I feel weird just posting an image. o.O
Oh well...whenever you put yours down I guess I'll type up my intro.

"There's a fisherman sitting alone on the land
His hands are his craft, his boat is his art
A fisherman sitting alone on the land
A rock, a hard rock in his heart.

There's a selkie maid swimming alone in the bay
Her eyes are the seal's, her heart is the sea
A selkie maid swimming alone in the bay
A pure white seal maiden is she."

"She comes to the shore and she sheds her seal skin
She dances on sand, dances under the moon
Her hair falls in waves down upon her white skin
And only the seals hear the tune..."

In a soft tone Zachary Taylor sung, throwing rocks into the water as the words fell from his lips. Here at the seashore was the only place he had ever felt comfortable, like a home away from home for him. Sitting on top of a small cliff overlooking the ocean he grabbed another smooth rock and chucked it out into the water, lost in thought.

The sunlight sparkled on the dark blue waves like diamonds, swelling his heart and putting a small smile on his face. It was so beautiful. What was more beautiful, however, was what dwelled out in that water. Nobody would believe him when he said he had seen it, but he swore he would come out every day until he saw it again. Three years had passed, but still he sat loyally at the shore with his camera, waiting for his second opportunity to see what he was searching for: A selkie. A real-life supernatural creature.

At the thought his pale hand reached over to touch the camera, a wave of excitement hitting him. Every time he thought about it he remembered that day. Sure, he hadn't really seen the change, but he saw a young woman running through the forest. Curiosity came over him and he followed, but when he came into the clearing all he saw was a seal getting ready to swim away. Immediately he knew what it was. Zach had always loved mythology, and was convinced there was nothing else it could have been.

And he would find it again. He didn't care if his friends thought it odd, because they didn't matter. How could they, when something magical was afoot in the world? If he found her again...who knew what could happen? He could release the footage and be famous! Or he could keep it to himself and live life knowing he was the only person who knew something so beautiful existed. Who knew? He wouldn't until he found one, or at least that was what he told himself.

"Then standing, the fisherman takes her seal skin
Staking his claim to a wife from the sea
He raises his hand, holding up the white skin
Says, "Now you must come home with me."

Oh, weeping she goes, and still weeping she stays
Her hands are her craft, her babes are her art
A year and a year and a year more she stays
A rock, a cold rock, in her heart."

Ever since he learned it, every day he was at the shore he sang that song. It just seemed right. He spent most of his days hunting for a Selkie, so why not sing about one while he did? Maybe one would hear and be flattered that he was thinking of them. Maybe...

Hopefully, anyway.

If it took him twenty years he would wait. Grabbing a fist full of pebbles he chucked them out, the sound of them hitting the water hardly audible over the hiss of waves and the sounds of wildlife from the forest to his back. Another sound, just as quiet as the pebbles, caught his attention: the boom of distant thunder. His head snapped up to look at the horizon.

In the distance black storm clouds were formed and heading towards him, the bright flashes of lightning put a sinking feeling in his stomach. It looked like it was time for him to go home for the day, unless he wanted his camera ruined.

He had been sitting so long that when he stood his legs wobbled and for a second he almost fell off the rock. Although he caught himself it sent his heart pounding, and his camera was now clutched to his heart. For a minute he stood on that heightened surface, watching the clouds roll closer and closer, now a menacing threat looming right over him. If he didn't leave now, he wouldn't through the forest and back to his car before it hit.

Sadly, it was time to leave.

"But what is this hid in the fisherman's bag?
It smells like the ocean, it feels like the sea!
A bonny white sealskin closed up in the bag
And "Never a tear more!" cries she.

"Goodbye to the house and goodbye to the shore
Goodbye to the babes that I never could claim
But never a thought to the man left on shore
For selchie's my nature and name."

She puts on the skin and dives back in the sea
The fisherman's cry falls on water-deaf ears
She swims in her sealskin away out to sea..."

He paused and took one last longing look at the sea, giving a quiet sigh.

"And the fisherman drowns in his tears."

((Awesome...post.....epically awesome))

As pebbles rained down and slowly sunk into the deep blue depths of the water, the fish swam away, disturbed by the movement caused by the stones. It was all the creature could do to keep patiently waiting for a fresh meal. Finally, in a flash of white and grey, the fish was ensnared in sharp, predatory teeth, practically swallowed whole by the seal. A few more rapid darts and flicks of the sleek head, and she was content.

