The Maidening Ceremony

Chapter Five - Scene 2

The group of hunters up ahead intimidated Finley. He was well aware of what he signed up for, but seeing the strong, battle-scarred mermen, he worried he was not prepared for what the hunt might mean.

Getting lost.

Never making it home.

Injury.

Death.

As each possibility ran through his mind, he had another thought – an image, really – Arilya, at home in the Community, completely devastated over losing him.

He knew their relationship was unique. In fact there were no two merpeople as close as they. It was weird, but as much as he had disliked her clinginess when they were younger, he had grown to depend on her. On her approval. On her always being there. On the way she liked him. It felt good to have someone like him. He could not remember his parents and he never had siblings; Arilya's liking him was sort of what he imagined family to feel like, though he had never seen evidence to that effect.

The older mermen huddled together, discussing the areas and the teams for the present hunt. Finley and the other hunter-in-training, Japhet, waited outside the group, neither sure the best way to announce their presence. When the seasoned hunters completed their discussion, they began swimming for the border.

"Wait!" Japhen exclaimed. "What do you want us to do?"

"Who are you two?" A stout merman with a yellow fin and black hair asked, coming forward from the group to look over the young ones.

"We are the trainees," Finley said. "We have come to train as hunters. The Council assigned us."

The yellow-finned merman laughed. "The Council assigned you did they? Well, that's a good thing. We would not want any merphen sent from the infant class."

The other hunters joined in the laughter; Finley felt his confidence fading, so he resorted to the coping mechanism he knew best. "Yes, well, the infant class actually wanted us to use our spears as limbo sticks, but we thought they would be put to better use hunting. Luckily, the Council agreed."

The hunters roared with laughter again, the yellow-finned leader griped Finley's shoulder. "With wit like that, you should have become an entertainer. The ones they have now are about as funny as a shark's front teeth."

Finley forced a smile. "I did not think it would be fair, sir. The entertainers have so little going for them. If I went in and stole the show, they would have nothing left."

The group laughed again, the leader actually patted Finley on the back. Japhet rolled his eyes.

"What are your names then?"

"I am Finley, sir."

"And I am Japhet."

"If you survive your training, you will have to tell me those again. For now, you, Funny Boy, are with Dalphen. Not-So-Funny Boy, you are with me. Keep your eyes and ears open. It is deadly beyond the border and we are not in the business of protecting newbies. We have food to catch and kill and your lives mean nothing to any of us. Understand?"

"Yes, sir."

"Yes, sir."

The yellow-finned hunter swam away, Japhet following on his fins. Finley glanced at Dalphen – he was already swimming away.

"Here we go," Finley thought as he rushed to catch up.

"Listen, new kid, I do not have time to hold your hand or laugh at your jokes. Hunting is serious. I am not your babysitter and I am not your friend."

"You do not need to worry. I do not need either."

"That is good, because I do not care whether you live or die."

"Likewise."

Dalphen cracked a quick smile, but soon resumed a steely demeanor. "Alright, let us go then. Do you know how to use that thing?" He pointed to Finley's spear.

"I did not read the instruction tablet or anything, but I think it is pretty self-explanatory: point and stab. Aim and throw."

"We will see about that." They crossed the border, heading for open waters.

"You are Arilya's father, are you not?"

"Quiet, noob."

"I just wanted to tell you I know her. We are friends."

"What part of 'quiet' are you having trouble with?" Dalphen hissed, swinging around and pointing his spear at Finley's throat.

Finley raised his hands in surrender, his mouth locked shut.

Dalphen's dark-blue tail blended seamlessly into the water surrounding them. If it were not for its natural glow, he would have disappeared completely, and Finley would have only seen a disembodied head floating towards him. In a hushed, angry voice, Dalphen said, "We do not speak on the hunt. Any noise we make could attract a shark or a stingray, or any number of other things to us. I will not tell you again."

The young merman nodded andgave up any notion he may have had of making himself agreeable to Arilya'sfather.