Little Gold

Deneli walked quickly down the path through the Heron Forest, her curls bouncing with each step. The sand at the beach was soft, but she decided it was time for a change of scenery. Maybe she'd find somewhere more comfortable to spend the night at the dock. Anything beat the bath tub she'd had to sleep in when Hedmistress Everly locked them all in the dining hall.

At her side she carried her bag, a small one made of wicker in which she carried her water. Four bottles total with two already empty and the third halfway done. She was almost there, right? Truthfully she had no idea if she was even going in the right direction.

The woods were dark now and she could hardly see the path in front of her. She wasn't afraid of the dark, though. She wasn't afraid of anything. As she picked up her speed a bit in anticipation of reaching the dock she was rememinded of a popular childrens' story her Uncle had read to her once. It was a human book though; humans had the best childrens' books. It was a shame she couldn't read the chicken scratches they were written in. She couldn't quite remember the name little hooded girl in that particular story.

Shae was just walking as usual.
No matter how much he tried, he couldn't help but like the feeling of the forest.
The darkness letting him see so much more than elsewhere.
It made him feel alive.

He heard the sound of footsteps and his head turned quickly in the direction they came from.
Through the trees he easily spied the girl.

He'd met her before.. when they locked them all that big room together.
She was the gullible one.
Grinning, he decided it was time for them to meet again.

He walked over and peered out from around a rather large tree- leaning against its trunk casually.

"Evening miss... where might you be going this fine evening?"

Deneli turned to face the voice, immediately recognizing it as Shae's. A wide smile crossed her face when she saw the boy leaning against a tree.

"Shae!" She ran towards and finally tried giving him the hug she'd been wanting to give him since the dining hall. Shae had been nice to her, and kindness was something she never forgot. He was easily a foot taller than her, but she didn't care. She knew she was short. She giggled, "I'm going to go swimming at the docks. I think I'll sleep there tonight. Where are yoou going?" Deneli noticed Shae's ghost light hovering around and looked up at. "Hiii Ghostie!"

He grinned wider as she ran up and hugged him, raising an eyebrow slightly.

"hehe.. I'm just out for a walk.." he replied chuckling. "I like the forest.. it's one of my favorite places." he winked.

In his head he laughed as she greeted his ghost light- she was a strange child.
He looked around and then let his laugh actually sound out. "But you do realize you're a bit off course right..." he pointed a bit to their left. "The docks are more in that direction.. want me to show you?"

Deneli reached into her wicker bag and pulled out the bottle that was already half way drained. "I think it kind of creepy when it gets dark," she said, uncapping the bottle and drinking a bit. "Plus, so I'm so clumsy. I've already tripped like five times. See?" She held up the palm of her hand to show him that it scraped a bit.

Deneli looked in the direction Shae had pointed, then back at the path she had just come from, then back at Shae. "Are they?" She pouted a bit and put the bottle back in her back. Now it was only filled a quarter of the way. "I knew I was going to wrong way. It's sooo dark. I probably shouldn't have waited so late to come out." She giggled and pointed at the ghost light, "I guess you don't have to worry about that though. It's like a night light."

He grinned.
Creepy when it was dark, hey?

He looked at her hand, pretending to be concerned. "Good thing I can see in the dark then isn't it?" he smiled charmingly. "Actually.. i struggle to see in the daytime- but at night in the forest, I can see better than most people would in the day.." he glanced at his light. "So even though it might help you see- i don't really need the light.."

He held out his hand. "Come on.. let's get you down to the docks" he motioned still smiling.

Deneli follow Shae like she was a golden retriver, always excited.

"You can't see in the daytime? I don't like the daytime that much either. Not when the sun's out anyway. It dries my skin. Like this." She held out her left arm to show Shae the marks that ran down it. They were caused by direct exposure to the sun. "And I get dehydrated faster. I think I see better than most people underwater because I have two sets of eyelids. One of them is clear so I can close them while underwater and still see without getting the salt in my eyes. Frogs do the same thing."

He nodded as she spoke, not really that interested, but pretending to be.
"That's cool.. I suppose people are always best accustomed to their own environment.. aren't they." he replied, grinning.
She was able to see best underwater, and he was able to see best in dark creepy forests.
It made sense.

