Ariel:
Ariel was timid, peaceful, a mer-otter who dreamed about land while only rarely poking her head above the surface of the waters. She had a friend, but her connection to the world above was incredibly limited. Today she had slipped up river to the shallower waters. She wasn't sure exactly why but she enjoyed pulling herself up onto the bank to sing, her voice sounded different then below the water. She enjoyed the way it carried and flowed, she loved catching sight of birds and the land dwelling otters.

She pulled herself up and flipped her vibrant red hair back with a smile, her clear blue eyes scanning the area to ensure she was alone before she lounged over a rock her fin flipping a bit of water over her shoulders. She knew she should limit her surface excursions, the air dried her out and too long above the water left her gasping.

William:
William walked about, not really going anywhere, just walking, keeping to the deepest shadows of the forest. The light made him sick to walk in, dehydrated and weak. It didn't burn him like his father or sister, his was a more gradual pain. Too long in the light and he would lose himself to a hunger and most likely kill some other creature much larger than a fish or squirrel. Or, of course, he could die before he found someone to restore his health.

How ironic, then, that he was a different type of ill, because he thought he could stay in the light. Originally, he had intended to stay in the dark, catching glimpses of light with every female he charmed. But then a much brighter star caught his eye, drew him closer and closer, wasting him away. He couldn't take that light anymore, not now. Maybe again, but for now he preferred the darkness.

Slinking slowly around a thick tree trunk, he paused. There was another otter not too far away. He had run into her briefly once before, though he'd forgotten her name. With narrowed eyes, he dipped back, counting on her not have seen him in the shadows.

Ariel:
Ariel smiled and gazed up at the sky, it was so beautiful turning a soft purple as the sun slowly set. She hummed softly for a while her tail flicking her with water to keep her hydrated. Finally she decided to sing a little, after all no one was around and she liked her music as company.

"what makes someone special, I suppose it all depends...it's what's unique in each of us, that we all share as-" She cut off and blinked glancing into the distant shadows. It was so strange she didn't feel alone...her paws grasped at the rock and she pulled herself up a bit more peering curiously into the dark.

William:
William listened to her sing and was annoyed that she stopped to look for him. Such a pretty voice, meant for singing.
"Please don't stop, I won't hurt you." Even in his own ears his voice sounded strange, even a little hollow as he quietly watched her from his shadow, his haunted blue eyes narrowed slightly. He had hunkered down, his head on his paws as he watched her. What would he do with her? He was feeling particularly wicked and she drew him like the nightingale. What to do, indeed.

Ariel:
"Wh-who are you?" She crouched down now slipping slowly back into the water trying to figure out what made the voice familiar. There was something there she recognized, but she had met so few it was hard to think she had met him. It was certainly a male, and that made her nervous already, hadn't Xylia told her there was a dangerous male around?

She wasn't sure why she hadn't just leapt back into the water and swam away, but it was that familiarity that kept her still. He had said he wouldn't hurt her, but then again some otters told lies. She peered deeper into the shadows trying to make out a shape but she only managed to catch sight of eyes as blue as her own.

William:
"I am... No one. Please do not be afraid of me." William sighed. What did he care if she fled from him in fear? No, he decided, he didn't really care. All he was really interested in listening to the song to pass the time while the sun set. Then he could hunt and feed. Heck, if he felt like it... no. He didn't want to feed on another otter. Not yet, anyways. He was content to smaller creatures and miniature otters (As he didn't really consider them as true otters).

He tried to sink back deeper into the shadows as she locked gazes with him and he turned his gaze away from her. She was still in his peripheral vision, but he was no longer obviously looking at her.

Ariel:
Ariel pulled herself back up a bit curiously and tilted her head, now she knew where she had heard that voice. It was not as charming and coy as usual, instead it was heavy, sad. "William is that you?"

She pulled herself out of the water and towards him hopefully, at least it was someone she knew and not some dangerous stranger. "Whats wrong? Why don't you come talk to me?" She stopped trying to move closer her tail already out of the water and feeling dry.

William:
William stepped back as she stepped forward. Well, at least she remembered his name. Oh, Ariel, that was it.
"No, it's too light out. It isn't good for me," he replied in a clipped tone, though not harsh. She should stay in the water. Getting close to him was tempting, for at that moment a thought came to him. She was water-bound and he knew a lovely little pond away from other bodies of water. A captured star, one he could see when he wished and only then, a tempting idea.

Ariel:
"Oh...thats right you prefer it at night...well it's almost sunset, want some company?" She frowned at his tone, wondering if he was hurt, why he sounded so distant and hollow. Poor William he seemed a bit worse for wear, and as dry as she was starting to feel she couldn't just leave him alone out here.

She wriggled back a bit trying to dip her fin in the water with a soft sigh. "You don't sound too good Will..."

William:
"Company would be... nice." That's right, Will, lie to her. Damn, but he was doing a poor job of things. He should just slink back to his den and sleep, maybe do some work. It was a hobby, really, but it helped keep his mind off of things.
And, yet, it wasn't completely a lie. He did want company, at least part of him did. And at the least Ariel had a beautiful singing voice.

"I'm... sun-sick, from earlier. It will pass." I hope...

Ariel:
"Oh well..Well I'll come a bit closer until the sun sets and then maybe you could help me back to the river...I feel a little woozy when I get too dry." She smiled sheepishly and dragged herself over towards him. As graceful as she looked in the water, as alive as her hair appeared below the water above she looked a bit silly having to drag herself.

"So you feel sick? I hope you get better...did you want to talk about something? You sound a little down..."

