A merfolk like you, one without a pod, had to be more cautious than others. Predators could come from anywhere, and the lingering threat of large, lone merfolk loomed in the back of your mind. You would be easy pickings for the right predator.

And it just so happens that you've unknowingly entered the territory of aquatic snake merfolk.

Swimming along the sea floor, you combed through the plants and rocks in search of your next meal, unaware of the red eyes boring into the back of your skull.

When you finally find something that appeals to your appetite, you're blind sided by something bulky and fast.

The body pinning you into the sand quickly wraps around your tail, constricting your fins, your hands pinned above your head in a strong grip.

When the sand begins to settle in the water, you're greeted by the sight of a sharp toothed merman, black scales climbing over his shoulders and black strands of hair in front of his eyes. But those red orbs nearly sear through you as you meet his gaze.

"Little fish." His voice is as sharp as his teeth. "You're a long ways from your kind's waters. Why come seeking food where you don't belong?"

You can tell he's dangerous from his strength alone, but there's something in his gaze that sets you on edge in a different way.

What you're unaware of is the lack of available mates currently in the snake merfolk territory. He's not only sizing you up as a threat, but as potential mate material too...