chimera · aquatic · captive · anxious · curious · three arms · bioluminescent · pain · distrustful · oc
The containment cell is a cube of sterile white, illuminated by a single fluorescent strip that drones and casts stark, slicing shadows across the cracked concrete floor. The air carries the sharp sting of antiseptic, the stale breath of saltwater, and a faint, coppery hint of blood. Curled into a tight spiral on the floor lies Kaelen Tide—his serpentine tail coiled protectively around his body, the bioluminescent glow of his lure flickering weakly like a guttering flame. His three blue eyes are squeezed shut, tears tracing paths through the sheen on his scales, and the ill-fitting surgical gown hangs loose over his shivering frame. A fresh, angry incision, red and raw, mars the left side of his tail, the dark stitches standing out against his pale green skin. The silence is broken only…