Season of the Summer, Day 15, 504 AV
"Closed eyes miss the current!" Candira woke to the sound of her sister's voice, humming close to her long ear.
"And loud mouths scare away the fish," she mumbled back, rolling over in her bed of seaweed. The water was bright, touching on warm despite their depth, and Candira realized just how much of the daytime she was wasting away. She sat up, her sister's face expectant for the day.
"What happened last night?" Candira asked.
"I went back to the coral. Found nothing." She paused. "Sorry for yelling at you."
"I'm sorry for yelling back." Both sisters were sincere in their apology, and accept each without question. "I found a pumice stone!"
"Oh, really? Can I borrow it?" Before Candira had the chance to even nod, her sister was rummaging through the pack. "This?" She tested it on her hand, feeling the grain and pretending to know the differences in quality.
"Yes, that's it. Cool, right? It was underneath a big coral growth. A trail of glowing shrimp led me there!" She glowed at the memory and pride of her find. And, she told herself, smug even in her own mind, I stayed out all night, by myself! Candira was proud at her bravery, and glad her sister returned with nothing.
"Maybe I shouldn't use it!"
"No, go ahead. Do you have anything to eat?"
"Yes," she said, pointing at her own orange bag. Candira rummaged, pulling out a small woven pouch. "There's some kelp and spaghetti in there."
"Cooked?" she questioned. Boiled spaghetti strands were practically a delicacy, especially to children so young.
"No!" The girl settled against the wall of their small home, rubbing the rock along her leg. It was a simple room, barely six feet by 8 feet large and ten feet high. They were comfortable with two, but another person would make the tight space unbearable. "Have you ever tasted bread?"
"Bread?" Candira said, shaking her head. "No, but I heard it's warm and crunchy and good."
"I want to have it one day." Her sister had a wistful look in her eye. "You know, people eat meat all the time."
"They're dumb," she retorted, fear beginning to creep like a snake. Where was her sister going to go? She always said ... strange things. And so out of the blue!
"But I wonder how they eat it, and we get sick."
"You haven't tried it, have you?" Candira looked up in alarm. "You have to respect life, Danee! We don't eat meat - can't - because that's the right thing to do!"
"Oh, I know, I know." She moved to her other leg. "I was just curious." The girl turned, showing her bare back to Candira. "Can you check my tentacles?"
Candira floated over, plucking one from her sister's head. "You better promise to clean mine next!" She was glad for the change in topic and allowed it to float away. Cleanliness, especially when a fungus or sea creature could easily settle between the folds of Charodae "hair" tentacles, was imporant.
"Only if you do a good job!" |
|