Maeva stumbled along the jagged rocks by the shore, her large imp tail held high as she leapt from one rock to the next as gracefully as her small body would allow. It wasn't after that Maeva got alone time with her sister Yuna, nor was it often that they were able to come to the beach. It was a true treat, and Maeva was trying to soak up as much of the outdoors while she could. The smell; the sound of the gulls; the crashing waves; the cool feel to the rocks. All of it was picturesque. Maeva didn't know how much longer they'd be able to linger at the beach. Technically the two were expected home in another half hour or so. Their little detour had likely caused them to be much later than their mothers would have liked. It was probably that they'd both fret, and perhaps the two would get a scolding, but the beach was completely worth it.

--

Yuna didn't so much stumble as she sprung along the rocks after her sister, coiling up like a spring-loaded toy before blasting off to the next rock. A few times she slipped, but Yuna had managed to catch herself rather artfully each and every time. At least so far. The pair had been warned numerous times about how dangerous “horse play” could be.

Yuna's mind drifted to one of her mothers as she recalled the last scolding they got. It was around a public pool that they had been scurrying then. Not the treacherous, angry waters by the ocean during a storm. The dangerous waters had certainly upped the anty, and if their parents had any idea where they were ...

Ah, yes. Yuna could practically hear her mothers yelling now.

“Mae, maybe we should head back? I'm getting hungry!”

--

Maeva's ears flicked at the sound of her sister's voice, barely able to hear it over the howling winds. Maeva stopped, turning back towards her sister as her skirt billowed in the harsh winds, hair whipping against her face. Maeva squinted, raising a hand to try and keep the hair out of her eyes, her antenna waving madly against the zephyrs. “What did you say?” Maeva called out, hoping her voice would still carry despite the current conditions. “I couldn't quite hear you!” Maeva took a step closer, hoping that closing the distance between her and her sister might help with her ability to hear. After all, her imp ears were quite sensitive to sounds. However, that also mean that the forceful winds caused a steady buzzing in her ears like static.

--

Yuna heaved a heavy sigh, jumping over a few more rocks and landing on a particularly flat one that seemed far more stable than the previous. “I SAID,” Yuna tried again. “That we should GO BACK!” Yuna was starting to get annoyed. The whole point of heading for the lighthouse was that the two could have their adventure together. However, the weather had turned ugly on their way, and yet Maeva had insisted on pressing forward, despite Yuna's better judgement.

And I'm supposed to be the spontaneous, adventurous one, Yuna thought to herself with a huff through her nose as her nostrils flared. Come on, Mae. Use common sense here. This is dangerous, and if one of us falls in ... we're dead. It wasn't like her sister could hear her, but some small part of Yuna wished that a perk to being litter mates meant that the two could communicate through thought. It would have certainly made their current predicament an easier one to handle.

--

Go back, Maeva hear. Go back? But they had already come so far! It would have been a shame to scale all the rocks and wobble along the sharp edges, struggling to keep their balance just to turn back now when they were so close! “LET'S KEEP GOING!” Maeva yelled back at the top of her lungs. The hybrid knew full well that her sister couldn't leave her behind, that she would not abandon her. If Yuna left and something happened to Maeva, Yuna would have been in trouble far beyond the likes they'd seen before. Maeva was responsible for keeping an eye on Yuna, and Yuna for Maeva. That is how the 'buddy system' worked. “C'mon! Just take your time! We'll be to the lighthouse in no time!”

--

There was a noticeable pit in Yuna's stomach as Maeva's shouts reached her ears. 'Let's keep going' were not the words that Yuna had been hoping to hear. In truth, they were the complete opposite of what Yuna had expected or wanted to hear. What had possessed Mae? It was like some reckless devil had taken over her sister's body. Mae wasn't a risk taker. What was going on?

“No, Mae!” Yuna shouted back. “I can't let you keep going! If you fall in I can't save you! We need to head back! Mom and mum are going to expect us soon, and we're already late! Please, come in!” Yuna's voice cracked as she pleaded, the fear of what might happen slowly starting to settle in. Did Mae not understand that this was indeed dangerous?

“I'm not kidding, Mae!”

--

The hybrid's tail slapped angrily against the rocks, the one directly beneath her swing unstable and wobbling precariously. Why was Yuna being such a stick in the mud! This was so unlike her. Why was she being such a ... such ... such a baby! Maeva stamped her feet and grunted angrily, though her grunts soon turned to a gasp as she slipped, the rock beneath giving way as it crashed down in to the water. Maeva fell, knees landing sharply against the jagged rocks that had been hiding beneath the last, her hands reaching out to break her fall. Her hands grabbed on to the stone in front of her, clinging for dear life as she let out a small cry of pain. She could feel that her flesh on her knees had broken, could feel the burn from the scratches, and her ankle felt sore, making tears well up in her eyes. She must have rolled it when she tried to catch her balance. It pulsed violently as Maeva sobbed quietly to herself.

--

“Maeva!!” Yuna shouted in shock. Yuna watched in horror as her sister tumbled and fell out of sight, Yuna's gut reaction urging her to run to her, to jump in to the dark waters if she had to to save her sister, despite her small frame and lack of strength. Once more, Yuna sprung forward, darting along the rocks, mindful of the wobbling ones to reach her sister. As she got closer Yuna spotted small hands clutching on to a rock for dear life. Yuna's heart was pounding wildly in her chest, making it hard to breathe. Her sister wasn't in the water! That was good! But she looked hurt.

Biting her lower lip anxiously, Yuna crept closer, mindful of where her sister fell so as not to suffer the same fate.
“Mae, are you hurt?”

--

Her sister's voice came through clear as day. Maeva hadn't realized her eyes had been sealed shut as she cried, closed to tightly that when she opened them to try and find her sister she saw colours and dots speckled throughout her vision.

“Yuni?” Maeva whimpered, finding the strength to pull herself up a bit. She would be fine, she knew. Kids like her fell all the time, but that didn't change the fact that she still ached all over. “I just ... I just fell ... I'm fine ... “ Maeva tried to pass off her injuries like they were no big deal. “Can you help me up, please?”

--

I'm fine.

Yuna could feel the wave of relief watch over her as her sister tugged herself up. Her heart fluttered in her chest for the briefest of moments as her anxiety ebbed. Her sister was safe. Perhaps a little scratched up, but safe. And that was all that mattered.

The hybrid could not find it in her to chide her sister, nor to tell Mae 'I told you so'. She was just relieved that her sister wasn't drowning in the ocean.

“Do you need help?” Yuna offered, now carefully navigating the rocks and gently standing behind her sister, reaching out her arms to aid her. But Maeva simply swatted at her sister's hands, trying to stand on her own. Yuna noticed that Mae was favouring one foot, but Maeva's pride would not allow her to ask for help. Instead, Yuna kept close just incase.

“Let's go home.” Yuna said gently. This time Maeva did not fight, did not argue or push back. This time, Mae simply nodded her head and carefully limped back to shore.