The Ugly Duckling Of The Tiger Tribe-Chapter 295: Don’t copy me

After the inspection, we found our way to the shore of the sea. And I’m telling you, this sun was beating down with vengeance, and I was currently recalculating my life choices.

I leaned back on my elbows, squinting at the sparkling horizon.

We were here to check for signs of the sea people who had not made their appearance ever since the incident, and since we found nothing, we decided to relax. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

But is it relaxing if I have to suffer and become a shade-grown beet?

"I would literally trade a small kingdom for a pair of oversized sunglasses right now," I muttered to the guys. "And maybe some SPF 50 and a cold glass of lemonade. If that’s too much to ask, can I at least have ice cream?"

I lay back defeated. I knew I wasn’t getting any of those now matter how hard I wished for them.

"A what?" Fenric asked, sounding confused as usual by my Earth-slang.

"Never mind. Just... It’s hot."

We moved to the meager shade of some coastal trees and watched the waves lazily roll in.

Suddenly, I saw a flash of something break through the water’s surface. I blinked, bolting upright and it was still there. "Wait... I just saw something—"

I pointed, but by the time Noah and Fenric turned their heads, the water was as flat and blue as a piece of glass.

What the...? I definitely saw something.

Or was it the heat getting to me?

"Maybe the tide rolled in a seashell, Little Tiger," Noah said, patting my hand.

"You think?"

I definitely saw something though.

Noah stood up, dusting the sand from his skirt, and said, "I have to get back to work now, unfortunately. I need to check the southern gate." He dropped Phina in my embrace and I nodded.

"Don’t work too hard, okay?" I said and he smiled, leaning down to kiss my forehead.

"Yeah."

"I think I saw some tracks back there that didn’t look like sheep or wolves," Fenric said, getting up to his feet as well and dumping Raiden on me. "I’ll catch something fresh for lunch while I’m at it." He kissed my forehead, just as Noah had done, and Noah scowled at him.

"Don’t copy me."

"What? You think you’re the only one who gets to do it?" They both butt heads with small lightening streaks flashing across their eyes.

Back to their usual habits, I see.

Damar stood up as well. He was on his legs, his pretty pale legs, and steadied himself.

"I will go too." He said and bent down, but he didn’t kiss my forehead; he went for my lips with a light peck, catching the attention of the other two.

It was going to cause a commotion, but before it did, I waved them off.

"Fine, fine," I said, settling back into the sand with the cubs. "Go be hunters. I’ll just stay here and protect the coconut trees. They look like they need a guard."

They chuckled and headed off, leaving me alone with the three little terrors. The cubs were currently occupied trying to dig a hole to the center of the earth, so I closed my eyes, letting the sound of the ocean wash over me.

But then... Splash.

The sound was too heavy for a small wave, so I opened one eye, then the other in an instant.

What in the...? Am I still seeing things because of the heat?

Emerging from the surf was a man. And when I say ’man,’ I mean a Masterpiece. He was tanned, his skin glistening with seawater that tracked down muscles that looked like they’d been sculpted by a god who had a lot of free time.

His hair was that same translucent purple as the merman I remembered seeing in the alcove, flowing down his back like silk. But this guy... He wasn’t a merman. He didn’t have any tail, so how did they look so similar?

And, oh—he was very, very naked.

I sat up slowly and watched him as he walked on his two functional legs.

I realized they didn’t just look similar they were in fact the same people or beasts or fish or whatever.

But, how did a fish-out-of-water with a tail that could’ve flipped a boat get two functional legs?

I remembered Robin saying there were tales that they could walk on land but it had never been seen before.

Until now, that is.

He was walking toward me like he owned the beach. Maybe he did.

And maybe I was the intruder he had come to chase off.

But that godlike smile on his lips didn’t look like someone who was trying to chase out an intruder.

He stopped just a few paces away, the sun positioned perfectly behind his head so he seemed to be glowing. He looked down at me with his bright, blindingly beautiful smile stretching across his lips.

"Land-Mother," he said. His voice was like a deep cello, vibrating right through my chest. "I have come to repay the debt of the deep."

I stared at him. I looked at his eyes, then his hair, then down his very naked torso, then at his feet, then back up to that smile. My brain was currently 404-Error-Not-Found.

"What?" I finally managed to squeak out.

It made absolutely no sense. None. One minute, he’s a poisoned merman, the next, he’s a Greek god standing in my personal space without a stitch of clothing.

Even Phina and Lyra were staring. Gosh, my babies, let me cover their eyes first.

They were too young for this.

"Who... how... Where did you get those legs from?" That was a dumb question, I know.

The merman—or whatever he was now—chuckled, a sound so smooth it should have been illegal. "The sea has many secrets, Arinya. But today, I am simply a man who owes you a life."

I blinked. "Okay, first of all, ’simply a man’ usually involves pants. Second, how do you even know my name?"

Was this guy a stalker?

Yes, yes, he was.

Only a stalker would peep out of the water a few times and wait for you to be alone before approaching you.

He was a damn fishy stalker.