The Reef

13- A familiar face P2

Happy pride month!!!!

Woot Woot🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈!

I'll try and update more frequently now that it's summer but we have plans to go to the river near where I live and float around. Best part of Texas.

Anyway, hope you like!

Chapter start

It took a few minutes to look over Red to make sure he didn't suffer any major physical trauma.

Hearing the last of what that bastard was about to do, Error was pretty sure his friend would have some mental damage from this. If only his tail hadn't snagged on those fucking vines, he would have been there faster! He could have stopped it sooner.

At least he was able to kill every last one of those bastards.

Quickly and as painlessly as possible he cleaned and healed some of the more serious wounds.

"Who were those guys? They seemed to know you." He asked softly as he rewrapped the bandanna around Reds forearm.

Red tensed, shuttering slightly as he held the boys closer. Error quickly tried to say he didn't have to explain, but Red had already begun to speak.

"The Truce is made only for the Breeding grounds. The Reef and Bad lands are a free for fighting and killing. So some colonies hire bodyguards, usually a larger or stronger species to fight off SharkTails and rival FishTails."

Red leaned back into Error with a sigh. Looking up he continued.

"The thing is, some bodyguards take over a colonies by killing who's in charge and since they're usually stronger and bigger, no one can stop it. Especially if it's a large gang. That's what happened to my colony. My father was the one in charge and was killed by these dolphins. That's all I want to say about it."

Error narrowed his eyes at the carnage around them, the blood saturated water was settling but still a bit murky. "I should have made theirs deaths a bit more painful then."

Red shook his head. Simply leaning into the other for a moment longer before reluctantly pulling away and passing the satchel carrying the boys to Error. "We need to find a guard."

"Well you don't have to look far." A voice said out of the blue.

Both mers whipped around, Error wrapping an arm around Red and the boys as they faced a newcomer.

Errors Soul stopped for a moment as he took the other in. A growl held in the back of his throat.

A skeleton had emerged from the vines who looked nearly identical to Ink.

Only a little taller than Error nose to tail wise.

His tail was white with rusty brass colored stripes resembling a zebra. Several ribbon like fins were razed along his back. His pectoral fins which were also multiple long ribbons that flared out like a fan as he took in the area.

His skeleton half was a little unique from what Error had ever seen in another skeleton, especially Ink. Or at least he assumed Ink didn't look like this underneath his clothes, but he never had the opportunity to look.

The other had mostly pure white bones except for the ribs where several rusty black tendril design wrapped around him. His forearms were completely the same color with a white version of the patterns.

His face was the same to Inks, only instead of an ink splatter it was a floral design.

This different appearance was the only reason Error had yet to rip the other apart. He begin already over tense and protective from what just happened.

Inks counterparts glanced over the scattered remains for a moment before staring down the group in the center.

"What. The fuck. Explain this," he gestured to the carnage as he continued, "right now."

Error began to growl, about to report to the counterpart it wasn't his business, but Red grabbed his hand from over his shoulder and answered softly.

"This gang of Odds attacked me. I was on my way for a guard to get clearance for my friend. He saved me from," he paused for a moment, glancing down at the boys before carefully continuing, "being... violated."

The counterpart took in the seen a second time with a hum. He glanced over Reds injured form and Errors protective stance, noting the glare.

"Seems to add up. I'll have someone clean this up and look further into this later." He mumbled with a critical eye before turning to them. "Come with me to the healer, seems like you need it." With that he swam back into the vines.

Red sighed with relief, looking up at Error with a smile. Without hesitation he went after the counterpart, Error quickly following suit.

"What are your names and why is the SharkTail wanting into the Grounds?" The counterpart glanced back to them.

Red hummed. "I'm Red, this is Error and his pups Null and Void. He's my friend and I wanted him to meet my... family. You are?"

The counterpart called back, "Ink, but most call me Quill. I'm a new guard. Came from Farshore."

Red swam a bit closer, minding the others fins. "Farshore? I didn't think anyone lived there after the coral died off."

Quill gazed forward. "There really isn't. No more living coral means no more fish to catch. But an abundance of clams and sea urchins began to grow. So Lionfish, like myself, and others like Puffers and Parrotfish made it an easy food source."

Error watched from the sidelines as they continued to chitchat. His tension hadn't fully gone away, but it did decrease a bit.

It didn't take long for them to reach what Error assumed to be the end of the vine forest.

He could hear voices, several happy conversations and laughter calling a few feet ahead of them, muffled previously by Red and Quill.

The beating of Souls nearly overwhelmed him.

The two ahead of him paused just past the exit of the vines.

Error slipped by Red, eyes wide as he took in the Grounds. Null and Void wiggled to get a good view, oohing and awing at the bright beautiful lights below.

The Grounds were a large gorge, nearly a half a mile wide and about a quarter deep. It stretched both ways towards and past the horizon. Thick luminous corals covered the walls, inclosing visible caverns or holding nest of seaweed. Groups of different types of mers were swimming around or talking.

Red pressed against his shoulder. Smiling happily he turned to Error.

"Welcome to the Breeding Grounds!"