FSE

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Story written in a competition on FurAffinity. Approximately 1500 words.

Contains Mirromy - a species created by Iggi on FA. Oriana, the specific Mirromy in this story, can be seen here for visual reference. (Reference is NSFW, nipples showing)

Necklace in the Bottle

By Kalylia

The sun sank low in the sky, the deep red orb slipping lower and lower, closer to the horizon with each passing moment. Oriana looked up at the large, glowing giant in the sky with a soft smile on her muzzle. The sunset-colored mirromy thought that no other time was quite as beautiful as dusk on this particularly secluded coast of Irrim.

"Beautiful Rii," she sang to the sun as it sunk in the sky. "Light my way and guide my path over rocks and waves. Beautiful Rii, shine bright in my heart all the night long."

She paused for a moment as she moved over the soft sands. Something shimmering near the tidepools caught her eye. She moved closer to the object glinting in the rapidly diminishing light. Reaching out with a surprisingly gentle, large paw, she fished down into the tidepool, giggling to herself as a few soft underwater plants tickled her sensitive flesh. As she retracts her paw, she is able to see what she has found.

A small shimmering bottle of glass.

Curiously, Oriana walked a bit further out into the surf, pulling herself up onto a large, flat stone. She took a moment to gently breathe in the salty air of the sea. There was a cork stuck in the top of the bottle, and it was crusted in salt. The light had been glinting off something inside the bottle. As she gently rubbed away the salt away from the bottle, she found inside a small, roughly hewn piece of jewelry. It was carved from a rare wood. Very carefully, she stuck the cork with her claw and quietly worked it free of the bottle.

A strange smell washed over her as she pulled the cork free. She caught a whiff of the wood inside, her muzzle twitching a bit. It didn't smell like any wood she had ever known before. And as she gently shook out the necklace inside, she realized that it was not only the wood that was strange, but the shimmering bit of gemstone set into it. Her long, thick tail flicked a bit in the summery warm oceanic waters.

"Such a pretty stone..." Oriana commented lightly, bringing the red gem close to her own crimson gaze. She appraised it quietly for a long moment.

But as the sun finally sank beneath the horizon and the sky faded from orange to purple to a deep azure, she heard the soft growling of a smooth-backed shlealin. Her large ears swiveled about as she attempted to get a lock on the predator's location. The tide was coming in quickly now, and the waters about her had caused her rocky perch to shrink. She quickly placed the necklace back into the bottle and replaced the tight-fitting cork. It was dangerous to be out and about at night. The shlealin in the area had been on the prowl recently.

And Oriana was all that was left of her clan.

Shivering, the coastal mirromy instinctively pulled the outer layer of her flesh about herself, covering her delicate underbelly. Despite the dangers and the increasing boldness of the shlealin, not to mention the incredible emotional pain of remaining, she could not bring herself to leave her home behind. These were the waters she had grown up in, and the coast she had always called her home. She would not be driven out by these predators.

With a quick motion, Oriana dove into the water, her thick, powerful tail propelling her rapidly through the water. Despite the fact that the water was still rather shallow, she was able to swim most of the way toward the shore. When the waters became too shallow, she gently took the bottle into her mouth and moved over the sand on all fours. As she got away from the wet sands, she heard the pattering of paws behind her.

Adrenaline immediately filled her veins as she made a mad dash for the spear she had left in the sands. She gripped the weapon firmly in her paws, spinning about just in time to see the flash of a maw full of teeth. The mirromy deftly sidestepped the shark-like maw and lashed out with the sharp edge of the spear. The weapon met only air, however, as the shlaelin moved with her. It was larger than the last few she had fought off, and snarling in hunger. It's paws left huge craters in the wet sand. Oriana growled a bit and flashed the spear out again.

This dance of predator and potential prey continued for several long minutes before Oriana was finally able to connect with the large beast. She felt the spear hit home, cutting through thickly muscled flesh. The shlealin gave an angry cry, skittering back slightly. Oriana took the advantage and slashed at it again.

The shlealin, apparently deciding that such feisty prey wasn't worth the effort, gave a few snaps of its large jaws and retreated into the water, leaving a trail of thick blood behind it. Oriana gasped quietly for breath, glad she escaped this particular fight without any of her own wounds to patch up. She looked up at the sky, now dotted brightly with stars and shimmering with the dull silver light of the three moons that graced the evening sky. She knew if she didn't move quickly, there would be more after her. She gripped her spear tightly and quickly moved off toward the small cave she called home, etched out in the side of the costal cliff.

The mirromy moved as quickly and silently as she was able. And as she drew near the remains of her village, she slowed slightly. Even through the darkness, she was able to make out the homes of those she called family and friend. Broken glass still littered the sands. She found herself frozen, staring at her own reflection in the silver moonlight staring back at her in a broken windowpane. The thatched roofs were rotting, and the smell of decay wafted through her nostrils. She choked back a quiet sob of grief and forced herself to keep moving toward the cave.

She ducked behind the curtain of dangling ivy and set the spear down at the entrance of the cave. After she entered, she quickly gathered up the herbal tincture she'd concocted to confound the keen scent organs of the shlealin. She gently sprinkled the mixture along the entrance of the cave liberally. It should keep her safe for another night while she prepared for her vengeance.

Oriana then set about preparing a meal for the evening. She still had a few berries left over from her last excursion into the forests, and there were a few strips of dried fish meat lying on a block of salt. It was a simple meal, but sustaining. She knew she'd have to hunt again soon.

She quietly uncorked the glass bottle again, the darkness of the cave making the task difficult. She glowered a little and set about creating a small fire to light her temporary home as well as provide her with some warmth. As the light washed through the cave, Oriana drew close to the flickering flames, warming herself a bit and examining the necklace. It appeared handmade.

"Who would put it in a bottle and throw it into the ocean?" she wondered aloud to herself. As she let the bottle roll out of her paw, she heard the soft rustle of something else within it. Blinking a bit, she fished around in the bottle with a delicate claw, drawing forth a battered and weathered bit of parchment she hadn't noticed initially. It was written upon in an untidy script and stained with dirt and what appeared to be dried blood.

"I am sorry I was unable to protect you, my love. I promised I would always keep you safe, and I was unable to keep that promise. As I now release your spirit to the ocean, I make you a new promise. I will find the beast with the scar on his eye and make him pay for what he did. I will always love you."

The mirromy's eyes glazed over with tears as she read the note. With trembling paws, she clasped the necklace about her own neck. The blood red gem in the center of the wood pendant glinted in the firelight.

Someone out there shared her pain.

Someone out there understood her fight.

She walked to the entrance of the cave and parted ivy curtain, looking out across the water.

"I feel your heart," she whispered into the wind. "I share your fight. Thank you for giving me strength."

She touched the pendant with a soft paw and then retreated into the cave to sharpen her spear.

Her vengeance would be sweet.