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 Posted: Wed Aug 10, 2011 5:34 pm
 Nenmau lay on his back along a small section of a reef. his hair was carefully threaded through the coral, so that the water moved it only in such a way as to encourage the motion he wished it to portray when he swam. That he had heard a whispering in the waves that this also helped hair grow longer... well... it didn't hurt to try, now did it?
He winced as the muscles along his back stiffened. Okay, so maybe it would hurt somewhat to try. He never was a fan of laying still for so many hours, even as he slept. Long hair, however, would be well worth it. He tried to focus instead on the dream he had been having, that he had just woken up from. He refused to open his eyes, refused to let it go.
In his dream, a lovely mare, like an angel with long flowing hair and fins, had settled beside him, nuzzled him, and left a basket for him, before turning into so many bubbles and sea foam. Yeah. If only.
He wouldn't mind having a basket. In fact, he always dreamed he would, one day. have children. He only hoped that they would all have long hair. It was the single thing he most wished to change about himself. Well, no, he wished more then anything that his kids would all love who they were, and how they looked. Still, if that who they were had long hair... that would be perfect, wouldn't it?
Finally Nenmau gave into reality and opened his eyes, still dreaming of baskets. Then he blinked to clear his eyes, several times. He sat up so fast that the coral snagged his hair. He carefully extracted it, then looked again. No.. it was still there... a basket. But... where had it come from?
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Posted: Wed Aug 10, 2011 5:38 pm
 The small basket rocked gently back and forth. It was almost as if it could sense the presence of some one who loved it nearby. The warm waters permeated the weave, and the small one wished so much to pop free. He struggled more, making a musical tinkling sound. He wanted out. He wanted to see the world, feel the world.
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Posted: Fri Sep 30, 2011 12:53 am
Nenmau swallowed and swam a circle around the small shell basket. The shell... it couldn't be his... could it? If only.... He nuzzled it once, gently, with his nose, feeling his hair drape across his forehead then lift again on the wave. Had it grown?
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Posted: Fri Sep 30, 2011 12:54 am
The shell moved with the push of the nose, teetering on the edge of the reef shelf it rested on. Panicked, the small Mer inside thrashed, not knowing what else to do. The shell tipped more.....
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Posted: Fri Sep 30, 2011 1:00 am
Nenmau's attention was diverted from his hair when he saw the basket teeter at the edge. Panic filled him, as he unknowingly became an emotional mirror for the trapped foal. He tried to get under the dipping edge of the shell then stopped, surprised that there was no room. Oh. It was only a hoof span of height to the next ledge. Nenmau calmed himself down and simply nudged the shell back up to a more secure position.
Now he almost hoped the shell wasn't his... Was he going to be such a nervous parent? He had always, when he thought about it at all, presumed that he would be a loving, doting, but easy going father. Then again, he had no mate, this basket had no mother. Was that the reason?
And... even if the basket/shell was not his... he was the only adult here... He should take care of it, shouldn't he? It would be his, even if it wasn't his. That decided, he let the current support him as he settled in to watch the small thing.
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Posted: Fri Sep 30, 2011 1:08 am
Motion! Motion! Panic! Then.... The shell settled, the small life inside felt secure and relaxed slowly. Scary stuff out there. Very scary. Maybe it was safer in here. Yeah, the small one though, maybe it was. He settled down inside and closed his small eyes. Maybe he'd never come out. He'd just sleep.
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Posted: Fri Sep 30, 2011 1:10 am
Nenmau watched the small settle and go still. Maybe too still. Some instinct had him stiffening and moving closer to the thing. Was that bad? Was something wrong? What did one do with a shell or a basket? He had no clue! was there something he could do? Some one he could ask? He thought of Nessie for a moment, but he had no clue where to find her and was somewhat afraid to leave the thing on its own. Poor little guy. Or was it a little girl? No way to tell. But... what if he or she never came out? Were shells supposed to be this still? He whimpered a bit, in frustration, unsure.
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Posted: Fri Sep 30, 2011 1:13 am
The small being heard the whimper and looked up, well as best as something locked in a dark shell could be said to be looking, it looked. What was that sound. Was that a sound? The world was so dark, so muffled, but so safe. Did he really want to go out there? But... what had that sound been? He tried to mimic it, but couldn't quite figure out how. His small attempts echoed back at him. Too loud! he tried to hide from the noise, which caused the shell to rock some more. He swallowed and made a real whimper of his own. Softer, but still too loud. tears ran down his small face, unseen.
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Posted: Fri Sep 30, 2011 1:16 am
Nenmau heard the whimpering, and saw the shell start to thrash again. He swam closer, though he hadn't been far to begin with. He made small shushing noises, soothing, like the waves at the surface. He hated going to the surface, but it was the only place to hear exactly that sound. Not worth going up again over, but maybe it would help now. After a bit though, he gave up. Apparently he wasn't very good at making sounds from memory. It sounded nothing like the waves.
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Posted: Fri Sep 30, 2011 1:17 am
The shell stilled as the little one heard the soft odd noise. Like water moving past the small miniscule openings in the shell's mouth. He stilled, head tilted, trying to listen. It was a pleasant, almost rhythmic sound. He found himself getting sleepy again.
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Posted: Fri Sep 30, 2011 1:19 am
Seeing the shell still and settle. Nenmau smiled. Then sighed. Which was better? It being that terrifying kind of still that it was becoming again, or hearing and seeing the undeniable evidence of the baby inside being distressed. Logic told him that the stillness was better, but something, some instinct screamed against that in his skull. Was there some way to get a different reaction? A third one that was maybe easier on the nerves?
Well, what could he try? Maybe... talking to it? Maybe. But... what did one say... to a shell?
"Um... Hi. I'm Nenmau. I guess.... I'll be your father?" he tried. Pathetic. Really. "I'll... keep you safe?" he added, hoping that might help.
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Posted: Fri Sep 30, 2011 1:22 am
The little one raised his head again, and blinked at the new sound. That was... interesting. But it was still so muffled. He pushed closer to the mouth of the clam, trying to strain to hear the odd noise before it stopped. What was it? He pushed a little closer to the mouth of the clam. Closer. Closer. He whimpered as he felt the whole shell jerk forward and began to slide.
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Posted: Fri Sep 30, 2011 1:31 am
Nenmau saw the shell slide forward. Even though he knew it was not far to fall, and that the shell would likely be fine, instinct had him moving, even before his mind had finished telling him why he didn't have to. He tried to get a leg under the shell, to catch and support it, but it hit his hoof instead.
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Posted: Fri Sep 30, 2011 1:33 am
The shell hit something hard and sprang open, tossing it's contents onto Nenmau, knocking them both tail over head in the water. The small foal blinked and looked around in the sea water. What happened?! Where was he? Why was everything so bright? And so loud!
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