Two Tails, One Rotten Heart

Pulled to the past

By the time she made it back to the city most of the sirens were probably in their homes, she spotted maybe four girls outside swimming fast. Nala paused and glanced around trying to remember where her sleeping quarters were. She went right and hoped to hit the training grounds soon which would quickly lead her to her rooms.

"Where did you disappear off to?" A voice crooned.

Nala whirled and came face to face with a mane of red hair. Asherah leaned on a pillar, arms crossed and a smirk on her face. Nala, for just a second, was crippled with fear. Ula's word were thrown back at her and she tried to calm her racing heart afraid the girl would hear it.

"Got a little lost on my way back. Cari abandoned me so I had to swim back by myself. If you'll excuse me I'm exhausted so I'll be heading to bed now." Nala forced herself to add the arrogance and dismissing tone to her voice as to not make Asherah suspicious. She turned to go but the other girl stopped her.

"Nala it would be very rude of me to let you go by yourself, I should escort you. You know, to make sure you don't faint or fall sick on the way." Asherah smiled and Nala didn't know much about smiling but this seemed more like a baring of teeth.

"If you are hoping for a invite to bed don't count on it. I would hate to get on Cari's bad side." Nala raised an eyebrows and Asherah snarled but swam ahead and so Nala followed.

They passed buildings Nala didn't recognize and she cursed herself for not paying attention to the tour but forced herself to pay attention now and make sure she knew the way back to Ula. They girls came to stop by the low built buildings and Asherah paused.

"You know...it is interesting that you came from the North when I know for a fact that Cari left you by the trenches which is Southeast from here."

Nala's heart stopped. She said so mild you wouldn't know she was making a threat until it was too late. Before she could respond a hand shot out and clamped down on Nala's hair pulling her head back.

"I am not sure what exactly you are plotting but I know it's something the Empress would kill you for. Cari will not be involved in anything like that. If you were smart you would keep an eye on me, little fish, because when I catch you, and I will, you'll have only yourself to blame." Asherah jerked Nala's head forward and she allowed herself one breath before whirling on the other girl. Nala snarled at her, "If you ever touch me again the only thing you'll catch me plotting is your murder." For a moment there was just the surprise on Asherah face and the tension caused by Nala's living fury. She had plenty to go around and right now all of it was focused on this siren. Few would survive that experience. Nala went into the darkened hallway then to her room wishing she could slam the door with enough force to make the buildings collapse and hopefully crush the siren she had left outside.

For hours Nala tossed and turned on the bed the seaweed like texture kept trying to latch onto her skin and she kept ripping it off. She paused, hearing for any sounds outside before slipping outside, Ula had told her to wait until the tide was nigh and you could hear it rippling above you. It was surprising how...connected Nala felt to the sea now and all its movements. She moved slowly past the many buildings away from the city until the seaweed garden loomed ahead. This was tricker trying to find her away among the many tall stalks but as though a force was pulling her Nala kept moving forward until she saw Ula, standing in the middle of that little clearing. A small childish part of Nala was annoyed that her sister beat her here, it was probably that tail of hers. How she learned to use it so quickly, Nala didn't even want to know, it would only upset her. She swam forward until she reached her sister and said only two words: "Tell me."

And so Ula did.

"I was sleeping in bed Nala when I heard that call again. It was like I was in a trance."