DEPTHSTRIDERS CLAN: SISTERS 2

The sisters for the second time during their travels have felt at peace with themselves and with each other. It helped that they were surrounded by Haedians who wanted to do nothing but play games. Several times groups of Haedians tried to lure the three sisters into a game, but it was like pulling teeth. The three empyrians weren’t very comfortable in the water yet. 

“We’re going to race!” One Haedian shouted from a large gap in the wall.

The three sisters approached, more curious than anything, but they didn’t expect to be pulled into the event. They stayed near the back of the massive gathering of Haedians, eager to watch. However, Ornaax had other plans as he watched the sisters observe his clan’s Haedians. He took over explaining the rules and issued a challenge the sisters couldn’t refuse. Their competitive spirits wouldn’t let them back down from the insinuation that they couldn’t swim.

They growled collectively at the leader, but all the Haedians around them smiled because they were used to their leader’s tactic to get reoseans involved in his games. The clan’s Haedians turned back to their leader to listen to the rest of the rules. It was simple, whoever makes it to the end quickest, wins. The gathering of tyrians hollered and whooped as they expressed their excitement. Ornaax asked everyone to gather at the start, anticipation cracked through the air as everyone waited for the ‘Go’.

Ornaax raised his front limbs and spread his wings. He counted down until he finally yelled, “Go!”

The Haedians around the sisters took off with ease. However, the three empyrians with their long awkward limbs made it obvious they wouldn’t be real competitors in this race. Cheiro sank her body to the bottom of the tunnel, with her extra limbs she pulled her body through the water rather than swim like the others. Kaimana and Furor each had their own methods of swimming. Kaimana swam as if she were a snake, keeping her arms near her body, and slithered through the water. While Furor dove as if she were a dolphin, and if there was enough space she would glide briefly through the air like a flying fish.

The three sisters felt their limbs burn as they struggled through the maze of underwater tunnels. There were few paths that the empyrians could fit through compared to the Haedians racing around them. At one point, Cheiro underestimated the gap ahead of her and she ended up going backwards to find a new path. 

“Don’t go that way,” Cheiro called to her sisters as they tried to pass her. 

“You’re just trying to slow us down,” Furor growled as she dove past Cheiro. 

“No, it’s a tight squeeze,” Cheiro tried again, but this time she followed after her youngest sibling, with Kaimana unsure what to do. 

Kiamana glanced at her two siblings getting further away from her but decided they could take care of themselves. So she went along another path. She didn’t come across any tight squeezes like Cheiro experienced, instead, she came to a completely underwater area. The tunnel she needed to travel through Kaimana could see just under the surface. She took a deep breath, submerged herself, and then she pushed through the tunnel. She moved as quickly as she could, hoping her breath hold would be enough. 

Cheir and Furor were at the crevice in the wall that Cheiro couldn’t fit through. Furor’s competitive nature, especially against her sister, urged her to try to squeeze through. 

“Furor, please, don’t try this,” Cheiro held her sister’s arm. 

“Cheiro, I’m smaller, I will fit.” Furor growled as she yanked her arm out of Cheiro’s grasp. 

Cheiro watched anxiously as Furor slipped through the crevice. Cheiro called through the crack to make sure Furor was alright but didn’t hear a response. Furor could barely breathe as she shimmied through the crack. She heard her sister’s call, but couldn’t get a big enough breath to reply so she focused on getting through the space. It was a few more seconds before Furor was freed from the confined space. She took a deep breath and called to Cheiro. 

Furor didn’t wait for a response before she took off further into the watery path. She watched the Haedians slip through coral and weave through rocks. She did her best to follow their example and path, but she was clumsy. 

Cheiro had started to head back towards the fork in the path after she heard Furor made it through. With only one other path to take, Cheiro sped along the tunnel walls as she used her limbs to crawl quickly. She came to the underwater tunnel and took a deep breath before continuing through the dark space. 

Kaimana made it to the end of the submerged tunnel, but barely. She raced to the surface to take deep gasping breaths. She clung to the rock wall trying to catch her breath before she continued. Haedians that passed her paused briefly to make sure she was alright, but nobody actually spoke to her. 

“Are you okay?” Cheiro asked when she broke through the surface. 

Kaimana coughed, “Oh yeah, just peachy.”

Cheiro chuckled. Kaimana took a few more deep breaths before she let go of the wall and was surprised by the current she felt pushing her body. Cheiro moved forward and the sisters shared a look of surprise. They flipped onto their back and let the current take them as far as it could. It was only for a minute or so before they felt the current die. 

“That’s cheating,” Furor growled when she spotted her sisters being carried by the current. 

Cheiro and Kaimana laughed at their younger sister’s frustration, but they didn’t bother to entertain her frustrated comments. The three sisters continued through the race as best they could, but it was taking a toll on them all. Their arms and bodies weren’t used to being used to swim so they had to stop several times to catch their breaths. 

[1005]