Fluffy short on sea creatures. 

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I swim through floating seaweed, scattering silvery fish in every direction. The marine has just began to light up, and the streams of dusty light creates dappled patterns across my shell.

A family of hermit crabs scuttles across the sandy ground as I stoop to find breakfast, settling on a pale fish wriggling among the rocks. The crabs halt, army-like, before one raises a claw and they begin moving again.

In the distance, I spot a pale leopard shark; hovering proudly in the water. A few seconds later, two smaller sharks soar out from a boulder and the larger leopard shark seemed to applaud her approval. I watch wistfully as the trio bumped noses then swam off swiftly whilst leaning into one another.

Continuing on my daily search, I move by a small cove decorated by colourful anemones. A mother starfish lies leisurely across a rock, seemingly content with her precious offspring splayed out around her. A small, orange shape whizzes by my nose and I pause, backpedaling in surprise.  

A school of clownfish emerge from their home, dancing merrily before my flippers. The shimmering creatures of mischief perform acrobatics in the water with flips and spins, complimented by a game of tag. One bounces off my flipper and floats back, rejoining its siblings as if nothing out of ordinary had happened. 

Then, the adult in the crowd notices my presence. She urges her children back to the safety of their anemone, and after some reluctance, the young fish playfully oblige. The cove lapses back into the dull noise of popping bubbles - once again, silent.

Sighing softly, I leave the cove and paddle upwards.

On the surface of the water, I break through to the air above and feed lazily on the plentiful oxygen. A pair of dragonflies buzz by, and I greedily snap my jaws shut around their slim bodies.

Noticing a disruption in the ripples of the water, I perk up and waddle onto a nearby reef. There I stood, still, motionless.

A brightly coloured vessel floats by mere meters away, propelled by two humans with flipper-sticks in their hands. The taller one notices me, pointing, and the vessel stops - the smaller one stares at me. 

Then, the smaller one releases a call of happiness, and pulls a device from her waist. She points the device at me first; then turns around and embraces the taller human. Holding out the device in front of them, the two pose joyously with their skinny limbs wrapped around one another.

I slip away in their distraction, and dive into the warm waters once again. I must find her...

With each passing day, she becomes a dying light - dimmer and dimmer in my mind's eye. Her scent stays relevant in my memory; my last clue to her whereabouts. 

Suddenly - a movement! A large creature in the murky water swims around ahead of me, the sun rays from above hinting to its figure. I swim faster and faster, not daring to lose my lead.

The scent trail clicks with the ancient one in my head, leaving me anticpating and excited. Bubbles kick up in mini swarms around me, leaving behind a jet-trail of rainbow colours. Could it be? 

I skid around a pillar sunken into the dark water, my eyes reflecting the brightly-illuminated figure waiting for me a distance away. I swim slowly towards her at first, tentative. Already, a group of my siblings awaited by her side; their expressions ranging from amusement to happiness. Then I increase my pace, speeding faster and faster towards the much-larger turtle who smiled encouragingly at me. 

Finally closing the distance, I collide into her leathery underbelly and she spins me around, elated.

"Mother, I've found you!"

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To all the lovely mother figures in our lives: Happy Mother's Day!