A hunter and mermaid (Arielle)

Eoin had decided to venture out of the woods and to the ocean. He had old been there once before and decided that the time was right to go back. Once there, Eoin looked around and saw that he was alone. Perfect he said to himself as he set up a small camp for himself. Eoin was just about finished when he sensed that someone was watching him. He slowly stood up and looked around were he stood. "Who ever is there step forth and show yourself." he called out, not knowing who he would soon meet.

Arielle had decided to have a lazy day and had ventured out towards shore today. It was a beautiful day and the mermaid had been planning on relaxing for the day and doing a spot of plant-gathering for the merfolk botanist who never ventured out as far out here as she did. Coming up from under the waves, she was about to swim over to her usual spot when she noticed that someone was already there.

Hiding back under the waves, she watched the male, studying him to see whether he posed a threat or not. Hearing him speak up, she poked her head out of the water. "Hello," she called out, paddling in the water. "Who are you?"

Eoin turned and looked behind him when he heard the voice. He was about the throw his knife, but stopped when he saw that it was a woman. "I am Eoin Fearghal, a hunter from the woods." Eoin said to her in reply. "Who are you?" he asked the mystery woman as he watched her. If he was honest with himself, the woman in front of him was rather beautiful.

Arielle was about to dive back down into the water when she saw him raise his knife, but when he didn't she edged just a little closer. "I am Arielle Riviera, daughter of King Triton. What are you doing here?" she asked cautiously. She was as always rather distrusting of humans, but Eion seemed like he could be all right.

Eoin reshethed his knife as Arielle spoke to him. He could tell that she was distrusting of humans. "I came here to clear my head and reflect." he replied. Do you always come this close to humans?" Eoin asked, thought he already knew the answer to that question.

Arielle watched him as he put the knife away, allowing herself to relax just a little. "Well, you've come to the right place. The ocean is a brilliant place when you need space and time to think. Unlike the city," she added, scrunching her nose. "And no, I'm hardly ever near humans. Especially this close. I got hurt badly by humans once, now I prefer to stay away from them," she told him with a shake of her head. "But I had to come check out who's camping out in one of my usual spots," she said with a smile.

Eoin nodded in reply when Arielle said that to him. "I see" he replied. "If you want me to leave I will." Eoin said to her as he stood their. At the same time, he was still getting his head around the fact that he was talking to a mermaid. He had heard tails of them when he was growing up, but never thought he would meet one up close.

The redhead shrugged and shook her head. "It's alright, you can stay if you wish. It's not this spot officially belongs to me," she said with a chuckle. She noted his slightly surprised expression, though he did a good job at concealing it. "And no, before you ask, you are not going mad - I am real," she told him with a giggle. "Not many people believe it but we are a real species. We just don't come out much, so everyone simply thinks we're a myth. Now you're one of the lucky ones who knows otherwise."

Eoin nodded in reply when Arielle said that to him. "I see, I had feared that I was losing my mind." he replied. Eoin smirked a bit at that, then turned back to his camp. He finished up, then sat down and looked out over the ocean. As he did, his thoughts came to Aranel.

Arielle laughed at his words. "No, you're perfectly sane. Well, as far as I can tell. If you're an axe-murderer in disguise, now would be the best time to say," she joked. A moment later she climbed onto a nearby boulder to rest for a while. "You don't come here often, do you?" she began, breaking the silence. "I've never seen you around here before. Are you a city dweller?"

Eoin looked over at Arielle when she asked that. "Actually I live in the woods." he said as he watched her sit on the rock. "How long can you stay out of the water?" Eoin asked as he sat up a bit.

"A friend of mine lives there. Not sure if you'd know her - a fairy named Taryn..? She's told me all about the forest and it sounds rather wonderful." At his question, she thought for a moment. "Hmmm, I've never really thought about that. I'm not really sure, to be honest. As long as I have my tail, then I guess I can stay out several hours. Maybe...?" She shrugged. Not having been out of the water in four years, she hadn't experimented to find out the answer to this. "I know that with legs though I can stay out for days and days..."

Eoin nodded in reply as he listened to Arielle. He smiled a bit when he heard the name Taryn. "I know of her, we crossed paths a few days ago." he said in reply.

"She's wonderful," the female said with a smile, laying down and closing her eyes for a moment. "Do you swim?" she asked curiously after a moment's silence, turning to look at Eion again.

Eoin nodded a little in reply when she said that to him. He begged to differ about that though. "Yes I do" Eoin replied when Arielle asked if he could swim.

"Well, if you get bored alone with your thoughts, feel free to come in for a swim. The water's a bit cold, but I know a great spell against that," Arielle offered, sliding off the rock and back into the water. "If you need me, just call out and I'll be back," she added, before diving back under to go searching for the seaweed and anemone samples she'd promised the botanist.

Eoin watched Arielle as she did that. After a while, he stripped down, then went into the water. Sure it was cold, but Eoin kept moving around in order to warm up.

Hearing a splash, Arielle peeked out of the water to find to her surprise that Eion had decided to join her for a swim. "I didn't think you'd actually do it," she stated with a surprised chuckle, swimming over.

"Hang on a second..." She began to work at a warming spell that she'd learnt when she was younger. A golden-coloured orb began to grow from her palm which she flicked towards Eion with her hand. The orb floated over to the male, and upon touching him popped like a bubble, the magic spreading over him. "That should keep you sorted for a couple of hours..."

She wasn't sure if any of this constituted as flirting - after all, she hadn't let anyone join her for a swim on their first meeting. Not even Brink. But he and her were going through a tough spot and Arielle was sick of it. Besides, Eion was handsome and seemed really nice, so for once the mermaid didn't mind being so close to a human.

Eoin watched as the bubble came around him and popped. "Amazing" he said to her. "Thanks for that" Eoin added. He didn't take it as flirting, but as a helpful gesture. After she did that, Eoin continued to swim about the area. "You don't do this that often for others do you?" he asked

Arielle grinned at the compliment. "Thanks, and you're welcome." Surprisingly enough, she found it really nice to hang out with a human. A human who hadn't seen her at her worst times at that. She swum ahead slightly, then at his comment turned back to look at him. "Nope, not at all," she replied cheerfully. "You're one of the lucky few, it seems," she added with a soft laugh.

Eoin nodded in reply, at the same time, her laugh was familiar. It reminded him of Aranel, the elf maiden that he fell for during his time with the elves.

Swimming closer to him, she was silent for a moment as her thoughts took her back to Prince Eric and the day that she'd saved him from drowning. In hindsight she rather wished she hadn't; a lot of heartbreak could have been spared. The girl shook her head to clear her thoughts. "And yet I don't even know that much about you," she said, realising this. "So..apart from being a hunter what do you do? Like for fun and such?"

Eoin snapped out of his thoughts and looked at Arielle when she asked him that. "I really don't do anything for fun." Eoin said to her honestly.

Arielle blinked in surprise at his reply."Really? So all you do is work...? That's no fun. Stick with me and I'm sure I'll change that." Suddenly, she got an idea and her eyes lit up. "Wait there, I'll be right back..."

She dived under the waves, disappearing for ten minutes. When she finally swam up to their spot, she decided to play a joke on Eion and grabbing his feet, pulled him under for a moment so he got fully submerged. Letting go a moment later so he could resurface, she broke through the surface herself, grinning, careful not to squash the precious aquatic berry in her hand. "Feel like coming to explore?"

Eoin watched as Arielle went under, then felt himself get pulled under the water. After coming back up, he looked at her. "What was that for?" he asked a hint of anger in his voice as he looked at her.