Still though, the pebbles rained down as they did everyday, and it was enticing the curiousity of the strange seal. Cautiously gliding through the cool depths of her watery home, the mammal inched towards the surface, her whiskery nose poking out above the surface. Immediately, the soft tender flesh of her nose was pummeled by a small stone, causing the animal to yelp in discomfort. Swimming off, she found herself a rock in the bay, climbing upon it and shaking her head.

Once the sting had faded, her beady eyes scanned her surroundings for a predator, or the source of the rocks. Noticing the sky had grown darker and the air cooler, the animal ignored it's initial instinct to find refuge, too intent ond finding the disturbance in it's feeding, and now it's source of discomfort!

Finally, she saw it: a lone figure, sitting on the cliff above her bay. It looked human, so she wasn't too worried about getting caught at such a distance. Still, she knew what was causing such disturbances for the past few years. Now the only dillema was how to deal with the intrusion in her territory.

As he was preparing to leave he heard the sound of a yelp and immediately stopped. Really it could have been anything, but his hellbent hope persuaded him to check. Peering over the rocks he caught sight of something in the distance, something vaguely seal shaped, and a smile came on his face.

Maybe it was just a seal, but maybe - just maybe - this was the break he had been looking for! Maybe this was the creature he had seen! Maybe she would walk up and say hello! So many possibilities at that one tiny little sound and shape filled his head, and it took all his patience just to sit still and observe. Stay calm, Zach, he told himself. Although he managed to keep from moving, he gripped the cliff face so hard in his excitement that his knuckles were white and his hands began to ache. He looked more like a kid on christmas day than a guy who just saw a seal.

Another boom of thunder reminded him of the rain, and he was torn. Should he leave and try to come back tomorrow? What if this was his chance? How could he pass this up? But his camera was most definitely not waterproof, and to buy another would cost hundreds of dollars he didn't have. Although the choice had seemed difficult, it only took him a moment to make his decision: he had spent three years at this shore side, and a little rain and the risk of setting himself back a few hundred dollars wasn't going to stop him today. Maybe it was just a seal, but he was willing to risk it just for the chance.

That was just who he was. All his life Zach had been careful, a perfectionist, right up until the day he saw what he thought was the Selkie. Maybe it seemed crazy to most people, but seeing that, believing in that...it's what shook him out of his rut and let him open himself up to the world. Sure, maybe that world he opened himself up to was a little too Selkie-centric, but it was better than the life he had before. He would give anything in payment to the thing that freed him from the dull monotony of his old life, camera included.

"H-hello?" He knew that if it were a Selkie he should wait until it was comfortable enough to approach him, but he didn't feel he could muster the will to wait that long. Hopefully this wouldn't chase her away.

Seeing the human move closer to her, leaning over the edge of the rocky cliff overlooking her secret little spot, the mammal sniffed in the direction, the smell definately that of the humans she smelled when she came ashore not 3 years before. Jutting her nose forward, the seal let out a bark, tilting her head to the side in a gesture of confusion. She was perplexed, no doubt. The strange words he spoke were hard to hear over the crash of waves and the impending roars of thunder, but even what she could discern was foreign to her.

While the other animals sought cover from the impending, fast approaching storm, the seal stood still, watching him, this human. Flinching at the thunder, she nevertheless remained as she was, wiskers twitching as she took in he scents. With a sudden movement, the creature swam towards the shore, hiding under a canopy from an outwardly jutting expanse of rock.
Despite her instincts to run, her knowledge and memories of humans hunting normal seals, nevermind a selkie, the female could not help but find the land beings a facinating diversion from everyday life.

It was for this reason, that, despite the overwhelming threats, the numerous dangers, the selkie decided to try and toy with this persistant human. She would simply need to take precaution. But would she survive?

Between her curiousity and desire to slake her burning facination and imagination, she risked exposure of her kind, and the loss of her freedom. For several long minutes, neither the human nor the seal moved an inch. At long last, she could hold back her inquisitive nature no more. Curious to get a reaction as most animals got from humans, she began to shift and squirm, shedding the sleek, velvety smooth and slippery seal skin.

He could feel an eerie sensation come over him as the seal simply stood and stared at him. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up, and for a second he felt like running away. If he was right...he had never known what he would do once he found what he was looking for. Oddly enough, he was so hellbent on finding one that not once had it crossed his mind what would happen when he did. Now that there was a chance he was scared out of his mind.

