Abaia -- Lake Guardian
#6 of The Bestiary
The lake mother will protect her children.
Abaia -- Lake Guardian By: Tyvara
Abaia watched her fishy children swim among the reeds of the lakebed. From the little silver fishes, to the long black eels (that resembled herself only they were much tinier), all the creatures of the lake swam before Abaia's great face. She intended to could count them all.
With all my many children, Abaia thought while she swayed her long body back and forth against the cave walls she slept in, I must be mindful not to loose one. There are wicked dangers in the world above, and I must keep my little one's safe. The motions of her body kept an oceanic sway to the lake, additionally keeping count.
Once satisfied that she had accounted for all the lake's inhabitants, Abaia opened her huge mouth as wide as she could. The intense motion scattered the little creatures every which way. After a few moments passed, the fish returned to swim among her huge, jagged teeth. They swam as they had done with the reeds, but for Abaia they kissed at her teeth to clean them.
Such wonderful children I have. So blessed am I. Abaia sighed, sending a few fish spinning from her mouth in a trail of bubbles. Abaia watched them go with a mental chuckle. They'll return. All lake creatures come to pay their respects to me.
It wasn't long before they did, swimming as fast as their little fins could go. When they neared Abaia, she saw the fear in their widened eyes.
"What's happened, little fish? You're frightened."
But they said nothing, only swimming away from her in the direction from which they had come. They meant for her to follow.
With a great heave of her body, Abaia pushed from her cave, leaving its warmth for the colder waters of the lake. Shaking her head from side to side, sent the fish in her mouth flying from her until she was certain all the fish were out. Then she swam after the frightened fish.
Beyond the tangle of reeds, and up the sloping hills, they led her, until they slowed, and a glint of something above caught her eye. Swimming toward it, Abaia soon saw the dangling string wafting with swells her body made as she neared. At the end of the dancing string, hung a hook.
Glancing upward, she glared at the boat somewhere high above. So, some fool wants to eat my children! Well, I'll show them who does the eating around here.
Abaia pulled back her tail, and with all her might swished her tail upward toward the boat, sending the hook and line spinning out of sight. She watched with greedy eyes as her tidal wave engulfed the boat, pulling it down into the lake. Shooting toward the boat, she opened her jaws and crashed through the frame, splintering wood all around her. The boat wasn't what she wanted and she turned for another pass, spitting wood from her teeth.
The boat halves sank quickly, leaving a bubble trail as they fell. Only bits of debris and a singular flailing object rushed to the surface.
Grinning, Abaia dove toward the swimming form. With her mouth wide she scooped up the fisherman and chomped down in a few quick snaps. In satisfaction, she gulped down the vicious fisherman, the little bits of his body rolling through her long throat. He'll fish no more in my lake.
After a gentle flick of her tail, Abaia returned to her cave, nestling into her warm home with giddy glee. It's so good to be home when my children are safe. Once settled, she opened her mouth wide again, thankful for her fishy children who could dislodge the piece of fisherman stuck between her teeth.
The End
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Author's Notes:
The Abaia comes from Melanesian mythology. It's a gigantic eel monster that lives in the bottom of a lake, protecting all the fish as it's children. The Abaia will furiously defend them from anyone foolish enough to fish in its lake, typically with a tidal wave caused by the Abaia swishing its huge tail. This is a short flash story from the Abaia's point of view.
Thanks so much for reading. ^^