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Waves crashed up against the beaches sand - front shore , damping the already muddy terrain . Small critters scurried across the sandy build ; crabs , emeritus , beach hoppers , and sand fleas all scuttled across the muddled bank , leaving behind tiny indents in the land . Foam tides rode up against the blistering ground , it was about mid-day and the sun wasn’t dimming anytime soon , leaving those who inhabited the coast to seek shade if possible .
Sure , there’d always be hotter days , it was summer for cry it out loud , but it was rare for such a harsh day like this .
Thank the gods for the ocean .
A shape disappeared once more from the surface of the slick water , diving underneath . From afar it very well could be brushed off as a seal , maybe a dolphin or some other sea - dwelling mammal coming up for air . Closer up would reveal neither seal nor dolphin but instead a siren . Shurifin if we wanted to be proper . Though , ‘siren’ might be pushing it . ‘Fish - boy’ is a more accurate and also more commonly used term to describe him , probably because of his legs , no tail in place of them . However , the lack of tail was not imminent , it just didn’t replace his legs . He still had one , a lunate shape finished off the turquoise colored appendage that protruded from his tail bone . It didn't make him the fastest swimmer in the sea , but it did help prolong stamina .
Shurifin breached the surface once more , gulping in as much air as possible before dipping back underneath the surface .
Underneath it was ,, murky . Not exactly the coral - adorned depths most dream of , or spanning kelp forests that go on for miles on end with otters interwinning the massive stalks whilst nibbling on sea urchins . Likely because he was hardly far out from shore , he wasn’t even on the other side of the buoys . All the places that haunt dreams are much further out than where he is . He was more inland than anything . Probably not the safety route but it was certainly a good hunting spot . All he had to do was not get too close to the sand shore where he’d risk being spotted . Which , sure . Not every single inphernal that could possibly spot him would want him hung up as a trophy , (when it did occasionally happen ; most they did was gawk , stare and point . Rather rude , but harmless .) but it was always a risk that wasn't worth taking .
He continued on swimming through the shallows , keeping his head on a swivel for the possibility of a meal . The sea floor beneath looked much deeper than it was in reality , kelp and other ocean debris darkened the deck , making not only a somewhat frightening sight to glance down at but also an unpleasant time to try and feel around the floor ; much too slimy .
A flash of movement got an unexpected jump out of him .
Swords did he hope it was one of those blenny fish ,, they look so ridiculous .
Another flash of movement , this one quicker .
Okay , maybe two fish ? Even luckier !
Shurifin quickly began speeding in the direction the fish headed before stopping halfway as signs of struggle quickly emerged . Sand was kicked up into a small foggy cloud around where the two supposed shapes had headed before eventually settling down almost as quickly as it started . After the sand - cloud settled , the two shapes were revealed to be not two fish but instead one fish and a zebra shark pup , obvious by its zebra - like coloration that they later lose into dots as they age . Unfortunately for Shurifin , cute as the pup was , it had stolen his lunch . Not that it would have given much benefit to him , the fish couldn’t have been any bigger than his hand . The shark either didn’t mind or didn’t notice Shurifin as it continued enjoying its snack , its body wiggling back and forth subtly in the water . It shouldn’t have been as cute as it was . It was like it was taunting him ,
‘Hey , look at how cute I am over here wiggling my cute little body and eating my cute little snack that you thought was going to be yours ! You’re starving and I’m not ! Look at how cute I am ~’
He could practically hear the damn thing .
He was getting heated over a shark pup taunting him .
A foot long shark pup .
A shark pup that was very much not talking .
The shark pup that he had made up talking in his mind .
He was going crazy wasn’t he ? This is it . He’s going –
His train of thought was promptly halted as he felt a cautious press up against his torso , only to look down and see the zebra shark had swam up to him and was now curiously investigating the new person hanging out near it , poking around his general area and in some instances , at him . Shurifin had completely frozen , every part of his body refused to so much as breathe , petrified in fear of startling the pup who was now pushing its snout up against his tail and arm , an act he was sure had malicious intent to get a reaction out of him . The pup did one last lap of circling and poking at him before it turned the other direction and disappeared into the murky shallows .
Shurifin still stood there , completely in shock of that whole interaction .
That .
Was .
So .
Cool .
“ Wait til Vinesplash and Seashot hear about this ! Oooooh , they’re gonna be so jealous of me ! “ He proceeded to grin like an idiot while punching his fists in the air . (er , water in this case I guess) Thank the gods no one he knew was around , he looked like a lunatic .
Probably because he was .
But at least he’s on good terms with a zebra shark now .