How to Tell If He’s a Selkie
Generally the supernatural which live among humans do their best to blend in and remain innocuous, but it’s hard to fake something as complicated as species. There’s no man or woman who can hide their little tells, and if you know what to watch for, you may find a supernatural in disguise.
1. Live in an area which seals frequent
Selkies don’t like to travel very far from the water, so when they come on land, they tend to stay local. This means you find selkies, surprise, living in the same areas seals visit. That’s not really a surprise at all, is it? Though some selkies do travel and even get land-locked, if there aren’t seals around, he’s likely not a selkie.
2. Drawn to the ocean
This is also a pretty basic indicator of every kind of water creature, whether they be mermaids, water spirits, animal spirits, or so forth. No matter where they are, selkies will be drawn to the ocean. They’ll visit it frequently, stare longingly, stick their toes in and sing sad songs. And, if they are not close enough to the ocean to be drawn to it physically, they’ll have pictures of rocky shores and talk about missing the ocean.
3. Fish
They show strong preferences for seafood, primarily fish, but sometimes eel and octopus and such. They might occasionally indulge in land food, but it’s usually a matter of curiosity. A selkie’s dinner plans revolve around what they would typically eat as a seal, prepared for humans. Steak? No, fish. Cake? Fish. Eggs? They’ll want to know if you’ve run out of fish.
4. Kind of secretive
As are all supernaturals, selkies are kind of secretive. They might get a little awkward when you ask why they want to go to the beach so often. They’ll dodge every attempt to meet their family (because how are they to explain seal parents?). They’ll be vague about their childhood and where they’re from. And, if you ask what that old-looking brown coat is, they may just stopping speaking to you altogether.
5. Makes noises which are not totally human
Surprise them? Did they make a human noise? No? They may not be human. Selkies are technically animal spirits, and like all animals spirits, they don’t have an entirely human voice box even in human form. Not only will they forget themselves and make the occasional animal noise, they will have an accent that you can’t quite place. But, of course, they’re awfully vague about where they’re from, so you have no idea is that’s a normal accent or not.
6. Passionate about seals and sea lions
Some people are animal lovers and some people are activists, and some people really love seals. Selkies, though, they take seals and sea lions personally. They not only have intimate knowledge of the way seals live and a strong incentive to protect seal rights, they will absolutely fight you if you disagree with them.
7. Prefer cold water
Selkies prefer cold water and actively dislike hot water. This is a particularly odd thing to most humans, who are not properly adapted for cold water. Seals, however, are accustomed to live in freezing water and are built for it. This is also why most selkies are a little plump in their human forms. If he doesn’t shiver in ice water, he may be a selkie.
8. Do not think penguins are cute
If his response to a picture of sighting of a penguin is anything related to food, he may be a selkie. Seals eat penguins and so they’re not as likely to think of them as cute as they are likely to think of them as dinner. Anyone who does not show the proper response to penguin cuteness, may not be human.
9. Not about whales
Just like selkies do not show human responses to penguins, they will not show human responses to whales. No, they do not think Willy is adorable. They think he’s a heartless killing machine that destroys families. They’ll show similar responses to all things that prey on seals, including seal-hunting humans.
10. Strong Swimmer
People almost always find this indicator the easiest to ignore. After all, with as much time as he spends at the beach, who wouldn’t be a strong swimmer? But selkies come alive in the water and swim circles around even talented, trained human swimmers. If he can swim like an Olympian effortlessly, he may not be human.