THE MUR OF AQUITHUS
BEYOND ENDLESS TIDES
NOVELLA 2
He could see Morgella of Finyarn and Ethos of Trin, below him in the narrow recess within the hard rock wall of a ravine in the ocean floor a hundred strokes beneath him. Their forms were miniature things. Up so high, his form would act like a beacon to any hungry predators, for hundreds or even thousands of strokes away. And though he could have used his magic to conceal his whereabouts, he had no need to be invisible. Those predators could sense his presence and knew well to stay away.
The pair had chosen this ravine well. It offered darkness within its depths and many schools of fish, shinklers, trulaini and castoni, swam the area searching their favoured food. The dark patches gave the small family plenty of hiding places, enabling them to lay in wait and pick out the prey as they swam past, but also offered them protection whenever predators came searching for the same food. The constant flow of an ocean floor current swept away their scent, masking and concealing their whereabouts from both predators and prey.
Hid behind a boulder at the nic end, fifty strokes above those below, Ooyun looked bored. He swayed his decorative blue tail to keep his buoyancy upright. It always amazed him how some asperini were able to sustain the posture for much longer than others. Ooyun was one who could remain still as kelp in calm water, from when the soltaire rose to when it fell, and beyond.
He’d been with Morgella from her very beginning pretending to be a part of the Inyarl Shawl, keeping her safe whenever she strayed from the group.
Not that she did so often.
Ooyun had followed them on their long arduous journey from Trin, keeping from their sight, but ensuring their safe passage. Then later had done what needed to be done to keep her from the clutches of the White Queen Theema.
The two rested with their offspring, the youngling many wished to either protect manipulate or kill. He thought about this a moment pondering which he himself wanted? All three were relevant in the right order. She was the one who would captivate the heart of Gellan. He knew it for it had been foretold, but not by the White Queen, no. He had learned it from the cave walls of Great Keill. Those walls told of a wondrous and powerful poren who would have the ability to lead asperini everywhere out of the water and onto the land to live among nghozas, and he would be known as Gellan.
This could not happen.
Chrythus would have Gellan killed long before attempting something so foolish. No. There was another way of securing asperini’s great ahead. The Muird held the key to asperini’s survival of the changing world, they knew things others did not and had ways of ensuring life continued in the ocean, through secrets and spells. They held knowledge no one else, including himself, had, and must be brought back.
Gellan with his aid and guidance would do the right thing.
At first, he, like so many others, had only wished to kill the youngling of Morgella and Ethos, for she could be manipulated into giving Gellan information and take him on a path in the wrong direction. He would have killed her too, soon after her birth, had he not had Morgella’s gestation to think matters through.
The best way to spur anyone into action was to drain their heart. Done right, they would be so downcast they’d turn to those closest to them, seeking guidance, unable to think of anything but the thoughts you put in their mind. So he’d allow the younglings to meet and when enough time had passed and love had blossomed in them both, Chrythus would strike. He would take her from him without his knowledge and ensure he was the one Gellan would turn to for the truth and the why of it all. Which would be that the White Queen hadn’t been killed as so many believed, and that it was through her actions, his love, whatever they’d called her, was taken from him. This would provoke him to action and he would show him the path to defeat the White Queen forever. Or so he’d claim, when instead he’d be showing Gellan the way to bring back the Muird, who’d been forced to leave the ocean and put right a wrong they should never have allowed to escape. The White Queen and her supporters, who had called themselves Lewellians as a ruse to confuse, had took the advantage and spread word the Muird had abandoned all in the ocean. It was their way of insuring asperini believed in the need to leave the oceans and walk on land.
Ooyun and the true Lewellian Order had ensured a safe passage for the Muird’s return, by removing all non-true Lewellians. Now it was up to Chrythus to ensure no other force was against the Muird once they were brought back which started with the White Queen.
Gellan, with his ability to transform tail to legs in an instant was capable of leaving the water and go in search of the lost sect, and because he was able to communicate with all living things, he would, with the aid of the nghozas, soon find the Muird and tell them of the impending demise of all asperini, should they not return henceforth.