Fortunately curiosity and determination kept him planted, but somehow his grip tightened even more against the rocky shore, his whole arm shaking from the force exerted. At the sound of the seal's bark he was caught off guard, and so surprised he jumped almost to his feet. Once again he did his best to calm himself, trying to play it cool.

You don't want to look like a loser in front of your first mythological creature, he mentally scolded himself, clearing his throat.

"I, um, yeah." Taking his hold off the cliff, he rubbed his arms and bit his lower lip. "Are-are you-?"

Zach would have finished his question, but he didn't feel like he needed to. At that moment the seal became...well, no longer a seal. His blood ran cold but his heart pounded hard as the seal skin slowly began to shed like a snake. Any calm he had been able to maintain was gone now as panic, awe and excitement all three put him in a state he had never experienced before.

He was right! All along he had been right! Three years of research and waiting and hope, and it was worth something!

Suddenly his heart's beat was growing louder and louder, and everything else seemed to fade. The world around him slowly started to turn black, and he crumpled to the ground. Before fainting he uttered three quiet words, "I knew it."

Again with the strange sounds! Looking up at the man, the selkie tilted her head in perplexity once more, the confusion making her frown. About to slink away due to a lack of a satisfactory reaction, she flinched, seeing the man fall to the ground.

For some reason, a small bubble of panic and concern began in her gut, making the selkie jump up to investigate. Grabbing her seal pelt and carefully carrying it in one arm, she akwardly began to climb the small cliff to reach the male human who had been so intently observing her in her home. Upon the sight of the unconscious human, confusion and frustration churned, making her heart thud and pulse inside her. What was she to do, she knew very little about humans.

Crouching beside him, the female poked at his torso, his head, prodding with a delicate but strong finger. Unsure what to do, a lone smile appeared on her face as an idea came to her. Still protectively guarding her seal pelt, she raced down to the water, scooping some water inside her palms and the seal skin. With great care, she made her way up the side with the sea water, perching herself beside him once more. Scooping the water, she gingerly splashed some on his face. The sea always made her feel energized and refreshed!

As the storm clouds drew closer to loom precariously close in the sky, the cold wind caused the selkie to hug her mostly pale skin, having not had her body kissed by sunlight too often to get more color. With an anxious whimper, the strange creature held the pelt close, watching her human with curiousity and trepidation.

For a few moments there was nothing. The nothingness went away when he felt something hard against him - a slightly painful prodding sensation. He opened his eyes just enough to see the world through thin slits, and seeing that beautiful woman poking him made his head woozy and everything go black once again.

He awoke the second time to a cold spash of saltwater in his face, and he sat up in a coughing fit as the water went up his nose, burning his nostrils. His head hurt from going into unconsciousness, but then so did his body from the fall to the solid rock ground. Rubbing his head and muttering a few curses to himself, he tried to get collected before looking at the Selkie again.

"Oh god," he said quietly, the realization hitting him for the third time, "you're real." For the third time everything threatened to fade out into black, but he forced himself to stay awake. The corners of his lips upturned widely, and he bore a toothy grin as a haggard laugh escaped him. "This has got to be a dream. I can't - I can't believe it!

"What's your name? Do you have one? Where are you from? What's it like? How do you do that? Um- er- Oh yes! Names! I'm Zachary. You can call me Zach, for short." A tinge of red stained his cheeks. "Thanks for helping me."

His eyes wandered to the seal skin in her arms, and he felt his eyes go wide. Although he wasn't aware of it, his entire body was trembling. This was something he had never expected. This was wonderful. This was perfect. What could he do? What could he say?

Breaking out of his own thought process he realized there was a mildly confused look on the Selkie's face, and he realized he had forgotten the most important question. "Can you understand me?" When he finally said it the embarrassment was obvious in his voice. How rude! He had embarrassed himself, just like he had tried so hard not to.

God, he felt like such an idiot. An elated idiot, a joyful idiot, but an idiot nonetheless.

Hugging the seal skin to her chest, the strange, exotic female took a step back, surprised at his sudden coughing and rambling. What on earth was he doing or saying? Blinking her dark teal eyes in confusion, the selkie quirked her head to the side, her strawberry blonde, almost borderline orange hair fell across her face.

