The Ring of Death (Open)

[Shiara Bloodtide]

Five point seven kilometers off the northern beaches of False Bay, near Cape Town was a small island swarming with cape fur seals. So the land dwellers called it Seal Island, and the waters that surrounded it were known as the ring of death, and for very good reason. Deep below the water's surface solid black eyes watched the silhouette of seals coming up for air at the surface. They knew better then to be at the surface too long in these waters, they knew what struck from below.

Shaka did not wait for Shiara's command, when she caught sight of the seal above instinct kicked in. Her tail kicked off with powerful strokes sending her flying up toward the surface. For such a massive shark she moved with impressive speed, like a missile perfectly aimed through years of experience. Flying through the water those deadly jaws opened and extended out past her lips, aiming those dagger like teeth to sink in to the unsuspecting seal as Shaka slammed in to it like a freight train. Her speed and momentum was so great it carried her up out of the water, launching the white shark through the air, shaking the seal in her jaws to ensure it was dead as she flopped back down on her side with a large splash.

Shiara was next. Though her jaws were much smaller then her pets, her spear made up for it. Moving almost as quickly up toward the surface she took careful aim, thrusting forward to impale another seal with her spear as she too was forced up in to the air by her speed. An almost giddy grin hung on her lips as she fell back in to the sea, her silver hair flying up around her shoulders. Shiara had always loved to hunt, and this was the prefect hunting ground.

[cerasri]

The first thing Limea noticed was that the water was getting colder. Of course, he’d noticed that for a while now to tell the truth. That and it was a mite colder than it should be. And the uhh…reefs and clear waters that he normally called home were now rather well, blue than green and the water had been getting deeper for a while now.

He-he couldn’t have traveled that far, right?

Gills expelling salt as he swallowed nervously, Limea chances a nervous look around, hair swaying in the ocean water. A bit of seaweed stuck in his hair tickled his cheek, somehow still in place despite the fact that he’d been swimming for a while now. The water beneath him was somewhat murky, and a bit dark-nothing like the clear greenish waters typical to the Indian shoreline.

Yeah-it was official. He was lost.

Only-only a little bit though.

Tentacles twitching nervously as he moved forward, Limea bit at his lip, eerie orange eyes darting this way and that. He could go to the surface to see if he spotted land-the water usually got clearer the closer you got, at least from his experience. Nodding his head to himself, he made his way to the sunny air above. It took but a minute twitch of his tentacles to hit the surface, the sheer power in the eight limbs enough to propel him quite a ways. Head breaking through the shifting water, Limea hardly batted an eye as the waves lapped against his cheeks. A quick glance around proved to be fruitful, and Limea let out a happy gurgle.

There-not far in the distance-an island, and better yet, it looked well, occupied.

If he was lucky, there was a Mer nearby who could tell him where exactly he was.

Destination set, Limea ducked his head beneath the water again, this time heading in the direction of the small island. After a few trips to the surface to make sure he had his bearings right, and a few unintentional detours, Limea finally got close enough that he could see the reefs lining the island.

Still, the closer he got, the more he couldn’t help but feel a bit well…hunted.

And er…sort of like prey. And oh god was that blood?

Stopping short as a seal passed him buy, a panicked look in his eyes as a noticeably red color filled the sea not far away, Limea gulped.

Oh dear.

Breath dying in his chest, he took in a quick breath of water, gills fluttering. However stupid he might act, even he had survival instinct. It just…wasn’t a very good one. To make this point more evident, despite the scent of blood in the air and the pungent tang in the water, Limea moved towards the red spot.

As frightening as the image was, he spotted a familiar shape.

Mer after all, were quite distinctive, even with the differences in shape. And well, it looked like a Mer up ahead. Even if there was a shark like shape circling the area as well.

Teeth biting into his lip, Limea swum forwards slightly before he steadied his courage. The unfamiliar Mer-a mermaid if he was correct- was closer now, and, Limea noted with a bit of a green face, had a few seals impaled on a spear.

Lovely.

A White Shark. And she even had a pet.

Faltering slightly as he eyed the large animal, Limea winced before he swum closer yet, but as he neared the edge of the red cloud he made no other attempt to move closer. Waving an arm and forcing a tentacle down as it tried to mimic the action, Limea grinned, pitching his voice into a loud call, “Salutations! I don’t mean to interrupt you err…hunt…” smile faltering as a greenish hue lit up his face, Limea shook his head and quickly plastered back on his signature grin, “…but could you er…tell me where the Bay of Bengal is? This is the Indian ocean, right?!”

