Black Pearls - Yrkala

Shella stared at Yrkala, seemingly at a loss for words. Her stare was uncomfortable on Yrkala. "What?" Yrkala asked.

Shella closed her eyes and rubbed at them with her fingers. "I been here for a hundred years, more at this point," she began slowly. "I been ferryin' any type of folk back an' forth fer years, pickin' 'em up, fuckin' 'em, an' droppin' 'em off. Never saw a community of any kind. Never saw repeat places, even goin' to the same damn shore. An' you tell me that there is a god-damned port somewhere?"

"If that is what you call it, then yes. They said they were new, and they built more when I was there. Did not know where wood came from."

Shella slid against a wall and slumped into a seating position. She was mumbling to herself, too quiet for Yrkala to hear.

She may have just hurt Shella, Yrkala thought. Yrkala squatted down and asked, "Do you want something?"

Shella groaned and replied, "I want folk to talk to. I wanna pick my partners, rather than roll the roulette for 'em. I wanna get drunk! Y'know, I managed to keep quiet about no rum as long as someone was here to distract me, but you said folks was drinkin' in that port o' yours?"

Yrkala shrugged. "It is all right. I do not drink rum either. Worst creation of human folk ever," she said. Rum tasted horrible, and you couldn't drink it underwater anyways.

Shella sighed, stood up, and said to Yrkala, "Can ye follow me? I wanna tell ye somethin'. It's about me bein' concerned about you hoppin' off."

"I see no problem," Yrkala replied.

"Good." Shella took Yrkala's hand and led her to her cabin with her massive bed. Motioning for Yrkala to sit, Shella sighed and leaned against the wooden box.

"I toldja I was cursed, right?" Shella asked. Yrkala nodded in human agreement. "Used ta be human, then..." Shella snarled, her face contorting into as pure a primal expression of hate and fear Yrkala had ever seen on anything not of her people. Whatever it was, she hated it and was scared of it, even in memory. The hum from her body was spiked, lashing out and receding away. "Anyways, now a fish-woman. Funny eyes, funny hair, big feet. Got this ship, got to this world. An' I hate it. May not hate it in the future, 'cause of that port you told me about, but I got a way out of here."

"10 Black Pearls. Part of a curse I share with Lily. When we mate, pearls will grow in the partner who received the matin'. Hurts me like hell, can't stand it. Normally, the pearls are white, sometimes colored like the rainbow, and sometimes," Shella exposited while looking at Yrkala's belly, "they are black."

Yrkala looked at her stomach and put a hand over it. Shella implied it was there in her. She didn't feel it at all. There was something still enraging about it, though. Yrkala thought that Shella should have asked or told her about this curse. "You want the pearl that you have planted in me?" Yrkala asked, slightly snarling.

"Not yet, just wait for it, but I'll get it outta you," Shella affirmed.

It was like Yrkala had found out she was pregnant. She had been used, and now there were consequences. If she could, she would have torn it out of her body right then and there. "Take it out now!" Yrkala roared.

"Hold on, will ya? It won't hurt ya, it won't kill ya. It ain't doin' anythin' to you," Shella pleaded. The hum from her body was quivering. "It was something I do naturally, it wouldn't have mattered if I told you or not."

"I tried to approach Lily and she ran away! Was it because of you and your curse?" Yrkala demanded. Before Shella could answer, she continued ranting, "Was it because you wanted my body to hold and birth one of your little curses? Is that why your teaching felt like nothing useful? Do you do this to all of those you meet? You mate with them to use them? Men of my people wanted me, because I was a good hunter, so their children would be strong. Not because of me proper, because of what my body can do! Are you so like that?"

The quivering hum in Shella twisted into seething, frothing lashes. "All right, maybe I am. Maybe because I was denied any kind o' adventurin'! I board a ship, get abandoned, then get twisted into this! Can't think anythin', scared of everythin', run into this ship! Soon as I know it, we get boarded an' I'm tearing people's throats out with these claws! First time I actually think since this curse, even though I'm an animal! And, as soon as I feel some kind o' balance, bein' an animal on here, I get sent to this god-dammed world! An' poof! Fear returns, everythin' wants to touch me, and after they do, it hurts! So I learn why it hurts an' learn how to not hurt! An' now I'm usin' women like you to get the fuck out of this shitty, lifeless world before I become some kind of mindless thing again!"

