Nee'la stared down at the water lapping at her paws. The waves would creep up and pounce just before her claws before retreating across the sand like a mischievous whelp. They were fairly gentle for now, Nee'la feeling confident that she could easily swim through them no problem.

But it wasn't the ocean's surface that worried her. No, it was the unseen, hungry currents that could throw you against undersea rocks. The giant leviathans known to lurk throughout Xuinus' seas. But most of all it was the threat of drowning.

"There is nothing to fear," Vet'tigra tried to reassure her.

Which was a nice sentiment. The only problem was that his lung capacity was much higher than her own. Horro's too, though he wasn't aquatic his sheer bulk ensured his lungs would be massive in comparison to anyone else's.

How was she supposed to compete with the two of them?

"Well, this is as good a time as any," Horro announced. And before either of them could protest he slithered forward. Nee'la watched as the draconic tark'ee slipped lower and lower beneath the waves until not even his red dorsal fin stuck out above the surface.

Vet'tigra turned to her one last time. "

Nee'la snorted. She refused to let the other tark'ee see how nervous she truly was. Instead she forced her paws to march into the surf. Taking a deep breath, Nee'la forced herself to dive.

Immediately, she was surrounded by a vast expanse of blue. To her left Vet'tigra drew alongside her, while to the right she could make out Horro's long form snaking through the brine.

There, just a few yards away, lay the remains of an old seafaring vessel. Its hull lay broken and cracked apart down the middle, a shell of its former glory. Marine plants had begun growing on its flanks wherever they could as fish casually meandered about.

Nee'la steeled herself before diving even lower towards it. Behind her she could sense Vet'tigra and Horro doing the same. The trio made their way down in silence, sticking close enough to touch as the wreck loomed before them.

At last she drew even with the skeletal vessel. She wrapped her paws around its metal railing before pulling herself down towards the crack across the deck. Vet'tigra followed close on her heels while Horro, too big to fit inside, lurked around the outside in search of shinies.

Nee'la's lungs gently burned as she glanced around the cargo hold. Stark metal walls sat on every side, studded with bulkheads like fleshless ribs. But no sign of any treasures so far.

Vet'tigra swam towards the back of the hold and Nee'la reluctantly followed him. With all the easier scavenged bits already stolen, they had no choice but to press on even further into the ship's bowels.

Something jolted in her chest. Nee'la kept her jaws clamped firmly shut to prevent any precious oxygen escaping. But it did nothing to quell the fight against her lungs.

Still, she fought to keep calm. This was fine, she could probably push on a little further.

Ahead of her it looked like Vet'tira was pawing through some soaked books with Horro looking on through the porthole. She swam closer to catch a better look at-

Another jolt. Painful this time. Nee'la's lungs were on fire now, kicking inside her chest in an instinctual fight for air. She couldn't stay here any longer.

Twisting around, she kicked off up out of the surface overhead. Vet'tigra and Horro both turned towards her, but she had no room to explain. The only thought on her mind was getting out, clawing faster and faster to the light torturously close above her.

At last her head ripped through the ocean's surface. Nee'la greedily drank in lungfuls of air, savoring the fresh taste on her tongue. For a moment she simply let herself float there, gently rocked by the small waves.

Twin ripples informed her that her tark'ee companions had surfaced as well. Vet'tigra's claws were empty, but Horro cradled something glimmering in his massive beak. Good to know that their expedition wasn't completely fruitless.

"How do you feel?" Vet'tigra asked as she fought to catch her breath.

"I think…" Nee'la gasped out. "I think I've had enough ocean for this year."