Meadow

Saltwater dries on her skin in thick flakes, clinging to her chest and spine as she languishes in the warm summer sun, the sweet smell of dandelions fresh on the breeze. She rolls in the grass, plucking a few of the yellow flowers between her teeth and chewing them slowly, savoring the flavor before gulping them down. After the long swim to the islands, her muscles are sore and her stomach rumbling; she appeases it by taking another bite, her eyes closing at the burst of rich flavors on her tongue. ”Mmmm,” she groans with satisfaction, thankful for the land beneath her after what seemed like years in the water, paddling relentlessly for dry land.

What had prompted her to get in the water to begin with? Well, who the hell knows?

Not her, that’s for sure.

Well, maybe a little. Her brother didn’t think she’d make it past the break. Well, joke’s on him, right? She’d made it farther. But how to get home? Now that’s a mystery she doesn’t plan on solving right now. Not if it involves swimming any longer. She huffs, the blades of grass tickling her nose. She bites them off and rocks to her feet, shaking her coat out, salt raining down to the ground like snow. ”Where am I, anyways,” she muses, taking a few steps forward, her muscles screaming all the way. Her tail flicks lazily against her hind legs, more salt falling to the ground with each twitch.

Might as well explore since she’s here, right? Or at least find a safe place to sleep for the night. Tomorrow she can think about home. Or not, maybe she’d just stay here, eh?