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It was bad.
Humans were getting braver and braver, coming into mer dens and killing them or taking their young.
There was a rumor going around that they stole the eggs so that they could raise them in captivity and study them; the only way to get to eggs was either by luck of finding them left behind a few hours before they hatched but before they were eaten, or by tracking down pregnant mers that were about to lay their clutch and killing the parents before the babies were fully hatched.
Humans were doing the latter.
Lance got the news that his brother and his brother’s mate had been killed for their clutch, which had just been laid. The news had come quickly, someone had seen the bloodshed and gone to try and get help, but by the time they arrived it was too late. Lance was a mess as he glided through his brother’s cave and looked at all the shells they had used to decorate it. They had been so excited to grow their family.
Another one of Lance’s brothers helped carry the bodies out but Lance couldn’t leave; he kept drifting through the cave, trying to make sense of it all.
Keith was home with Kass. She didn’t need to see this. And it wasn’t safe enough in these waters anymore to leave her alone.
Something caught Lance’s attention from the corner of his eye. He swam closer.
Rolled underneath one of the larger shells was an egg. It was badly scratched and dented, but it was clearly the last remaining member of the clutch.
He reached out and touched it—it was warm with life. The guppy inside was getting restless as the egg was vibrating a little bit. Lance pulled it safely into the middle of the den.
The egg cracked open, first with little spiderwebbing cracks across the surface, then with harder and darker lines forming as the shell started to split apart. His brother arrived just in time to see their nephew push his way out of the egg and into the world.
They watched as the guppy chirruped a little, blinking his eyes open. He waved his tail fin, perhaps trying to move, but it was then that Lance saw that half of the fin was missing. The guppy had been born without half of his caudal fin—he may never learn to swim.
His brother looked at their nephew and then at Lance. Neither had reached out to the guppy who had now begun to make little noises of distress.
<It’s best if he’s left out for something to eat. I can’t take care of him, not like that> his brother said.
Lance swooped the guppy into his own arms without a second thought. He didn’t mean to sound bitter—his brother was just being practical—but he did when he said <He’s mine, then.>
Lance swam home, keeping the guppy pressed tight against him. The guppy fell asleep almost immediately, quickly lulled by the water brushing past his face. Lance melted at the sight of the peaceful little creature, though he knew the guppy should probably by crying right about now, looking for food.
Keith was surprised to see the little guy in Lance’s arms but he didn’t say anything about it. Instead he hurried to get some algae.
Kass was excited by the new arrival. She sped over.
<Is he my brother?> She asked.
<Yes> Lance said. He lowered the guppy so that she could touch his face with her hand.
<What’s his name?>
Lance thought for a moment. It only took a moment. He was always good with names—he’d been the one to pick out Kass’s name and it fit her perfectly.
<His name is Orion.>
<I love him already!> She squealed.