Introduction: The ocean was black and tumultuous as a hurricane ravaged it's once peaceful depths. Right in the midst of the strongest part of the storm sat a large reef formation in which a family of mermaids, as well as various other sear creatures, had made their homes.

One such mermaid peered out of an opening of the reef. She had long flowing hair, the true color of which was hard to determine. Just now it appeared dark, like the waters around her. Her eyes were the color of the ocean on a calm evening. Deep blue-green, and in the storm they appeared to be darker. Her name was Liliana and she was completely fascinated by the storm, though it frightened her as well. She leaned out to get a better look at the patterns she could see in the angry, swirling waters and suddenly she was sucked right out of the reef.

Since she was still rather young, Liliana wasn't a very good swimmer yet and so she was no match for the current which was pulling her further and further from home. She was being spun around in various whirpools and she became very disoriented because of it.

Eventually the young mermaid reached calmer waters and by then she was barely even awake anymore. She sunk to the bottom and lay there in the sand her eyes closing. Her delicate, shimmering skin was covered in scratches and bruises but otherwise she had made it through the storm unscathed.

A young mermaid with a green scaled tail came swimming across the ocean floor. She had long flowing light brown hair that waved behind her while she swam. This mermaid knew that after any storm there is debris.

When the school of fish that were swimming before her finally cleared the way. Serenity saw a fragile looking mermaid with bruises and scratches on her skin. Serenity feeling that she had to do something picked the mermaid up and swam over to the coast where her underwater cave dwelling was.

Serenity placed the mermaid on to the seaflower bed that she would normally sleep on. Serenity knew she was lacking necessities to care for someone other than herself, so she left the cave to go on her search.

Liliana woke up before Serenity had returned and she was alarmed to find herself in a strange cave. She sat up wincing ever so slightly due to the amount of injuries she had. She flipped up her tail,which was deep purple, and she inspected it for damage.

There were some cuts, and one spot was particularly sore but otherwise her tail was fine. The cuts were all green in appearance and she stared at them for a few moments wondering if they would leave scars. Her thoughts turned to her home and family. They must be very worried about her and she had no idea how she would find her way back.

Serenity began to swim towards the cave with food and medicinal products. She got as much as her arms could hold and decided that if the girl happened to be asleep she would go back out to get more seaweed and find something for the girl to sleep on.

When she got to the cave entrances, Serenity saw that the injured guest had awoken and was confused by her surroundings. "Hello, my name is Serenity. I found you injured on the Ocean bed and thought I would take you to my abode and let you heal."

"It was very kind of you to help me. I hope I can repay you somehow." Liliana smiled at her a bit and she truly was grateful that she had brought her to her home. "My name is Liliana by the way."

"Liliana, that is a lovely name. I hope you do stay as long as needed." Serenity swam over to the sea flower bed, "I hope you don't mind, but I am going to put some of this octopus ink on your wounds then wrap it with some of this seaweed. What do you like to eat?"

Serenity smiled as she mixed up the octopus ink with some clam juice, an old rememdy her mother had taught her.

"Well that might be a while since I honeslty have no idea how to get home. I live in a reef and I was caught up int the storm. I don't know how far from home it brought me, or even which direction to look in."

Liliana watched as Serenity mixed up the octopus ink and the clam juice and she wondered if the remedy would hurt.

Serenity smiled, "It will be cold." she warned Liliana as Serenity began to slather the rememdy onto Liliana's tail and skin. "Well, Liliana, you can stay as long as you need and I don't mind helping you find you way."

Liliana shivered slightly as Serenity began to apply the medicine to her, though she was already feeling relieved from the pain of the cuts and she looked at Serenity gratefully. "I really am indebted to you."

Serenity laughed, "Don't worry so much. Friendship is the greatest reward in life." Serenity yawned as she realized it was late and that the two have had an exciting day and needed their rest. Serenity finished up with first aiding Lilana, "I think we both should get some rest, especially since you are pretty banged up."

"That's a good idea. I doubt it would be safe to go out and look for my home now anyway. I think this is about the time that the Mershark Clan likes to come out and hunt anyway." She shuddered as she spoke of the mershark clan as they were her families greatest enemies.

"Oh the Mershark, yes, well they can tend to be scary a bit." Serenity kept her mouth shut about her being friends with one of the Mersharks. He was nicer than the merpeople gave credit to him.

Mersharks, as their names implied, were half sharks and half human. Some of them tended to have sharp teeth and very few didn't eat Mermaids. However, if a Mermaid could find one that becomes indebt to them then they were the luckiest Mermaids ever.

"I was nearly eaten by one once when I was still young. My older brother saved me. Luckily the mershark was hunting alone or both my brother and I would have been eaten." Liliana lay back down suddenly feeling quite tired again. She fell asleep seconds later.

When Liliana woke up again she looked around not remembering at first where she was. All at once though it came back to her and she sat up and swum to the entrance of the cave to look out. The water was clear and calm now, as if a storm had never even happened. The water was a crisp and clear blue color.

Serenity awoke to find Liliana not in bed. Serenity looked to the cave entrance and saw Liliana, "Good morning Liliana. How would you like to go for a swim and try out your tail?" Serenity was trying to get Liliana to go out for a bit because Serenity's Mershark friend was supposed to be coming by to check on her.

Serenity and the Mershark were really close. They would normally meet at the Whale Lights at night, but after finding Liliana, Serenity found herself unable to leave her here alone.

