Why were so many of our kind so beautiful?

No... Kaley wasn’t just beautiful...

“A cat! I must know, do you purr?” Kaley asked, leaning forward as if to whisper even though she had asked her question loudly.

I arched back a little, and felt silly doing so. We weren’t that close to one another, we sat around a fire pit inside her house. She sat not opposing me, but to the right of me. I was sitting on a large fluffy pillow full of cotton. She sat cross-legged on a similar sized pillow... and honestly looked out of place.

She was stunning. Easily the prettiest woman I had ever seen in my life... Yet...

This village, and her home, were worn and dirty... old and broken down. As were what little clothes she had on.

“Purr...” I knew what she asking, but found it silly. I didn’t purr... but could I? Did others like me do so? I didn’t remember my parents, or theirs, doing such a thing...

“Like in bed?” Kaley then asked with a smirk.

“Oh. Jeez...” I looked away from her and to the burning coals and wood. Maybe their hot flames would hide my own blushing.

Kaley laughed, and it drew my eyes back to her. She rocked on her pillow, holding her ankles as she joyfully giggled away at my reaction. Her voice was... as pretty as she. It seemed to fill the whole house, yet no matter how loud she spoke it didn’t grate on my ears or make me flinch. It was almost sing-song like.

“Still... a cat huh? Hm... I’m not sure where you’ll end up, honestly. Maybe the boat builders?” she then frowned as she asked herself, going into thought. While she looked upward at the dark ceiling, I watched her eyes. They glistened oddly, as if wet from tears... yet I knew she wasn’t crying.

Thanks to her... lack of clothes, I found myself questioning what she was. The only thing odd about her appearance was her genuine beauty. Her skin was flawless. Her body, nearly fully revealed thanks to the thin cloth she called a shirt, was pristine and without a defect. There wasn’t a single part of her that didn’t make me very self-conscious of my own. It made me wonder how she was alone. What man wouldn’t want her? Women too. Especially since her personality seemed so... authentic and happy.

She looked inhuman because of her beauty, but not because she herself was so. She looked completely normal.

“Boat builders?” I asked, doing my best to not look at her breasts. They were barely hidden by the gray shirt; it couldn’t hold them in thanks to how thin the straps were. The shirt looked as old and worn as her house.

Kaley nodded, which made my eyes dart upwards to her eyes. Her vibrant movements didn’t help her shirt in holding anything in at all. “To the south, not much farther than the Cathedral is another nation. Another land. There’s a giant river there that has a whole town dedicated to building boats,” she happily explained. She even raised her arms to try and showcase how big the boats supposedly were. All the action did instead caused me to blush a little more.

I looked away from her. To study her home again. It was a poor attempt at distracting myself since I couldn’t really find anything to study. Her little house was one single room, and was rather normal. A large bed, which was messily covered by pillows and blankets. A few large dressers and cabinets. This fire pit, which probably acted as her stove since there was none elsewhere. Some fishing equipment laid against the front door, and to the left of me was a small wooden table. In actually it wasn’t dirty... just old. It reminded me of the cabin Nory and I had lived in. Something built decades ago and patched together as time went on.

In the end my eyes ended up back on her, and they narrowed as I noticed the way she shifted as to grab the iron poker she used to mess with the hot coals and wood. When she poked at the wood, causing the fire to crackle, I found myself doubting my own appeal.

Even the most basic and normal movements seemed luscious and sexual when she did them.

“So the Society builds boats?” I asked, focusing on Kaley’s handiwork as she situated the burning coals and logs as to put a new one upon it.

“A few do. There are a couple predators there. But!” Kaley paused in her work as to look at me. I sat up straighter and kept hold of her odd gaze as she pointed at me with the poker. “One’s a complete jerk! No matter what, you better not ever mate with him! I’ll never talk to you again if you do,” Kaley said firmly.

She looked cute even while angry.

I nodded quickly, even though it was such a ridiculous statement. “What makes him a jerk?” I asked.

“He eats babies,” Kaley said coldly. For the first time since meeting her, she no longer sounded happy.

The warm room, and my warm face, both suddenly got ice cold.

Kaley nodded as she finished putting a new log onto the fire. Afterwards she leaned closer to me, and I leaned forward to hear her upcoming whisper.

“While in their poor little eggs too! Isn’t it horrible?”

