The further they got into the ocean, the blacker the water got.
He’d… noticed it, when they traveled over the ocean to Zolkanis. It was a far cry different though, from being on a ship, so close to the water he could taste the salt on his breath. He peered over the railing, swiping his tongue over his tusks. Beside him, gliding along on the crisp, strangely warm winds, Momi chirped a soothing word.

Below, the water turned black as night more than a few feet down. The foam and spray that came off the water were grey, and smelled of sulfur and nitrates. Of phosphorus and acid. He flicked his ears, gripped the grainy wood of the ship. Who used wooden ships in this day and age? They were rickety. They had metal ships and technology and--

Tusks hooked into his frill and tugged, a low growl pressed against his spine as the scent of roses, amber, and bergamot coiled thick and powerful around him. Momi squealed and alighted on the railing to press herself against the newcomer.

“You’re going to worry yourself sick at this rate.” Ruairí’s voice rumbled against his back, and slowly, Ealhhere took his paws off the rail and settled back onto the deck, turning to press himself into his mate’s chest. “Gold piece for your thoughts?”

He shook his head, tucking himself further into Ruairí’s chest. “Just… too much water.”
He was a strong swimmer. That was proven by the battle against Danuoc. He could go hours, if necessary, with cubs on his back. He was a strong swimmer.

But it had been… difficult for him to step into the water again since then. Momi fluffed her fur, shook herself, and crawled up onto Ruairí’s shoulders to drape herself there like a scarf. Taking her own comfort, he guessed. Ruairí’s voice rumbled into his ear. “I did tell you there would be water.”

Ealhhere flattened his ears at that and extracted himself from Ruairí’s chest with a huff. Around them, ketucari in various shapes and forms, and a number of bipeds, milled around, helping move things around the deck. “She didn’t say there’d be an old rickety ship.” he countered, pulling himself to all fours. “Where’s that purple guy?”

“Firefly’s up in the crow’s nest, as far from the ocean as he can get.” Ruairí answered, allowing him to step away, and lifting a slender paw to rasp his tongue over the back. “I would say he’s even less fond of the water than you are.”

“I like water.” Ealhhere growled, peering over the edge again. “...Just… in smaller amounts. And when I can see what’s under… me…?” he blinked, staring.

There, casually swimming through the wake, ducking and weaving while On Its Back through the waves, propelled by a powerful tail, was a bright orange… cat? otter? With a face full of whiskers and bioluminescent lures. It met his gaze and with a flash of red, Momi screeched, launched herself from Ruairí’s shoulders, and dove down to flit and flutter around above the creature, delight on every line of the vanttor’s face as she mimicked the creature’s movements in the water through the air.

…Were they… friends? He lifted his paws onto the railing again, and this time Ruairí joined him in looking, blinking his blue eyes curiously. “Has she ever acted like that before?”

Ealhhere shook his head, “Not since you delivered her to me.” And yet there she was, ducking and weaving and a choreographed dance of sea and sky with the (marginally) larger felid shape. If he didn’t know better, Ealhhere would’ve called it a courtship dance, but… no.
It was like greeting an old friend, the way she’d greeted him. They must be friends. But… how?
…The same way he and Momi were?
Something soul deep? “Think we can get in the water?”

“I think, my dear, that if you tried, Kartha would kill you.” Ruairí rasped his tusks through his mane. Paused. Spat out a mouthful of thorns.

“Nah, if she killed me, you’d sue the Guild.” Ealhhere laughed. “And you have the ear of those lawyer folks. I want a closer look at that thing.” In a fluid motion, he was up on the railing, peering down over the side of the ship. Someone shouted behind him, but it wasn’t loud enough to be Kartha.

“Do you have anything resembling a plan to get back up here?” Ruairí purred his amusement. “Or should I follow and make use of my magic?”

Ealhhere pondered this, hummed. Flicked his tail once to readjust his weight. Down below, Momi and the strange creature kept perfect pace with the ship. The creature leaped from the water, dove back down, surged through the wake. Something deep in Ealhhere’s bones Sang. A Certainty. “...You should come with.” he said. The same Singing feeling he’d experienced when Ruairí had returned from Zolkanis with the crimson furred vanttor. Without further explanation, or waiting for another word, he launched himself from the railing into the black water.