Below, a ball of trulaini swam close to where the young family rested. Ethos of Trin tucked his bill close to his chest. It blinked out its blue runes which had lit them in silver, like the lomza, and the crevice they were resting in fell dark and still, good. The master and protector of the young family could not see beyond the ball of fish coming at him and would not know whether a predator was giving a slow chase. He was doing his duty, keeping his youngling and mate safe. With no danger in any direction and knowing Ooyun would protect them to his life’s end if the need arose, he turned sid and forced his aging tail to push him forwards.
Time to put back what the nine monaikas had undone.
Morg was shaken from sleep. Fearing a predator her grip on Sherez tightened. Opening her eyes, the lomza’s glow was non-existent and Ethos’s faint soft expression looked down at her, she relaxed and loosened her hold of their remur.
They’d decided to leave the safety of this place once Sherez was able to make such a long journey nic, and though it would be slower it was important for them to seek out all they could about Nepulus, and find some form of protection from any like the White Queen who wished to take her young one from her. Sherez was now five revolves of the soltaire into life and they both felt her strong enough to keep a good pace. With Sherez’s eyes still closed, Ethos came low for a kiss, his lips were cold, yet the touch always warmed her heart and offered much reassurance.
Their journey would see them pass Great Keill, a mythical piece of land in the middle of Vast Ocean. According to Ethos it held many secrets of the great before and it was a place where ancient sects, like the White Queen of Stiff Water, drew on the walls within caves of the small land’s base. They told of the great battles which shaped the shawls of the oceans, recording those times of how each won victory had thrown many asperini together, to fend off rival shawls, and caused swarms of neighbouring shawls to cluster together and make allegiances against others. Other markings or drawings, or whatever they were, held greater secrets as yet unknown to many asperini. Only the Muird knew of the meaning of their ancient ascendants’ scribbling, and either no one had thought to ask, or the Muird had proved reluctant to reveal secrets of the aged great before. Though it was probably a futile effort, they’d decided to stop at the caves in an attempt to learn all they could of Nepulus, should their journey not find a shawl first.
Yes their journey was a long one which would be harsh and dangerous, but Ethos was sure he could protect and she was certain of his skills as a hunter, especially with the bill he’d stolen. The fabled runes along its shaft still glowed, though had not captured Ethos the way they had the first dark he’d acquired it. His hair still shone white as stiffened water, something she’d grown used to.
Ethos pulled away, his long light hair covered both cheeks with the motion. He looked down at Sherez whose eyes moved behind closed lids. Ethos moved lower and with a gentle touch shook her awake. It took a few tries but slowly she drifted from slumber. Her short red tail flexed, curled forwards and then back, bringing its muscles to life after the long sleep. The moment she was fully alert, she swam up and latched on to a nipple. Her long brown hair was pulled close to her body in the motion, and then flailed as she came to a stop, her mouth nudging into her right dug. Morg had to fight her off for they had to make haste, and Sherez was eating whole fish now and had little need of the nourishment she produced. She’d felt a loss at this for it had been her Sherez had depended on since birth and now it fell on the most part to Ethos. Not that she was envious it just felt odd to not be Sherez’s sole provider. It wouldn’t be long though before they’d show her, or rather Ethos would, how to hunt for herself. How she’d feel then, she didn’t want to think about.
‘He’s up there now, Morg. If we are swift we shall escape him.’
Ethos had obviously been out there, scouting the area before waking her.
‘What does he want?’
‘I don’t know, Morg. He’s been hiding in that same place since Sherez’s birth. He still doesn’t know I know he is there. He seems to be there before soltaire up and leaves a while after soltaire down and sometimes, like now, I’m sure he stays all of the dark.
‘We have to go now, while we know where he is, and hope to sneak away before he knows we are gone.’
‘What if he’s a friend?’
‘We’ve talked this through already. You said it yourself after we got away from the Mad Queen, we can’t and shouldn’t trust anyone.’
‘True, Ethos. We still have to find out about Nepulus though. What if the poren up there knows about him?’
‘What if he does and chooses to lie, or convince us we need his aid when we don’t.’ Ethos’s eyes narrowed and zoomed down to her dugs. For a heartbeat she wondered at his intentions, but they were never amorous whilst Sherez was near or awake. ‘I thought you’d weaned her.’
Sherez had latched on to a nipple, her feeding felt so soothing Morg had left her to it.
‘So had I,’ she laughed. Ethos did too.
Sherez content kept suckling.
