the top of his wooden plank.
“So what is your plan?” he sighed.
“We’ll start going in the direction of the rising sun. I have a feeling that my people’s home is in that direction.”
“But you’re not sure?” Marco pressed.
“No,” Kreewhite let his own frustration show in the tone of his short answer. “Do you have a better idea? Would you like to just float here?”
“Not at all,” Marco hastily assured the merboy. “You’ve saved my life. I trust your judgment. I’m ready to go east.”
“That’s the human word for the place where the sun brings daylight – east?” Kreewhite asked.
“Yes,” Marco answered.
“Such a short word for such an important task,” Kreewhite murmured. “Here,” he positioned himself next to Marco. “Lie down on my back and hold on,” he floated prone in the water as Marco awkwardly moved over and positioned himself on Kreewhite’s broad back, his sword tucked between their two bodies as his right hand held onto a shoulder and his injured left hand dangled uselessly.
Kreewhite began to wave his tail, and it felt to Marco as though they leapt ahead. He tightened his hold momentarily until he felt settled, then loosened his grip as their journey began.
They moved through the water wordlessly for over an hour.
“What is your home like?” Marco asked.
“I live with my sister and her mate. We’re in the new town that everyone moved to after a human ship found our old town,” he said.
Marco felt awkwardness. “Did the humans chase you away?”
“They hunt us down. They take us captive, and cut us into pieces. That human with the evil powers back on the ship – people like him use our body parts to help make their magic stronger,” Kreewhite said back over his shoulder to Marco, who was glad he could not see the boy’s face at that moment
“You saved my life. I heard the men on the ship say that you injured the wicked powerful one, and wrecked their plans. If you hadn’t done that, if they had been able to get away the way they planned, with the evil one healthy and whole, I’d be dissected already,” Kreewhite’s voice was somber.
Marco was silent for several minutes. “And you’ve saved my life too. So I guess we’ve both done a favor for each other.”
“Our first favors for each other,” Kreewhite said. “Let’s hope there will be many more chances in the future!” he laughed.
“There will be,” Kreewhite said. “I feel it. I feel that we are going to be arnelli.” He spoke in a confident tone.
“What are arnelli?” Marco asked.
“They are people who are more than friends; they are companions and protectors and partners,” Kreewhite explained. “We will be the first among my people to be arnelli with both a tail and legs!”
“Arnelli it is,” Marco agree decisively. He knew he owed the merboy his life, and he liked Kreewhite immensely. He didn’t even think about the fact that the boy had a tail instead of legs as they talked and swam.
“And where do you live?” Kreewhite asked.
“In the Lion City, among the humans. I have a room under the pier. That’s how I was able to sneak up on the sorcerer, though I didn’t plan to,” Marco answered.
They traveled on for a while more, and the sun started to set in the western sky.
“Kreewhite, could we go to that island?” Marco asked as he happened to catch a glimpse of a tree covered cliff off to the left, a short distance behind them.
“What island?” Kreewhite asked. Marco pointed as Kreewhite turned, and the merboy’s motion ended as they floated to a stop.
“I didn’t see that. I don’t know how we could have passed it without my noticing it,” he spoke in a puzzled, and indignant voice.
“I’d like to feel land under my feet for a little while. Maybe we could spend the night there, or at least I might find something to eat besides fish,” Marco hesitantly suggested, wondering if there
“So what is your plan?” he sighed.
“We’ll start going in the direction of the rising sun. I have a feeling that my people’s home is in that direction.”
“But you’re not sure?” Marco pressed.
“No,” Kreewhite let his own frustration show in the tone of his short answer. “Do you have a better idea? Would you like to just float here?”
“Not at all,” Marco hastily assured the merboy. “You’ve saved my life. I trust your judgment. I’m ready to go east.”
“That’s the human word for the place where the sun brings daylight – east?” Kreewhite asked.
“Yes,” Marco answered.
“Such a short word for such an important task,” Kreewhite murmured. “Here,” he positioned himself next to Marco. “Lie down on my back and hold on,” he floated prone in the water as Marco awkwardly moved over and positioned himself on Kreewhite’s broad back, his sword tucked between their two bodies as his right hand held onto a shoulder and his injured left hand dangled uselessly.
Kreewhite began to wave his tail, and it felt to Marco as though they leapt ahead. He tightened his hold momentarily until he felt settled, then loosened his grip as their journey began.
They moved through the water wordlessly for over an hour.
“What is your home like?” Marco asked.
“I live with my sister and her mate. We’re in the new town that everyone moved to after a human ship found our old town,” he said.
Marco felt awkwardness. “Did the humans chase you away?”
“They hunt us down. They take us captive, and cut us into pieces. That human with the evil powers back on the ship – people like him use our body parts to help make their magic stronger,” Kreewhite said back over his shoulder to Marco, who was glad he could not see the boy’s face at that moment
“You saved my life. I heard the men on the ship say that you injured the wicked powerful one, and wrecked their plans. If you hadn’t done that, if they had been able to get away the way they planned, with the evil one healthy and whole, I’d be dissected already,” Kreewhite’s voice was somber.
Marco was silent for several minutes. “And you’ve saved my life too. So I guess we’ve both done a favor for each other.”
“Our first favors for each other,” Kreewhite said. “Let’s hope there will be many more chances in the future!” he laughed.
“There will be,” Kreewhite said. “I feel it. I feel that we are going to be arnelli.” He spoke in a confident tone.
“What are arnelli?” Marco asked.
“They are people who are more than friends; they are companions and protectors and partners,” Kreewhite explained. “We will be the first among my people to be arnelli with both a tail and legs!”
“Arnelli it is,” Marco agree decisively. He knew he owed the merboy his life, and he liked Kreewhite immensely. He didn’t even think about the fact that the boy had a tail instead of legs as they talked and swam.
“And where do you live?” Kreewhite asked.
“In the Lion City, among the humans. I have a room under the pier. That’s how I was able to sneak up on the sorcerer, though I didn’t plan to,” Marco answered.
They traveled on for a while more, and the sun started to set in the western sky.
“Kreewhite, could we go to that island?” Marco asked as he happened to catch a glimpse of a tree covered cliff off to the left, a short distance behind them.
“What island?” Kreewhite asked. Marco pointed as Kreewhite turned, and the merboy’s motion ended as they floated to a stop.
“I didn’t see that. I don’t know how we could have passed it without my noticing it,” he spoke in a puzzled, and indignant voice.
“I’d like to feel land under my feet for a little while. Maybe we could spend the night there, or at least I might find something to eat besides fish,” Marco hesitantly suggested, wondering if there
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