“Eggs...?” I frowned as Kaley nodded harshly... and I was so absorbed in the conversation, I barely noticed the way her breasts dangled thanks to her posture... nor did I notice Vim enter the house.

“She means fish eggs, Renn. Can’t you tell what Kaley is by her smell?” Vim had an odd smile on his face as he closed the door behind him.

“Vim! Don’t lie! I smell delicious!” Kaley laughed as she greeted him, and I wondered why she was so comfortable to be seen basically naked in front of him.

Leaning back, I studied Kaley as she giggled away... no longer upset. And as Vim went to sit at the table nearby, I suddenly realized it.

“You’re a fish!” I shouted, shocked.

Kaley laughed and nodded... then she reached over to pull up her shirt. I startled at the sudden full reveal of her chest, and hurriedly looked at Vim. He was sitting calmly, head on his fist as he watched us.

Looking back at the brazen woman, I found her pointing at something right beneath her right...

Leaning forward, with wide eyes I realized something I should have long ago... especially since they had been visible nearly this whole time. “Gills...” I whispered in shock.

“I am a fish indeed! I’ll be honest I really like mermaid. It sounds so much cuter, I like the way it has maiden in it. Don’t you think?” Kaley asked as she lowered her shirt. She had the modesty to at least lower it properly; making sure it covered most of her.

“Mermaid...” I tried to remember all that I knew of such creatures, and wondered if she really was one. Or rather... well... I guess she was?

“In some cultures, mermaids are literal monsters. So yes, that is accurate,” Vim said.

Kaley giggled in a way that told me that such a statement was a joke.

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“The boat builders are gone Kaley. That jerk you spoke of sacrificed his life to save the few children he could. The kids that survived are in the east now, at the Bell Church,” Vim said.

“Oh? Really? When did that happen?” Kaley asked with a frown.

“Almost twenty years ago,” Vim said plainly.

I groaned softly, not happy to hear of such tragedy... and also to hear that it had taken Kaley this long to hear of it as well.

“In fact that river doesn’t have any town on it right now. The war down south is raging strong, and most cities like that have been burnt to the ground,” Vim added more information.

Kaley sighed and shook her head, but didn’t seem too bothered by Vim’s update of the world around us.

“They’re at a church? Is that the Cathedral?” I asked of the children.

“The Bell Church is a Society village. It’s a horrible place, full of old women who have nothing but time on their hands,” Kaley said.

“It’s a village with a large bell in the center. But yes it’s a place only our kind live in... Last time I was there not a single human had been there,” Vim said.

Kaley nodded.

Horrible place? Of old women? Something told me she wasn’t entirely joking, but also wasn’t too serious.

“Still! How have you been Vim? Find any decent men lately for me?” Kaley asked him.

I blinked at her question and hurriedly looked to Vim. He shrugged. “Not that I’m aware of. Other than this one here, we haven’t had any new members lately,” Vim said.

“Well I guess she can do for now...” Kaley sighed, sounding defeated and regretful.

I can do!

I can do?

I panicked for some reason, since for a slight moment I had felt happy over it.

“How about you Kaley, catch anything new on your lure lately?” Vim asked as I tried to control the weird thoughts in my head.

“Nothing new. I tried eating young Caleb but he’s too devout, so boring,” Kaley said.

Eating...

I felt my blush return, and it made me angry. I had just gotten it under control!

“You’re lucky fishermen are so understanding. You’d get banished elsewhere,” Vim said.

“Banished, pfa,” Kaley waved the word away without a care.

“Did Oplar visit?” Vim asked.

“She did! But she didn't stay the night. I had a guest that night,” Kaley said.

Staring at the strange, yet oddly comforting, woman... I felt hopelessly out of place.

A part of me wished I could be as... open as she. This had to be the person people spoke of when they spoke of free spirited. It made me jealous. I could barely get too close to Vim without feeling conscious.

“Not like she had anywhere to sleep even if she did,” Vim said.

“My bed’s big enough for four,” Kaley said with pride.

“Four? Really?” Vim asked as he glanced at it. He was seriously calculating it!

Kaley giggled and shook her head. “Why would I share, Vim? Really! You think I’m willing to share the tasty snacks that I work so hard to get? Please!” Kaley laughed at him, as if he was ridiculous.

Somehow I felt as if the most ridiculous one here was me... and that made no sense.

“Well at least you use a bed now. No more drowning men, right?” Vim asked.

“Right!” Kaley nodded, and I now questioned even more things.