"Kiii..." a soft little noise issued forth from her lips, a soft alto voice from the sounds of it. As the man smiled and laughed, the selkie jumped back, timidly creeping forward on her knees as she realized he had made no movement against her or her pelt. The skin was clutched tightly and securely in her arms as he spoke to her in the strange tongue.

As the male's voice reached her ears, she shook her head, thinking maybe he wanted her pelt. Her brows furrowed in confusion and uncertainty as she clutched her precious sealskin to her breast. Her grip was protective and firm, she would not let go for anything!

So far, the human seemed to be harmless, but the female was on guard, eyes watching his every movement.

The Selkie - his heart skipped a beat every time he thought that word now - continued to give him blank, confused looks. "Of course you don't. Why would you?" He planted his palm on his forehead, giving an irritated sigh. "That would make things too easy."

After a few minutes of her confusion and his own silence as he tried to find a way to communicate, he realized she was clutching onto her pelt for dear life. Every time he moved, she flinched, probably expecting him to try and rip it from her clutches. His eyes, so dull and uninteresting when compared to those of the creature he was meeting, went as wide as dinner plates and he held up his hands in a surrendering position.

"No, no, no! I would never!" You're talking to her again, he reminded himself, she doesn't speak English. Think, idiot, think! How can you talk with her?

Slowly but surely he moved his hands behind him and scooched so that he sat on them, doing his best to show the Selkie he had no intention of taking her pelt. Maybe he would have snapped a picture or two, but already the first few drops of rain were hitting and he knew that the piece of technology was doomed to permanent water damage. He'd be lucky if he ever got it working again, but right now he didn't care. How could he? Sitting next to him was his sole goal of the past three years. A shiver went down his spine and another stupid grin crawled on his face.

God he was happy.

Gingerly moving his hand from under himself, he pointed towards his chest. "Zach." He said, simply, before slowly putting the hand back. It was annoying sitting on his hands like that, but he would do anything to earn the creature's trust.

At first, his movement caused her to jump back and scuttle away and start climbing down the cliff. However, the selkie female peeked over the edge, seeing the human make no effort to grab her or her skin. Finally, slowly, she crept back up, scootching closer inch by inch. She crawled closer until she was just in front of him, two inches from touching him. "Kiii...."

Clutching the precious pelt in one arm, the selkie felt a stirring temptation to touch him, feel the hair on his head or something. The soft locks upon his head appeared soft, and vaguely, the creature wondered if they were as soft as they looked.

Tentatively, she stretched her hand out and forward, moving slower than he did. Not wishing to frighten or anger the object of her facination, the selkie let out a soft purr as she indulged her curiousity, touching the hair with her nimble fingers.
It was softer than it looked! Looking delighted at the discovery, she toyed with the locks timidly, chirping in glee and excitement before quirking her head once more.

"Zzz....Zach....?"

To his horror for a brief second it seemed like she was going to run away. When she realized he wasn't going to hurt her and decided to stay, a wave of relief washed over him. The last thing he wanted was to lose this literally supernatural opportunity.

That voice was like the call of an angel to his ear - foreign, but pleasing. Hearing it would have been enough to make him happy until the end of his days, but that was of little importance at the moment. Instead he was busy paying attention to the fact that her face was almost in his own, and her hand was slowly reaching towards his head. He had no idea what she was doing, but so long as it was a Selkie he didn't care if she was getting ready to kill him. After all, he could die happily on the spot. Dreams really did come true, and his was right in front of him...

...touching his hair?

It was odd, to be sure, but there was something about it that made him feel relaxed. Or maybe that was brought on by the purring sound she made as she toyed with his hair. Under his breath he chuckled. It was like seeing a curious child the way she acted at something as simple as hair. He couldn't grasp what she would like in his hair when her own seemed so smooth and shimmering in what dim light was left.

By this point the rain was picking up, but he wouldn't dare leave the spot. Even if the gods themselves came and told him to move he would stay. Nodding, he pointed at himself again. "Zach," he assured. Then he pointed towards her - doing his best to keep his hand away to avoid seeming a threat. Cocking his head to one side, he did his best to put his curiosity in his face. It was hard with how teeming he was with excitement, but hopefully she'd understand.

Pulling away at the chuckle, a strange sound in his voice and throat, the female placed her hand by her side, examining him, sniffing him in a manner akin to a dog. With a smile, she decided she liked this human's scent. Nothing too unnatural or strong. His hair was soft like silky fur, his eyes holding lots of emotion in them.

