Feza froze for a moment, then turned toward him, trying to stay calm. “His name is Dan. He is a friend,” she answered lightly, avoiding his piercing gaze.
“A friend? A human? Do you not know the dangers of associating with their kind?” Ziran’s voice rose slightly.
Feza sighed. “Dan is different. He saved my life, and I owe him a lot. He has been kind to me and has shown me nothing but respect.”
At once, Ziran’s face darkened. “You owe him nothing beyond your gratitude. Spending too much time with humans can only bring trouble. I will not allow it.”
Feza frowned. “Allow it? Ziran, you do not control me. Dan is my friend, and I will continue to see him if I wish.”
Ziran clenched his fists but said nothing more. He swam away at great speed, his mind full of everything he had seen.
A few days later, Dan came back to the river with a pearl necklace he had bought in town. He wanted to thank Feza for being such a precious friend.
“Feza!” he called from the riverbank, holding the necklace in his hand.
Feza arrived quickly, her face lighting up when she saw him.
“Dan, what a lovely surprise!”
She climbed onto a rock near the bank, her tail shimmering in the sunlight.
Dan held out the necklace, and her eyes filled with joy.
“It’s beautiful, Dan. Thank you,” she said, touching the smooth pearls with her fingers.
They laughed and talked, unaware that Ziran was hiding behind the reeds, his eyes burning with jealousy.
He watched them, teeth clenched.