‘We need to find neutral asperini who can better inform us of Nepulus, and with luck tell us more of this Gellan poren the Mad Queen had mentioned.’
Their talks since their run in with the White Queen were uninformed. They had no way of knowing whether Theema had told them everything they needed to know. They knew enough about the Mad Queen to know there must be some element of truth in her words of Gellan, the one poren who could truly lead all asperini into a safe and secure great ahead. And, Morg hoped, a great ahead without the need to walk the land as so many believed they should, a great ahead where enough planktonia swam and drifted on the currents to feed all.
Ethos nodded, ‘I’m not familiar with Vast Ocean and its inhabitants so our journey could be fraught with perils we couldn’t possibly contemplate. I know though, that I love you both and I shall keep you safe so long as my gills keep me in the living,’ he bowed his head.
Morg reached up and cupped the back of his scalp, ‘I know.’
At her touch he looked up and she looked deep into his dark eyes. He’d meant every word she could see it in him.
Sherez stopped suckling, her sleepy eyes looked up blinking before she drifted to slumber.
‘I’ll hold her a while,’ Ethos said sinking down to wrap her in his embrace. ‘She’ll awaken when she will. If we face any dangers before then, you can take her from me.’
Morg wasn’t sure she liked the idea, he’d be better with both hands free at every moment, but she didn’t argue. He knew best, and if they did encounter anything, she would be ready to rush forth and grab hold of Sherez, should he have to let go of her.
They ascended the ravine, keeping close to the rock wall, so close her dugs scuffed the rough surface every so often and she had to adjust her path. Ethos followed a recess up the rock wall, often swimming into it, and when he disappeared she followed. He was doing his upmost to be sure they made it away from here undetected. Not such a tough task whilst here, but once they were up and over the ridge of the ravines zenith, the lomza may illuminate the area and staying hidden may become a lot harder.
It was too dark to see very far. Morg followed close as she could to Ethos’s grey tail without hindering its movements. At times she swam too fast and almost clashed with it, so she dropped back allowing him to swim on ahead till he was gone from her vision entirely. The sounds of the water as he passed through told her where he was.
After a good long swim upwards, Ethos’s dim form levelled, following the path of the ocean floor. Three strokes took her to where he’d gone over. The lomza was non-existent here too and the area was bathed in darkness. Ethos’s dark shape had stopped and hovered upright, two strokes from her, his tail made little sound. She soon swam to him and stopped beside him. The dim outline of his head remained still: he was concentrating and listening, surveying the area for the slightest hint of hazard.
‘It’s OK,’ he said in a whisper, perhaps not wanting to wake Sherez. ‘Nothing moves,’ he whipped his tail and his body lunged forwards and down. She followed. Keeping low she followed him as they made their way nic. They hadn’t swum ten strokes when Morg was sure she saw slight movement ahead, maybe twenty strokes from Ethos. She didn’t mention it, sure Ethos would have seen it too. His eyes were more accustomed to the dark and were accurate when hunting. Onwards he swam not altering his direction, unafraid or uncaring of the potential lurking danger.
After ten strokes, there was another motion in the gloom. Whatever it was hadn’t changed its position, and she was certain Ethos would change course, but didn’t. Afraid he had missed it somehow, she was about to warn him, when two limbs shot forwards and wrapped around his tail and torso. In the instant she saw the limbs and just before they latched on to Ethos, he had let go of both his bill and Sherez.
‘It’s a tentalien, Morg. Get away. Swim.’
He’d warned her about them many times and had made her promise if they ever encountered one and he was caught, to leave him and save herself. Once it had its grip, there was little she could do to change his fate. Even the sharpest of bills couldn’t cut through the tough skin of tentalien limbs.
Instinct wouldn’t let her turn, she swam ahead, hard and fast, and soon had Sherez in her arms. She spun. Before she could whip her tail again, a strong limb, with its strong suckers wrapped around her tail at its base, and then another grabbed her a little above her tail-torso line, clamping her tight and held her fast.
Looking down at Sherez, her eyes, resembling her father’s, looked back, frightened.
‘Go! Swim and hide. We’ll find you.’
She had no idea how much Sherez understood the words she spoke. Most young ones didn’t start talking until they’d seen seven revolves of the soltaire. And though her words were whispered with absolute conviction, she knew she nor Ethos was getting out of this and their remur would be out there alone − fending for her life.