Repeating his name softly, she pointed to his chest, connecting the word to the human. Her voice was gentle and soft, nothing really attention grabbing. "Z-zach....zach." Stopping at his curious pose and expression, the creature looked at him quizically for a few minutes before understanding. Her smile faded to a nuetral expression, then a focused one.

Eyeteeth poking out as she spoke, she repeated the only thing she was summoned and alerted by: a soft whistle with a chirp at the end, the sound not unlike a dolphin or whale. As a sea creature, she had no real name. "Kiiiii" came her soft coo, the small hands fairly petting his soft hair again. Soon, she lifted his arms, tugging experimentally at the clothes. What manner of skin was that. Speaking of skin, she looked over with horror as she noticed she dropped her pelt by his hand! With a pleading, frightened expression, she gazed into his eyes to see if he'd take it or return it.

Up this close Zach realized just how beautiful the Selkie was. Those wide, open eyes, that shimmering hair and smooth, almost ghostly pale skin...that smile of pure and simple joy on her face was simply unbelievable. It had been a long time since he had been so close to any girl, let alone one of pure myth, and he felt almost as speechless as she.

Hearing her say his name was like a blow to the head, and for what seemed the millionth time he remembered where he was and what he was doing. This is unreal. He thought, unable to do anything but sit stunned. I must have fallen asleep on lookout. There's no way this is happening.

For a brief moment he was confused at her soft coo before putting together the pieces - or what he thought they were, anyway. "Ki, huh? Catchy." After a moment he caught himself, blushing again. "Um-wait, yeah, you don't speak English." Getting back into the moment he pointed at her, "Ki?"

Just like when he had fallen unconscious she was poking and prodding him, this time investigating him like some sort of mystery. It seemed weird. For three years he had been the one to want to learn about a Selkie, but it seemed she was learning more about him than the other way around.

Catching the worried look on her face, he looked around for the sign of the trouble. What was it? Did he do something wrong? Was somebody there? After a moment of panic he saw what it was: her seal pelt lay by his side, right for the taking. Zach's blood ran cold.

So many possibilities swam through his head. She was beautiful and so strange, he could easily take the pelt and keep her to learn more about her, maybe even...no, he blushed bright red even at the thought of that. He could rent her out, show her off, prove to everybody that he was right and they were wrong, keep her as a momento of three years of effort. If he kept that pelt he could have the best of any possibility he could think of.

His hand, quivering, grabbed the pelt. It was surprisingly soft, which took him by surprise. For a second there was hesitation and his thoughts ran wild. "I hope you understand why I'm going to do this," he said.

Gingerly he bundled the pelt so he could hold it in one hand and gave it back to her.

Continuing with her examinations and exploration of the human male, the selkie looked confused as he said the sound she most often made. Shaking her head, she attempted to pry his 'skin' off, or at least the soft, pleasant textured layer of material over the skin. Was it a pelt too? Would they be forever trapped someplace if they were to lose their pelt? Surprisingly, it didn't feel animal, so what could it be?

With a smile, she realized he was imitating her chirps, making her chirp back and coo once more, the soft trilling "kii!"

With a cold stop of her heart and her eyes wide as saucers, the female watched the eyes of the human. He was gazing so intently at her pelt, it frightened her. Perhaps this was a bad idea after all. The look was that of a creature deciding how to proceed with a situation, and most creatures chose what they immediately wanted. If he took her pelt, well, the female would be devastated!

As soon as the hand touched the silky pelt, she cried out, a whimpering plea from her heart and soul, eyes wide and frantic, He was taking it! She'd be stripped of her home! Leaning forward to bite and get back her seal skin, she stopped just before the sharp teeth punctured the flesh. He was holding out the pelt to her. Was it a trick? With a single motion, the selkie snatched the skin as fast as she possibly could, hugging it and watching him with a mixture of fear, confusion, and amazement. Fear- what if he changed his mind? Confusion- Why had he given it back and been nice? Why did he fold it? Amazement- did he really have no interest in harming her?

That whimper she gave when he held her pelt almost broke his heart, and he was thankful he had decided to give it back to her. There was no way he could let her be upset like that. He was enthralled by her and by the situation, to be sure, but he'd rather let her go than try to reign her in for his own wants and needs. The last thing he wanted to do was be like the fisherman in the song he sang.