Yrkala stepped back. She didn't see that coming. Maybe it should have been that Shella's voice would be calm as she explained how she had mated so many times before just to see some kind of treasure, showing a greed that Yrkala had seen before in clothes-wearers. Maybe she should have smoothly explained how much she enjoyed seeing and using women. But for Shella, mating and forcing pearls into women was necessary for her, as much as finding tools was for Yrkala.

Shella groaned in frustration and sat on the bed, covering her face in her hands. Her hum had become weary after her rant had left her.

Yrkala didn't know what to do. She could leave, just to spite Shella, but that would seal Shella in this lifeless world for longer. Yrkala crouched down next to Shella, and asked, "Is there anything I can do to help you?"

Shella sighed and set her hands down. Her eyes were downcast. "I dunno. Love me? I known I been usin' you, an' I'll get it if ye don't want to. I can't control you. I can show you the ropes, but what you do is up to you."

Shella was defeated, her bodily hum low-key and exhausted. She still wasn't Lily, but finally, perhaps, she was showing the same layer of her that Lily showed. She was a little more beautiful now, with what she wanted exposed.

Yrkala brushed away one of the seaweed-like tendrils of hair that was over Shella's face and cupped her cheek. Studying Shella, Yrkala wondered, to herself, if she should let herself. She didn't want to be something that tore clothes off. She wanted to be more caring, and mate in a more caring manner. Maybe that was what was wrong. Yrkala had room to learn.

Bending forward, Yrkala rubbed her solid, tingling nose against Shella's. Strong vibrating hums cascaded her senses, not blotting them out, but informing her, like a touch. She felt Shella hesitating, an uncertain pause in the hum, before she tried to kiss Yrkala. The weird press of Shella's lips onto Yrkala's clumsy, unprepared lips felt bizarre, and not as good as rubbing her nose against Shella's skin.

Rubbing her nose against Shella's cheek, feeling the electric hum of her body fluctuate, Yrkala pushed Shella back on the bed. One of her hands reached and clutched at the singular button of Shella's shirt, but she couldn't undo it with her clumsy fingers and only pulled it down.

Yrkala slid her nose along Shella's neck, pressing into it. The hums were swelling now, buzzing with a building joy she felt similar to the heat of want. Rubbing along the smooth gill-slits, Yrkala purred, feeling the happy numbness from the humming. She felt Shella unbutton her shirt and let it fall down.

Yrkala rubbed her nose across Shella's shoulder, pushing her back across the bed and following her. Yrkala nuzzled Shella's arm, then forced it aside gently to rub at the hairless armpit. It reeked of sweat there, and the scent shocked her nostrils. Whuffling and backing out, Yrkala returned to nuzzle across Shella's chest.

Feeling the hum swell into a wanting, sliding buzz, Yrkala pressed her nose into Shella's breast. Her wedge-like nose pushed against the soft flesh, rubbing around the dark nipple. The buzz getting shocked into her body was almost overpowering as she touched another woman's body. Yrkala could feel the heat in her own loins, feel the stiffness of her own tits, even without touching them.

She heard Shella moan and felt the hum spike as her nose rubbed across Shella's dark, hard nipple, the stiff skin resisting her push before giving away. Sparks fired into Yrkala's mind, making her body begin to ache with need. Yrkala's arms were on either side of Shella, not holding her but pinning her all the same. Under her, Shella's thumbs hooked into her pants and wriggled them off, sliding them to her knees.

Yrkala slid her hands underneath Shella and picked her up. Easy enough to do, and the sudden motion made Shella gasp in surprise. Her nose, still pressed to Shella, wandered down her belly, tracing and pressing against her belly button. Yrkala was dripping wet with arousal now, but she didn't want to be cruel. She was enjoying this nuzzling too much.

