face too quickly in his shirt respond to it. He gritted his teeth for a moment while he held her feeling the waves of emotions lapping through him. He smiled at what he felt from her energy he closed his eyes and enjoyed the moment. “Don’t be confused. Feel refreshed and put it behind you as easily as you did your old name. You are a new person now, right? So why let all of those past regrets bog you down? You cannot change the past. Don’t let them continue torturing you from the grave. If you do they win. They are dead, let them rot.”
Vince was dying to tell her about what he was going through. All the wonders he discovered so far, he thought about what she had been talking about tonight and squashed that idea. Some day he will share his secrets with her. “Sleep, you have been driving a long while. I am sure you are exhausted. Can you turn on the T.V. and leave the remote nearby before you drift off? I doubt I will not sleep tonight.”
Tell me about it.
Anyone interested in doing something under the sea?
All the merfolk live in tribes or community in the way they think is best. No one will have the same traditions or attitudes toward life, ocean and each other. They could even be at war with each other. One could be chased and loose their way to Xuan's community. There a lot of ways this could be.
I totally have a character for it. Which is below.
Name:Xuan Fen
Age: 150 (not quite middle age)
Gender: Male
History:
Xuan was born seventeenth out of a brood of twenty five siblings Xuan's large family encircled themselves a tight knit community of family and friends. The beliefs of this people are simple and true to the water that gives them life everyday, thus they don't waste anything that the ocean has blessed them with from food to shells. They do not build, instead taking to natural caves and do all they can not to disrupt the ocean's delicate balance.
Like all young Xuan was taught how to defend himself and his people and work as a team for survival from gathering food to keeping sharks and other predators away from their caves in the rocky outcropping on the ocean floor.
He is a popular person and helps his neighbors when he is not busy with other things. He rarely breaks the rules, obeys his parents and looks after his younger siblings when asked. He has on many occasions cared for infants. He was schooled in the community along with some life lessons from his father. This far out in the ocean the rules were set up to keep a merperson safe.
This lesson was deeply engrained when his best friend was killed by a shark attack, they didn't find her body. They set up a memorial for her and the community mourned. That haunted Xaun for a long time and still comes in the form of nightmares from time to time.
All the merfolk live in tribes or community in the way they think is best. No one will have the same traditions or attitudes toward life, ocean and each other. They could even be at war with each other. One could be chased and loose their way to Xuan's community. There a lot of ways this could be.
I totally have a character for it. Which is below.
Name:Xuan Fen
Age: 150 (not quite middle age)
Gender: Male
History:
Xuan was born seventeenth out of a brood of twenty five siblings Xuan's large family encircled themselves a tight knit community of family and friends. The beliefs of this people are simple and true to the water that gives them life everyday, thus they don't waste anything that the ocean has blessed them with from food to shells. They do not build, instead taking to natural caves and do all they can not to disrupt the ocean's delicate balance.
Like all young Xuan was taught how to defend himself and his people and work as a team for survival from gathering food to keeping sharks and other predators away from their caves in the rocky outcropping on the ocean floor.
He is a popular person and helps his neighbors when he is not busy with other things. He rarely breaks the rules, obeys his parents and looks after his younger siblings when asked. He has on many occasions cared for infants. He was schooled in the community along with some life lessons from his father. This far out in the ocean the rules were set up to keep a merperson safe.
This lesson was deeply engrained when his best friend was killed by a shark attack, they didn't find her body. They set up a memorial for her and the community mourned. That haunted Xaun for a long time and still comes in the form of nightmares from time to time.
Ah, sweet. Mystery solved.
I honestly didn't take the height difference into account. I thought she was simply standing farther away than he was.
I honestly didn't take the height difference into account. I thought she was simply standing farther away than he was.
You have a picture of two people one is Charlie the other is Charlotte, in the bio there is no mention of the Charlotte character. Does your trans-gender person go by the same name? Or does Charlie take on name Charlotte while in her true female self?
(I will have you know I am not trying to make fun of your character in anyway. I know several trans-gender who have become good friends of mine.) I was just confused with the whole thing.
(I will have you know I am not trying to make fun of your character in anyway. I know several trans-gender who have become good friends of mine.) I was just confused with the whole thing.
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