What didn't made sense was how easy it was to lead her- he could take her anywhere he thought amused, and she'd still trust him, but he was leading her towards the docks.. he didn't want to do anything just yet, patience was a virtue and the longer he waited, the more fun she'd be.

"I don't think i know of any animals who see like I do.. there are ones like bats and possums who see best at night but.. it's not the same thing."

Deneli was feeling dumb now. "Bats and possums." She shook her head, "I don't know that many land animals. The only land animals I've ever really seen are a cheetah," she giggled thinking about Ndale, "Kitty. Um, Raye as a wolf, and Ambrose as a big spider. Oh, and my Uncle's friend's cat."

Deneli felt safer with Shae. Not only did she have someone to talk to and lead her to the docks, but she had his ghost light to help her see. She smiled again. Shae was always so nice to her.

he grinned and stopped momentarily to let her catch up and walk beside him. "Ah of course.. well um. I suppose it's kindof like really deep sea fish.. the ones that live in the dark.. except they're blind- I'm not blind.. I just don't see in light." he tried to explain.

"So... why DID you decide to come here... it's an awfully.. landy place for a mermaid." he chuckled, giving her a questioning look.

Deneli laughed at the word he'd chose to use, "landy", but her shoulders slumped at the question. "It was my step-mom's idea. I hate her. And then my dad agreed to it." She lifted her shoulders again and the smile came back, "I like it here though. I bet my Uncle that by the semester was over I'd be able to beat him in a race on land."

Then Deneli had a sudden realization, "Oh, I know what fish you're like! Angler fish. They have the little night lights." She giggled, pleased at having found Shae's fish. Though angler fish were known to lead lead smaller into the dark with those night lights and then eat them. Oh well, it wasn't as if she'd never eaten a fish in her life, either. It was a pretty good idea to catch fish actually. Those angler fish were smart.

"hehe that's..." he stopped as she mentioned the angler fish. "Uh.. mmm I spose.."
He didn't want to admit just how accurate that was- he was excactly like an alnger fish.. except he didn't eat his victims, he just killed them because... because... well... he didn't even have a reason.
Not that he cared.
But it was a dangerous topic. "Those fish are very scary thought, aren't they?" he chuckled, a bit sheepishly. "You don't really think I'm like THAT do you..?" he made his voice sound ever so slightly hurt.
It always helped to add a bit of guilt to the mix to stop people thinking bad of you.

Deneli laughed at Shae's reaction, "No, you're not scary. But they like the dark, and they really do have nightlights attached to their heads. They're really freaky-looking, though." She took a minute to try and think of another fish that may suit Shae better, but the Angler fish was just so perfect.

She pulled out her water bottle again and finished off the rest of the bottle before shrugging, "I can't think of anything else." She moved the bottles around in her purse so the one that was still full would be the first she grabbed if she needed it. Just one bottle left. She guessed she could make it last, though she had a tendancy to go through water quicker than she should have, especially when she was running low on it.

"I guess..." he shrugged.
end of conversation.
now.
the thought- this wasn't a good topic at all.

"Hey so how exactly DO you survive on land?" he asked, changing the topic quickly. Watching her drink the water he had an idea already but.. that didn't matter, anything would do as a new conversation.

He eyed the last bottle, good thing they were getting close though, he thought.. it seemed she was low on it... and he had no idea what happened when she ran out..

Deneli shrugged. "I can live on land, I just need to drink a lot of water, and if its really sunny I can't really go outside. I don't like to sleep on land though. I've been sleeping at the beach." She giggled the same laugh that usually either followed or preceeded any sentence she said.

She looked back up at the ghost light and smiled. It was so pretty. She wondered what it was actually for but remembered that not even Shae seemed to know. In her distraction, Deneli tripped over a root, further scraping her hands and knees. In the process she dropped her bag and the bottles fell out, the full one rolling the furthest away.

He was about to reply when she tripped, falling over a root or something her bag and bottles going everywhere.
He should have caught her he face palmed internally- but he hadn't been paying attention.

"C.. Careful!" he called out, before realizing it was a bit late for that. He knelt down to help her up. "Are.. you ok?" he asked, putting on a concerned tone.

He wasn't really worried, but 150 years of practice and it sounded 100% sincere, he was too good at it by now. Piece of cake.