Down lower still, Yrkala rubbed her nose against the low of Shella's belly, pressing in above Shella's slit, which was light fleshy pink, dripping wet and swollen with need. Shella kicked her pants off the remainder of the way, letting them fall to the bed.

Not pressing in to Shella's slit, Yrkala felt, with the hums of the body and her nose, the inside of Shella's thigh. Such soft flesh, and the musky, wanting scent! Shella's hum was a buzz of want and desire now, as much as Yrkala's body was. Shella's body was leaned back, her waist up in the air and back supported by Yrkala.

Breaking the delirium-inducing contact, Yrkala let Shella down gently, her buttocks resting against the cloth of the bed. Now, Yrkala was kneeling on the bed, her flipper-feet barely poking off of it. "Come on," Shella pleaded, "Do it. Love me."

Yrkala didn't quite know how. She didn't want to use her fingers nor her ineffectual tongue. She picked up Shella by the waist and held her close to Yrkala's body. Sensitive nose buried in Shella's salt-smelling hair, Yrkala basked in the warmth of Shella's body. She just didn't know yet.

Shella shifted and squirmed in Yrkala's grasp. A string of fear launched itself in Yrkala. Was she crushing Shella? She loosened her grip, and Shella slid over on Yrkala, her thigh slipping over and straddling Yrkala's tattooed thigh, before hugging Yrkala tight. "Like this," Shella whispered, "Rub yourself on my thigh."

Her knee was poking at between Yrkala's legs. Obligingly, Yrkala split them, resettling herself and Shella. Shella wriggled closer on her, sliding a bent leg in between Yrkala's legs and burying her face in Yrkala's tatoo-striped breast.

Yrkala felt Shella press her hips against Yrkala's thigh and Yrkala's thigh raise, touching Yrkala's soaking, open slit. Shella moaned into Yrkala as her hips slid up, pulling on Yrkala. Yrkala felt the warmth, the delight, the numbness get pressed into her as she felt Shella's thigh slide along her entrance, playing against her swollen, aching clit, making her growl in delight.

Now she knew. Yrkala place her tattooed hand to the back of Shella's head, feeling the oddly soft, slick hair, holding Shella's head, and placed the other hand on Shella's lower back, holding her there. Now positioned, Yrkala let Shella slide back down, feeling the wet trail Shella left on her tattoo-striped thigh.

Burying her head into Shella's shoulder, nuzzling the hair and feeling the hum, Yrkala growled a rumble tinged with pleasure. She felt Shella stiffen, then relax, from the noise so close to her ear. Rubbing lips against shoulder, Yrkala pushed Shella against her. She felt Shella's lips of lust part and mold themselves on her thigh, and felt herself do the same, Shella's thigh pressing in pleasure into Yrkala's body.

Relaxing, letting Shella slide down, then pushing together again, almost gyrating, however slowly. Yrkala felt the numb warmth grow in her, building up more steadily and lovingly than before. Her loins melted when Shella's thighs ground against her, building up a well of heated pleasure in her belly. Caressing Shella's hair, Yrkala purred from their act, letting Shella grind herself against her leg. Her nose buzzed in joy when she rubbed it against Shella's ear, jawline, shoulder, then back up again. Close to her own ear, she could hear Shella sigh and groan with the touch.

Yrkala didn't know nor care about how much time they spent locked like that, the only sounds echoing in the room Yrkala's pleased purring and Shella's lustful moaning. She felt the pleasure build in her, well up and swell. Feeling as much of Shella's soft skin as she could, body to body, Yrkala added more, wanted more.

Finally, Yrkala felt her body come. Hugging Shella tight, she felt Shella rub against her faster before her mind was taken over by bliss, her eyes unfocusing and seeing white blotches. Yrkala's body twitch, fingers digging into Shella, as her slit trembled and squeezed on nothing. She groaned, riding out the orgasmic sensation, as it died down gradually.

