The Story Behind My Tail

Holding Kai's hand we raced through the dark waters. We had woken in the middle of the night, to my stomach swollen, Kai didn't tell me what was going on, he just pushed me into the cold water, letting me sink for a few moments before grabbing my hand and racing off. I couldn't keep up, by the end he was dragging me through the dark waters.

Finally we found where we were going, it was another cave opening. Kai slowly poked his head out then quickly helped me out to the surface. The air here was cold and musky, you could also hear water dripping from a wall close by. This cave was different than the one we had been in. There was no nest, and the floor was covered in white sand instead of rocks.

The sand was surprisingly warm to the touch. I crawled on land careful not to bump my belly for Kai would freak out.

"Whats going on?" I asked. I felt weird.

"Uh, follow me." He was blushing for some reason, I wasn't sure why. I followed, getting sand in my gills and scales. The irritation was incredible. There was a small dug out pond Kai led me to. I had an urge to feel the water with my hand. I reached out and touched it only to freeze in spot. My body trembled, and took over. I had no idea what I was doing and before I knew it I was sitting in the pond. The water was warm here, which was weird against the cold air. I found my arms pushing myself up just enough, then through a little slit I had where my butt was, I felt something coming out.

I had discovered that slit a day or so back. It was hidden by hind a long fin I had on the back, the bottom of the fin was the only part that didn't touch and could move around freely.

I moved out of the pond to look at five round, pink looking marbles. Each one was about the size of my hand. I felt a loving feeling come over me, as I wanted to protect these little balls. Kai smiled as he now took my place. I watched as the water turned white, then clear again. I remember watching salmon do something like this. Of course it was different but one laid the eggs and the other fertilized them.

Kai moved to sit beside me. Both of us staring at the small pond.

"Did we.. Just." I wasn't sure how to put the words together.

"Have kids? Yes." Kai seemed so normal saying that looking at that I assumed was eggs in front of us.

"Kids? What?" I didn't want to raise my voice for some reason so I whispered it.

"Yes, not all five will live, we will be lucky if one does. But I picked out the perfect den awhile back so hopefully." I didn't understand a word he had just said, it was like he spoke a different langue all together.

"When will they hatch?" I asked as I moved closer to the eggs wanting to touch one.

"Some can tomorrow, others take years to." His smile disappeared as he saw my expression.

"How did this," I pointed to the eggs. "Even happen?" I asked horrified at the thought of him rapping me. How was that even possible?

"The kiss, The moment out lips met it bounded us for life. Our bodies just knew." He backed away towards the small pond hole. I was speechless.

Kai waved me over and I followed his command.

"We should find some food and make our nest." Ducking under water he swam down towards the sea floor, pulling me along. I had just realized that all the cave systems where Under a huge rock that was most likely an island. I watched in amazement as hundreds of mermaids swam about, in and out of each cave system. It was so beautiful. The rocks had coral growing all up and down it, as well as fish of all colors swam through out the plants. The sun streaming down made everything come all together. I would never have imagined this for thousands of years.

Kai pulled my attention as I bumped the bottom of the sea floor, sitting in a forest of soft seaweed. Normally this would have grossed me out but there was some kind of comfort in it.

Bubbles tickled me as my gilled breathed in the water, it was strange not using my nose or mouth but it was also relaxing. Kai just laughed at me and started to pick the sea weed at its roots. I followed his lead, unsure of what to do. I actually couldn't talk underwater, the mermaids had this other way to communicate and that was with sounds they made with there gills. I had no idea what they ment but some sounds really hurt my ears. Kai had told me that my ears would be sensitive to a lot of sounds for a while.

Holding as much sea weed as I possible could, we swam back to our small cave where the eggs waited for us. It felt weird thinking about eggs, or even thinking about children. I was a still a child myself.

Breaking through the small hole in the ground we tossed the sea weed up into the cave floor. Pulling my self up I followed the drag marks to where the small pond was. I watched the small pink eggs for awhile, they reminded myself of frog eggs the way they cuddled together. Kai came up behind me, our shoulders touching as he did so.

"Don't be upset if they don't make it." He sighed and turned away.

"What do you mean?" I asked questionably.

"It's become difficult for eggs to hatch." Kai seem to be avoided my graze as he started to fool around with the sea weed.

"Kai, I want the nest over here." I pointed to a spot where I could watch the eggs while I drifted to sleep. Kai seemed surprised as was I myself. I did however always wanted to be a mother as I grew up, it was a dream of mine as well being a cook.

Kai came over with the seaweed and started to make the nest. I wasn't sure what he was doing but I found my self lost in the eggs. Surly one would live.