you're more alert than usual when you arrive on the beach, scanning it for signs of your new friend. at least, you hope you can be friends. she has such an interesting air about her; you've talked to violetbloods here and there, but none of them have ever worked in the castle!

your feet make quick indentations as you run excitedly towards the water, adjusting the scarf she gave you yesterday.

xierra stands on the same rock you saw her jump from a few days before, but instead of leaping into the water, she notches an arrow into a very heavy-looking crossbow.

you stare up at her in awe as she shoots the bow... directly into the water? your awe quickly morphs into confusion. what was she aiming for? was someone swimming in there? does that count as pollution?

you don't have much time to question it before she sets her bow down and dives off the rock right after the arrow to retrieve it.

she scales the rock again, returning to her place holding not just the arrow, but a sizeable fish speared on one of its sides as well. it wriggles wildly in her grasp, so she bonks it on the head with the handle of a curved knife she swiftly takes out of her pocket.

for some reason, the sight of a very tall and scary looking seadweller struggling to knock a fish unconscious is amusing to you, and you find yourself laughing at the scene.

she finally notices you standing on the shore and gives a small wave before beckoning for you to join her.

you hesitate at first--there's a lot of jagged-edged stones in the water between you, and that rock she's sitting on doesn't look very easy to climb. but hey, you'll do it for a friend. acquaintance. whatever.

you wade deeper and deeper into the sea until you're forced to swim, which is something you've done a lot less than you'd like to admit for being part seadweller. might as well blame it on your chronic lethargy like you do everything else.

after a considerable amount of effort, you manage to scale the rock, panting more heavily than any normal troll would. xierra gives you a concerned look, and if her fish weren't unconscious, you'd think it was doing the same thing.

XIERRA: o+) you okay there bud (+o

LVERNA: yeah im fine...

LVERNA: whew...

LVERNA: see... i to\d you i get tired easi\y... :(

blinking exhaustedly, you rest your head on the cool stone. that was such a short swim, too! this is embarrassing.

LVERNA: i might be ab\e to nap right here...

XIERRA: o+) i wont stop you (+o

XIERRA: o+) you look like you need it (+o

LVERNA: no its ok...

LVERNA: we have so much to ta\k about! s\eeping can wait.

XIERRA: o+) you sure (+o

XIERRA: o+) i was huntin anyway i can keep doin that n keep watch while you snooze (+o

as uncomfortable as sleeping on a rock is, you're used to conking out in unconventional places, so you're out faster than that fish was.

LVERNA: ok maybe i wi\\ s\eep a \itt\e bit because i think i am going to pass out right now...

XIERRA: o+) pff aight (+o

you don't sleep for very long, though; it's more of a power nap to get some of your energy back.

saying that makes you feel like a videogame character with a stamina bar. except you're also cursed so it depletes very quickly. like having hunger in minecraft. yeah, this analogy sucks.

you wake up to xierra sitting cross-legged beside you, the same curved knife from earlier in her hand. she uses it to gut the fish she caught, and you see she's started to make a small pile of them. the thought of her bopping them all on the head is still very funny to you. she notices you giggling and pauses, raising a notched eyebrow.