Ocean of Silver Lights

The Sparkling Sea

"Kyla, it's dawn, time to wake up." Kyla had been resting, eyes closed, on her back, letting the movements of the water around her carry her up slowly, then back down again. She was with the pod, who had spent the night floating in a small, rocky, sheltered cove of an island made up mostly of large, ominous cliffs off the main coast. 

Marinette's voice dragged her attention back to her surroundings and Kyla opened her eyes, Marinette was floating a short distance away, giving her a look of concern. An expression she often had... Soon after Kyla and her twin brother Kai had hatched, she had taken them in as her own and raised them with the pod for the last fifteen years. 

Living in the Atlantic ocean was hard enough as it was, but also taking in two rare twin younglings was a cause of more stress for even the most capable of mermaids. So Marinette's constant worry and nervousness was for a good reason. 

Kyla sighed and nodded her head slightly, an indication that she had heard, before moving her tail in a motion to send herself upright. "There is a human boat a mile off the island, remember to stay very far away Kyla, and where's your brother?" Marinette twittered nervously, sweeping her gaze around at the small group of mermaids and mermen, most were beginning to head out to the open sea in search of the morning meal.

 "I'm not sure, but when I see him I'll tell him to come find you." Kyla yawned, lifting her arms up high above her head in a wonderful stretch. The air around her hinted at a very hot day ahead and Kyla was thankful to be able to spend the noon in the depths of her ocean home. "The hot weather will bring humans out for swimming, and I need to tell your brother to stay away from them!" Marinette was wringing her hands together nervously, her jaw was clenched and fear was shining in her eyes.

Kyla laid a soft white hand on her adoptive mother's shoulder, "Mother, you don't need to worry about us, we know to stay away, and Kai is probably just out hunting. He knows to how to stay safe, you should stop worrying and relax." Her voice was soft and soothing, and Marinette visibly relaxed, breathing out deeply. 

"I know Kyla, thank you." She sighed, giving Kyla a kiss on the cheek. "My darling, you are so much like your mother." Sadness sparked in Marinettes green eyes as she said this. Kyla herself felt a flicker of grief in her chest for her mother, whom she had never met. Killed by human poison, is what the pod had always told her. And her father had disappeared long before Kyla and Kai were hatched.

"I'm going out for a swim. Do you want to come?" She quickly changed the subject, pointedly looking out towards the ocean, the deep blue water was glowing purple and pink with the coming dawn. "No thank you, I'm going to begin teaching some of the younger ones what it is to fear humans." Marinette politely declined and gave her excuse, but there wasn't a hint of humor in her voice, there never was. Kyla wondered if Marinette had ever made a joke in her entire life. 

"I will see you later then." Kyla said over her shoulder as she turned and swam slowly away, her head above the water until she reached the drop-off not far from the cove. Then she dove in one swift, movement, slicing through the water like an underwater bullet. By moving her long tail in twisting movements she could propel herself through the water faster than any dolphin or seal could. 

The dark blue of the Atlantic around her was only interrupted by patches of silver fish and sunlight shining down through the surface of the waves. Kyla began to slow, moving her tail down to bring herself to a stop complete stop. She waited, floating some thirty feet below the surface, listening intently for signs of anything. 

The sound of a boat's motor could be heard off in the distance. Kyla turned her head slowly towards the sound, and then took off towards the noise. She saw a patch of silver-grey up ahead, and stopped directly underneath a large fishing boat, a chain was holding the boat in place among the rocking waves, Kyla knew for sure it was connected to an anchor some distance below her. 

"I'm tellin' ya! My wife makes the best shepherds pie you, or anyone, has ever tasted." A gruff male voice was speaking in enthusiasm to, Kyla guessed, another human male. "I'll have to try it." The other voice, male as she had guessed, but much smoother, replied. Despite being thirty feet below the surface, Kyla understood and heard everything in perfect quality. Being a mermaid, her hearing was much better than any human's, as was her eyesight, being able to spot an eagle, soaring high above, or a tiny silver fish in the darkest parts of the ocean.

"We'll have you over for dinner sometime Carl." The gruff voice was speaking again. But Kyla could tell it would be safe to surface, the two men where not near the edge of the boat where they could see her easily, so she swam towards the surface, her lungs craving air after her vigorous swim, she broke the surface of the water, staying close to the boat's side so she wouldn't be seen by the two men on board the boat. 

"Whenever is good for me, I would love a hearty, good meal." The smooth voice came again, but much more clear this time, the sound free from the muffling of the water. Kyla moved slowly around the boat, then reached her hands up the side and gripped the edge with her long, nimble fingers. Pulling herself up very slowly, Kyla peeked tentatively over the edge, two men were sitting on wooden crates, one much younger than the other. He had a seemingly handsome face, despite being turned partly away from Kyla's view, clean shaven, and sandy yellow blonde hair that fell down just above his ears.

The other man, looked to be in his fifties or sixties, a coarse looking, rough beard covered most of his chin and face, and large, dark, bushy eyebrows peeked out from underneath a woolen cap that most human fishermen Kyla saw seemed to wear, especially during the cold season of winter, when snow and ice clogged the waters and coves. 

"Come on over Saturday evening after work, we'll watch the football game and eat my wife's delicious cooking." The older man was saying as Kyla watched from behind a pile of fishing tackle and old nets, and then she saw what she had come for, within her reach was a smaller piece of fishing net, the perfect size for what she needed, glancing over at the two chatting men, Kyla pulled herself slowly up onto the edge of the boat.

The beginning of her tail appeared out the surface of the water, cerulean blue and the small, numerous scales shimmering white. Kyla stopped and held her breath, making sure she wasn't rocking the boat enough to be noticeable, then continued reaching for the fishing net when she was sure the two fishermen were continuing their boring conversation. Her fingers snagged a corner, and Kyla pulled the net towards her, holding it to her blue scale covered breast's as she slowly lowered herself back down the side of the boat. Then she turned and dove silently, swimming away through the water with her prize in hand. I hope they don't miss this. Kyla thought, glancing down at the net in her hand with an excited smile. But I really need a new satchel.

Soooo here is the very first chapter! Hope you enjoyed! Please tell me in the comments! I love hearing from you!