Léan slipped out into deeper water, making sure to swim at a pace that she could keep up with. He swam along the bottom of the ocean, and near the bottom, it was teeming with fish that knew not to go near the surface, since humans were up there--it was a crowded place, and they were used to humans.

Glory looked around as they went. She was always amazed at seeing so many fish in one place. She wasn't used to it, partially because she hardly ever went into the water before the summer and partially because she thought the fish would all disappear when she got close.

The fish would have scattered normally, but upon seeing the human with another creature of the deep, they seemed relaxed. Fish were friendly around merpeople until they sensed hunger. Then they would flee.

Léan ducked in and out of coral reefs, surreptitiously eating up fish so the fish around them would stay. He didn't want the other fish to see him eat, since they would scatter at once.

Glory drifted slowly around the reef, admiring all the colors and shapes. She could very easily get used to such things, and already the thought of the beach was a little boring. She watched as Léan darted in and out of the reef, and would have grinned if she didn't have the breather in her mouth.

Léan had his fill of fish after a bit, and simply glided along beside her, relaxed beneath the waves. He hated coral reefs, but he could live with this much, if they interested her and made her happy.

Glory looked over at him as he came up next to her.

"Bored?" she asked.

"Not really, no..." Léan replied, quietly. "I'm all right. Reefs are a normal sight for me, so I'm not that amazed by them. They're also crowded." He shot a disapproving look at a nearby group of rays. They, unlike most other sea creatures, did not like merpeople.

"I think the reef is beautiful," Glory replied. She followed his gaze to the mantas. "And aren't those mostly harmless?"

"Quite beautiful, but I see them often, so they don't seem that special to me," Léan reasoned, nodding. "Things like forests...glaciers...canyons, above water...those seem wonderful to me." He turned his gaze back on the rays, frowning. "Rays of any kind are not friendly to my kind. They find all sorts of ways to cause trouble."

"I agree, glaciers and canyons are pretty. Even forests, if the light hits them just right," Glory said. "We can go somewhere else if you're bored, though. You're the one who went exploring, so you know what's around here."

"There are many different reefs. There's a kelp forest about four minutes away, if you want to go and have a look around there for a while," Léan recalled, thinking.

"I'll follow you," Glory said. "You know your way around better than I do."

Léan nodded, and he slid out in front of her. He led the way out towards the forest, through the reef. As they approached the forest, the water darkened. The kelp up ahead was so thick that it slightly blotted out the sun.

Glory followed him, looking around as they went. The landscape changed so suddenly on the ocean floor... It surprised her sometimes.

Léan seemed much more relaxed in the kelp forest than he was in the reef. It was much less crowded with life, and a bit darker. He nibbled absently on some of the kelp as he swam by.

Glory noticed that the wildlife in the kelp forest was different than that on the reef, and it didn't surprise her. It was a different part of the landscape, after all. She couldn't help but want to grin when she saw him nibbling on some kelp. It was practically the equivalent of a salad.

Léan didn't often eat kelp, but when he did, it wasn't much. The taste of it was fine in small amounts...but eating a lot left a terrible aftertaste in his mouth. For now, he enjoyed the kelp, pulling off bits to keep with him for now as he returned to her side.

"I keep feeling like I'm going to get tangled up in here," Glory commented. "Everything is so close together."

"If you do, I can help. I don't get tangled often. Legs are what get humans tangled in kelp forests," Léan informed her, amused. "I don't have legs, obviously." He swatted away an odd-looking fish that had been poking around at his side. "There are no leftovers down there for you."

"Hey, I can't help it," Glory protested, grinning. "I'm not the one who decided how my species evolved."

Léan arched an eyebrow, tempted to make a negative comment, but ignored the temptation and flipped around onto his back so that he was swimming upside-down.

"Showoff," Glory teased as she watched him.

"I am not showing off," Léan huffed, giving her a sideways glance. "It is comfortable for me to swim like this. Plus, the view of the surface through the kelp looks nice."

"You know I'm teasing you," Glory said. "No need to grouch at me."

"I am not...grouching, you called it? I'm all right." Léan closed his eyes, floating along. He wasn't paying attention to where he was going. "You should check to see how much air you have left."