73 - Are You Sure, Clownfish?
Nexha sat on the sand of the old nest, watching the orange egg resting in the water. Its shell gleamed under the filtered ocean light, soft patterns shifting with the current’s gentle sway.
He sighed, crossing his arms.
Krahs and Lilay had gone out to hunt for the day’s meal. Nalu and Zhaelor were still away from the village, and since no one else was around, the responsibility fell on him. Krahs had said he wouldn’t go too far but made it clear: Nexha was the smallest in the group, so he wasn’t taken on hunts often. For now, his duty was watching over the egg until Nalu returned.
— I feel like a sardine. — He huffed, lying down on the sand.
The silence around him was only broken by the distant hum of the village and the soft murmur of the water.
— If Nalu didn’t have to go looking for a partner… I wish mermaids were like normal humans. Maybe all of this would be less complicated.
He turned his head to stare at the egg.
— Hopefully, things change once I bring more technology into this world.
Crack.
The sound made his heart skip a beat. He froze, eyes wide.
Crack. Crack.
Tiny fissures spread across the orange shell. Nexha felt his stomach twist.
— Already?! This egg is tiny! It doesn’t even look like it’s two weeks old!
He jumped to his feet, his fins trembling. What was he supposed to do?! Help? Not help? What if he hurt the baby? What if it was too weak to hatch on its own?!
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
— Oh, no, no, no! Why does it have to hatch now?! Couldn’t it wait for Nalu?!
Nexha grabbed his hair, panic rising. He had never seen an egg hatch up close. And of course, it had to happen now—when he was alone?!
Before he could decide whether to intervene, the shell cracked further, and a tiny hand emerged, flailing in the air.
— Already?! Don’t you hatch in, like, seven months?! Slow down!
But the baby obviously wasn’t listening. With a few more snaps and fractures, the top half of the shell broke away, sinking into the water, revealing a small, damp head with fine, red hair. Tiny strands floated gently, still stuck in bits of the egg’s membrane. The baby’s ears were barely visible beneath orange fin-like structures.
The baby blinked a few times, green eyes bright and curious as they took in the world around them. And then… they simply shut their eyes again, going completely still.
Nexha’s chest tightened.
— Hey…? You’re breathing, right? — He edged closer, unsure if he should touch them.
The baby didn’t move. Nexha held his breath. What was he supposed to do now?! Krahs should be nearby, right?
Unable to resist his curiosity—or the rising panic—he hesitantly extended a finger and poked the baby’s cheek.
Soft. Warm.
The tiny green eyes opened slowly, blinking against the light. Nexha held his breath.
— So cute.
He poked again, completely captivated. But before he could react, the baby’s eyes widened, and without warning—
They bit his finger.
Nexha barely had time to register the feeling of two tiny, but sharp, fangs sinking into his skin.
He blinked.
The baby didn’t let go.
— Good thing my defense is astronomical.
He didn’t even flinch.
The tiny merchild frowned, clearly annoyed by Nexha’s lack of reaction. They squeezed their eyes shut, gripping his finger with surprising determination.
— Hey, hey, easy there, little clownfish. I still need that finger, you know?
The baby finally let go, huffing softly as if upset that their intimidation attempt had failed. Nexha chuckled, rubbing his bitten finger.
— You’ve got a lot of attitude for someone who just hatched. Was your dad a shark or something?
The baby just stared at him, green eyes gleaming with stubbornness.
Nexha sighed.
— Pretty sure you’re going to be a handful.
He didn’t know why, but he had a feeling this baby was going to be anything but easy to deal with.
And yet, somehow, that only made him smile even more. After all, a baby with puffed-up cheeks full of anger was just too adorable.