“Speaking of beds, want to sleep with me Renn?” Kaley asked, startling my thoughts away from what had just been said before.

“Uh...” I went stiff. Surely she wasn’t serious...

Kaley then giggled, and even Vim made a noise, and then she waved my worry down. “I’m kidding! Jeez you’re so cute! I only like men... you’re obviously lacking in a certain... way, you know?” Kaley said quickly.

Although a relief, I still felt somewhat regretful. She really was pretty.

“She likes to tease. She’s harmless. She likes young men. So when the day comes you have sons, make sure you keep her far away from them,” Vim said.

“Hey!” Kaley yelled at Vim, offended.

“Am I wrong?” Vim asked.

“Not at all! But they’d be adorable! Look at her! I’m drooling just thinking about!” Kaley pointed at me as if I was some kind of prize.

I couldn’t help it, I laughed.

“And I don’t only eat young men... I like the older ones sometimes too. Just have to be in the mood for one,” Kaley added, defending herself further.

“I’ve never seen you invite an old man,” Vim said.

“You’ve never seen me desperate, then,” Kaley said with a nod, as if it was obvious.

Vim sighed and shook his head, but said nothing more.

“Not going to invite him?” I asked her with a point to Vim.

After all he was the oldest man around.

“Vim?” Kaley then looked at him, and I did too. He had an odd look on his face, a strange smile with a raised eyebrow... as if waiting expectantly.

Then Kaley laughed. To such a degree she rolled back, off the pillow and onto the ground. “Vim! Him! Ha!”

While she laughed, I couldn’t help but chuckle at her. His look had been odd, but it hadn’t been that funny.

“If I had feelings they’d be hurt right now,” Vim said.

Kaley only laughed harder at that.

Smirking at her, I felt... happy.

She was so odd, yet this was so much better than the last place we had gone. They hadn’t even wanted to look at me at that farm. Silkie had hated me.

Moments like these made this all worth it.

They were precious. Valuable beyond measure.

I needed to keep them safe.

“So! Go on then! Get on out!” Kaley then pointed at the door.

“Huh!” I felt the whole world come to a screeching halt, as I stared at the woman who had my heart in her hands.

“Not you! Him!” Kaley quickly pointed at Vim.

“Huh!” Vim sounded surprised, but it didn’t match his face. He was probably just teasing me since he had said it in the same way.

Kaley hopped up off the ground, and hurried over to the table. She tugged him away from it, and began pushing him towards the door. “Let us have some alone time! Go do your checking the city thing that you do!” Kaley shouted.

“I already checked it, this place is safe like always,” Vim groaned. He looked as if he was trying to stop her from pushing him, but he had a smirk on his face.

“Then go jump in the ocean!” Kaley pushed Vim towards the door. He allowed her to, and I could tell so by the way he smirked at her attempts.

“Girls only! Go catch a fish!” she told him as she pushed him, even though he came to an abrupt stop right before the door. She began to groan as she tried to push him, yet he didn’t budge.

“Catch a cold more like,” Vim sighed, but didn’t argue. He pulled the door open and allowed himself to be shoved outside.

Kaley giggled at him, and with a firm nod shut the door on him.

A little worried, I stood up slowly and wondered what Kaley had in mind. It was night! What was Vim going to do? He had said there were no inns or taverns here in this little village and...

“Kaley?” I asked her as she turned and gave me a smile.

“Alright, let me hear it all!” she happily said as she hurried back to the fire pit.

She pulled her pillow closer to the one I had sat on. Putting them side by side, she plopped back down and nodded quickly for me to join her.

The fire crackled, and I felt oddly conscious again. And this time not because of her.

Slowly sitting back down, I gulped and wondered what she wanted to know. I hoped it wasn’t my past, since something told me I’d reveal everything to her. She was too pretty and joyful... For some reason I felt like I should tell her anything she wanted to know, and with full honesty.

I really didn’t want to tell her what had happened to my family. Or the Sleepy Artist... or the humans I had grown to love, and then hate...

But at the same time I really did want to talk to her. To spend time with her. I felt comfortable with her, and I actually found myself liking her personality. It was fun. So different from those I had known before. So different than the upstanding Nory, or the grouchy Amber. So special in her own way.

Once I was back in my seat, Kaley shifted closer and nodded. “Tell me what you think of Vim?” she asked with a whisper, speaking quieter than she had ever before.

Oddly, I found myself more than willing to talk about that.