CLAM

Clam's mind was racing, water tugging playfully at her wings as she stared at the spot her sister just was. Should I go after her? she thought, her talons pushing through the water. Clam immediately shut this thought down as she realised how stupid it would be. At least Mist could control the ocean, despite Clam being a stronger swimmer then Mist she would still look like a giant flailing whale if she got stuck in the current.

She scanned her mind furiously for any idea of a solution, when her Mother, Auklet, popped into her head. Auklet would always listen to Clam no matter what, she didn't really have any other choice. Her powerful tail thrashed behind her propelling her through the water, faster then most SeaWings could. Clam had always been jealous of Mist through her childhood. It was always 'Mist is so smart, be more like Mist' or 'Mist is way more likely to be queen' So Clam had learnt to control the dragons and decided early on that she would become the strongest, bravest, fastest SeaWing. So far she thought, it was going pretty well. 

Islands past by one after the other as she swam towards the deep palace. She was on autopilot for most of the swim, letting the thought of her sister carry her closer and close to the palace. Although she and her sister were very different, they did have one thing in common. The entire palace was terrified of their own princesses. Wherever the heirs swam dragons backed away and hid from them. At first Clam was oblivious to it until she grew older. Her best friend Dolphin had stopped hanging out with Clam and she was never invited to any hatching day parties. Neither was Mist.

Clam kept powering through the water, she banked left tilting her wings to catch a current and spiraled down into the crevice that had appeared below her talons. She shot down at full speed her tail lashing, and wings tucked close behind. Bubbles swarmed behind her and fish swam frantically swam out of her way as she gnashed her teeth at them. She saw SeaWings swimming between the palaces carrying baskets of food and shells between each other, flashing their luminescent scales. Clam saw her Mother standing outside the palaces extending spires with the advanced guard surrounding her. Clam rolled her eyes; her Mother didn't need protection. 

She swam down beating her wings. Dragons flew out of her way flashing things like 'That princess...' 'When will she be taught not to -...' 'Queen Auklet really should make-' Clam snapped her jaws at the crowd of dragons and laughed quietly to herself. She focused on the surrounding dragons and closed her eyes slowly 'Callllmmmm' she hummed in her mind. She abruptly opened her eyes and saw the dragons approaching her slowly asking her things about where she had been and where Mist was.

Mother She flashed to the dragons below her. She edged forward as the dragons made a path for her. Clam slowly sped up as she saw her Mother's welcoming grin. She was only four years old and her Mother was the one of the only ones that didn't treat her like a monster. She barreled into her Mothers wings and let herself be wrapped up for a minute. Until she had to peel herself away and explain everything. 

'Mist got swept away in a current. She couldn't control the water and I couldn't fight it.' Her Mothers face fell as she processed what Clam had said. 'Mother be worried enough to go get her yourself' Clam thought locking her eyes on her Mothers. Auklets green scaled furrowed and she flicked her tail nervously.

Commander Ocean twirled her finger in a clockwise direction and her majesties guards started to swim towards the opening. Stop Auklet commanded, I'll go. 

The guards turned and blinked at their queen. But – One of the guards flashed. Clams gills flared open. No she flashed. With that she grabbed onto Clam and swam higher and higher out of the cavern.

Clam caught a current and realised that Auklet had banked up and was swimming a flying, leaping out of the water like a seal. Clam powered on. It had taken her long enough to swim to the deep palace. 

Where was Mist?

She leapt out of the water and took a look behind her. Her Mother was nowhere to be seen. Cleary Clam was a stronger swimmer. She beat her wings harder and harder soaring over the water. Dolphins leapt under her begging for some attention. Clam looked down in the water and saw long green tendrils of seaweed drifting up towards the sunlit surface. Colourful reef fish dotted the coral. She took a long deep breath of salty fresh air. This time of day was good. The sun was high in the sky, casting a warm light that thawed out her bones. She desperately wanted to stop and have a break from flying but she though of poor Mist stuck in the current. She was a good swimmer but not as good as Clam. But even she couldn't get out of the current. Clam faltered in the air for a moment, numbness what spreading through her wings rapidly. She had no idea how long she had swam before, but doing that twice with little break, she wasn't even fully grown yet. She could see the island in the distance but it still seemed so far away. She gritted her teeth her shoulder muscles rippling. 

She dove back into the water letting her wings have a break. Her tail whipped and splashed at the surface of the water shooting her faster and faster until finally she dragged herself onto the shore. She lay there panting slightly, but quickly got up. She needed to find Mist. She waited for her Mother, silently pacing along the sand. Crabs got launched out of the sand as her tail stirred up the sand, they orientated themselves and stepped towards her with their claws clapping, they took one look at clam and hustled back into hiding. 

Finally Auklet pulled herself onto the shore and stood regally her eyes scanning. 'Searchhh' her mind whispered. Auklets face changed and she suddenly snapped back into reality. "Clam you search the water, I'll search on land" Clam was about to argue until she realised it wouldn't be worth it.

"Yes Mother"With that Auklet stormed away from the ocean leaving Clam on the beach, waves lapping softly at her talons. She watched the sun slowly drift lower and lower into the sky. The three full moons started to rise, the sky staining a weird orangey red. The waves started to get more aggressive. There was no point in trying to find Mist in the water, the current had been to strong. 

I wish she would send some signal 

Just as she was about to step into the crashing waves, as if by willpower the water dragged out. A swirling spout of water curled up from beneath the water about 5 miles out. She knew where Mist was.

Clam dove into the everchanging water. A new energy shooting like lightning from her veins and she rocketed through the water until she found a still SeaWing drifting at the top of the water.

"MIST!" she yelled

Mist jolted awake suddenly her talons twitching. "What took you so long?" she yawned.

"Oh not much, I mean you got swept out and I thought the world would be better without you in it. Turns out its really boring. So I figured you know what, I should probably go get her." Clam teased.

Mist responded by splashing down her tail. A tidal wave covered Clam and she came up spluttering.

"All jokes aside though," she said finally, "Are you okay? Where were you? What happened?"

Questions flooded out of her like a riptide. Mist looked away from Clam her eyes calculating. After a few moments of silence, she responded in a upbeat voice, "Yea I'm totally fine," she smiled, a fake smile, "I just got drifted out a little bit and didn't have the energy to swim back. Figured you'd find me eventually." 

"That's good" Clam said, a note of suspicion in her voice.

Mist responded with a nod, throughout that explanation she hadn't met Clams eyes once. 

Something else happened that Mist wasn't letting on. Clam would not let this go, she had to know.

What was Mist hiding?

(@MiLLy_22000088 )