You’d heard stories- rumors about what lay beyond the shallows. You knew the older merfolk’s warnings about going too far from the relatively shallow waters of the village- where the sun still warmed the water and the light danced along the sea floor as if projected through stained glass. You’d heard the stories of those who instead went deeper into the sea, where the cold and dark crept into one’s bones like a plague, and the predators that lived there- ready to snatch up anyone who strayed too far.

Yet you still snuck out- timidly swimming towards the edge of the reef and looking out towards where the seafloor shelf ended.

You looked down, into the endless blue extending as far as the eye could see and down to the distant ocean floor.

And you dove. Into the dark, into the depths, into the cold. Away from the safety of the reef- and now, you couldn’t help but regret it. You wonder why you couldn’t have just listened for once as you find your self face to face with an orca mer not even an hour later.

He’s massive- likely 10ft tall from tail to head- and covered in scars. His lower body was that of an orcas- primarily black with a large white spot on his front and two smaller black fins on either side of the white patch. As his lower half transitioned to his top, the white and black portions of his skin turned fair. His entire body was well muscled, and from his back a tall, black dorsal fin emerged from the otherwise light skin.

His eyes were serious and narrowed- blue and intelligent in a way that struck a sense of fear into you. His hair was blond and curly, cut short along the sides and longer on the top, while his face was rugged and emotionless- nose slightly crooked from being broken one to many times.

You should’ve been smarter- should’ve recognized the signs of an obviously occupied territory- but it was too late now.

He stoop tall, cold blue eyes bearing down in you in unmatched intensity as he sat still in the water, silent. Saying nothing, simply watching you.