At her confused look, the only response he could think of to comfort her was a smile, so smile he did. All the outside confidence was a veil, of course, for his raging thoughts. The rain had gotten so heavy that by now he was absolutely soaking wet, but he hardly even noticed. And why should he? For all he cared he could spend the rest of his life right here.

The Selkie, on the other hand, seemed effected. A look of concern came over him, and he wished he had an umbrella to offer to keep her warm. She looked so delicate, especially considering she was absolutely bare. (He was trying to keep his hormones in check the entire time, and had done a startlingly good job considering a beautiful nude woman was only a few feet away.) There was one in his car, but...that was a few minutes worth of a walk. Could he trust her to stay that long? If he left, even for just a minute, would she swim away? He didn't want to go with that potential risk, but he didn't want her to look so frail, either.

"Here." He took off his jacket, which was surprisingly waterproof, and held it out to her. "I know you don't understand this, but you should put this on. I can show you how if you need." Up until that point his shirt had stayed dry thanks to the jacket, but now it was soaking wet. He really was soaked to the bone.

Shivering in the cold rain, the selkie pulled her warm, waterproof seal pelt over her shoulders, wrapping herself up a bit to keep from the cold. When the man pulled his jacket off, a look of stunned surprise came across her face at the gesture. He had removed his own skin, not unlike her removing the pelt. Pursing her lips and furrowing her brows, the maiden tried to figure out what he wanted.

With a smile, she understood! Taking the cloth from him, she tried to fold it up as he had folded her pelt, a semi decent job, but still too sloppy for her tastes. Tucking in the sides so it looked at least presentable, she held the article of clothing out on outstretched hands to him, beaming. "Kiii...ikiiiii!" came the soft chirp, obviously pleased she got it.

Seeing her wrap her pelt around her shoulders he felt like an idiot. Of course, Zach thought, wanting to beat his head against a wall for being so stupid, she doesn't need a jacket. Way to go, Miser Chivalry.

Even so, she took the jacket. Baffled, he watched her fold his jacket. At first he thought she was simply playing with it like a child, but much to his surprise she handed it back to him almost exactly as he had done with her pelt. Maybe it was best not to underestimate her intelligence.

The gesture caught him off guard, and a big, toothy smile came on his face. Did she think that if she took his coat he would be stuck to her until he got it back? It was an amusing thought, and made her kind gesture of offering it back mean so much more. At least she didn't try to enslave him.

Sliding the jacket back on despite how useless it was now - he was already soaked, but maybe it would keep him a bit warmer - he nodded at the Selkie.

There were so many questions he wanted to ask her, and it was an understatement to say he was frustrated by the fact that she didn't understand what she was saying. Understandable, considering how she didn't exactly run around talking to people, but still a little upsetting. Five times in a row he opened his mouth to ask something, only to remember that fact and shut it. The silence only mocked his failure, and he internally kicked himself.

What did you say to someone who couldn't understand a word?

As the rain poured harder, the selkie female shivered, despite the seal pelt. What it covered was warm and dry, but her human was still trembling, shaking. Despite his happy expression, he seemed uncomfortable. Uncertain what to do, the maiden smiled, trilling her little sound once more, haing yet another idea. Animals did it, so why not a human?

Scootching close to him and pressing her body to his, she figured it would be smart to share body heat and conserve heat, lest they both succumb to the cold. Deeming this to not be working enough, she held her seal pelt in a protective, uncertain hold. Looking between her treasure and the human, the inquisitive, eager to learn female made her choice. Flinging half of her waterproof, insulating pelt over his shoulders, she snuggled close, sharing the heat. "Kiii.....?"

He was lost in thought as he tried to figure out a way to communicate, and so as she pressed up against him he jumped. "Oh-Um-Err...hi." It was all he could think to say as he felt her warmth. What was she doing?

As her pelt went over his shoulders he realized and did his best to keep calm. She was trying to keep him warm and dry in the rain, is all. It helped almost immediately, and he stopped shivering, much to his contentment. Feeling much more comfortable he almost felt like he could relax. Almost.

Instead he was still intense, trying to keep his body and mind focused. Safe to say it was very...distracting, having a beautiful nude woman pressed right up against him. Clearing his throat he stared at the ground in front of him, trying to remember the situation at hand beyond his own urges. Never would he act on those urges - he had too much respect for such a beautiful creature - but wow...they were certainly noticeable.

"So, um, Ki?" He tried to think of something to say after that. Something, anything to get his focus back on track. "Wh-Well, are you hungry?"

