Submission (#1390) Approved

Words: 751

Merkeb Side!

There was a quiet rippling of the water over her head, a cool sensation sneaking over her smooth skin and pushing between the tentacles of her mane. Octavia loved the ocean like she loved the air she breathed; it was needed not only wanted. She may live on land with her beloved, but the sting of salt water through her gills would remind her of her love of the sea.

She was almost certain that was the reason the Moon Ocean called to her, welcoming her to Charybdis’ wide grins. Mirthful and filled with fangs. Welcomed her to the annual battle of pirates and merkebs.

This wasn’t the first year she joined this battle, but with each year that passed her, she tended to forget what it was like. Sometimes she even forgot what Charybdis looked like, until they had swum above her. Their long body coiling through the water like an eel and Octavia couldn’t help her delighted laughter as more merkebs swum out to join the hub leader. It was like this every year since she first joined, their leader and the merkebs swimming above and around her, happy to barely brush her the tentacles of her hippocampus form in greeting.

In all honesty, she considered this event to be no more than a game but in moments like this, couldn’t she imagine something ancient? A grouping of merkebs laying secretly under the waves and trying to protect the treasures that oppressive pirates try to steal from them. This was their kingdom, somewhere lost in the deep and they would have to protect it with everything they had. And while kebanzu were not true sea creatures and she had once looked like any other young kebanzu before her enchantments, but this was a part of her that felt real. Like she was born to the sea salt and rock.

She paused in her wondering as something curled into the tentacles of her mane, leaving a smile on her lips when she realized it was her axolith Mayday. It was probably a little strange to bring her pet for the battle, but Mayday reveled in the game, and he even seemed eager to be a merkeb ally when they tried to defeat the pirates.

“Is he a merkeb too?” Charybdis caught Octavia’s attention while they laughed above her. “He’s a bit small, isn’t he?”

Octavia grinned, her sea glass teeth glittering, “Not at all! You’d be surprised what he’s capable of.”

Charybdis nodded, “I’ll take your word for it, we need all the help we can get.”

“I know what you mean! I tried so hard to get my husband to join us, but he just doesn’t like water much.” And her son was too small to join in, but even worse than that! Her best friend joined the pirates and she’d have to take him down. She still couldn’t believe he could look so much like a fish and yet wanted to be a pirate.

Charybdis laughed, shaking their head. “Don’t worry! We have a big turnout this year, I’m positive we’ll win and if not? Well we’re going to have a great time right?”

“I’ll say!” Octavia meant it, she was going to have a blast even if they didn’t win this fight. Especially if that meant she could track down her best friend, Tsunami, and at least beat him in a fair fight. There was no way that he was gong to beat her, she was confident of that.

She waved to Charybdis as they floated past her, no doubt to talk to the other merkebs that turned up for the event. There would be plenty of time to talk later, either to celebrate their win or peptalk themselves from a loss.

Octavia laughed suddenly when Mayday nipped one of her ears. “Hey none of that! Or are you trying to tell me there’s no way we’d lose.”
The axolith squeaked and swam around her head quickly, his collar flicking her tentacle shaped pet tag back and forth.

“Okay Mayday, I hear you loud and clear!” She grabbed him suddenly and nuzzled his head with hers, causing Mayday to purr. “We’ll win this! And maybe even convince my dearest hubby that this is actually fun and that he’d probably enjoy it with me.” She just needed a win and to prove being a merkeb was the most fun you could have under the sea. This was her battle to win and she couldn’t wait to prove it.