Below Zero
my frost philosophy will put no curse on me
There was a joy in her heart that came from her time below the water. The liquid entered her muzzle as she laughed a sound that mirrored the cree-ing laughter of the dolphins that had taught her ancestors the best way to carry their conversations through the depths of the sea. Bubbles fled from gills as she kept up the easy filtering of oxygen from the water, instinctively breathing beneath the sea as she swam with a certain eagerness to stretch her fins. Her limbs were coiled close to her body, and her fluke of a tail drove her easily through the water, her body angling with her neck and head to direct her passage, as she dove down deep to the sandy bottom of the depths.
The low-waiting predators fled from her large form, a few basking sharks dancing out of reach, a stingray abandoning the area with a flap of it's underwater wings. She slowed as her tail moved at a more leisure rate, her limbs unfolding and seeming to paddle her through the water in a way that was more graceful than more mammalian swimmers. Where they always seemed to struggle through the water, Vapors had generations of perfecting their forms. Her limbs cut through the water easily, her fur sleek against her form and allowing water to pass by easily, more aqua-dynamic thanks to the follicles grew, and the single layer of fur adorning her blubber-protected form. Her dorsal fin rippled with her, controlled her spine and helping control her movements just as easily as the rest of her body did. All aspects carefully trained to work together . . . she was always more comfortable in the water, more used to the water. More willing to embrace this life.
She had missed this life. She was taking the time to play and chase with the fish, moving easily to follow the pods and school with the largest of the aquatic creatures - she never noticed the other large creature entering the reef she played in. She never noticed the other's struggle with the currents that Bel had experience correcting for and did so with out thought. She didn't notice the other until the two both seemed to turn corners just right, the other clumsy and slow, while Bel's motions are swift and practice, and both draw up short as the two come face to face.
The two are silent, noting the other, and Bel quietly takes in the creature that is far more outfitted with fins than she could ever dream of being. She'd often wondered if having more fins to catch the currents would be more useful or not. Her own fins thick with cartilage had bend to them, but not like the membranes of other's fins. The other seemed to suddenly blink with extra eyes, and Bel's own eyes narrow onto her more fully as the stranger spoke, questioning who she was.
Bel's muzzle opened as she took a slow breath, bubbles erupting from her gills as she did so, "My name is Below Zero." Her words echo in the water, carried on the currents in a slightly higher frequency than she would use on land. Half of the vowels and constants seem to be exaggerated, taking on an almost carried "eeee" sounds that might fit a dolphin's vocalization than that of a horse (but then again, Bel had always identified as an aquatic-equine for a reason. She always felt she was a creature of the sea far more than that of the ocean. "I don't believe I've seen you in the reef before," She added curiously, tilting her head. While Bel didn't come by often (definitely not enough by her standard), she didn't think she'd ever seen another really sharing the reef with her during her times under the waters. Perhaps she just constantly missed the others?
Bubbles left her gills, trailing to the surface as Bel breathed softly, starting to relax again as her dorsal fin shifted with the slight movements of her body and tail to keep her floating in the water that moved around them. She watched the other with an open curiosity, as she slowly allowed herself to add, "So, who . . . are you? And if I may ask, what are you?" She asked, briefly wondering if this might be one of those Kelpies that Asterion had wondered if she was upon their first meeting, or some other breed of aquatic horse. All Bel knew for certain is she wasn't one of both homes like Bel herself who had the gills and fins of the sea, but the limbs and lungs of land. But Bel was also more than eager to see and learn more about the aquatic-mare before her, and who knew what underwater knowledge the two might be able to share too. (And a friend to play beneath the waves with wouldn't be denied either).
Thoughts
Speech
@'Jaylin' - note to self. Bel is far more relaxed when meeting strangers underwater. No unusual ramblings from her, she's perfectly in her element! I'm discovering so much about her today!
The low-waiting predators fled from her large form, a few basking sharks dancing out of reach, a stingray abandoning the area with a flap of it's underwater wings. She slowed as her tail moved at a more leisure rate, her limbs unfolding and seeming to paddle her through the water in a way that was more graceful than more mammalian swimmers. Where they always seemed to struggle through the water, Vapors had generations of perfecting their forms. Her limbs cut through the water easily, her fur sleek against her form and allowing water to pass by easily, more aqua-dynamic thanks to the follicles grew, and the single layer of fur adorning her blubber-protected form. Her dorsal fin rippled with her, controlled her spine and helping control her movements just as easily as the rest of her body did. All aspects carefully trained to work together . . . she was always more comfortable in the water, more used to the water. More willing to embrace this life.
She had missed this life. She was taking the time to play and chase with the fish, moving easily to follow the pods and school with the largest of the aquatic creatures - she never noticed the other large creature entering the reef she played in. She never noticed the other's struggle with the currents that Bel had experience correcting for and did so with out thought. She didn't notice the other until the two both seemed to turn corners just right, the other clumsy and slow, while Bel's motions are swift and practice, and both draw up short as the two come face to face.
The two are silent, noting the other, and Bel quietly takes in the creature that is far more outfitted with fins than she could ever dream of being. She'd often wondered if having more fins to catch the currents would be more useful or not. Her own fins thick with cartilage had bend to them, but not like the membranes of other's fins. The other seemed to suddenly blink with extra eyes, and Bel's own eyes narrow onto her more fully as the stranger spoke, questioning who she was.
Bel's muzzle opened as she took a slow breath, bubbles erupting from her gills as she did so, "My name is Below Zero." Her words echo in the water, carried on the currents in a slightly higher frequency than she would use on land. Half of the vowels and constants seem to be exaggerated, taking on an almost carried "eeee" sounds that might fit a dolphin's vocalization than that of a horse (but then again, Bel had always identified as an aquatic-equine for a reason. She always felt she was a creature of the sea far more than that of the ocean. "I don't believe I've seen you in the reef before," She added curiously, tilting her head. While Bel didn't come by often (definitely not enough by her standard), she didn't think she'd ever seen another really sharing the reef with her during her times under the waters. Perhaps she just constantly missed the others?
Bubbles left her gills, trailing to the surface as Bel breathed softly, starting to relax again as her dorsal fin shifted with the slight movements of her body and tail to keep her floating in the water that moved around them. She watched the other with an open curiosity, as she slowly allowed herself to add, "So, who . . . are you? And if I may ask, what are you?" She asked, briefly wondering if this might be one of those Kelpies that Asterion had wondered if she was upon their first meeting, or some other breed of aquatic horse. All Bel knew for certain is she wasn't one of both homes like Bel herself who had the gills and fins of the sea, but the limbs and lungs of land. But Bel was also more than eager to see and learn more about the aquatic-mare before her, and who knew what underwater knowledge the two might be able to share too. (And a friend to play beneath the waves with wouldn't be denied either).
Thoughts
Speech
@'Jaylin' - note to self. Bel is far more relaxed when meeting strangers underwater. No unusual ramblings from her, she's perfectly in her element! I'm discovering so much about her today!
i feel no cold, i feel no fear inside my mind
Now I'm full of energy
![[Image: i-jTNwWx8.png]](https://photos.smugmug.com/BelowZeroNovus/n-X9d9fZ/i-jTNwWx8/1/e09fb6c3/O/i-jTNwWx8.png)