[Shiara Bloodtide]

The surface was a dangerous place around this island, it was the point where prey and predator met. Fortunately for anyone foolish enough wander in to the ring of death white sharks preferred the fatty meat of the seals to maintain their high metabolism. The same was true for Shiara. And though white sharks were known to mistake other creatures for their natural prey, the sharks in the area would be able to sense Shiara was not prey. Being one of the largest sharks in the area Shiara's pet, Shaka defiantly would not be mistaken for prey and would gladly discipline any younger shark who might try to defy either of them.

So Shiara felt comfortable enough lingering at the surface as she examined her kills. A young ten foot great white moved in now and then, drawn to the scent of blood in hopes of stealing a seal or two, but Shaka was quick to chase him off before he drew to close. White sharks held a very simple hierarchy, the biggest shark ruled the water and at this moment, Shaka was in charge and she followed Shiara.

Any other creature at the surface, however, was fair game to be mistaken for a seal. Which made the sound of a voice moving through the water even more surprising to the normally solitary white shark mer. Shiara's head whipped quickly to the direction of the voice, her solid black eyes giving a few confused blinks to see some sort of octopus mer. He was not a breed she'd ever seen in these waters. "Th Bay of Bengal?" She repeated a loud to her self with special vocal cords that vibrated with the water she drew in to pass over her gills. "This is the Atlantic..." She informed the very confused merman.

Before Shiara could explain anything further her senses picked up the young male shark who's been harassing them returning. He was not coming to steal a kill this time, however, but coming up from the depths to make a kill, and quickly. With out warning Shiara gave a few powerful strokes of her vertical tail to shoot her self straight at Limea. With her free arm she tackled the octopus mer and push him out of the path of the hungry young shark, causing the now irritated white shark to breach from the water with empty jaws.

Turning back to the shark Shiara turned her spear to clock the young male in the head with the butt of her weapon before Shaka came in to chase him off. Her black eyes now narrowed, and brows furrowed she turned back to Limea to give him a strong bonk with the butt of her spear as well. "What are you doing here? Don't you know white sharks hunt things at the surface?" She sneered, already annoyed that she'd had to save him. "Come." She said simply, grabbing his hand to lead him down deeper where he would not be mistaken for a half dead seal with entrails dangling out of him.

[cerasri]

“…the Atlantic?” Eyes wide, Limea blinked, once-twice-three times before he gulped, burgundy skin dying to a pale grey before it regained its original color. Well. That…that explained why the water was colder. And murkier. And by Neptune and Poseidon, how did he get all the way here?! Mouth opening and closing as water passed through his gills in panicked tandem, Limea fought the sudden manly urge to groan where he floated.

That urge however, quickly passed as, without even a warning, the Shark Mer who’d been kind enough to tell him wehre he was shot forward, tackling him and pushing him out of the way of what seemed to be a rather hungry young shark.

Oh dear. He…he might have inked himself a little. Glancing down discretely, Limea bit back a sigh of relief. Good. No ink to be found. Ha! And his commander had said he’d likely ink himself at the soonest opportunity. Well, that showed him.

Smug more than terrified at the near death experience, Limea barely had time to yelp as he was bonked on his head with the butt of the Shark mermaid’s spear. Well, that had been uncalled for. Rubbing at his head with a disgruntled expression as the mermaid sneered at him with an annoyed expression, Limea frowned before he grinned.

Well, how about that! The mermaid was worried about him! What a nice shark! Somewhat pointed teeth bared in an expression that could only be described as moronic, Limea easily ignored the biting words. “Well,” he drawled, scratching at his chin, “I just happened to be in the area. And white sharks hunt at the surface?! Well, you learn something new every day!”

Either oblivious or purposefully ignorant of the shark’s simple statement to ‘come’ Limea followed after her with a broad grin, though it was more out of curiosity than the need to obey. “So you’re a White Shark? We rarely have those back home! I mean, they’re there but not there-ya’ get me? Most of the sharks around there are Mako or Whitetip, particularly around the reefs. White sharks are a bit too big, ya know? I’ve seen a tiger though! And a white tip and a black tip and a whale shark-those are really big-but the worse shark I’d have to say is a hammer head! They just keep coming back and oh by Neptune, its like they don’t know how to be quiet! they just keep talking and talking and –oh! Is that a tuna!?” Stopping his diatribe just as quickly as he started, Limea jerked against his new companion’s hand, only half aware that she’d grabbed it in the first place.

