Shimmering Sands the hawser rolls, the vessel’s whole and christ, it’s thin

as rannveig sprung for ford, he caught again that forced smile. it lingered on the lips, which seemed held together by terse flexion. to rannveig, a studied scholar in his brother's mystifying ways, he thought it ingenuine -- and then it (and its wielder) suddenly disappeared, eclipsed by a dark blue swell.

rannveig padded after, his breath simmering around his submerged muzzle; he enjoyed the froth of bubbles as they rose and frothed his chin and lips -- and then, he too dove underwater to give pursuit to his elusive and weird brother.