It was calling him. He couldn't deny it. It was drawing him like a magnet towards the surface. Minseok looked over at the sleeping Yixing and made his move. His body rippled through the water without making a sound or wake as he ascended to the surface in search of what he wanted.

There was something out there, something he was supposed to find, was it their lost brothers? Or was it something else? Whatever it was he was powerless to stop it as he moved through the water at the surface, the moonlight rippling on his scales, his fins guiding him on his path across the surface. He swam for what felt like hours, he didn't know where he was going, all he knew was that he had to keep moving in the direction of the waning moon overhead.

Fear never entered his mind although it should have. As he drew closer and closer to the peninsula in the distance he saw a flash of something next to him.

Dolphin? No – they didn't shimmer and sparkle like that. They were smooth and matte and swam with a calm gentleness.

Shark? No – Minseok knew a shark would have just taken a fin already. A hungry shark was to be feared but also had no delay of gratification. Yixing had taught him that a shark attack would be over before he even knew it happened, they were rare but it was still a risk, but Minseok knew this was something else.

A flash of bright reflective black sped past him in the water and was followed by two more. Minseok grew cold from fear, something told him to be very wary, and that intuition proved to be right. He was grabbed by cold claws, the creature turning him around to face him, and when they were eye to eye he knew. The red glow from his tail and the beauty in his warped features were unmistakeable. "Brother." Minseok whispered through the water and got a savage response. "You are not my brother."

The creature bared its teeth and two more approached. Their scales were black and slick like oil. Their eyes were red and they bore dark fangs and dark claws and Minseok could feel their dark hearts beating inside their chests. "I know you. I am your brother." He looked towards the tall one with the fine features. "Junmyeon needs you. He relied on you." He got a cold glare in return. "You." He turned to the one with the blue glow in his fins. "They all miss their baby. They want you to come home." Not a glimmer of acknowledgement or understanding crossed the creature's face. "And you. Sehun misses you. He blames himself and waits every day for you to come home. He hasn't given up hope." 

He swore he saw a flicker of pain cross the creature's beautiful face and he used the momentary distraction to get away. His arm slipped from its grasp, sharp claws raking down his soft white skin, the wound opening up immediately. Minseok moved quick but his pursuer moved quicker and he flicked his tail frantically as he moved faster through the water away from the dark creatures that should have called him brother.

His stamina was decreasing fast. He was tired, his arm ached and bled, his gills working overtime to fuel his body as it moved. He couldn't help but slow as he got more and more tired. Junmyeon was right. He never should have ventured out alone and now he was going to die here alone at the hands of those who had been twisted from his kin into something from a nightmare.

He felt sharp claws gash into his back as the one that used to be Luhan tried to grab him but he slipped from his grasp. A dark shadow suddenly loomed overhead and his pursuers seemed to back off. Minseok slowed and recovered a little of his strength and wondered what made them disappear so quickly. 

He felt dizzy and faint, the blood pouring from his wounds into the ocean would attract a shark for sure, and he couldn't see anywhere to head for safety. He turned and flicked his tail in the direction of the moon, the only guide he could rely on, and was suddenly pulled up into a tangle. Minseok had no idea the net surrounded him until it was too late. His arms were trapped, his body surrounded, and his tail trapped. He flailed and flipped around and felt his body moving and as he was lifted from the water exhaustion and blood loss overcame him and he passed out into a world of black.

Jongdae had been shaken from his half awake musings when the net he had absentmindedly cast began to pull. Concern filled his body. Something big enough to pull the net like that was usually a dolphin or a shark, sometimes a seal or a large squid, whatever it was it had to be rescued. He had to free it from his net as soon as he could.

Sweat poured from his forehead as his strong arms worked the ropes. He pulled the net out of the water and tried to see what was in it but it was dark and the net was too tangled. He swung the net onto the deck and lowered it, standing back in case it was a shark, but he was filled with confusion at the sight. Bundled in the net was a form, it was long and human sized, but the glitter of moonlight danced on beautiful scales in shades Jongdae had never seen before. He worked at the net when he saw blood leaking onto the deck and when he couldn't untangle the creature he pulled his pocket knife out and began to frantically cut the net. He worked quickly and cut the creature free and pulled it from the tangled fibres on the deck.

Shock and wonder filled Jongdae's eyes. A real life merling laid in his arms. His face was the epitome of marine beauty. The fine trail of scales that edged his face glittered under the moonlight like a million fairy lights. His skin was flawless besides the long gash down his arm that was oozing bright red blood all over the deck. Jongdae was breathless, caught up in the beauty of his long tail sparkling in green and teal, mesmerised by the tiny shells and braids woven intricately into his hair. His entire being was breathtaking. The sight of the bright red blood pooling on the deck shocked Jongdae out of his musings. He turned the creature over and saw the long scratches down his back. They were bleeding but shallow and the least of his concerns. The problem was the one on his arm.

He laid the creature gently on the damp deck and went to the cabin for emergency supplies. He found a sharp fishhook and some fine fishing line and put them into a cup. He poured some vodka he found over the top and went back to where the beautiful merling was still passed out in a puddle on the deck. Jongdae worked quickly with the hook, tugging it through the resistance of the creature's skin, using the fishing line to pull the gaping wound closed. Twelve stitches did the job, they were messy, but Jongdae was experienced enough to know how to deal with an emergency out on the water. They might leave a scar on this flawless creature but it would live.

He poured the rest of the vodka onto a clean cloth and bathed the arm and bandaged it. He cleaned the wounds on his back with the alcohol as well and hoped they wouldn't fester into an infection. Whatever had attacked him had been savage and fierce.

And with the moon hanging high overhead, blessing them with the cool golden light of its reflection, Jongdae sat on the deck of his boat with the merling's head in his lap and wondered what he was going to do next.