Peering down below him with little care to the blood still in the water and the sharks circling above, Limea blinked before he shook his head and answered his own question. “No. Just a pipefish…” Voice trailing off dismally as he watched the thin fish swim by with haste, Limea blinked before his eyes finally locked on the hand around his.

Pausing on it for a moment, the Mimic octopus blinked before he gave a smile that could only be described as a stupid leer. “Well,” he drawled out, waggling his eyebrows with one tentacle moving in tandem, “I do realize that I’m handsome, but could we leave the handholding to the second date? Really-you Sharks are so forward!”

[Shiara Bloodtide]

Shiara quite literally face palmed as Limea rambled on. Is he really this ignorant? she thought while nearly dragging Limea to the ocean floor. There actually even more sharks down below, but they weren't looking for food at the bottom, but rather watching the surface, watching for another unsuspecting victim to break the light shining down through the water up above, ready to rush up from below and ambush their prey.

Shiara seemed perfectly comfortable down here, among all these white sharks, even when a few drew uncomfortably close, drawn in by the smell of the dead seals she had on her spear. Shaka was quick to chase off any who got to close, fortunately. Despite all her dominance and confidence, most of the sharks were bigger then Shiara, but so far none had shown up that could rival Shaka.

"How have you not been eaten yet?" Shiara thought out loud, in response to Limea's ramblings. Her black eyes rolled, but with no defining pupil or iris it was difficult to see.

"Ew!" She said quickly jerking her hand back off of his at his comment about her being forward. "Sorry but I don't date snacks." She replied with a smug grin. Of course she was not one to cannibalize on other mer, but did not mean she wouldn't threaten to if it would make her more intimidating.

[cerasri]

Happily uncaring to the circling sharks surrounding him and the mermaid on the sea bed, Limea continued smiling, perky even with the ever present danger. As Shiara jerked her hand back off his, the octopus merman threw on an insulted look and shook his head. “Ew? I’ll have you know that there are plenty of mermaids back in the Indian ocean competing for a chance at me! Why, even the princess of my clan is after my tentacles!” This was of course, a lie, but his new companion didn’t need to know that. “As for snacks well…” Limea paused, tapping his chin with his index finger before he gave a disarming shrug. “Eh, I don’t think I’d taste very good. I asked a tiger shark about it and he said I’d likely be very bitter. Something about giving him indigestion. Besides, Mer don’t eat Mer.” Leaving out the near audible ‘duh’, Limea shrugged. “It’d be what do the humans call it…Caniba…Cabinu…cabbinalism!” Smile back in place as if speaking about his taste was a normal occurrence, Limea paused before he looked around, eyes wide and curious.

The initial panic of being lost was all but gone, and well, if he was in the Atlantic, he might as well enjoy the sights. Bending backwards until his torso was almost level with his waist, Limea blinked and then grinned. “Well,” he chattered, finally having caught sight of Shaka, though the more correct statement would be finally recognizing the large shark’s presence, “That is the biggest shark I’ve ever seen! You’re a Great White, right? Haha-that almost rhymes. But you eat seals? I don’t think they’d be very tasty. I prefer crabs and shrimp myself-though my father is more of a jelly fish man and…” continuing to ramble on in the manner, Limea cut himself short, catching sight of another shark above chomping away at another unfortunate seal. Looking somewhat puckish, he chanced a glance towards Shiara’s spear and the seals still impaled on it. Oh dear. And she had hit him with that.

Face greener than usual, he quickly shook his head, time to change the topic. “How rude of me! I’ve just realized that I’ve failed to introduce my self! Well, the name is Limea du Brand, Octopus clan warrior and part time singer-haha, no I kid, my singing voice sucks-and I must say, I really do appreciate you telling me what ocean this is! It’s so easy to get lost you know, water here-water there…the odd whale or two, everything looks alike! It’s quite horrible, I tell you! Ah, but I disgress.” Spine straightening only for him to lean forward in a bow, Limea peered up at Shiara with a grin, red hair trailing behind him, “Your name? It’s only fair, since I’ve told you mine.”

ooc: The word you're looking for Limea is cannibalism. Not cabbinalism. Also, I totally forgot of Shiara still has the seals impaled on her spear XD If she doesn't, just let me know and I'll fix the post~ C:

[Shiara Bloodtide]

Shiara rolled her eyes as Limea began to ramble again. "Your clan's females must be as moronic as you are then." She commented to the thought of women swooning over this tentacle idiot. Of course she had no intention of eating the merman, weather he could figure out how to say cannibalism or not. Giving her spear a flip Shiara stuck the pointed shark tooth end in to the ground to hold it down as she slid one of the seals up off the shaft, keeping a good grip so it wouldn't float up to the surface. As she pretended to listen to what Shiara felt to be mindless rambling she indulged in a few larges bites of seal, hear triangular teeth easily ripping away the dead mammals flesh to swallow large chunks of blubber.

Shiara couldn't help but grin at the comment to her pets size, taking it as a sort of compliment. "A white shark must survive several years to reach Shaka's size." The mershark explained. Shaka made some attempt to answer as well, but white sharks spoke primarily in body language, and though Shiara could read it perfectly, her ability to 'feel' Shaka's movements made it so she didn't even have to look at the shark to read what Shaka was saying. Shiara allowed a soft giggle to escape her lips reading Shaka's confusion as to why she hadn't simply allowed the meroctopus to simply be eaten.

"White sharks, as well as my clan, require prey with a lot of fat to sustain us. We burn through our meals very quickly." Shiara explained. Having devoured about half the seal in her hands she tossed the rest to Shaka, who quickly bit it in half and swallowed a bite before grabbing the other half before it could float away. The blood from the seal had drawn a few smaller sharks in closer but none of them seemed brave enough to get too close to Shaka.

"I'm Shiara Bloodtide." She introduced her self, using her full name to see if Limea had enough sense to recognize it, though she somehow doubted he would.

[cerasri]

Listening with wide eyes to Shiara’s explanation on Shaka’s size, Limea blinked. “She must be very old then.” he replied sagely, nodding his head in confirmation to his own statement. He did his best to ignore the way Shiara had started chomping away at a seal (the sight was enough to make him queasy) and instead focused his attention to more pressing matters. Such as the mermaid’s name.

About to make another inquiry, Limea’s face lit up as Shiara finally introduced herself. “Shiara Bloodtide?” he echoed, tapping thoughtfully on his chin. His hair swayed behind him, and beneath his waist, his tentacles gave a thoughtful twitch. The name sounded familiar-very familiar, but he couldn’t quite place where he’d heard it before.

Still tapping on his chin, Limea glanced at her, though if he thought the action was subtle, it surely was not. Eyes narrowed, lips pursed-it was quite evident that he was trying to remember where he’d heard her name. He stayed quiet for a moment, staring unabashedly at her before his features brightened and then blanched within a second of each other.

Oh.

Oh yes. He remembered where he’d heard that name.

Shiara Bloodtide, heir to the White Shark Mer clan and oh dear.

He was in some deep ink, now wasn’t he?

Fighting away a bit of rising hysteria, Limea glanced back towards the circling sharks, this time with more awareness. Well, it did explain how her pet had gotten so big. Stammering slightly for words, Limea paused before he set his chin in an example of his usual stubbornness. Well, he’d already made a fool out of himself-making himself any more of an idiot wouldn’t hurt now. Still, at the very least he could show some kind of respect. Tipping his head slightly, Limea grinned, none of his previous unease showing.

“Shiara Bloodtide,” he finally repeated, this time in a surer voice with a tinge of amusement, “Well, it is a pleasure to meet you. I must say, I’ve never met a Clan heir before-at least from one of the shark clans.”

[Shiara Bloodtide]

"She's about my age." Shiara said casually, though Shiara was still rather young, Shaka had been a fully grown adult for almost a year now. "She'll probably be ready to breed this season...assuming she allows a male close enough to her." Shiara knew Shaka well enough to know she didn't like smaller sharks lurking around her, and it was difficult to find another shark of Shaka's size.

Shiara couldn't help but grin as she watched Limea thinking. Her shark teeth clearly visible, making her grin look more menacing then she might have wanted it to, taking the occasional bite out of a seal probably didn't help her any either. Limea's stammering seemed to amuse Shiara even more, almost chuckling to see the recognition of who she was come over him. Her smile dimmed a little, however, hearing him mention her position.

"My big brother is heir, I'm just a bargaining piece." She said a bit more spiteful then she might have wanted, remembering her engagement to the heir of the tiger shark clan.