Did you catch Monday's feature of Mikiesboy's story, N'than? I hope you shared your thoughts on the story there if you've already read it. If you haven't, maybe this excerpt will tempt you into giving it a chance! 

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“Breathe … come on.” Qavrind pushed on the slim body. “Come on.”

Finally, the still form sputtered. “Quickly, onto your side; breathe.” Once over, water flowed from the lungs of the young Hydorcivis.

With his cheek on the fine white sand, N’than sucked in air. He heaved and coughed for several minutes. The hand that rested on his hip was calming. Slowly, he turned over. His eyes widened and he rolled away in fear. “Stay away!”

Qavrind blinked but did not move. He smiled. “I have come far, saved you and you treat me thus. Am I so ugly, you fear me?”

N’than brushed the sand from his cheek and chest. His face burnt with shame. “I am sorry. What are you?”

“A cousin, of sorts. You are a Hydorcivis, we thought you were all dead.” Qavirind’s green and golden flecked eyes were kind. “You were once as we, but you left the water behind.”

“Yes, our people did, but we didn’t go far. We always lived near the Mother.” N’than stared at his rescuer. He does somewhat look like me, though his skin is … they appear to be scales but softer. He shines in the sun. “I am N’than.”

“Qavrind.”

“Thank you.” N’than closed his eyes. “You saved me, and I owe you.”

“Why were you chained there?”

“I was in someone’s way.”

“Someone? Are you safe now?” Qavrind peered up at the sun.

“He will hunt me when he does not find my body.”

“Then you must come with me. This … earther … will never find our home.” Qavrind rose to his feet. “You will be safe and you can stay as long as you wish to.”

N’than tried to stand but found he was too weak. Qavrind was beside him. “Come.” He slipped an arm around the young man.

“No, I cannot breathe in the water as you can. I only know the earth.”

“We do not live fulltime in the water. And there are things which will allow you to breath as we travel.”

“Truly? You would take me in?”

“Yes. But I cannot tarry here much longer. The air is too dry and the sun’s light will leave us soon. So, decide.”

All was silent for the moment, but for some bird song and the lapping of the lake.

N’than nodded. “Yes, thank you. I will come.”

Qavrind nodded. “Take off your vestments for you cannot swim in them.”

The slim young man pulled off his shirt and then hesitated.

“Those also. Remove them.” Qavrind grinned. “I am male, what you have is nothing new to me.”

N’than’s glance slipped down the toned and un-clothed body and then back up to the smiling eyes.

“I promise I have one, but it is stored within us. Having dangling bits is a temptation to many fish. Some with big teeth!”

As his new companion’s eyes widened, Qavrind laughed. “Wait, I will simply cut most of them away. So your legs are free.” He took a shell knife from his leg sheath, knelt and cut away N’than’s trousers at the tops of his thighs. “There. Come. It is a bit of a swim to home.”

N’than rolled his thin shirt and tucked it in the waist of his now-short pants.

Qavrind took N’than’s hand. “Come. Don’t fear. I will watch after you.”

“I … I am afraid.”

“Don’t be.” Qavrind pulled N’than close and held him. He whispered and kissed the young man’s ear. “I will let nothing happen to you. You are far too beautiful for these earthers. The one who hurt you … if he tried again, I would feed him to the sharks, slowly.”

N’than peered up into Qavrind’s eyes.

 

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