Deneli accepted Shae's help and stood again, abit embarressed at having tripped in the first place. She giggled anyway as she wiped any dirt off of her hands and legs. "Yeah, thanks. I'm such a clutz!"

She leaned down to pick up her bag and the weight of it alarmed her for a second since the bottles had fallen out. "Don't the docks come off of a path?" She asked, wondering how much longer until they reached their destination. At least on the path she had originally been following there weren't as many things for her to trip over. She actually had to concentrate on not tripping in the forest apparently. Now she scanned to ground in search of her bottles.

"Ah.. um.. sorry well yes but this way is quicker is all...." he looked around, spotting one of the bottles and walking over to pick it up. "Want me to carry you?" he offered offhandedly, walking back over and putting the bottle in the basket.

"It wont be far now... we're almost there^^" he assured her, scanning the surrounding area trying to see the other bottles.

It'd be a pain if she collapsed on him or something- so he might as well carry her, she couldn't be that heavy, right?
Should be easy, it wasn't long to go after all.

Deneli picked up the other two empty bottles but couldn't seem to find the one that still had water in it. Just the idea of potentially having no water left made her thirsty. She looked back at the ghost-light, oping it would show her where the last bottle was.

She decided from now on she wouldn't drink her water all at once. That way if she did lose one like this she'd still have some water left in the other three.

Deneli giggled, almost in attempt to hide her worry. It was weaker then her normal laughter though. "You want to carry me?" She asked, a bit surprised at the offer. If a jelly fish was thrown from the water to land, gravity had the power to crush it completely. Was it even possible for somebody to carry another body on land? "Do you see the other bottle, Shae?" Now she was no longer trying to hide her worry. Shae said he could see in the dark. He'd be able to find it, right?

He kept searching, walking i the way he thought it had rolled. "Yeah.. carry you- easy.." he replied offhandedly, looking for the last bottle.

She was smaller than him, it'd be simple to carry her to the docks.. they were close.. it'd be so easy it was a laugh.. unless she was ten times heavier than she looked.

He walked some way before he spied in under a bush and walked over to pick it up. "Found it.." he called as he turned to walk back to her. Noticing uneasily how fascinated she seemed to be with his ghost light, that hadn't followed him as he walked to pick up the bottle.

Deneli looked back at Shae and a wide smile crossed her face as she saw the bottle in hand. She ran over to him and tried to give him another hug. "Thank you!"

Then she took the bottle and drank a bit from it. Apparently her throaght really had gotten dry. She wasn't just imagining it. Now she shrugged with a laugh, "If you think you can carry me then go ahead." It wasn't that she thought Shae was weak, she just saw gravity as being a powerful force that would prevent him being able to carry her, though she was both lighter and shorter than the average 15 year old, even for mers who were usually a bit smaller than humans to begin with.

He hugged her back, the watched as she drank.
"Ok then.. come here.." he grinned, holding out his arms so that she could jump up and let him carry her princess style.

And he totally intended to. "Believe me sweetheart, you look as light as a feather" he winked, taking that as an excuse to er.. look over over her body.

And he didn't mind what he saw either.. making a mental note to maybe join her at the docks he quickly looked back up- not that he was worried.. he doubted she'd notice what he was doing anyway.

Deneli just stood by Shae and just looked at him. She didn't understand why he was holding his arms out like that. It almost looked funny. She moved her bag up to her shoulder, not really sure what she was supposed to be doing right now but fairly certain that Shae expected her to do something.

How did one go about carrying another on land anyway? The only way she knew was if you were at a beach and coming out of the water. She'd done that with her sister a few times when she was little. That wasn't hard, but in the middle of dry. Looking into his she shrugged and gave a quick laugh.

he rolled his eyes laughing.
Shae was so clueless.

"Come over here.." he repeated, moving his arms to be by his side and not even waiting for her to move- he stepped forward to her and lent down- picking her up in a princess hold with little trouble.

"Like that..." he smiled charmingly before starting walk.. "You should probably put for arms around my neck.. so you don't fall.." he added raising an eyebrow.

Deneli giggled as Shae picked her up. She took her purse from over her shoulder and put it on her lap instead then did as Shae suggested and put her arms around his neck.

"You're really strong Shae!" Deneli was actually surprised that he'd been able to lift her with such ease. Or maybe just impressed was a better word for it. "How far are the docks now?"