Songs of the Sea

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Two sleeps later, Sartin resumed his daytime watch duties.

“Shark in the upper right,” Haenisch said from beneath the water. Sartin would have been on night watch with Wickizer, but switched with Thornton because of his injury. “They are early this year.”

“It’s going to be a harsh winter. They’re storing their fat early,” Sartin said.

The wound itched, a sign it was healing. Sartin needed to get stronger to make the Journey to Winter Beach. He bobbed above the surface of the water, closely observing the predator. A dorsal fin emerged as a shark circled in mischief. Sartin took a deep breath and pushed himself under water.

The water warmed his face, neck, and shoulders. Beyond the shark, Sartin could see Haenisch and gave him the signal that it was his turn to surface. Sartin admired him as he ascended. Smaller than Sartin, he was every bit as muscular. Haenisch’s powerful body transitioned to a strong tail that propelled him to the air above the water. Across the way, it looked as if there was a clean break between Haenisch’s waist and tail, but up close there was a transition from the delicate skin of his torso to the tougher, green skin of his tail.

Once Sartin saw Haenisch surface, Sartin dove deeper in the water. In a ballet perfected by their fathers, and their fathers before them, and so on since the days of the Princess, Sartin and Haenisch switched places so Sartin protected the pod and Haenisch guarded the open sea.

Sartin treaded in the water, slowly swishing his tail, not only to remain in place, but also to prevent alerting the shark. The shark wouldn’t notice his dark, bluish gray tail and fluke. Only sudden movement, loud thrashing, or the scent of blood would attract a shark in either direction.

Suddenly, Sartin heard the clicks and whistles of young children. It was loud enough that he knew they were playing nearby, well beyond the eye of protective adults. Sartin warned the children with his own clicks and whistles. The shark headed toward the direction of Sartin’s path.

Haenisch was nowhere to be seen.

Whether it was from the alarm of impending danger or that his breathing cycle was nearing its end, Sartin’s chest tightened. He knew he shouldn’t surface without seeing Haenisch reappear. But if he didn’t get some air, the sea would swallow him up, and the shark would get the children.

Sartin decided to surface for just enough time to take in fresh air and then return to watch the children. Hopefully, a nana or auntie would figure out they were missing and return them to the safety of the family pod before the shark got too close.

When Sartin surfaced, he heard the weak distress signal. Haenisch thrashed about, blood and water splashing everywhere. The children playing had distracted Sartin enough that he didn’t hear Haenisch’s cry for help. Sartin watched the horror as the shark shredded Haenisch’s limp body, and the distress signal died away. Sartin’s chest tightened with guilt that he had lost track of Haenisch and the shark.

Sartin took a gulp of air and descended back into the water. He sounded his own warning. A Decoy wound would have lured the shark away, but it was too soon after his previous one. Another injury would certainly kill him.

Beltram answered the warning and confirmed they were headed back to Home Cove. Little Brandt and Breck were with her. Wickizer and Thornton also answered the distress signal and swam to Sartin’s side.

The three males watched in horror and defeat as the shark continued to tear into Haenisch’s limp body. It didn’t seem fair to die in the mouth of a predator, and at the same time, it was a way of life for the Sea People. The males in the pod were dwindling, just the three of them left. Even if Sartin was named Alewar by the next Summer Migration, it might be difficult for just the two to keep the small family safe.

One shark focused on its prey didn’t bother them, until two others showed up. Full from its feeding, the first shark swam away. The two new sharks darted toward the children. Their tails remained visible in the murky water. They were too young to swim fast enough to escape the sharks.

“No!” Wickizer yelled and rushed after the shark and the children.

“Wickizer!” Sartin yelled to get his attention.

“We have to attack!” Thornton said as he pursued Wickizer.

As Sartin and Thornton caught up, Wickizer threw his spear into the water.

“No!” Thornton and Sartin both shouted in unison.

Wickizer’s spear sailed past the shark, between the children. Not only had he missed the target, he nearly hit one of his own children. Sartin needed to get the shark near the surface so his spear could get velocity from being in the air and make a mortal injury.

“Go up for air!” Sartin yelled to the children.

“But we don’t need it yet!” Beltram sassed back. He had been practicing holding his breath longer.

“Do it now!” Thornton yelled.

Wickizer continued to send the distress signal, nothing else.

The children finally followed Sartin and Thornton’s instructions and headed for the surface. The shark fell into Sartin’s trap and followed them. Sartin surfaced himself, judged the distance, angled, and threw his spear at the shark. It was supposed to travel through the water, gain momentum in the air, and return to the water into the skull of the shark.

Instead, it stuck through the stomach of a third shark joining the party. Sartin and Thornton both let out a collective gasp. Sartin hadn’t counted on the third shark joining the chase. The third predator writhed in pain and panic with the foreign object stuck through its middle. Blood billowed into the water, even Sartin could smell it. The fury in the wounded animal—mixed with Sartin’s panic—saturated the water around them. The first shark was too far ahead to notice, the second shark was still enjoying the meal of his companion.

Sartin caught the wounded shark’s eye, and it swam toward him. Sartin darted out of the way, but even injured, the shark was fast. Thornton used his spear to push the predator away. Between the life flowing from its body and the distraction, the injured animal swam away, hopefully forgetting about Sartin and Thornton.