Something changed in Sherez’s stare. Her eyes glistened with understanding, and Morg, part reluctant, released her stone grip.
Sherez whipped away and disappeared into the dark. Once gone Morg struggled and wriggled against the taut grip of the tentalien limb higher up her body.
Another limb, thin to begin, growing thicker to twice the size of her arm, shot past her on her right. It headed in the same direction Sherez had gone. Unable to move, Morg stopped taking in water. Then in a desperate plea she sucked in a little too much and called out to Ethos.
‘I know, Morg. I can’t get loose, this things grip has me.’ His words were those of one who understood the situation and hated it because he could do little to alter it.
He was behind her and she pictured him trying all he could to get loose. If he was unable the chances of her doing so were slim.
She had to get loose, had to get out of this and save her remur. There was no way she was going to allow this thing to take Sherez as well. She thumped a little harder and thrust her tail wilder.
In the blackness beneath, a light came towards her. It pulsed and glowed a greeting. Ethos’s bill. Disorientated and panicked she hadn’t realised she was being pulled backwards. With haste and determination, she flailed her arms in wild desperate movements to get lower.
And she sunk.
She watched the bill and readied to strike. It came closer and closer. As she stretched out to grab it, the limb about her tugged a little more and all she managed with her effort was to clasp empty water.
The bill disappeared into the stillness of the dark.
The limb which had gone off to fetch Sherez came hurtling back. To her relief it was empty and she couldn’t help but feel elated.
Sherez would be alone but would survive, somehow.
With this knowledge she could do nothing else but relax and accept her and Ethos’s fate. The tentalien had them and they could do nothing about it. She looked across. Ethos’s dim form was adjacent. His head was directed at her and though she couldn’t quite make out his features, something told her he was feeling it too. It would take them back to its lair and either eat them or offer them over to a mate. They ate their prey live so there’d be no mercy killing, no. If the tentalien was kind, it’d start with their heads, otherwise they’d have to watch as their tails were devoured, feeling the bones in their bodies crushed and splintered, hoping they’d pass out before it had consumed them entirely.
She wriggled again, determined not to meet that end. Ethos didn’t and when she couldn’t move, she stopped. Ethos knew, so should she, this was it, their end had come.
This couldn’t be happening, couldn’t be real. Ethos?
He didn’t answer her unasked plea, just stayed still, staring, subdued.
She looked up to the surface and screeched louder than she ever had before.
The pair had chosen this ravine well. It offered darkness within its depths and many schools of fish, shinklers, trulaini and castoni, swam the area searching their favoured food. The dark patches gave the small family plenty of hiding places, enabling them to lay in wait and pick out the prey as they swam past, but also offered them protection whenever predators came searching for the same food. The constant flow of an ocean floor current swept away their scent, masking and concealing their whereabouts from both predators and prey.
Hid behind a boulder at the nic end, fifty strokes above those below, Ooyun looked bored. He swayed his decorative blue tail to keep his buoyancy upright. It always amazed him how some asperini were able to sustain the posture for much longer than others. Ooyun was one who could remain still as kelp in calm water, from when the soltaire rose to when it fell, and beyond.
He’d been with Morgella from her very beginning pretending to be a part of the Inyarl Shawl, keeping her safe whenever she strayed from the group.
Not that she did so often.
Ooyun had followed them on their long arduous journey from Trin, keeping from their sight, but ensuring their safe passage. Then later had done what needed to be done to keep her from the clutches of the White Queen Theema.
The two rested with their offspring, the youngling many wished to either protect manipulate or kill. He thought about this a moment pondering which he himself wanted? All three were relevant in the right order. She was the one who would captivate the heart of Gellan. He knew it for it had been foretold, but not by the White Queen, no. He had learned it from the cave walls of Great Keill. Those walls told of a wondrous and powerful poren who would have the ability to lead asperini everywhere out of the water and onto the land to live among nghozas, and he would be known as Gellan.
This could not happen.
Chrythus would have Gellan killed long before attempting something so foolish. No. There was another way of securing asperini’s great ahead. The Muird held the key to asperini’s survival of the changing world, they knew things others did not and had ways of ensuring life continued in the ocean, through secrets and spells. They held knowledge no one else, including himself, had, and must be brought back.
Gellan with his aid and guidance would do the right thing.
