Mermaids traversing land

Mermaids can live in fresh and salt water, in lakes as well as rivers. What I was wondering is how mermaids get into lakes that have no access to rivers. In many works of fiction mermaids can travel for short distances on land and I was wondering if mermaids in Felarya can do this as well. It seems like it would make them more dangerous if they could come up on land for short periods of time, it would add another risk to walking near rivers.

In worlds where mermaids can traverse land they do so by slithering on their tails much like a naga does. Their shorter tails makes this a much more tiring mode of locomotion and because they don't like dry skin they don't do this often. Does this sound like something Felarya mermaids would be able to do?

Maybe really short distance without water, but it'd be painful. Anyway, I don't think it'd happen due to the fact that a mermaid would be very slow, vulnerable and easily detectable with smell. In short; if they tried, they'd die.

Also, it's be far worse than 'dry skin.' More like cracked and bleeding skin. Which just adds another thing to be easily detected by, moreso when they renter the water.

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Mermaids can live in fresh and salt water, in lakes as well as rivers. What I was wondering is how mermaids get into lakes that have no access to rivers. In many works of fiction mermaids can travel for short distances on land and I was wondering if mermaids in Felarya can do this as well. It seems like it would make them more dangerous if they could come up on land for short periods of time, it would add another risk to walking near rivers.

Its been established for a while that felaryan mermaids can come up on land for short periods, although it uncomfortable and awkward for them.

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In worlds where mermaids can traverse land they do so by slithering on their tails much like a naga does

Ehhh, it isn't like naga movement at all.

Nagas move because of the specially evolved gripping scales on their underbellies. They are tough, and attached to powerful muscles that work in rythem to move the naga along.

Mermaids don't have those. It is physically impossible for them to slither, at all. Also, mermaid tails aren't going to be nearly as muscular as a naga's, since muscle is heavier than bone (and being very heavy is bad for an aquatic creature), and unlike a naga, mermaids have no reason to need to hold their body vertical. In all likelihood, all a mermaid could do would be to drag herself along with her hands, using her tail to push a little. She wouldn't even be able to rear up unless she were leaning against a tree for support.

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Their shorter tails makes this a much more tiring mode of locomotion and because they don't like dry skin they don't do this often

It isn't so much about dry skin, its the fact that their tails aren't meant to be used for land-based locomotion. Fish scales come off easily, so its likely that pulling herself around on land could be a very uncomfortable experience. Any kind of rocks, stumps, or rough terrain is going to hurt. Its going to potentially pull off scales or cut her.

Basically, get on your hands and knees, naked, tie your legs together, and then try to pull yourself along. That kind of gives a good idea of how awkward it'd be for a mermaid.