"That sounds like a good idea." She smiled at her. "I'll be back in a little while. I should be able to find my way back as long as there aren't any other storms." Liliana could tell that Serenity seemed to be expecting company and so she didn't mind going out on her own for a bit.

The water was warm as she swam out into it and she followed a school of brightly colored fish towards a garden of bright green seaweed and she floated over it looking down at the various textures and shapes.

Liliana was completely unaware that she was being watched carefully by a pair of eyes in the depths of the seaweed. She had unknowingly wandered into Mershark territory and she was floating over one of the clan homes.

Arch came swimming over to Serenity's cave, it was unusual for her to miss one of there arrangements.
Serenity was waiting inside for Arch, "Hello Arch!" She came over and hugged Arch, "I hope you aren't upset with me?"

Arch smiled, "No, I was just worried. Where were you?" Serenity placed a sea flower in her hair, "I was scouranging the ocean floor, like I do after every storm, and I came upon a young Mermaid. Well, she was injured so I brought her home and helped her and well when the time did come I felt like I should have stayed with her, so I did. I ended up falling asleep before she did."

Arch knew that Serenity had a kind heart, he knew it after the first time she save his life when the same thing happened to him. "Well, where is she?" Serenity frowned, "Well, to be honest I had to send her off because she is afraid of Mershark and I didn't know what she would do if you came here while she was still here."

Arch smiled and said "Well, should I leave, stay or hide?" Arch had fallen in love with Serenity months after she saved him and spent every day thinking about her. Serenity hugged Arch, "Arch, I think you should stay and we will see what she does. If she comes charging at you to harm you, I will stand in front of you and protect you."

Liliana reached down and touched some of the seaweed but then she pulled her hand back in horror. She had seen a pair of eyes blink. Eyes that were strangely familiar to her. All at once a mershark rose up from the seaweed and looked at her intently.

She recognized him instantly and backed up as he smiled and his sharp fangs flashed at her. Liliana looked under his left eye where there was a slight scar, that her own brother had given to this particular mershark when he had attacked her many years before. He noticed her look and his smile deepened.

"So where is your brother now I wonder? You seem to be awfully far from home aren't you?" He darted over to her swiftly grabbing her arm to prevent her from fleeing.

Her eyes went wide and she was too terrified to even formulate an answer. His free hand reached over and lifted her chin so that her eyes met his. "You really shouldn't wander by yourself. Why ARE you so far from home?"

Arch held Serenity's hand while they spoke, catching up with what has been happening lately. "Arch, what of your brother? Does he still question where you are going?" Arch looked at Serenity, "Serenity, I want to speak of you, not of my brother."

Serenity thought of Liliana, "It has been a while, I wonder what has happened to Liliana?" Serenity hated to cut Arch's and her engagement so shortly but she started to fret about Liliana. "I think I will be going out to search for her, maybe she got hurt."

"I...I got lost...please don't eat me.." Liliana stammered her eyes still wide. Zander couldn't help but to laugh at her and he let go of her arm.

"Did a mermaid by the name of Serenity take you in? If so then I can escort you back to the cave she lives in. My clan has changed their hunting habits, and even though I have decided not to eat you, they might not pass up a good meal."

He turned and swam back in the direction of Serenity's cave. She stared after him slightly stunned that he himself hadn't taken the opportunity to do what he had once intended to do. She followed him, warily not yet convinced that this wasn't a trap.

Serenity began to swim out the cave when she bumped into Zander, "Zander, what are you doing here?" Serenity smiled when she saw that behind him was Liliana, "Well, you did save me the trouble of trying to find her. Come in."

"She's lucky I didn't eat her. I only didn't because I recognized your bandages on her so I figured she was a friend. You're the only mermaid I know who uses sea weed as a bandage."

Liliana shuddered slightly when she found out he actually had planned to eat her and she quickly moved away from him.

Serenity giggled, "Well, what is good for the stomach can also be good for the wounds! I mean everything I use can be reused or eaten. Though I wouldn't eat it, I leave it out for the crabs and other sea creatures that would love to munch on seaweed and clam juice. I am glad you didn't eat my new friend. Liliana, this is my friend Arch. When I found out you didn't like Mershark, I had to get you out because I knew he would be coming. Liliana, that Mershark that saved you is Zander; Arch's brother."

"He's also the Mershark who tried to eat me when I was younger." Liliana crossed her arms and looked away from Zander crossing her arms. Zander fought the urge to laugh at the look on her face and he turned so that she wouldn't see him smiling. "I'll be at home Arch. See you later." He swam off and once he was far enough away so that they wouldn't hear he started to laugh.

Liliana watched him swim away looking a bit aggravated because in spite of his attempts not to let on how amused he was she had noticed. That irritated her even more and she glanced at Arch and smiled politely at him just so that Serenity wouldn't be upset and then she swam into the cave.

Serenity held Arch's hands, "I think you better go. I will try to come tonight as normal, but if I don't get there I will see you soon enough." Arch smiled and hugged Serenity, "I will hope to see you soon then. Good-bye Serenity."

Serenity watched Arch swim away following his brother home. Serenity turned around and swam back into the cave; getting ready for a huge fight with Liliana because of Arch and Zander.

Liliana was swimming back and forth inside the cave and she looked at Serenity when she walked in and smiled at her a bit. "So you're friends with a mershark? Or maybe more than just friends?" She had noticed the way that Arch and Serenity had looked at each other and so she assumed there was something between them.