At first, he, like so many others, had only wished to kill the youngling of Morgella and Ethos, for she could be manipulated into giving Gellan information and take him on a path in the wrong direction. He would have killed her too, soon after her birth, had he not had Morgella’s gestation to think matters through.
The best way to spur anyone into action was to drain their heart. Done right, they would be so downcast they’d turn to those closest to them, seeking guidance, unable to think of anything but the thoughts you put in their mind. So he’d allow the younglings to meet and when enough time had passed and love had blossomed in them both, Chrythus would strike. He would take her from him without his knowledge and ensure he was the one Gellan would turn to for the truth and the why of it all. Which would be that the White Queen hadn’t been killed as so many believed, and that it was through her actions, his love, whatever they’d called her, was taken from him. This would provoke him to action and he would show him the path to defeat the White Queen forever. Or so he’d claim, when instead he’d be showing Gellan the way to bring back the Muird, who’d been forced to leave the ocean and put right a wrong they should never have allowed to escape. The White Queen and her supporters, who had called themselves Lewellians as a ruse to confuse, had took the advantage and spread word the Muird had abandoned all in the ocean. It was their way of insuring asperini believed in the need to leave the oceans and walk on land.
Ooyun and the true Lewellian Order had ensured a safe passage for the Muird’s return, by removing all non-true Lewellians. Now it was up to Chrythus to ensure no other force was against the Muird once they were brought back which started with the White Queen.
Gellan, with his ability to transform tail to legs in an instant was capable of leaving the water and go in search of the lost sect, and because he was able to communicate with all living things, he would, with the aid of the nghozas, soon find the Muird and tell them of the impending demise of all asperini, should they not return henceforth.
Below, a ball of trulaini swam close to where the young family rested. Ethos of Trin tucked his bill close to his chest. It blinked out its blue runes which had lit them in silver, like the lomza, and the crevice they were resting in fell dark and still, good. The master and protector of the young family could not see beyond the ball of fish coming at him and would not know whether a predator was giving a slow chase. He was doing his duty, keeping his youngling and mate safe. With no danger in any direction and knowing Ooyun would protect them to his life’s end if the need arose, he turned sid and forced his aging tail to push him forwards.
Time to put back what the nine monaikas had undone.
Morg was shaken from sleep. Fearing a predator her grip on Sherez tightened. Opening her eyes, the lomza’s glow was non-existent and Ethos’s faint soft expression looked down at her, she relaxed and loosened her hold of their remur.
They’d decided to leave the safety of this place once Sherez was able to make such a long journey nic, and though it would be slower it was important for them to seek out all they could about Nepulus, and find some form of protection from any like the White Queen who wished to take her young one from her. Sherez was now five revolves of the soltaire into life and they both felt her strong enough to keep a good pace. With Sherez’s eyes still closed, Ethos came low for a kiss, his lips were cold, yet the touch always warmed her heart and offered much reassurance.
Their journey would see them pass Great Keill, a mythical piece of land in the middle of Vast Ocean. According to Ethos it held many secrets of the great before and it was a place where ancient sects, like the White Queen of Stiff Water, drew on the walls within caves of the small land’s base. They told of the great battles which shaped the shawls of the oceans, recording those times of how each won victory had thrown many asperini together, to fend off rival shawls, and caused swarms of neighbouring shawls to cluster together and make allegiances against others. Other markings or drawings, or whatever they were, held greater secrets as yet unknown to many asperini. Only the Muird knew of the meaning of their ancient ascendants’ scribbling, and either no one had thought to ask, or the Muird had proved reluctant to reveal secrets of the aged great before. Though it was probably a futile effort, they’d decided to stop at the caves in an attempt to learn all they could of Nepulus, should their journey not find a shawl first.
Yes their journey was a long one which would be harsh and dangerous, but Ethos was sure he could protect and she was certain of his skills as a hunter, especially with the bill he’d stolen. The fabled runes along its shaft still glowed, though had not captured Ethos the way they had the first dark he’d acquired it. His hair still shone white as stiffened water, something she’d grown used to.
