More Than Fishing

[Lyr]

Tenth day of Summer, 514 AV It was a perfect day. Even when things went wonky in Riverfall it never seemed to affect the cities seaside atmosphere. Brawls might break out, storms may rage, but the gently burbling waterfalls continued to flow and the late summer blossoms peeped from every available patch of ground. It helped that the beach was especially quiet today. Maybe because all sailors and fishers suddenly lost all interest in the sea, or maybe they just gained an interest in land-bound activities. Either way, it was no concern of hers. She only cared that there were quite a few boats left untended at the port. Untended boats meant untended cargo, and untended cargo was what Lyr was interested in. It was a shame she didn't know how to sail, not that she could sneak off in a ship without a crew. Still, she would have like to try her hand, she had been born in the sea, after all. Lyr meandered down the series of docks, trying to look like a harmless, completely random passerby. Indeed, it would be hard for the dark-haired Ethaefal to look malevolent, her form beneath Syna's light was small and slim, but her normally gentle, almost mournful eyes, were filled with a cunning as hard as a knifes blade. There was a particular Sloop that finally caught her attention, it had a deep mahogany colored hull and the name Sun Heron perfectly lettered in yellow paint on either side. The boarding ramp was down, and the ship seemed carelessly abandoned. Lyr walked up the long plank to the deck, her feet making hollow sounding footsteps as she boarded. It had been a long time since she'd been on a boat. A whole year at least, which was saying a lot since it had only been a year and two seasons since she'd fallen. Lyr scanned the ship from top to bottom, bow to stern? She couldn't remember. Lyr had tried hard to forget her difficult first season, learning to walk again on the ground instead of the sky. There wasn't much aboard the sloop though, only a few barrels, nets, and a thick coil of rope. She did find something of interest though; a light rowboat was tied out of sight behind the larger ship, a long fishing pole and a pile of rags settled in the bottom. They called to her; the sea was calm, the day perfect for fishing, and these were left her just for her. No one would notice her slip out of the port, just another fisherman out to fish. Lyr jumped down into the belly of the boat. It rocked, but just barely. It was a sturdy, well made boat, with two sturdy oars already in the oarlocks. She settled onto the bench, taking an oar in each hand. It had been a long time since she'd rowed a boat, in fact, she wasn't sure she had ever rowed a boat before. She was confident she could though, it was just paddling a small boat out in calm waters. It was harder than she thought it would be. The oars didn't seem to want to obey her, they flapped out of the water, soaking her, and she made more of a scene getting away from the docks than she liked. It was also a challenge in open waters, the oars chopping at the water made the boat move in a haphazard, tilty way. She made it though, staying just within sight of Riverfall. She could see land, but her tiny rowboat would be practically invisible. Lyr took out the pole; it was long and sturdy. Then she rummaged around the rowboat for bait, she hadn't brought any with her when she went out on the beach. Luckily there was a small tin box under the bench that contained what appeared to be some sailors old lunch; stale bread, and a hard piece of dried meat. Lyr tore the bread into pieces before using one to bait the hook. Then she clumsily cast her line, waiting for the fish to bite.

[Gwin]

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Gwin felt uneasy under the waves. It was as if nervous attacks rushed towards her with the currents, again and again and again. It confused her. To battle that, she swam out farther than ever, leaving the beautiful coral reefs with their blinding colors and diverse population of sea creatures behind. Until there was only her furry tail beating a steady rhythm and dim blue waters all around her.

Then she lost herself in hunting for food and devouring all of it. The squid tasted soft and mellow on her tongue, but the feeling of satisfaction in her stomach didn't extent to her mind. The sea embraced her like it always had, but now the endless depths and occasional shapes in the distance did nothing to soothe her.

After losing her sense of time, she looked up and moved towards the surface, the light. Perhaps Syna could give her what Laviku's rich depths had lost. As an Akvatari, she couldn't escape the sea. It was in her, shaped around her tail and strong fins like a glove that fit perfectly. Yet it unsettled her. Perhaps it was the solitude, she thought, tentatively and hardly believing it. There was a boat above her, a dark oval standing out sharply against a blueish promise of light. Nothing bigger than a row boat, she decided, smaller even than a Svefra's casinor. She circled it like a shark would, but for reasons other than blood lust.

Suddenly she was pulled back and sharp pain burned through her scalp. Her head was yanked back and for a moment she thrashed as if drowning. A gulp of salt water was intruding through her mouth opened for a voiceless scream before she could help it. Pressing her lips together, she floated back a bit and ran both hands through her hair.

Solid metal assaulted her fingers. Bits of bread fell away, some got caught in her locks, but most simply disappeared into the ocean, softened up by the water. It was enough. The Akvatari broke the surface, inhaling deeply, and sent a sharp glance into the boat. "By Laviku, what did you think you were doing? This is dangerous."

Despite her furrowed brow and glimmer in turquoise eyes, Gwin's angry still wasn't as angry as most bipedals tended to get. Her fingers were still in her hair, trying to undo the knot that had formed around the hook, now weighed down by gravity and their wet state.