William:
Will watched as she came closer, hearing her words and feeling his insides clench. She was making it way to easy on him.
"No... there is nothing I wish to speak of. I am simply... sun-sick," he tried again to convince her. More like he was trying to convince himself. Maybe he should just let her be, let them all be and hide himself away with his poetry and his work.
He sighed, staying in the shadows as they lengthened.
"Do you not like singing when others are around?"

Ariel:
"Oh well uhh...I don't think my singing is that good up here, I mean I like it...but I don't know if others would. I love to sing though, it makes me feel a little less lonely..." She pulled herself over beside him and placed her paws one over the other.

"I'm sorry your sick, you sounded so...different...I was worried something had happened to you, worse then sun sickness I mean. Will you feel better once the sun sets fully? I feel better once I'm in the water, but I try not to get too far from it anyway..."

William:
"I think it's lovely," Will replied, trying to work in his usual charming purr into the compliment. It was there, just... not to the level he used to.
"It makes me weak, so I probably sound tired," he said with a sigh, sitting and running a paw over his hair. Just a little longer, he would wait until she was too weak to fight back and carry her off. It wasn't too far of a trek, it would be fine.
"I'll be better after I eat something, I believe."

Ariel:
"Really? thank You...I don't think anyones ever heard me sing before." She blushed and settled her head on her paws trying to relax, but already she felt dry her muscles felt wobbly up on land.

"Oh thats right...you eat...that is you have a special diet..." She looked at him curiously before looking away shyly, goodness she ought not stare. Still there was something interesting about William, not just that he was a land otter, or his fangs, he was...charming. Yes she appreciated his charm and friendly manner, though tonight he had to be tired because he seemed so different.

The sun was almost gone now, Ariel's tail gave a weak flop against the ground. Hmmm, that was an issue, perhaps she ought to be smart and head back towards the river, but William looked so forlorn. "Could I maybe help you catch something?" How laughable, she was great at catching fish but on land she was hardly a match for even a clam.

William:
Will shook his head slowly, smiling lightly.
"No, I am quite capable of finding my own supper." He frowned a bit at her and tilted his head.
"You are looking pale, Ariel. Have you been out of the water too long?" He kept a sigh contained. Did he really want to do this?
Yes, yes he did. Besides, the water there was better and safer, fah if that was the reason, he might as well just ask her. His teeth clenched behind closed lips. He would not hear no for an answer again.

Ariel:
"I think maybe I have..." Her voice was a bit more breathless now but she retained her smile, ever the optimist. She slowly lifted her head from her paws trying to refocus on William. "Oh dear, yes I think I have...I'd best get back in..."

She lifted herself onto wobbly front paws and tried to get her fin to work. She frowned slightly then and blushed looking back at William. "Uh William...since it's near dark...I don't suppose you could lend a paw? I seem to be having a little trouble...or I could ait until it's full dark, but I'll need a little more help."

William:
He could wait, until she was more exhausted. No, he didn't want to injure her. He moved closer and looked her over.
"I can carry you if you... sort of slip onto my back," he said and lowered himself to the ground. An idea was forming in his mind and he figured that was a better way to go. He looked at her, wondering if she would take his suggestion.

Ariel:
"Oh...yes that is a good idea...if you don't mind? I'm sorry to be such trouble William I normally don't get this far..." She wriggled closer to him and moved her paws over his back to pull herself up. She trembled and wrapped her paws up over his shoulders. Huh how odd that he was larger then her even with her fin, she rested her head between his shoulder blades with a sigh.

"Thank Goodness your here William, thank you for your help..." Of course it didn't occur to her that if he hadn't been there she probably wouldn't have left the water. She hummed softly relaxed now that she felt safe her friend would return her to the water. After a few moments however her humming trailed off as she passed out on his back her breathing a shallow wheeze.

William:
Will stood and started towards the water, intending to say that he thought it looked dirty and that he knew someplace my nicer when he felt her go limp.
"Ariel?" he asked softly, his ears flicked back to listen to her. Her breathing was shallow. He grit his teeth again. He'd have to get her into water soon, or she could get hurt. So he turned and went as quickly as he could back to his home, the waters cool and clear. With the warming weather, water plants had started growing in the lake again.
Will walked carefully into the water and slipped her off of his back into the water, touching a wet paw to her cheek.
"Ariel?"

Ariel:
She started to sink down to the bottom and after a few minutes she finally came to, she inhaled and relaxed as the water revived her. She swam back up and popped her head above the surface, "Oh thanks William!" She leaned against the shore and blinked looking around confused.

Where was she? It was fully dark now and the surroundings looked completely unfamiliar to her. William was the only one familiar to her in this new place. "What-Where am I?"

William:
William shrank back a bit and looked off.
"This is my home, or the lake beside it anyways. I...brought you here because I felt so. Try not to leave, there really isn't any other bodies of water near here." His words came softly as he backed away, not really looking at her. His clothes were soaked, he usually swam without and the light still shown on most of the water, so when he had helped her in, he really did grow ill. Not extremely so, but enough to start a small pain in the back of his head and a small twinge in his stomach. He would need to feed as soon as dark fell completely.

Ariel:
"I don't understand, why here? The...the river connects to everything..." She frowned and leaned out further. "Wait William, don't go! Please...I don't understand..."

William:
William looked to the sky as it blackened before his eyes.
"Because I wanted to capture a star I suppose... I'm sorry Ariel," he sighed, turning away and heading off into the darkness to find some hapless mini to drain.