Her smile broadens and she lifts her hair slightly to show her forehead, letting him see for himself. There's a healed pink line there, it didn't hurt anymore. Mermaids healed quite fast when one let them.

She smelled the apple before offering it to him. Apples were not for her. She'll pick up the fish he abandoned instead, that was more like it.

As they eat, she picks up one of the sticks, tracing an outline in the sand. A picture of a long snake-like creature with scales and large eyes...