Wow, idiot. Nice job. I'm sure she'll understand that, because, you know, she's been speaking English so well so far.

Again with the funny words! The selkie wished he'd give her a clue as to their meaning. She liked to learn and explore new things, and as such, the fact that the male wasn't helping her understand made her pout, trilling in frustration. She seemed completely unaware of his...situation, the only things on her mind warmth, and what to do now.

As she contemplated going back to her watery home, she cringed, seeing a large hammerhead shark in her bay. Why oh why had it come to feed here?! With a whimper, she glared at the offending beast, hissing and baring sharp canines and insisors, growling at the threat.

Once she had calmed down, she peered over curiously at the human, the kind human. Touching his chest, she tried the word again. "Zach."

After a few moments he had calmed his body down and was genuinely relaxing. This is what he had spent three years trying to achieve, and now that he had it he was glad. Every minute sitting on that rock waiting for something to happen was worth it. Every little ounce. At the end of the day the Selkie was probably going to go back into the sea and leave him alone, and he probably would never see her again.

And you know what? He was okay with that. This was enough to keep him happy for the rest of his life.

As she looked longingly at the water he felt a pang of sadness at the idea of her leaving already, but knew he would let her go if she wanted. The sight of the hammerhead surprised him, but although he wouldn't admit it the shark made him slightly happy. At least he'd be able to see her a little longer.

Seeing the way she growled at it made him realize how selfish he was behaving, though. The distress in her behavior reminded him that she had left her home, and he (and now the shark) was keeping her away from it. A tinge of guilt overcame him, but it seemed to vanish the instant she touched his chest and said his name. He grinned and nodded.

"Zach," he assured.

Carefully he rubbed his hand over his stomach and asked, "hungry?" Perhaps that would communicate it better.

The selkie continued to watch in avid facination as her human spoke and made faces, movements and gestures. With the gesticulations and pointing to his stomach, she blinked quizically before a smile broke out across her face. He wanted to teach her something!

Now, to figure out what it was he was teaching. Was he saying that part was called hungry? Was there something in it that was called hungry? OR did it refer to a feeling, the weird feeling she experienced when her belly felt empty. Perhaps it was that weird, uncomfortable sensation after she ate too much, and she felt sluggish and sick? She couldn't tell, what did his belly feel like? full or empty?

With a frown on her face, she tried to figure out ho to ask him. Chirping, she held up a finger, leaving her pelt with him. As she did so, she gave the male a warning hiss as she bared her teeth, gazing into his eyes with feirce intentions. Her meaning was clear as she pointed to the pelt and glared. 'Touch or steal this, I will hurt you, I will bite.'

Scuttling off, she went first to the trees, tugging forcefully on two big leaves. Once these were there, she placed them by Zach, crawling around and plucking up pebbles, most likely the ones he was tossing. Bundling one leaf up and tying the top, she took the other one and filled it with pebbles, tying it likewise.

Well, that didn't seem to be working. Despite his best intentions she seemed just as confused as ever. They always made it seem so easy in books and television shows. Then again, in most stories the magical creature already understood whatever language the poor sap dragged into it spoke. There was usually no need for this sort of ridiculous attempt at communication, and when there was it didn't typically involve the human failing so much.

That was him, though. Not so good at anything but sitting, although his rock tossing skills had improved over all his time sitting around waiting.

He saw her hold up a finger and suddenly he was hissed at. He was perplexed and about to ask what he had done wrong when suddenly the Selkie vanished. At first he thought she was running away from him, but after a moment he realized that she had left the pelt with him. There was no way she could leave without it, so that meant she was coming back? What was she up to?

Out of habit he threw a rock into the water while waiting, watching the shark swim about in the waters looking for prey. Zach shivered at the idea of it considering his new friend edible. Stroking the skin idly he wondered if it worked with humans as well. Probably not, but it was a silly thought, imagining him swimming around as a seal. He couldn't help but chuckle at the thought.

Next thing he knew she was at his side again, folding leaves. For a few minutes she stared at him expectantly and he at the leaves with a baffled look on his face. What did it mean? Thinking back to the last thing he had said, he decided that she was asking him a question about 'hungry'.

After some serious thought he had a good idea of what she meant. Biting his lower lip and hoping he knew what she meant he grabbed the empty leaf and nodded. "Hungry." He said, simply.