Sartin wanted to kiss Thornton for saving him, but the first shark was still chasing the children. They had to catch up to it. In the meantime, Wickizer swam ahead with the two females under each arm while Beltram held onto Wickizer’s long hair and back. The extra weight slowed him, though, and the predator was closing in.

Thornton threw his spear to Sartin when the latter was within striking distance. Thornton’s spear wasn’t as heavy as Sartin’s. He’d have to throw it harder than his own to match the impact. He estimated the distance and the slope again, and asked Thornton to stand on lookout this time. Thornton gave the all clear signal, and then Sartin launched the inferior spear.

Sartin thought the attempt would be in vain when the spear ambled through the water, as if the water was thicker or denser than it actually was. He watched it disappear into the air and that’s when the magic happened. Pulling energy from the air, as well as Sartin and Thornton’s prayers to the Princess, the spear picked up speed. In the exact arc Sartin had judged, the spear re-entered the water and reached its intended target.

The spear pierced the thick cartilage of the shark’s head with a thud. With a quick, involuntary movement, the shark grunted in pain, its death instantaneous. In celebration, Sartin turned to Thornton to bump chests. When they met, Thornton grabbed Sartin in his arms and mashed their lips together. Although appreciative of the public gesture, Sartin was too distracted to return or enjoy the triumphant kiss.

Just as quickly as Thornton grabbed Sartin, Thornton let him go. Sensing the shark’s death, Thornton swam up to it and pulled his spear from its body. In defeat, the shark’s body sank into the darkness below.

Sartin and Thornton sent out the all clear signal, but Wickizer clearly wasn’t listening. He continued to swim toward Home Cove at full speed.

No announcement was needed at Home Cove. Bellew knew the moment Haenisch died. His song died in her head. The songs of sorrow pierced Sartin’s soul when he returned to Home Cove. Sartin and Thornton worked their way to Bellew in the tidal basin.

“I’m so sorry.” Sartin was the first to speak.

“Did you see what happened?” she asked.

Sartin paused for a moment. “Yes and no. I went up for air and then Haenisch did. When he was getting air, the shark turned suddenly, even before I knew what was transpiring. I didn’t know what had taken place until I had to go up for air again.”

“Thank you for saving the children,” Bray said from amongst the crowd.

Sartin found her in the crowd and gave her a blank stare. “It’s part of the task.”

Sartin softened his look and returned his attention toward Bellew. “I’m sure it was quick.”

She managed a weak smile. “As horrible as it sounds, it is comforting.”

Sartin gave her a hug and left the crowd around her. He joined his mother on the beach. Belzer followed.

“What happened?” she asked

“It was just as I said,” Sartin said.

“Sartin, if you want to be Alewar, you must know what is going on at all times. Soon it will be just you and your mate to protect us.”

“But the—”

“To be Alewar, you must protect everyone at any cost.” Belzer left the beach and entered the water before he could respond.

Sartin grunted a sigh in a dialect she wouldn’t understand, if she paid any attention at all.

“You see?” he said to his mother. “Nothing is ever good enough.”

“She’s right,” Ballard said quietly. “As Alewar, you must pay attention at all times. What if it was your mate?” She didn’t look at him, but prepared their evening meal from the small share of food Wickizer and Thornton brought back before the sharks showed up. Hungry, Sartin took the meal and ate.

“It’s almost as if she’s finding an excuse not to name me Alewar.”

“She was disappointed Basto wasn’t Alewar.”

“Last year she was shocked to see him at the Winter Meeting,” Sartin said.

“Belzer is stuck in her ways, the ways of the grandmothers.”

They finished eating in silence. When she was done, Ballard spoke. “Let me be the one who tells a story tonight.”

“Please, I’ve heard it.”

“Let me remind you of your birth right.” Ballard told the “Story of the Alewars” that Sartin remembered first hearing when he was five seasons old.

“I’ve heard that story a million times,” Sartin said, unimpressed by his mother’s tale.

“You need to remember it.”

“I am reminded every day how different I am.” Even the day he made the Decoy injury, Belzer had made a comment she should have let Wickizer make the Sacrifice. His tone bordered on disrespectful.

His mother didn’t seem to mind. Her tone had been a bit too motherly for a twenty- three season old son.

“Sartin, the hardest thing about being Alewar is that everyone depends on you.”

“I never asked for that responsibility.”

“No, you didn’t. It is the work of the Princess, the Alewar in your father combining with the Alewar in me to create you.” Ballad paused for a moment. “I suppose it’s easier for me. Once you were born, my place in the pod was secure.”

“But you are a healer.”

“But so is Big Brandt.”

“You had no idea I was Alewar?”

Ballard chuckled. “You were my first and only child, so I don’t know if Alewar babies behave differently in the womb.”

Her logic and his silly question made him laugh as well.

“You should sleep. I think Belzer will ask you to lead the pod with her on the Journey, and you will need your rest.”

This caught his attention. “How do you know?”

“She asked if you’d be strong enough in five sleeps when we’re supposed to leave.”

“What did you tell her?”

“Yes.”

Sartin finished eating his share of the food. He lay down on his back and stared up at the darkening sky.

She’s going to ask me to lead!

His body warmed to the core as he thought about leading the pod on the Winter Journey. In years past, he was relegated to protecting the pod from the rear. It was one of the first steps toward being named Alewar during the Winter. Sartin fell asleep, speculating what the Princess had in store for him in the coming winter.