I squeezed through the narrow tunnels, my tail coiled tightly around the dolphin I’d caught. Each twist and turn of the cave felt tighter than the last, the walls pressing in on me as I struggled to keep moving. The rough, stones scraped against my scales, and I could feel the weight of the dolphin pulling me down,

  Up ahead, the faint glow of my makeshift home flickered in the darkness. The living lights, trapped in glass bottles, pulsed with a soft, inviting light. Some of them housed tiny creatures that swam in lazy circles, their colors shifting like a living rainbow whenever they were startled. Others were filled with glowing algae that clung to the sides of the bottles, their light a steady, calming Blue. The sight of them brought a small sense of comfort, a reminder that I was almost there.

  But the journey was far from easy. The tunnel narrowed even more, and I had to twist my body in ways that felt unnatural, my muscles straining as I fought to keep moving. The dolphin, still tightly coiled in my tail, was a dead weight, its slick body making it even harder to navigate the tight space. I could feel its bulk dragging me back with every push forward, the strain in my arms growing with each passing moment.

  The lights grew brighter as I get closer, their soft glow reflecting off the moist walls of the cave, making the space feel smaller, more claustrophobic. My breath came in short gasps, the cool air of the cave doing little to ease the burning in my chest. The sound of my scales scraping against the stone echoed in the narrow passage, a constant reminder of how tight the fit was.

  Finally, I saw the entrance to my home, the small cavern lit by the warm, flickering light of the bottles. With one final push, I managed to squeeze through the last tight bend, my tail brushing against the edges of the tunnel as I forced my way into the open space.

  I released the dolphin into one of the shallow pools, its limp body splashing weakly as it settled into the water. My muscles ached from the effort, but I ignored the pain, slithering over to the reflecting pool. The cool water shimmered under the light, distorting my reflection as I leaned in to take a closer look.

  Staring into the reflecting pool, I marveled at my new scar. It pulled my lip back, showing off my fangs for all to see. I sighed, wishing I had the beautiful razor jaws of a Raroren. Most of my jaw was full of flat teeth, aside from my sharpened fangs, similar to the bloodsuckers up north. It would be interesting to become one of them. Would that make my fangs even longer? That would make it hard to close my jaw.

  I rubbed my finger along the wound, knitting the flesh back together. I could force it to heal cleanly, leaving no trace, but that would be boring. Scars are what make people; each one tells a story. Like this one. It's the story of a dumb girl who cried over eating a fish covered in jagged spines. It's a silly story, but it's mine, and I won’t let anyone take it from me.

  I felt a shift in the stagnant air. Caves like these are rare in these parts. It’s hard to find naturally trapped air under the sea.

  "It's still alive, you know."

  "I can tell."

  "Then why are you letting it suffer?"

  "Won’t the meat last longer?"

  "Girl, that’s just cruel."

  "No, it’s not. It’s practical. If the food goes bad, I’ll need to capture another. And that’s just wasteful."

  “How did I get stuck with a brainless, wild child?”

  I decided it was time to start ignoring him again. My mana was running low, and it’s best to replenish it, even if I really didn’t want to. I hate my Well. I gathered up the dry seaweed I had in the corner and, with a grimace, forced it down. Why did it have to be plants, of all things?

  Sure, it was relatively common, and that was nice, but eating plants twisted my stomach in knots.

  "You know you don’t have to eat them to replenish your mana, right? You can just pull out the mana."

  "This way is faster. And I hear if you eat a lot of poison, you get an immunity to it."

  "Your species is a carnivore. Obtaining an immunity to your own biology… Well, I suppose you could remake it, but with your childish knowledge of biology, you’d probably wind up ripping your body apart."

  I glared at Karson. He looked like a robed figure made entirely out of blood, glistening with every color of light. Where his face should have been, there was only a shadowed black hood.

  "I wish you would speak in a way that makes more sense."

  The disgusting sludge that was seaweed stuck to the roof of my mouth. I wanted to cry.

  "Oh, trust me, child, I’m making far more sense than you’ll ever understand. It’s not like you’re the first mortal I’ve dealt with. To put it simply, if you want to eat plants, you need to know how your body works. Then we can fix your stomach, and you can eat things other than meat."

  "I'm not going to start cutting open my stomach just to learn how it works. That’s stupid. I’d die. You’re stupid."

  Karson stilled for a moment, and I began to worry. I didn’t know the extent of his power. Could he force me to do that?

  “Child, you are no Reiher, nor do I expect you to train like one.” Karson’s crimson form seemed to shiver for a moment. “But you will need an education soon. I refuse to be stuck with a simpleton any longer.”

  “Fine, then you can teac—”

  The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  Before I could finish my sentence, he cut me off.

  “NO.”

  His voice was deep, resonant, and entirely unnatural. The cave seemed to swell with a crimson haze, and all the lights I had gathered began to dim. It was so easy to forget he was a spirit; he acted so much like a mortal. But in times like this, the difference became painfully clear.

  The only thing I could think to do was nod my head frantically. I smiled and waved my hands.

  "Okay, okay. I’ll find a teacher."

  I slowly unwrapped my body from the big spike on the ceiling, letting my tail loosen. The spikey stones tend to leave scratches on my scales, but I liked sleeping up there. Being high up made me feel safe, and the cool air helped me sleep.

  As I woke up, a loud splash echoed through the cave. The sound bounced off the walls, making it hard to tell where it was coming from, but I knew what it was. The dolphin.

  I stayed hanging from the ceiling, my tail still wrapped around the spike, as I reached down toward the cave floor. The cave wasn’t really tall enough for me to stretch out fully, so I stayed hanging above the ground, hovering over the dolphin.

