Water

Wave Thirty One

Leira awoke to a buzz in the air, her head full of the Scouts’ excitement. And then she remembered. It was race day. Each year, Hali had explained a few tides ago, young Scouts would swim a few leagues from the Nest to a certain spot further up. Always, on this exact day, great seahorses would travel past, migrating to their breeding grounds. The Scouts would try to catch the seahorses and tame them, riding around the Citadel. Leira had smiled at this. She remembered once, years ago, seeing a Scout flung from his seahorse whilst she’d been out training with Eli. He hadn’t even made it in to the Nest with the beast! Leira felt a rush of anticipation flood through her. The Guardians didn’t make time for such frivolities and she was looking forward to a day away from training.
         
Gliding from her hammock, Leira made her way over to the sandbasin. Nerida was there. Her entire tail was covered with silky smooth sand that ran in rivulets across her breasts and down her stomach into the pool around her.
         
(The others are still sleeping,) Nerida thought over to her, answering Leira’s unspoken question. (We don’t need such an early start on race day.) She twirled her fingers around in the sand and sank lower. Soon only her neck and head were visible, her hair flowing out like a halo around her face.
(Nerida, about yesterday. I’m so-)
(Sorry? So are we. We shouldn’t have left you in the meadow like that.) Nerida avoided Leira’s eyes and Leira sensed her thoughts of shame and guilt.
(I didn’t mean to do that to Bay, but she was-)
(-attacking you. Yes, we know. We saw. But you’re not a Guardian anymore Leira. You’re one of-)
(-us.) The voice came from behind her and Tal swept alongside Leira, smiling shyly. (We need you Leira; you’re on our team,) Tal continued.
(And if you pull a stunt like that during our Test, we’ll all fail,) Hali chimed in, joining them. She had a grim expression on her face, but she projected an apology across the short space between them. Tal nudged Leira toward the sandbasin and helped lower her into it. She winced as the sand and oil touched her injuries. Nerida shimmied from the basin and darted off to a corner of the room. She returned with fistfuls of water moss and the three Mer helped secure it to Leira’s hands and arms with ribbons of animal hide. Leira projected her feelings of gratitude and waited for Hali and Tal to take their turns bathing. When they were ready, they left the dormitory together.
         
As they entered the main chamber, Leira noticed a change in its usual atmosphere. It was bustling. Mer were darting here and there, carrying orbs of different sizes, buckets of sea grass – for the seahorses, Leira surmised – and she swore she even saw one young Scout swim past carrying a saddle. She noted that each Scout was wearing their finest decorations today. Some wore strings of pearls, others had shells and orbs woven throughout long flowing hair. Many wore pebbles about their fins that gleamed and glinted. Even her friends had dressed up to meet the occasion: Hali wore a beautiful necklace made from tiny starfish; Tal had wrapped strips of seaweed around his upper arms and studded them with glimmering stones. Nerida was in another world. She wore a black seal hide choker that emphasised her long, pale neck. Nestled inside the choker was a small oval orb that glowed brightly, matching the gleam in her eyes. Leira herself wore nothing but scars and fresh wounds. She wished she’d thought to bring at least one or two things with her from her old home. The shell that Eli had given her flashed into her mind and she projected the image of it in front of her. It hovered for a moment before she released it, blinking back tears. Leira avoided Kai’s glare from across the chamber as she passed through, but could still feel his accusing eyes on her long after they’d left the cavern.
         
(Will Kai be there today?) she asked Tal.
(No.) Tal replied simply. (He stays out of the races.)
(The races are more Firth’s thing,) thought Nerida. (Kai hides the orb for him though.)
Leira did not have time to question the others further as she noticed many of the older Scouts were leaving to go and line the streets to watch the races. Only a few reluctant Scouts were parting to go and Scout the city walls. Every other Mer was free for the day’s entertainment. 
         
Leira stayed close to her team as they followed the stream of Scouts making their way out of the Citadel. They swam further from the Nest than Leira had yet been with the Scouts. Hali seemed nervous and kept fidgeting and smoothing the scales on her tail when they came to a halt. Looking around, Leira could see no reason why they’d stopped, or what made this place remarkable. She edged forward and felt the rush of a warm current wash over her. She jolted back and was instantly in colder waters. She extended her hand and felt the stream of warm water again, washing against her webbed fingers. Her hand was dragged backward, and she had to struggle to keep it in place against the force of the water. The seahorses must follow the current!
         
(What do we do now?) she thought to the others.
(Now we wait, Guardian.) Firth’s thought rang across the water to her, and several Scouts turned to her, their eyes full of laughter. Leira didn’t mind it so much today; she felt she was part of their exhilaration and laughter instead of it being directed at her.
         
Nerida took pity on Leira, and began to explain.
(The seahorses fly through here at great speed. Not many Scouts even manage to catch one.)
(Have you ever-)
(No, this is our first time. They don’t usually let Trainees take part, but Kai said last night we should be here. So, you have to catch a seahorse and jump onto its back – you wrap your tail around it to stay on.)
(Like this!) called Tal, attempting to demonstrate on an unamused Hali. Hali managed to dislodge Tal from her back and gave him a small swat with her tail, but she was grinning as she did.
         
(Anyway,) projected Nerida, rolling her eyes and smiling, (you jump on and then it’s a race down to the Nest. If you aren’t among the first few Mer to reach the Citadel, then chances are you won’t win.)
(But how do you win? Do you just race around the Nest a couple of times?)
Hali raised an eyebrow at this. (There’s more to it than that,) she scoffed. Kai hides an orb somewhere in the Citadel. It’s a race to find it. Whoever gets there first, gets to keep the orb.)
(What’s so special about-)
(The orb?) Tal finished Leira’s thought. (It’s rare. We think Anahita makes it. It glows deep red with Source energy and it never goes out. Imagine that, an orb that glows forever.) Leira looked at her teammates and saw them all gazing wistfully out to sea. She giggled, knowing they were all sharing the same dream. They heard her mirth and joined in, looking slightly abashed.
(Sounds simple enough,) Leira joked sarcastically. (I’m sure we can win!)
         
(Is that so, Guardian?) Kai spat this last word at her. Leira jumped, then whirled around to face him. He glowered at her. (It’s just as well you think that, because this is your Test.) Firth swam to join them and heard Kai’s projection. He nodded to confirm his consent.
(But we’ve never-)
(-been on a-)
(-seahorse before!) protested Hali, Tal and Nerida.
(It wasn’t part of our training.) Leira thought this quietly, but knew Kai heard.    
         
He rounded on her.
(You dare question my training? Everything I taught you, every skill, every move, should enable you to complete this task. You catch a seahorse. You ride it. You find the orb. All of you. Do that, and you’ve passed your Testing. Fail, and…) his voice trailed off and he smiled slyly at Leira. She knew then that he hadn’t forgiven her for what she’d done to Bay yesterday. But it wasn’t fair; she’d been the one to break the rules, not the others. She began to project at Kai once more, but he swung his tail around and sped toward the Nest. Firth clapped Tal on the back and swam off to join his friends.
         
Hali cut across before any of the others had a chance.
(This isn’t fair, and we all know it. But it’s happening and we have to try. As a team.) Hali smiled grimly at Leira and grasped her hand. Leira felt Nerida clasp her other hand and saw Tal and Hali complete the chain. She felt warm as she realised the others knew how unfair Kai was being. It made her even more determined to win.