Chapter 22 by mask

Do you get on to the raft or not?

Get on (you'd be compromised in the water anyway).

"This doesn't mean I'm going to help you with wiping out humanity." You clarify suspiciously leaning on to the raft feeling the squirmies rise higher along your tail and tickling your anal fin.

The undead bows its head elegantly in acknowledgement. It's horns caching the light.

Not having the momentum you'd previously had to jump up on to the raft, you have to use you have to heave yourself up. Getting as much lift as you could from your tail.

Tucking one of your pectoral fins close, you manage to roll onto your side and carefully lift your fish tail out of the water and shake off the squirmies that clung on to it. You don't want to bring any of the pest with you on to the raft. Then, slowly you lowered your tail onto the the edge of the raft.

Something tickles you're dorsal fin and you flinch further away from the edge, casting a glance down into the water. You grimace at the squirming mass right by the water's surface. If you'd stayed in the water that mass would be squirming inside of you much as it had back when you were still human had they saved you from the toothless leeches.

You'd probably have been a hot mess, panting and desperately trying to maintain the awareness to stay afloat with you'r torso out of the squirmies reach while the Lich watched on.

The Lich regards you for a brief moment then it reaches out a desiccated hand for a handshake.

"I am pleased thee heeded my advice. And more so delighted for the opportunity to further accent myself with thee." You look at his boney hand, skin stretched taught over the bone structures remaining sinew, not sure what to make of the gesture.

It was a bit strange, right? But perhaps it would be rude not to take the handshake,You'd already rejected the Lich once. You didn't really want to sour this mythical creature's attitude towards you which somehow didn't seem antagonistic.

But can the Lich be trusted, or is this just another side of its cunning and deceitful nature?