08-13-2019, 06:23 AM
She'd found this reef on her way to the island. It was a long crescent that partially ringed the main island of Ischia, bony coral growth alive with color and motion. It was almost as good as her garden at home, even if none of the familiar faces were there to greet her.
Even so, laying on the sandy sea bed felt very nice after the dry experience of the air up above. Her skin felt right again now covered in scales, and her dorsal and tail fins no longer itched. It was the perfect respite.
She'd been watching a pair of vibrant blue tang weave through the reef's formations, glinting jewel-bright when they passed through patches of sunlight, when a dark shadow passed overhead. The pale sea mare glanced upward cautiously. A variety of sharks frequented reefs like this one; and while she had several shark friends back home, it was probably not a good idea to intrude on a stranger's territory without introducing herself.
She had to look twice when she realized the shadow above her was not a shark, but in fact a young horse suspended on the surface of the shallow water. A pale belly and curious face loomed through the water's distortion, blinking at her. Aquaria blinked back, not sure what exactly was going on.
"Uh... Are you lost, sweetheart?" She asked, uncertainly. The words bubbled from her lips as she spoke, forgetting that the water walking child probably couldn't hear her from below. "Where's your mother?" The pearl mare asked, more to herself than the bewildering child. Her eyes cast uncertainly away, worried that if she lost sight of the kid, it'd fall through the water and she'd have to try and save it and that was just a lot to handle. She didn't know a whole lot about kids, but most of them couldn't breath under water.
Mom, mom, mom, where is your mom? So far, no maternal shaped figures had appeared in her line of sight. Well. Maybe that wasn't strictly true, surely some of the fish had offspring, but no horse mothers. Aquaria let the water pick her up a few feet, until she could see over the ridges of coral. Bingo.
A vivid red branch of the reef broke away from the scene, revealing itself to be a vermilion and golden horse instead. "Lady! Is this baby yours?" She called out. Baby walking on water, mare under the water. Yeah, it could add up. She jumped as a strange chittering cackle echoed down from the foal bounding on the surface. Her peaceful morning had gone suddenly sideways.
@[Adria] Yay! She's going to be a terrible babysitter, apparently
Even so, laying on the sandy sea bed felt very nice after the dry experience of the air up above. Her skin felt right again now covered in scales, and her dorsal and tail fins no longer itched. It was the perfect respite.
She'd been watching a pair of vibrant blue tang weave through the reef's formations, glinting jewel-bright when they passed through patches of sunlight, when a dark shadow passed overhead. The pale sea mare glanced upward cautiously. A variety of sharks frequented reefs like this one; and while she had several shark friends back home, it was probably not a good idea to intrude on a stranger's territory without introducing herself.
She had to look twice when she realized the shadow above her was not a shark, but in fact a young horse suspended on the surface of the shallow water. A pale belly and curious face loomed through the water's distortion, blinking at her. Aquaria blinked back, not sure what exactly was going on.
"Uh... Are you lost, sweetheart?" She asked, uncertainly. The words bubbled from her lips as she spoke, forgetting that the water walking child probably couldn't hear her from below. "Where's your mother?" The pearl mare asked, more to herself than the bewildering child. Her eyes cast uncertainly away, worried that if she lost sight of the kid, it'd fall through the water and she'd have to try and save it and that was just a lot to handle. She didn't know a whole lot about kids, but most of them couldn't breath under water.
Mom, mom, mom, where is your mom? So far, no maternal shaped figures had appeared in her line of sight. Well. Maybe that wasn't strictly true, surely some of the fish had offspring, but no horse mothers. Aquaria let the water pick her up a few feet, until she could see over the ridges of coral. Bingo.
A vivid red branch of the reef broke away from the scene, revealing itself to be a vermilion and golden horse instead. "Lady! Is this baby yours?" She called out. Baby walking on water, mare under the water. Yeah, it could add up. She jumped as a strange chittering cackle echoed down from the foal bounding on the surface. Her peaceful morning had gone suddenly sideways.
@[Adria] Yay! She's going to be a terrible babysitter, apparently