[Lyr]

Lyr had been resting, her legs curled under the bench to make sure she wouldn't fall out. It was peaceful out here, alone, it seemed free of all the noise and mayhem that happened on land. On a quiet day there was no mayhem to the sea, only long stretches of rippling, glasslike water. Her fishingpole leaned jauntily against the side of the boat, she hadn't gotten any fish yet, not even so much as a nibble at her hook. She could wait though, she didn't want to leave this peace for a while yet. A moment later the pole jerked and then caught on the boats edge, the line stretching ito the water, the pole poised to tumble in after it. Lyr yanked it back; it barely budged for a moment, then gave as a fair head poked out of the water, an inelegant fishing line caught in her hair. "By Laviku, what did you think you were doing? This is dangerous." And with that, the lonely peace was shattered, giving way to....this angry, swimming woman. Lyr hadn't ever met an Akvatari before, she had heard of them, being in a coastal city, but it was hard to imagine people with seal tails and butterfly wings without seeing them first hand. "Excuse me," Lyr said tartly, "but I am fishing, that is something generally accepted around the ocean. Its usually only dangerous to fish." She said the last bit with a rueful smile, watching the Akvatari untangle her hair. Are you a fish? She wondered. Even though her peaceful morning was ruined, Lyr was still feeling pretty chipper. It was an interesting afternoon now, and there was sure to be something to be gained here. Even if it was simple knowledge. She changed tacks, "My name is Lyr, and I'm sorry if these are your waters, but I didn't see a sign."

[Gwin]

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As Gwin battled with the hook, the rounded tips of her wings broke the surface several times, flashing in black and glassy blueish green patterns. She tried to gently untangle it, holding onto strands so she didn't feel the tug in her scalp, but to no avail. After much fidgeting, the hook slipped out of the knot though. It was metal, after all: Removing hair from it was as easy as removing a piece of bread. With one last smoldering glance, she threw the hook into the boat, line trailing after it. A clear message.

Taking a deep breath, she brushed the knot in her hair over her shoulder so she see it while carefully combing through it. "The Suvan Sea isn't only populated by fish. If you dwell in Riverfall, you should know that. There are Charoda, Konti... and even Akvatari." Her shoulders dropped a little and she breathed a sigh. Meeting Calters had been a rare coincidence. Frighteningly so.

The change of tone found its way through her nervous temper and soothed her a little. Lyr, a beautiful name for a pretty girl, Gwin thought, mentally sketching her features. For the first time she really looked at the human who had almost fished her out of the rich ocean. Probably not a sailor, not with that ethereal look, although part of the sea was trapped in those eyes.

Finally the tangle dissolved under her fingertips and she leaned back as if the waves were her cushion, floating lazily upon the current. At times her upper body broke the surface, only covered by a band of black fabric, and her furry tail was clearly visible through the water's twisted mirror like a large chunk of algae.

Despite the introduction, bits of hostility remained in Lyr. Gwin replied with something between a snort and a laugh. "They aren't. But I noticed the fish are shy today. You'll probably have no luck even if you tried for bells. Maybe it's fortunate you got me instead. I'm Gwin."

But what did it mean, the incident with the hook and lack of fish? The Akvatari had ideas, but she'd rather keep quiet and listen to Lyr's first. Another question was still sitting in the back of her mind too: Why had a girl who wasn't a sailor taken a rowing boat out on the sea? The words that left her mouth came out in a different way though. "Why were you fishing? You don't look malnourished or desperate enough..."

[Lyr]

Lyr was surprised to see Gwins wings, they sparkled with water every time they broke the waters surface. Before this she had been leaning towards Konti for the womans race, her hair was a bit dark, but they were still more common than Akvatari. Lyr tilted her head, focusing on Gwins face rather than her extraordinary wings, or her soon visible seals tail. "I am aware of Charoda, Konti, and...Akvatari. But people do fish in these waters, and I wasn't using a net. I didn't think my bread would attract anything larger than a Tuna." She leaned forward to pick up the offensive hook, wrapping it and the excess line around the pole and laying it flat in the boats bottom. "I imagine your right," she said in reply to Gwin's comment about the fish, she hadn't seen a single shape under the water since she'd set out, except for Gwin of course. It was far from a disapointing excursion though, it wasn't every day you caught a beautiful Akvatari. "Pleasure to meet you Gwin." She had to think of her question, but not for any quandary of morals, she would give the boat back when she was finished. The owner probably wouldn't even know it was ever gone, and why should a perfectly good tool go unused? It took her a moment to come to the right answer though, she hadn't really thought about why she wanted to come out here. "I haven't been on the water in a long time. I missed it." The truth. She had been telling a lot of that recently, almost as much as she hadn't been telling it. Did she want to say more? About how she had fallen from the sky to drown in the sea, only to be rescued by a kind family of fishers? It was definately an unusual story...."So do you live out here?" She said instead, not willing to share personal experiances, especially ones that were unique to her kind alone.

