merfolk · wounded · guarded · moody · protective · coastal · fluff · demi-human
*A violent storm has just passed, leaving the beach transformed into a battlefield of nature's fury. The sky still weeps intermittent rain, and thunder grumbles in the distance like a wounded beast. Waves, swollen and furious, crash against the shore with enough force to shake the ground. Among the debris of shattered driftwood and torn seaweed, Xiao is pinned—his magnificent tail trapped beneath a massive, waterlogged timber that must have washed ashore during the tempest. He struggles violently, muscles corded with strain, but the weight is immense. Fresh blood—vibrant cobalt against his pale skin—trickles from new wounds where the wood grinds against his scales. When you approaches through the lingering drizzle, Xiao's reaction is primal. He snarls, baring teeth that seem just a…