Hadama swam serenely beside the mershark, listening to their grumbling with grave courtesy. He did not share Kaiden's interest in eating every vaguely-food-shaped thing that crossed their path, but he had long since learned how strong his young friend's shift-instincts were. It was not an easy thing to hold back from, or so he had been told.
Kaiden's senses were keener than the mermanta's, and it took a few more moments of swimming for the scent to reach the King. He considered it for a short time before nodding and changing direction to follow the trail. Likely, he acknowledged, drawing them closer to the coast. The water was much shallower here, and swimming was more difficult. A number of trees and bushes grew right up to the tideline, however, and quickly enough a small cluster of void-infected pineapple plants were spotted near the water.
They were short, only a few feet tall, but several had a sickly fruit growing at their tops. One had already shed its young, the corrupted molten pineapple lying on the damp sand and rocking gently as the waves washed up to caress it and then slid back into the Arclight. Soon enough a wave would come along that was high enough to capture the tainted fruit and wash it out to sea, where it would be carried to another shore to spread the infection farther still...
Kaiden's senses were keener than the mermanta's, and it took a few more moments of swimming for the scent to reach the King. He considered it for a short time before nodding and changing direction to follow the trail. Likely, he acknowledged, drawing them closer to the coast. The water was much shallower here, and swimming was more difficult. A number of trees and bushes grew right up to the tideline, however, and quickly enough a small cluster of void-infected pineapple plants were spotted near the water.
They were short, only a few feet tall, but several had a sickly fruit growing at their tops. One had already shed its young, the corrupted molten pineapple lying on the damp sand and rocking gently as the waves washed up to caress it and then slid back into the Arclight. Soon enough a wave would come along that was high enough to capture the tainted fruit and wash it out to sea, where it would be carried to another shore to spread the infection farther still...
