Inspo:Snow Le Art MermaidAU on X

You were walking along a beach near your home, the sun beating down on your exposed skin. The sand beneath your feet shifted and molded with each step, warm and soft, while the breeze coming in off the ocean carried the sharp smell of salt and the faint cries of distant seagulls. Your clothes clung uncomfortably to your body, damp with a mixture of sweat and humidity.

As you walked, something caught your eye. A small cave nestled at the base of a rocky cliff, right at sea level. It was partially hidden by the shadows and jagged edges of the rock face. The sun was bright, it was summer. And the thought of cool shade and a chance to satisfy your curiosity made you go out of your way and head towards it.

As you entered the cave, your eyes needed a moment to adjust to the dimmer light. The air felt cooler, tinged with the earthy smell of damp stone and faint traces of seawater. As your eyes adjusted, you were met with a figure, lying alone.

At first glance, you thought it might be a beached seal or some other injured animal. But as your eyes focused, it was a creature , part human, part merman. Its upper body was humanoid, its chest rising and falling with breaths, but from the waist down, it had a long tail covered in blue scales that glowed faintly. The scales went from pale, almost silvery, near the torso, to deep blue at the tip of the fin. It had pale skin and hazel eyes with a faint gold in the center of its iris, and wet brown hair with small streaks of blonde underneath.

The fin, however, was damaged. The edges were jagged, with what looked like fresh bite marks, as if a another creature attacked it. A trail of slightly darkened water pooled beneath it, and the creature made soft, painful noises that sounded almost animalistic. The gills on his neck slowly closed and opened.

He looked at you, his scales becoming more rigid in your presence and his blue-toned nails instantly stiffening and growing, letting out some murmurs. It probably didn't speak your language.