The endless surface of the ocean is smooth and shining as melted crystal under the equally dark ocean of the sky, here and there inturrupted only by a tall rock or piece of driftwood, never land. But here is a new inturruption- a pale hand, followed by azure blue feathers, and the top of a dark haired head surrounded by a small wreath of land-flowers.

Epuri pauses with only the top of her head and eyes out of the sea and listens, only moving to push a stray flower out of her eyes and back into it's weave. No sound of water being shifted by fins, no telltale disturbance of the current... Satisfied that she's alone, she sighs and lets herself relax, floating on her back. Her wings, flightless and just for show as are the wings of all sirens, stretch out below the waves and look like pale shadows against the darkness below.

Her hands tremble just slightly with exhaustion as she pulls a shell out of a small seaweed bag at her side, and she frowns at them. *No, I've no time for this now. I'll show her that cowardly tricks aren't enough*, she speak-thinks to herself in the strange telepathy sirens use to communicate underwater. Her memories of the last few nights, sleep disturbed by stress and someone making noises by her sleep-space, leave a bitter taste in her mouth but help to steady her hands as they carefully scrape at the shell using a small metal tool. With another glance around to be certain they aren't watching, she blows on the shell quietly, testing it's different notes by fluttering her fingers over the holes. Each note is sweet and clear, but rather than smile Epuri bits her lip. Any instrument workes above the water, but here comes the real test.

Sinking a few feet below the surface, wings fidgeting nervously, she runs her fingers over every inch of the shell she can reach to make sure everything is smooth and finished. The current itself carries a bit of tension, reflecting the mood of all the siren youths in the clan's area. Nothing seems to be wrong with the shell. *Here goes then...* Taking a deep breath of water she puts her lips to the shell and blows it's lowest note- creating a deep, resonating tone that seems to fill the water around her. She gasps in startled joy. *I did it! A songshell that works below the air!* She grasps the precious thing tight in both hands and holds it to her chest, laughing and fully stretching out her wings. *It's all payed off, they wouldn't turn anyone out with this!*

By 'It's all payed off' she means the weeks of working alone on her project, finding suitable new shells when she failed, and keeping it secret from even her closest friends- she couldn't risk someone overhearing and trying the same idea, although she doubted anyone could manage to copy it even if they knew how. But now her future in the clan was finally secured past the Consilium- the great, annual ceremony when all of the adolescent siren have to go before the Council and entire gathered clan to show that they have made one worthwhile accomplishment. Anyone without something to show is immediately turned out- exiled from the clan. The exiled siren is allowed to return if they have done something that no-one has ever done before, but because of the difficulty of that task and the fact that being turned out is a great shame, no exiled siren has ever returned. Luckily it's terribly rare that even a slow minded siren can't accomplish something, and none have been exiled in the span of several long generations.

Elated, she glides back to the surface to sing, a great pastime of all the Clan's members. She forces herself to take a quick look around, making sure there aren't any ships to accidentally lure in, and smiles at the sight of endless silver wavelets and nothing else. She lets her hands drop to her sides and takes a deep breath- but a sound is suddenly behind her and she stops abruptly. As discreetly as she can manage she slips her songshell from her hand into her bag, praying silently that the movement will go unnoticed and scolding herself for being so careless. Fixing a moon-like look of indifference on her face she turns, and is not at all suprised at who it is.

Epuri notes that Vellicare has gotten a new piece of land-walker ribbon for her hair, matching her yellow land flower, and is coldly proud of her own flowers- pretty land objects are rare things, and having the best ones was just one of their long running competitions.

*Well good evening, Epuri* Vellicare's mind-voice is sickly sweet like dead flowers in Epuri's mind, and she wishes she had spoken first, as she had the more beautiful speaking voice...

...but now that Vellicare had initiated the conversation in mind-speak it would be rude to respond differently. *Well good eve Velli. What a... pleasent chance this is, to run into you right here and now, with all the other places in the great Water that you could be. What ever brings you here?* Vellicare's right wing twitches at the hated nickname, and Epuri can't keep one edge of her mouth from turning up just slightly. Her right wing always has given her away, she thinks to herself.

But Vellicare just smiles a little more and holds her arms out to her sides in a careless 'who knows' sort of gesture. *Well I was just happening by, you know, when I heard the most curious sound.* She sees Epuri's right hand twitch as if still holding the soundshell, and a glint of steel enters the beams of her falsly sunny smile. *Whatever do you think it was?*

Epuri's face only remains steady from great practice, but behind it she's not so composed. It was dry foolish of me to play my shell over the Clan's territory... the question is, does she know, or did she just notice me and decide to 'visit'? She decides to be disarmingly casual, and adjusts her flowers calmly. *Just having a nice sing under the stars Velli. Lovely night isn't it?* She stretches, as if very relaxed, and makes a sound like a yawn and a sigh.

Vellicare watches her with a searching stare for a moment, then looks dissapointed, right wing slouching just an inch. *Oh, I'm sorry, are you tired?* Her smile revives a little at that, and Epuri has to keep from sneering angrily- but this game of being face to face with the enemy and having no proof is an old one, and she keeps the expression back.

At least that's something I can turn to my advantage, Epuri thinks with relief, refreshing her poisionously sweet smile. *Now that you mention it, my dear Velli, I am quite! I think I'll be going to my sleeping-sand now.*

Vellicare's grin fades back into dissapointment again, and she allows a little of it to show. She just floats there a moment, trying to think of something cutting to say for a last word, but comes up with nothing and now frowns openly, crossing her arms. *Well, then. I bid you goodnight.* Rudely she slips back under the surface before she's finished talking, and her voice leaves a feeling like a trace of blood in water.

For a few moments Epuri holds perfectly still, until the water currents tell her Vellicare has gone. Then she releases a great wooshing sigh and falls on her back again, floating and looking at the stars. That little harpy! She thinks she can get me turned out by disturbing my sleep and inturrupting my work time? Well there's three moonrises left, my Velli, and I've made something rare and grand! Lets see you beat this with your weavings and shell art!


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