Ink - Yuku Squish - Lamont Violet Rupee kinstone It had been a long time since Yuku had swum in the sea. Distanced from the shallower area where a group of Hylian children were wading under their parents’ watchful eyes, Yuku slipped quietly into the water, pushing off the rocks and taking in a deep breath of the ocean water. It was a different world here, and she avoided a rope tied to a heavy anchor as a ship overhead blocked out the sunlight. Before long she spotted a small black fish, flat body leading into a slender tail, and for a time she followed it, letting it show her the nooks and crannies of the deepening seabed as it darted away from her. Sensible, she figured, given she would likely grab it to eat if she were not in such a peaceful mood. She settled next to a patch of sea grass and rested on her back, floating gently with the tide and watching the dappled sunlight through the water. Her race were colloquially called sea Zora, but most lived lives almost exclusively within the freshwater waterways of the land. Still, she supposed, perhaps the unfamiliarity of it is what made it so beautiful. Cut off from the hustle and bustle of the Hylian harbour far above, Yuku could almost forget her troubles. After some time, the Zora woman felt a gentle pang of hunger twining in her stomach. Sighing, Yuku lifted her head and began to swim towards the shore. She broke the surface and took a deep breath of air, gills fluttering. Yuku climbed out of the water and found the rocks she had placed her skirt beneath, quickly flicking off the water on her scales and pulling the garment on. She’d forgotten how dehydrated she could become after swimming in ocean water, Yuku realised with a scowl. Her gills seemed to leech her hydration away with the flow of salty water; in fresh water, she had no such troubles. Cupping her hands and scooping up some of the ocean water, she focused for a moment, letting the magic pulse through her fingers and watching the water become clear and clean. It was cold and relieving as she drank it, and she repeated this twice more before settling. She considered the harbour for a moment. There was a small market area selling freshly caught fish, but there were also merchants offering food. Stretching luxuriously, Yuku gathered the rest of her belongings and followed the boardwalk back to the harbour. There was a small queue for the stall and she lined up, looking over the shorter Hylians in front of her to see what the merchant was selling. Perhaps she could cut up any leftovers and give it to the children, she decided. Their mouths were still too small to fully bite into larger meals, and their hands hadn’t formed enough to use cutlery yet, but there was no reason she couldn’t purchase a simple meal and start introducing them to more substantial food. Satisfied, Yuku followed the queue forwards.
