She stands beneath the surf, the waves crashing overhead. Despite the surf, there is a stillness about being here beneath the waves. There’s a quietness that seems to settle over her and for a moment, Katniss feels more at peace than she ever has. Her life had been chaotic recently. It was almost as if she was on a merry-go-round without the ability to stop it. Her life was spinning out of control and she could do nothing to slow it down. Her mind was so restless lately, her thoughts betraying everything she thought she was. And yet, she had to get away before it would be her ultimate undoing.
And so, she stood here amongst the fishes, letting the sounds of the waves lull her mind into some sort of functioning entity. Her magic created a set of gills that breathed for her, the sound of water rushing over the gills was soothing. And yet, even in the stillness of this moment, Katniss knew she could not stay here forever. She had a son who needed her, a court who depended on her, and a life she had to keep on living, no matter how painful it might be.
And with a sigh, Katniss began to walk towards the beach, her body slowly slipping from the waves as elegantly as Ariel seemed to appear out of the sea in her blue shimmering dress in The Little Mermaid. Water seemed to roll off her muscles, pooling only along the hundreds of scars that her skin sported. As her lungs began to work again, her gills seemed to disappear and once more, Katniss was like any other being. No longer did she embrace her kelpie heritage. No longer did she hold onto her past.
By the time she exited the water almost completely, Katniss was tired, her body exhausted from the inner turmoil. And yet, she looked confident and strong, holding her head high with her muscles stiff. She looked regal, every bit the warrior she was. And yet, no one knew of the war she was fighting within, the war that she was undoubtedly losing.
