[#8 : Gift] Pearl's Night Shift Watch

It was Pearl’s turn for night watch duty. She didn’t mind. In fact, she preferred it. Staying up late had always come naturally to her. Most nights, she found herself restless, lying awake long after the others had fallen asleep. The job of patrolling the beach at night, keeping an eye out for anything unusual, suited her perfectly.

Pearl settled herself on a high cliff overlooking the water. From there, she had a clear view of the beach below, her usual domain. The waves gently rolled in and out, and the moon cast a pale glow across the surface of the ocean. Everything seemed calm and still. Nothing looked out of place. Pearl sat with her arms wrapped around her knees, staring into the vast darkness, hoping for something interesting to break the monotony. As the minutes stretched into hours, her eyelids grew heavier. Eventually, despite her best efforts, she started to drift off.

A sharp rustling noise snapped her awake. Pearl jumped to her feet and scanned the beach below. At first, she saw nothing. Then the faint cracking sounds joined the rustling, followed by softer noises coming from the sand. She quickly glided down from the cliff to investigate. As she reached the beach, her sharp eyes spotted a nest of sea turtle eggs. They were hatching! Tiny baby turtles broke free from their shells and began their dangerous trek toward the ocean. Pearl knew she wasn’t supposed to interfere; the natural order had to take its course. Still, she couldn’t help but watch. She lay down flat on her stomach, resting her chin on the sand to get a closer look. The tiny creatures flapped their flippers furiously, scurrying across the sand in a desperate race to reach the water.

The moment filled her with quiet happiness. It wasn’t every night that she got to witness such a rare event. But once the last turtle disappeared into the surf, the excitement faded. Pearl pushed herself back onto her feet, brushing the sand from her arms. The night grew long and dull again, and she grew restless. There were still hours left in her shift. To pass the time, Pearl wandered along the shoreline. The beach was unusually beautiful that night. Gentle waves tapped at the sand, and comb jellies floated near the surface, their faint glow lighting up the shallow water with soft bioluminescence. The glowing tide fascinated her, and she stood still, staring at the subtle shimmer, completely lost in thought.

A loud splash behind her broke the quiet and snapped Pearl out of her daze. She spun around and dashed toward the sound, her heart racing. She reached a large boulder near the water’s edge and ducked behind it, peering out cautiously. At first, she didn’t see anything. Then a flash of color caught her eye, a mint-green and orange Mako tail stuck up out of the water. Pearl stayed hidden and watched as the figure pulled itself fully out of the ocean. It was an Isomara, a Swimmer with a sleek mint-colored body, bright orange markings, and long white whiskers. Coral-red hair framed their face, and two long tusks gleamed faintly under the moonlight.

Pearl kept her distance but continued observing. The Isomara didn’t seem threatening. They shook out their mane, sending small droplets of water into the air.

“What a good time for a night dive!” the Isomara said aloud, their voice light and cheerful.

Pearl smiled softly from her hiding spot. It made her happy to see others enjoying the sea at night as much as she did. Nothing dangerous had happened. There was no emergency, no crisis to solve. But for Pearl, that was enough. Sometimes, even a peaceful, uneventful night like this could feel special.