[Gwin]

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Gwin rolled her eyes... just a little. If they continued that conversation, they'd get tangled up in justifications just like her locks had gotten tangled up in that hook. She watched with satisfaction as Lyr wrapped it around the pole and put it away. As soon as the pole was out of sight for the Akvatari in the water, she didn't see a reason to speak of it anymore. Lyr was wise to give up on fishing for the day, she thought.

Her expression softened when the other woman spoke of the water. Oh, the sea. Laviku could be fickle and the rich expanses belonging to Him could treat her harshly, but at the end of the day Gwin still kept her faith in it. As a child of the sea and sky, she simply had no other place to go, so she'd forgive again and again. Laviku hadn't ever laid claim on the Akvatari as His children, but over time she'd gotten used to that kind of divine ignorance. The shadow of a smile flickered across her face. "I see. Indeed, if you go too long without water, something's wrong. It does so much more than simply keep us alive..." Technically, salt water couldn't keep either of them alive, but Gwin didn't care. She didn't know how Lyr had come by her connection with water, after all.

The question was met with a snort, more amused than anything else. "I may look like a fish, but I'm only half seal. No, I travel, although I've been in Riverfall since last season. Say, are you a resident?" With a little flip of her tail, Gwin drifted closer to the boat. "I haven't had the chance to explore the coast except for Valkalah's Tears. While you're in that boat, would you show me around?"

Nothing but hope shone in her big turquoise eyes. Gwin truly didn't have a clue of how Lyr had come by that vessel, didn't even suspect anything. All that mattered was that she had it, was sitting in it and talking to her at the moment.

[Lyr]

The thought that she couldn't live without water, that no one could, was more unsettling than it was comforting. Lyr didn't resent the water, though her first memory of it was a nightmare, but she wasn't sure how she felt about being so dependant on it, now that she thought of it. Though luckily Lyr didn't live in such close contact with it as Gwin. The friendly Akavatari seemed to adore Laviku's domain though, and Lyr was not worried about drowning with her near, indeed she hadn't given any thought to the water being dangerous until this moment. Gwins swishing of the water made the boat rock, but not enough to unbalance Lyr where she sat upright in the epicenter of the craft. "I guess..." she said, she was technically a guest in Riverfall since she was neither Akalak nor Kuvan, but she had lived here most of her short life, and she didn't plan on leaving anytime soon. Lyr had to think for a moment to remember the coastal, scenic locations in Riverfall. "I suppose, I'll show you around if you help me get this tub back to shore when we're done." She took up her oars again, they fit a bit more comfortably in her hands now. "Lets see..." She said, thinking again, '"There's the Travertine Hot Springs...they're outside Riverfall, and Christina's Remourse back by town. Plus all the waterfalls, I would think you'd be familiar with those though." Lyr dipped the oars into the water, careful not to upset the water around them, or bring them near Gwin, who seemed particular on what went into the water. The long wooden paddles gently stroked the surface, waiting for Lyr to drag them in the proper direction.

[Gwin]

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When the boat moved, Gwin toned down her movements. Her companion didn't seem too comfortable on the water, so she probably didn't want to find out how Lyr fared in the water. Eyebrows rose at the vague answer, but she didn't press further. Even with her mood lightened since the start of the season, Gwin's sense for privacy was only dimmed, not extinguished.

Then she rattled off some suggestions that didn't leave any doubts about her status. Compared to Gwin, she knew the landscape and sights surrounding Riverfall by name. The Akvatari's turquoise eyes began to shine with curiosity. "Hot springs?" Her tail performed some flips to the sides, revealing excitement that didn't quite touch her features. "I've seen quite a few waterfalls and I know some, but not all by name. There are simply too many." She shrugged, sending ripples towards the gentle waves of the tide.

Then she laughed lightly, both at the suggestion of a trade and the nervous way in which Lyr handled her oars. If she was to help with the boat, Gwin thought, it had to be out of the air. "That sounds like a good agreement. I can push the boat from behind while you row. Is that alright with you?"

Instead of waiting for an answer, she straightened in the water and with a powerful beat of her fins rose above the surface. As soon as her brilliant green wings were in the air, they carried her higher and towards the stern of the little vessel. If Lyr allowed it, she'd place both hands on the railing and attempt to push. Not too much, for she wasn't strong and didn't want to upset the balance, but enough to help Lyr move through the gentle waves. It'd be the human's job to stir it into whatever direction she decided to head first.

Boxcode by Nyxie Nadira Draer

[Matthew]

Gwin

Experience Points:

• +2 Endurance
• +1 Intimidation
• +1 Observation
• +1 Persuasion
• +2 Socialization

Lores:

• Fishing: What it is Like to be the Fish

Additional Notes :

Lyr, if you return and wish to have this graded, please let us know. Gwin, good writing.

If you have any questions or concerns relevant to your grade, don't be afraid to send me a private message so that we can work it all out! Please remember to mark your Grading Request as Graded.

A shout-out to Ollic Rimesage, who was kind enough to make this template for me.