Shella still hugged her tightly, trembling like she did, groaning lustfully and grinding against Yrkala hard. Her hum was overpowering, shocking and almost blasting Yrkala's mind this close. The hum died down as Shella stopped twitching and slumped against Yrkala. Shella murmured "Thank you," low enough so that Yrkala barely heard it.

Yrkala let Shella down gently, resting her weary head against a pillow. She twisted around, sitting on the edge of the bed and looking down, shoulders hunched. Her breath was hot and laboured, and she ached sorely in places. She had mated, no, had sex with another woman. Somehow, through the intentional love of it all, it didn't sit right with her.

What had she done? She had been used by Shella, had hurt Shella, and Shella had weakened. Then, she moved in and caressed Shella. She didn't love Shella any more or less than she did before. She now wasn't some untaken huntress either. She had taken Shella, but it felt like it didn't even matter.

Shella groaned behind her and said, "Yeah, you're getting better."

Yrkala growled her acknowledgement. "Anythin' botherin' you?" Shella asked.

"No," Yrkala lied. The pearl, though. Yrkala twisted to face Shella. Shella was breathing hard, one arm outstretched, the other on her belly. "Can you remove the pearl now?" Yrkala asked.

Shella grinned weakly and struggled upright. "Yeah. Just stay still," she said.

Shella crawled over to Yrkala and placed a hand on her shoulder. Yrkala's hands moved to support her, holding on to her hip. Shella's spare hand traced Yrkala's belly, circling around her navel and tracing the fat-layered muscle. Stopping at a point between slit and belly button, Shella's hand formed a flat plane before pushing into Yrkala's body.

Yrkala saw Shella's hand slid in, and she saw gentle ripples ring out from where Shella was pushing in, but she felt nothing. The wrist angled and twisted, and Shella rooted around inside Yrkala's belly before withdrawing her clenched fist. Yrkala had never seen anything like it.

Shella's fingers opened, revealing a perfectly formed lustrous black orb, only the width of one knuckle. It was a pearl, formed darkly, of the kind Shella had talked about earlier. Shella gazed at it, before closing her fingers around it and collapsing back on the bed. Shella looked at Yrkala once more, and said, "Thank you." The hum of her body was weary.

Despite her onsetting exhaustion, Yrkala stood up. She walked through the cabin door into the cool night air. Nothing in her, nothing on her, nothing to hold nor carry with her. No reason nor want to stay. She had lost Lily the moment she touched her. She didn't care for the promiscuous Shella, only sexing with her to help her. Yrkala placed a foot on to the railing and jumped, abandoning the creaky, old, grey ship for the lifeless night ocean below.

* * *

Shella sighed, mentally and physically exhausted, clutching the black pearl on the bed. The wall rippled like water and Lily, dress untorn, strode out and approached the bed. "I really screwed that one up, didn't I?" Shella said to Lily.

Lily looked on, her head ducking away for a thought, but otherwise impassive.

"I don't think she'll return. If'n yer waitin' for her, I'm sorry. But now, let's pull up anchor and get sailin'. I wanna get to that port place," Shella directed, rolling the black pearl between her fingers.

There was a poorly-made cloth bag held in Lily's hand. Peeking over, Shella asked, "Whatcha got there?"

Lily opened the bag and pulled out an object. It was a series of discarded crab legs attached to a string tied in a loop, making it a necklace. Shella struggled to sit up, gazing at the crafted scavenged jewelry. "Wha? Did Yrkala make that? Where'd you find it? How'd she get the crab legs?"

Lily nodded, pointed to across the ship, and shrugged, one at a time, to answer all three questions. Shella flopped back down. "Ye goin' to keep it?" she asked.

Lily looked pensively at the makeshift necklace. It was something of a gift, but Yrkala had abandoned it when she left. Lily hung the loop on an outcropping of coral.

Outside, the rusted chain creaked and laboured to haul the ancient anchor up. The Sea Lilith now free to move, the sails billowed with the wind as the ship sailed off, away from the barren reef.

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We would like to give thanks to the editor, collegePervert, for their work on this story.