Our Found Family

Amity and Wolfie

Amity was a mermaid living in a deep freshwater lake in a forest that was home to many species of animals. All the different species co-existed, but never mixed unless out of the need for survival. This meant that for animals who didn't fit the 'norm' for their respective species didn't have anywhere else to go.

"Amity? Amity where are you?" Amity's sister Luna called out, ready with the rest of their gossip to go on the morning hunt.

When Luna found Amity mer was in the corner of mers room, flapping mers tail up and down as Amity chewed on mers favourite shell.
"Amity! You should know by now that it's undignified to wave your tail around like that!" Luna declared. Amity flinched at Luna's loud voice and  put mers hands over mers ears and curled up into a ball with mers tail surrounding mers body. Amity began to softly whimper as Luna swam towards her little sister. Luna put her hand on Amity's blue, scaly tail. Amity, who wanted nothing more than to disappear, curled up tighter and began to tremble. Trying to think how to calm her sister down Luna saw only one option
"Amity" she whispered. Amity, welcoming the quiet tone her sister had switched to, began to uncurl mers tail and gazed up at mers sister. Luna was holding Amity's shell, which she must have dropped after Luna barged in.
"Here Amity, you can have this to calm down" Luna said, still in a whisper.
"You have ten minutes before we have to go, please make sure you aren't wearing that horrendous shirt when you come to meet us you know how much father hates it." Luna continued, and although she was still whispering Amity thought that Luna's tone had grown harsher.

After seven minutes of chewing on mers favourite shell and flapping mers hands and tail in joy mer realised that mer had to change into something more appropriate. Amity was wearing a white T-shirt that had a picture of the bones of a small fish on it. The shirt was a bit big on Amity, going just down mers waist. The sleeves and collar of the shirt were also quite slack and meant that the fabric of the shirt didn't feel too tight on Amity's skin, which mer especially hated. Amity started looking through mers collection of clothing trying to find something more 'appropriate' and decided to wear a short dress with on it. The dress started off a vibrant pink and as the dress got closer to where Amity's tail it became an azure blue, matching mers tail. Amity got the dress for mers thirteenth birthday but didn't like to wear it often (or anything that Amity got from mers family) as it always felt too tight on Amity's skin and the fabric felt wrong somehow. However, Amity felt that wearing it would make mers father happy which was good. After Amity took off mers favourite shirt and put on what mer was expected to wear Amity began to swim to where mers gossip were waiting. Amity hadn't fully recovered from mers breakdown but Amity had gotten good at hiding that side of mer and could appear 'normal' if mer tried.

Amity could see everyone waiting for mer at the arranged spot, looking less than happy at Amity's late arrival
"Amity, what time to do you think this is?" Amity's father questioned, his harsh tone shocking Amity as his voice rumbled through the water and into Amity's ears.
"I'm-" Amity started to say, but felt as though there was something lodged in mers throat, making it hard to speak.
"I'm sorry father, I forgot we were due to head out for today and I got carried away." Amity sheepishly told mers father.
"Alright fine, but you need to be more organised in the future Amity. Now let's head out for the hunt" Amity's father ordered, and with that all the mermaids involved began swimming out of their village and into the open lake.

Amity was struggling to keep up with everyone else as mer wasn't fully recovered from mers episode from before. Luna noticed Amity's sluggishness and slowed down, wondering what was wrong.
"Hey Amity, what's wrong?" Luna asked Amity in a hushed tone.
"I-I feel...tired" Amity forced out.
"Okay then, you wait here and I'll swim ahead to tell father you won't be joining us today. I'll take you back home and then you can rest, how does that sound?" Luna asked her sister, who looked happy to see her sister's concern.
"Thanks Luna, but I can get myself home. It isn't that far right?" Amity responded, mers voice strained and tired. Luna simply nodded and swam away, leaving Amity alone.