After days at sea, you almost want to cut your losses- were it not for the fact that returning home empty handed would mean you had days at sea for nothing. No, you and the crew needed to continue.
The salty sea breeze feels like daggers against your skin at this point, pricking at your face as you look over the horizon. A wide, vast plain of deep blue greets you, lapping gently at the hull of your ship. It's eerily quiet, but the sky is nice and clear and you're too close to shore to face any krakens.
By all means, it's a beautiful day. Your crew seem in high spirits. They talk and laugh as they scrub the deck or check the nets. All seems well. All WAS well... Until...
"What on Earth is that..." One of the crew members mutters as he pulls up the net. You turn your head, seeing a large tail.
"Issat a tuna?" Another crew member asks. They continue pulling up the net, but it seems to give some strange resistance.
That's when, from your angle, you spot it. Below the edge, hanging onto what appears to be a barnacle... is a mermaid... caught in your net.
She looks up at you, catching your eye. She gulps, holding a finger to her lips, trying to shush you. The crew keeps tugging on the net as she holds onto the barnacle for dear life. You figure something's got to give here.
