The Reef

6-What we are

Chapter start

"How did this happen?" Error said softly, breaking the silence.

The boys had just fallen asleep, curled up together on the sponge, as Error got to work healing Reds tail.

Red was laid out on his stomach as Error gently, working with a broken shell and thread, began to carefully stitching the wounds.

When the other spoke Red sighed, pain flashing in his eyes as the makeshift needle threaded into his flesh. "I... was afraid you'd ask that..." he murmured, head bowing slightly. Error razed a brow at this. "If you don't want to say, then don't. I won't pressure you."

Red looked over his shoulders at him with a grateful gaze. "Thanks... I just..." he sighed. "I lost someone I... cared for.... to the ones that attacked me... that's all I want to say about it." His eyelights darkened.

Error nodded. He knew all to well of anger, pain and revenge. What to much of it can do to the mind. Fear has that same effect. Dragging people into its inescapable darkness and delusion.

As he finished up the wound he was working on, a question popped into his head. It was to Reds fear. His reactions to Error.

"What were you so scared of me when we first met?" Error asked, breaking a soft silence.

Red turned his head and gave a look to Error along the lines of Are you serious and Why would you ask that.

"You're a, ya know..." Red sloppily gestured to him from the angle he was in. Error razed a brow, confused as ever. "A what?"

Red just stared at him, making Error rather nervous. "Ha...have you been living under a rock this whole time? You really don't know what you are?"

Error tensed at this. He honestly didn't know. He didn't know anything on this world.

But Red does! He's a local.

Error decided to put it as simple and as blunt as possible."I'll be honest. Me and my boys are new to this... situation. Let's just say I know nothing about our kind. So please explain."

Red sighed, shifting as the needle poked at a bruised spot. "Well... ok. I guess I'll explain if you really don't know."

"For starters, there are four kinds of mer. FishTail mers, SharkTail mers, WhaleLords, and Odd. FishTails are the kind I'm under. There is a large variety, meaning a lot of different species. We're usually flashy and colorful and live in large groups of our same or similar species. I am a Flame Angelfish mer. But there are different kinds of angelfish mers out there. Like Sun angels or calico."

Error glanced over the shimmering vermilion scales of Reds tail. Taking note of that he nodded Red on.

"SharkTail mers are what you and your boys fall under." Errors eyes widened slightly. "Your kind don't have many species. But what you lack in diversity, you gain in reputation. SharkTails are feared through out the reef because they take after sharks. A few species are know to eat mer like me. That's the reason why I freaked out on you. I thought you were going to eat me or something." Red blushed slightly in guilt and embarrassment. "But it's obvious now why you didn't or won't."

Error razed a brow as he finished up the final wound. "Why?"

Red again gestured to Errors tale. "You're a Nurse Shark mer. One of the most gentle and calm species out there. Your pups, their not tho. I... I think their Zebra Sharks? Another nice species. So I'm not surprised you cross bred with a mate or adopted them. Your two species are know for that kind of stuff."