** Nora is a mermaid, Sorrow is a pirate. This is what happens when you come up with AUs when drinking**
It wasn't often that Nora left the comfort of the rocking waves of the ocean and ventured inland. There was something nurturing and safe about the depths and darkness of open sea that the shallow rivers and lakes lacked. She felt vulnerable, with no where to run if danger should appear. She would gladly spend her life amidst the squids and whales miles below the sky if she could.
Some days, though, it was tasked on her to gather materials that could only be obtained on land. On those days she would wait until the last moment, before the tide would impede her access to land, to leave the safety of her ocean home. After dallying on her swim to the coast, she would unhappily take the narrow inlet that led to the heart of the island.
As she swam the sand muddled waters, the salt her skin and gills were accustomed to began to disappear, and breathing became difficult. She could taste the mud and dirt that was dredged up from the river floor as her tail inevitably hit it, and soon she would find herself nearly choking on the thickness of the water.
When she thought she could stand it no longer, she would be at her destination. The river would open up to a clear lake, with fresh water flowing from a waterfall mixing with the dilute ocean water.
That was where Nora was now. It was much later in the day than most of her brethren would have dared travel inland, but Nora had wasted much time on her way, delaying the act as long as possible. With a final breath under the surface, she rose up into the air.
It was always a shock to go from the warm comfort of the water to the stark emptiness of sky. She struggled to gulp down air and fill her lungs, which until now had rested, unused, since her last trip to the island. Her body burned as the foreign substance filled her, bringing oxygen to her brain in an unfamiliar way. She struggled with the urge to dive back into the inviting water, eyes watering from the strain.
The moment passed and soon she was breathing steadily, and her eyes began to adjust to the brightness of the world around her. The jungle encroached to the edge of the lake, its trees casting stark shadows upon the still surface. Her eyes rose to the sky, a sight that never failed to leave her unnerved. Today was no different, as in the distance a sheet of dark clouds was massing. As she squinted her eyes to study it she saw the flash of lightening illuminate the darkness, and the distant crash of thunder caused her to shudder. She would have to be quick, or she would be stuck at the island until the storm passed.
With a graceful flick of her muscled tail, Nora swam to the bank of the lake. She moved through the water with ease, red hair trailing behind her like a fan. The breeze felt odd on her skin, a chill breath that caused goose bumps to form on her despite the tepid environment. She preferred the warm kiss of the waves over the cool air.
When she reached the muddy banks of the lake she began to search the overgrown plants for what she needed. It was difficult to locate the small flowers amidst the tangle of weeds and shrubs, but with deft hands and concentration she was able to start plucking the flowers from the ground and placing them in her bag. Gathering enough of the plant that would be made into medicine would be time consuming – Nora would be treading water by the banks for quite some time.
As she set about her task she hummed to herself, trying to keep her mind off the fast approaching storm and her discomfort away from the sea.
Home 
