Medalin

Well, now that the olympics is over, I decided it was time to go ahead and hold a medaling ceremony of my own. Like I said, the Olympix wasn't about winning, its all about competition, except, guess what, I WON THE GOLD BABY!

 All hale to the champions of hill billy olympix. I didn't have much time to prepare a ceremony speech, but I'd like to go ahead and thank all the little people. Ya'll know who ya are! Not sure if this is my good side, but what do ya'll think?

Or is this here my good side?

Anywho, I won't bore ya'll with my fine features. Hope ya'll are enjoying the story and such. Sara, I can't say thank you enough. You been editin my stuff and I am mighty grateful for your labors. For those of you who don't know, Sara Williams is Nerd Chick. If you like the story, make sure you give her a shout out!

P.S.
Kyla Perry, I shaved my soul patch cause Broncos lost the super bowl! I still aint happy about that, but Moonshine bet they'd lose and they did. Dang... if they would have won, he'd have had to shave his beard! That would have been awesome!

CHAPTER 3 (cont')

“You aren’t watching me, are you?”

Princess nods, but doesn’t answer.

Setchra waits for a moment then cups both hands around her mouth. She turns into the forest and releases a loud, high-pitched sonar blast. The sound comes from her sinus cavity, not her mouth.

Images begin to surface in Setchra’s mind. White sound waves, traveling out like ripples in a pond, give her a full circle view of her surroundings. She sees a densely populated forest with long-standing elms, bushy oaks, and wide-leaved maple trees packed tightly together. Finally she sees Princess covering her ears and turning away behind her. 

She walks over and wraps her slender arms delicately around a tree’s trunk to measure the width. That’ll do, she decides.

She raises her right-hand and flicks her wrist. In an instant, her snapping fingers expose three-inch long, claw-like black fingernails erupting from her nail bed. With a violent swipe of her hand, her claws sink into the thick fibers of the sappy pine, tearing out half of the tree’s core. The unmistakable sound of splitting timber accompanies her efforts and echoes through the forest. Branches shake and leaves fall from the devastating blow.

Setchra puts one hand on the towering timber and with little effort gives it a push. The creaking tree sways ever so gently, then slowly it begins to fall. The leaning tree crackles and snaps as its fibers splinter apart. It hits the ground with an earth-shaking thud which causes sleeping critters to scamper in all directions. She strides to the narrow end of the fallen tree, clicking her tongue as she goes. The clicking ripples off Setchra’s surroundings, creating short-range images in her mind.

The mermaid sinks all of her fingernails into the hard wooden core, and starts to drag the two-ton bole to the river’s bank. Tugging the hefty log through the snagging woods, nothing stops Setchra from moving through the brush and meeting Princess on the shore. The astonished little girl runs up to a flimsy branch and tugs on it.

“I’m strong too!”

            At the grassy shore, the sun breaches the mountain peaks. Setchra drags the log into the water, docking it on the shore, and then eagerly slides into the murky brown river.

Steam billows off the water’s surface. Princess watches Setchra’s wobbly, water-distorted figure in wonder. Beneath the water, she unties the kelp skirt, which now encircles her magnificent shining tail. The octopus, still trapped inside the clear bubble, drifts away with tentacles pressed against the translucent bulb as if to say, Release me, I played my part.

The mermaid swims in a circle, then bobs at the water’s surface, gasping and blowing bubbles each time her face breaks through the water. She rejoices in the moisture that replenishes her scales. Her hair floats above her head then streams down around her shoulders when she breaks the surface.

            “How’d you do that?”

Setchra’s mood becomes somber. She ignores Princess’ question. “While the sun is up, I cannot see; you will have to be my eyes.”

Princess pinches and tugs on her eyelids. “How?”

“You’ll have to tell me what you see.” Setchra motions for Princess to jump on the log.

Princess tiptoes to the water’s edge then hops backwards.

“Ah! I don't think so.” Princess reluctantly resists Setchra’s guidance.

Setchra laughs and holds her hand out. “I will aid you.”

Princess looks at Setchra’s long black claws. She hesitates to comment on them. “What if your singing cuts me in half, like the tree?” She decides to question, rather than reference the dagger-like nails.

Humored by Princess, Setchra grins. “My singing didn’t cut the tree in half,” the mermaid replies in a voice that tickles Princess’ ears. “It was my claws.” Setchra holds her right hand up and stretches her fingers, displaying her long nails.

“Oh…,” Princess humphs.

From the water, the mermaid pats on the log’s rough surface. “Come now, we must go. We aren’t there yet but will be soon.”

Princess bravely puffs her chest up, “I would much rather walk, tinksel,” Princess chirps. “Hiding in a log like a scared rabbit is hardly couwageous.” Princess hesitates, “Must I be on bat log?”

“Unless you would rather live in the ocean with me.”

Princess thinks about it for a moment.

“How would I breathe?”

“You wouldn’t.”

“Without air, I would die.”

Setchera nods.

“Ok then, I’ll get on the log.”

Princess takes Setchra’s helping hand and scampers up the scarred tree, which is as wide as she is tall. Moving toward the trunk’s center, Princess edges along, being careful not to fall in the water. She sits side-saddle, then fidgets her legs to a straddle, resting on the coarse bark. She adjusts her dress while her dangling toe touches the water. Lying flat on her back, she lifts her arms behind her head and locks her fingers underneath it. 

Princess yawns, “I’m very sleepy.”

Setchra flicks her other wrist, revealing a matching set of claws on her left hand. She buries her claws into the log and drags it into the swirling brown water, successfully driving against the current. Princess turns over on her tummy. Scared from the movement, she hugs the prickly bark with both arms.

Using her tail as a rudder, the merwoman sightlessly orients the tip of the bushy pine so that it points downstream. The slow current floats the duo away.

“We’ve but a short time 'til we arrive. Do you want to tell your story?”    

Princess doesn’t answer. Her shallow breathing indicates that she’s fast asleep.

 “Rest child, your guardian has served you well,” Setchra whispers to her and uses a narrow, black claw to tuck Princess’ brown hair behind her ear. 

Setchra faces the log and, with a powerful thrust of her wide tail, lifts her body further out of the water. She folds her arms on the buoyant timber and rests her chin on them. What will become of this child? I know I should let her go, yet, perhaps I could keep her as my own? She considers the option. Oh dear, this is complicated, she sighs. Gently, the mermaid flicks her tail up and down, guiding the log.

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