  It was Struggling in the shallow pool where I’d left it, trying to make its way to a deeper pool nearby. The noise it made was loud and desperate.

  I tensed my muscles, watching it closely. The dolphin’s tail slapped against the water, and it tried to jump into the air, aiming for the deeper water. But I was ready. Just as it reached the peak of its jump, I snapped my body forward, sinking my fangs into its back.

  The dolphin let out one last cry as my bite paralyzed it. I dragged its limp body onto the cave floor and slowly lowered myself down, my tail uncoiling as I dropped to the ground. The dolphin lay still now, not moving I felt bad about the panic I could see in its eyes

  I looked around the cave, taking in the familiar sight of my home. I grabbed one of the bottles filled with glowing bits And brought it closer it would make my work a lot easierI don't want to accidentally cut one of my fingers in the dark again like last time the bottle cast a soft light over dolphin’s It was still softly breathing casing air out of that weird hole on its head. the sound of water dripping in the background was the only other thing I could hear in the cave

  I didn’t have much in the way of tools, but I made do. My hands reached for a small knife I had traded for in the nearby city—a prized possession. The blade wasn't much by surface standards, but it had been made with techniques I admired, and the pattern on it was beautiful. Two coiling sea serpents wrapped in intricate knots adorned the blade. The merchant had said it was taken from an sunken Okris longship, and I liked to imagine the hands that once held it, the battles it might have seen.

  I think I'll make that city my first stop when I go looking for a teacher.

  The knife wasn’t as sharp as I would have liked, but it would do the job. I started with the dolphin’s thick, rubbery skin. The outer layer was tough, made to withstand the rough waters and predators that lurked in the depths. I had to push harder, carefully dragging the blade along its belly to open it up. As I worked, blood began to pool on the cave floor, mixing with the cold water that trickled from the walls. The smell of fresh meat filled the air, making my stomach growl, but I forced myself to move slowly, respecting the life that had been taken.

  The dolphin’s body was a marvel—muscles built for speed, streamlined for cutting through the water. As I cut through the layers, I thought about the strength it must have had in life. The blade wasn’t perfect, but my fingers moved quickly, my tail helping to steady the heavy body as I worked. Each cut was made with care, separating the meat from the bones, making sure not to waste anything. I knew which parts could be eaten and which parts I could use for other things. Even the bones had their place; they could be used for tools, or ground down to make something useful.

  The glowing light from the algae and creatures I kept in glass bottles cast strange, flickering shadows on the walls as I worked. It made me feel like I was being watched, but I knew it was just Karson, back from wherever he went when I slept. The light danced over the dolphin’s body, highlighting the details of its construction—the strong spine, the smooth, sleek muscles, the delicate organs that had once sustained life.

  This wasn’t just a task; it was something more. A kind of ritual, maybe. I was careful with every part of the dolphin, treating it with respect. To waste any part of it would be disrespectful, and I couldn’t allow that. I whispered a quiet thanks as I worked, acknowledging the life that had been given so I could continue mine. I believe that every life has some value, and that includes the prey I hunt.

  When I finally finished, the dolphin was no longer whole, but every part of it had a purpose. The meat was set aside, ready to be stored. The cool air of the cave would help keep it fresh, but I knew I’d have to find a way to dry and preserve it soon. I couldn’t afford to let any of it go to waste.

  I leaned back, my tail coiling beneath me as I took a moment to rest. The dolphin was gone, but it would keep me fed for days. The struggle and noise were over, leaving the cave quiet again, except for the gentle dripping of water in the distance. The knife in my hand felt heavier now, as if it had absorbed some of the weight of what I had done.

  I placed it down carefully, my thoughts still on the dolphin and the life it had given. The cave felt different now, quieter, almost sacred. I let out a breath, feeling a sense of calm settle over me. The job was done.

  “So, you're finally awake?”

  I stretched my body as far as I could, feeling the stiffness in my fins and the foil of my serpent half. When in the air, like now, it’s best to keep them close to my body, otherwise, they get in the way of movement. But they just get so stiff.

  “Yeah, and I think I have an idea where to start looking for a teacher.”

  “Good.”

  “You’re not sounding very talkative. Was your journey unpleasant?”

  Karson didn’t respond. I sighed and walked over to the crying rock in the wall a small hole I had carved out, with a stone I used as a lid to keep the hole dry. Drying meat in this damp cave was nearly impossible, but Karson had an idea. He made me buy this little thing a small metal pipe with carvings on it, not unlike the knife. Karson calls them runes. At first, I thought the pipe just pushed around water, but when I took it into the air, I realized it turned wet air into weird water. The taste was off, but strangely enjoyable.

  With Karson's help, I was able to create this dry hole. It made preserving the meat much easier. I sprinkled some salt over the dolphin meat and carefully lowered it into the hole.

  “I thought you said you wanted to keep it alive so the meat would last longer.”

  “That was before I had to leave again. Now that I have to go look for a teacher, I can’t exactly stay here.”

  “Then why are you preserving the meat?”

  “So it will last longer on the journey. I’ll be able to travel faster if I can avoid hunting from time to time.”

  “I suppose the journey could take quite some time, depending on your ability to find a teacher,” Karson remarked, his tone carrying the usual hint of disdain.

  I ignored the clear insult and moved toward the cave exit the same way I came in, my tail brushing against the smooth, wet stone.

  . It wasn’t easy to navigate with my long body, especially when the fins got caught on the narrow openings, but I knew these tunnels well. They were my home, after all.

  As I slithered through, I couldn’t help but think about the journey ahead. Finding a teacher wasn’t going to be easy, and I’d be leaving behind the safety of the cave, but I knew it was necessary. I needed to learn, to grow. I would miss this place, but I was ready. It was time to leave and find the knowledge I needed to survive.