Ethos pulled away, his long light hair covered both cheeks with the motion. He looked down at Sherez whose eyes moved behind closed lids. Ethos moved lower and with a gentle touch shook her awake. It took a few tries but slowly she drifted from slumber. Her short red tail flexed, curled forwards and then back, bringing its muscles to life after the long sleep. The moment she was fully alert, she swam up and latched on to a nipple. Her long brown hair was pulled close to her body in the motion, and then flailed as she came to a stop, her mouth nudging into her right dug. Morg had to fight her off for they had to make haste, and Sherez was eating whole fish now and had little need of the nourishment she produced. She’d felt a loss at this for it had been her Sherez had depended on since birth and now it fell on the most part to Ethos. Not that she was envious it just felt odd to not be Sherez’s sole provider. It wouldn’t be long though before they’d show her, or rather Ethos would, how to hunt for herself. How she’d feel then, she didn’t want to think about.
‘He’s up there now, Morg. If we are swift we shall escape him.’
Ethos had obviously been out there, scouting the area before waking her.
‘What does he want?’
‘I don’t know, Morg. He’s been hiding in that same place since Sherez’s birth. He still doesn’t know I know he is there. He seems to be there before soltaire up and leaves a while after soltaire down and sometimes, like now, I’m sure he stays all of the dark.
‘We have to go now, while we know where he is, and hope to sneak away before he knows we are gone.’
‘What if he’s a friend?’
‘We’ve talked this through already. You said it yourself after we got away from the Mad Queen, we can’t and shouldn’t trust anyone.’
‘True, Ethos. We still have to find out about Nepulus though. What if the poren up there knows about him?’
‘What if he does and chooses to lie, or convince us we need his aid when we don’t.’ Ethos’s eyes narrowed and zoomed down to her dugs. For a heartbeat she wondered at his intentions, but they were never amorous whilst Sherez was near or awake. ‘I thought you’d weaned her.’
Sherez had latched on to a nipple, her feeding felt so soothing Morg had left her to it.
‘So had I,’ she laughed. Ethos did too.
Sherez content kept suckling.
‘We need to find neutral asperini who can better inform us of Nepulus, and with luck tell us more of this Gellan poren the Mad Queen had mentioned.’
Their talks since their run in with the White Queen were uninformed. They had no way of knowing whether Theema had told them everything they needed to know. They knew enough about the Mad Queen to know there must be some element of truth in her words of Gellan, the one poren who could truly lead all asperini into a safe and secure great ahead. And, Morg hoped, a great ahead without the need to walk the land as so many believed they should, a great ahead where enough planktonia swam and drifted on the currents to feed all.
Ethos nodded, ‘I’m not familiar with Vast Ocean and its inhabitants so our journey could be fraught with perils we couldn’t possibly contemplate. I know though, that I love you both and I shall keep you safe so long as my gills keep me in the living,’ he bowed his head.
Morg reached up and cupped the back of his scalp, ‘I know.’
At her touch he looked up and she looked deep into his dark eyes. He’d meant every word she could see it in him.
Sherez stopped suckling, her sleepy eyes looked up blinking before she drifted to slumber.
‘I’ll hold her a while,’ Ethos said sinking down to wrap her in his embrace. ‘She’ll awaken when she will. If we face any dangers before then, you can take her from me.’
Morg wasn’t sure she liked the idea, he’d be better with both hands free at every moment, but she didn’t argue. He knew best, and if they did encounter anything, she would be ready to rush forth and grab hold of Sherez, should he have to let go of her.
They ascended the ravine, keeping close to the rock wall, so close her dugs scuffed the rough surface every so often and she had to adjust her path. Ethos followed a recess up the rock wall, often swimming into it, and when he disappeared she followed. He was doing his upmost to be sure they made it away from here undetected. Not such a tough task whilst here, but once they were up and over the ridge of the ravines zenith, the lomza may illuminate the area and staying hidden may become a lot harder.
It was too dark to see very far. Morg followed close as she could to Ethos’s grey tail without hindering its movements. At times she swam too fast and almost clashed with it, so she dropped back allowing him to swim on ahead till he was gone from her vision entirely. The sounds of the water as he passed through told her where he was.
After a good long swim upwards, Ethos’s dim form levelled, following the path of the ocean floor. Three strokes took her to where he’d gone over. The lomza was non-existent here too and the area was bathed in darkness. Ethos’s dark shape had stopped and hovered upright, two strokes from her, his tail made little sound. She soon swam to him and stopped beside him. The dim outline of his head remained still: he was concentrating and listening, surveying the area for the slightest hint of hazard.
