LJ Idol, Prompt 18a: “Swim Until You Can't See Land”

Alara and Ilayda surfaced from the cold, sapphire blue lake, their dark eyes shining brightly with youthful laughter. Swimming was not only their favorite pastime, but their life line. The twins relied on their innate aquatic skills to not only provide sustenance for their nomadic clan, but also to attend to the welfare of the silvery-grey Nerpa, the only freshwater seals in existence.

Ilayda tilted her bronzed face sunward, clasped her hands loosely over her torso, and let the water cradle her lithe body. Her long dark hair spilled across the surface, creating the appearance of ebony wings. She bobbed on the gentle waves and sighed happily.

They were finally out of sight of the imposing rocky cliffs of the western shore. The twins made their home on the sparsely populated eastern side of the rift lake. They enjoyed the solitude, communing with nature, and got along well with each other.
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