They were both human females. One was considerably taller than the other, who appeared to be a juvenile.

Hæra snorted in disgust, water bubbling around her nostrils. Another wasted trip. No Stormhorse had ever taken a female. They weren’t strong or clever enough.

Then again…no Stormhorse had ever been a female either, and didn’t the supposed reasons for that use the same sharkshite excuses? That fillies and mares weren’t strong, clever, or brave enough?

Asgall was male, strong, and swift: all things that should have guaranteed his success. Nobody had thought for a moment that her brother would fail at catching a human, and yet he had. To this day, he refused to speak of it—Hæra had no idea who his human had been or what had happened. But his sex hadn’t ensured his victory. Perhaps it was foolish to fall into that same error concerning her prey. Hæra might have ignored promising potential victims. She snorted again, but her disgust was only for herself.

Hewing close to the rocks, she swam closer. The females were near to this part of the shore. She wouldn’t have to swim in too far and risk exposing herself.

She could hear them. The waves were loud, but sound carried to an Each-uisge wherever water might be found, if they were close enough. It made them dreaded hunters.

The younger female was speaking. She had yellow hair that was pulled back from her face. The elder’s hair was hidden beneath a black piece of cloth.

“…something you wanted to speak to me about, Ava?” the taller one asked.

“Yes, Sister,” Ava said. “I saw you speaking with Sister Agnes, and it just reminded me how much I’ve wanted to ask you about something that’s been weighing on my mind.”

As Hæra watched, the woman in black lifted her chin. “Oh yes?”

“Yes. Um, this is weird to say out loud, but I’ve been wondering if I have a calling.”

A calling? What was calling to the young one? Hæra heard nothing other than the waves and the females’ voices.

“I see,” the taller one said.

“I wanted to talk to you because it was a more recent decision for you, you know? No disrespect to Sister Agnes, it’s just that she’s a lot…older.”

The taller woman laughed. It was a low, husky sound, not displeasing. “I can’t deny that, and neither would Sister Agnes. Most of the sisters are much older than I am.”

Hæra’s tail swished in confusion, momentarily pulling her against the current. So these two females were sisters, and they spoke of having more sisters? They must be part of a large herd.