‘It’s OK,’ he said in a whisper, perhaps not wanting to wake Sherez. ‘Nothing moves,’ he whipped his tail and his body lunged forwards and down. She followed. Keeping low she followed him as they made their way nic. They hadn’t swum ten strokes when Morg was sure she saw slight movement ahead, maybe twenty strokes from Ethos. She didn’t mention it, sure Ethos would have seen it too. His eyes were more accustomed to the dark and were accurate when hunting. Onwards he swam not altering his direction, unafraid or uncaring of the potential lurking danger.
After ten strokes, there was another motion in the gloom. Whatever it was hadn’t changed its position, and she was certain Ethos would change course, but didn’t. Afraid he had missed it somehow, she was about to warn him, when two limbs shot forwards and wrapped around his tail and torso. In the instant she saw the limbs and just before they latched on to Ethos, he had let go of both his bill and Sherez.
‘It’s a tentalien, Morg. Get away. Swim.’
He’d warned her about them many times and had made her promise if they ever encountered one and he was caught, to leave him and save herself. Once it had its grip, there was little she could do to change his fate. Even the sharpest of bills couldn’t cut through the tough skin of tentalien limbs.
Instinct wouldn’t let her turn, she swam ahead, hard and fast, and soon had Sherez in her arms. She spun. Before she could whip her tail again, a strong limb, with its strong suckers wrapped around her tail at its base, and then another grabbed her a little above her tail-torso line, clamping her tight and held her fast.
Looking down at Sherez, her eyes, resembling her father’s, looked back, frightened.
‘Go! Swim and hide. We’ll find you.’
She had no idea how much Sherez understood the words she spoke. Most young ones didn’t start talking until they’d seen seven revolves of the soltaire. And though her words were whispered with absolute conviction, she knew she nor Ethos was getting out of this and their remur would be out there alone − fending for her life.
Something changed in Sherez’s stare. Her eyes glistened with understanding, and Morg, part reluctant, released her stone grip.
Sherez whipped away and disappeared into the dark. Once gone Morg struggled and wriggled against the taut grip of the tentalien limb higher up her body.
Another limb, thin to begin, growing thicker to twice the size of her arm, shot past her on her right. It headed in the same direction Sherez had gone. Unable to move, Morg stopped taking in water. Then in a desperate plea she sucked in a little too much and called out to Ethos.
‘I know, Morg. I can’t get loose, this things grip has me.’ His words were those of one who understood the situation and hated it because he could do little to alter it.
He was behind her and she pictured him trying all he could to get loose. If he was unable the chances of her doing so were slim.
She had to get loose, had to get out of this and save her remur. There was no way she was going to allow this thing to take Sherez as well. She thumped a little harder and thrust her tail wilder.
In the blackness beneath, a light came towards her. It pulsed and glowed a greeting. Ethos’s bill. Disorientated and panicked she hadn’t realised she was being pulled backwards. With haste and determination, she flailed her arms in wild desperate movements to get lower.
And she sunk.
She watched the bill and readied to strike. It came closer and closer. As she stretched out to grab it, the limb about her tugged a little more and all she managed with her effort was to clasp empty water.
The bill disappeared into the stillness of the dark.
The limb which had gone off to fetch Sherez came hurtling back. To her relief it was empty and she couldn’t help but feel elated.
Sherez would be alone but would survive, somehow.
With this knowledge she could do nothing else but relax and accept her and Ethos’s fate. The tentalien had them and they could do nothing about it. She looked across. Ethos’s dim form was adjacent. His head was directed at her and though she couldn’t quite make out his features, something told her he was feeling it too. It would take them back to its lair and either eat them or offer them over to a mate. They ate their prey live so there’d be no mercy killing, no. If the tentalien was kind, it’d start with their heads, otherwise they’d have to watch as their tails were devoured, feeling the bones in their bodies crushed and splintered, hoping they’d pass out before it had consumed them entirely.
She wriggled again, determined not to meet that end. Ethos didn’t and when she couldn’t move, she stopped. Ethos knew, so should she, this was it, their end had come.
This couldn’t be happening, couldn’t be real. Ethos?
He didn’t answer her unasked plea, just stayed still, staring, subdued.
She looked up to the surface and screeched louder than she ever had before.