Prince Gideon lay awake on the soft, red velvet of the bed in his personal sleeping chamber. His hands were clasped behind his head as he stared up at the polished wooden ceiling of The Whisperwinds. He could hear the creaking of another passenger moving in the hallway outside his room. He closed his eyes and focused on the subtle vibrations of the vessel as it spurred through the depths. He took a deep breath and sighed heavily, though that was becoming an increasingly hard exercise as air ran out in the long, slender Münshirling watercraft. He was bored, hot, and weary of the journey. Though The Whisperwinds was one of the finest vessels to have ever cruised through Sjorian waters, it was hardly a luxurious trip. To evade detection of Vül pirates, the submersible vessel had been designed for efficiency, not necessarily comfort.

“Augh,” he groaned, stirring his servant from sleep.

“Is somezing wrong, Gideon?” the silver-haired boy asked, rising from his bed across from the Prince.

“Well yes. And no.” He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. “I am sorry, Nya, I did not mean to wake you.”

“All ze same, do yeh need somezing, sire?”

“I need this cursed journey to over at last,” the Prince muttered under his breath. Then he said louder to Nya, “When do we rise for air? If we stay below much longer, I do believe that we shall suffocate.”

“Aye, do I know zat,” Nya yawned, stretching his arms over his head. “I can ask ze captain when we will rise if it would please yeh, sire.”

“That’s all right, Nya,” Gideon said. “I can go. I need to stretch my legs anyway. You may go back to sleep.”

Nya chuckled. “I sleep not because I tire, Gideon, I sleep fer lack of ozer zings to do. Allow me t’accompany you, please.”

“Very well.”

The two boys rose from their beds and moved to leave their sleeping chamber to search for the captain. Gideon’s cabin was located at the very end of the vessel, as that was the largest and sturdiest chamber on board in the case of an accident. Outside his door was a long narrow hallway, lined with the rooms of other passengers on either side. The room on the right nearest Gideon’s own belonged to Marley, while the one next to it and their left-side counterparts belonged to the Prince’s guards.

Promptly as the boys stepped outside their room, that aforementioned door flew open with a stiff whap! There dear Marley stood, looking half-dead as it were. Her face, usually a light tan, was paler than even Nya’s—a feat in and of itself. She stared at Gideon and Nya, her dark green eyes wide and her mouth small. “Get us above water, Gideon, or I shall die.”

“Will you?” Nya asked with a grin, “What? Ze sea not treatin’ you well?”

“Nay, not the sea; ‘tis this blasted box what kills me,” Marley said, glaring at him. “How you managed to take to it and this lifestyle so cheerfully I will never know.”

“Ze seas are in fact how I bear it,” Nya said, “I dearly love zem.”

“Grand,” Marley said, clapping her hand to her forehead. “But we cannot see any trace of them inside this crate, so I am left still to wonder at your joy.”

“Ze closer to ze sea I am, ze more alive I feel,” Nya said, “Regardless of ze box. Can you not feel zem? I can feel zem, like blood in my veins.”

“I feel trapped, Nya, and that is all.”

Gideon noticed she was no longer wearing the proper attire her mother had sent her off in; now she donned an old yellowed tunic, dark brown trousers, and rough leather boots. All of which were a size too large for her, cast-offs of his own and Nya’s from perhaps a year or so back. The tunic and trousers were tightened to fit her slim figure with a wide strap of leather across her waist, and her father’s old rich red scarf adorned her head. He had seen this outfit and those of hers like it before; Marley hated the stuffy gowns of the palace and would be rid of them whenever she could. Most often she only wore Gideon’s old clothes during play or horse riding, not in public. That she wore them now—Gideon had to shake his head and chuckle at the thought of her poor dear mother. She would be horrified!

“Nya and I were just going to find the captain,” Gideon said. “You should come with us.”

“Agreed.”

The trio made their way down the hallway to the Passenger Mess Hall, which was the vast room located in the midsection of the vessel. It was not mealtime, however, so only a few other passengers and the cabin boy, Rake, were present. The passengers were gathered in little groups speaking to each other in hushed voices, though some looked up and stood to bow to the Prince when he came in. Rake was too busy polishing tables to notice until Nya approached him personally to inquire of him where the captain was.

“Oh, I dunno,” Rake said after a hasty bow. “I suppose ‘e might be in the Navigator’s Quarters up there towards the nose of the Whisper’, er, or mebe ‘e’s still sleepin’. I can go’n look for you if you’d like, right aft’ I’m finished in ‘ere, tha’ is.”

“That’s all right, Rake,” Gideon said, “We’ll see if he’s in the Navigator’s Quarters. If he’s not we won’t trouble him. It’s not that important.”

“Just the matter of air,” Marley said sarcastically.

“Ah! Why’d you not say so afore, Majesty?” Rake cried. “If tha’s what it is, I can tell you tha’. I heard

the cap’n talkin’ to ol’ Kor (‘e’s the first mate, ‘e is, but you knew that, Majesty), and ‘e says to ‘im, ‘Why, ‘tis gettin’ mighty stuffy down ‘ere, it is, so I says we rise ta’marrow, right afore Kiirset.’ An’ I think tha’s about in an hour, Majesty (see, I ‘eard ‘im say it yesterday). ‘Course, I could be wrong, you know. I don’t ‘ave much grip on when the Kiir is up an’ when she’s sinkin’. Might should ask the cap’n jus’ tha’, Majesty.”

The more Rake went on about how stuffy it was or other information that they already knew, the less Marley felt that she could stand it. She cast a desperate look at Gideon the moment the boy said “she’s sinkin’.”

“We’ll do that. Thank you, Rake,” Gideon said.

The trio proceeded from the mess hall to the Navigator’s Quarters; this was a small oddly shaped room, as it was in the upper portion of the Münshirling vessel’s nose—thus the ceiling was low and domed, and the room got more and more narrow towards the end. At the end, crouched in a bit of an awkward position, was the crimson-haired First Mate; with him was an array of gauges, maps, and tools that Gideon and his friends neither could name nor guess the purpose of. Ol’ Kor seemed to have the hang of them though, swiftly setting levers, checking measurements, and writing notes or marks on the maps.

“Hello, Kor,” Gideon said.

“Hullo, yer Majesty,” Kor said, yanking on another lever and not turning back to look at them.

“Do you know where the captain is?” Gideon asked.

“Down below, last I saw him,” the La’Karnian man replied simply. After a minute or two of checking a gauge, he looked over his shoulder at the Prince and his friends. Intimidated by his dark eyes, Marley looked away. “Yeh can head on down there, if yeh like. He’s probably in the Crew’s Mess below.”

“Are you sure zat’s all right?” Nya asked, having understood that passengers were to remain on the passenger level.

Kor turned back to his work and started marking out the time and depth on the pages of a notebook. “Were ye anyone else, I’d say no. But as yeh are the Prince’s friend, and he a good friend of the cap’n, I say yes. Have yerself a look on down there, the three of yeh; there’s the door in the floor right there as you can see.”

But there was no need to go below for the captain, as Kor had no sooner spoken than the trap he had referred to creaked and popped open. Up the ladder below came two thin callused hands, followed swiftly by the pale old man who was their owner. He was short, lank, and without any hair save a sparse patch of white fuzz behind his ears, and he wore ragged leather boots, grey trousers, and a weatherworn jacket. He looked old enough to be Gideon’s great grandfather, yet the Prince knew that to describe the man as fragile would be a grave error. He was spry and strong as a zyron, and twice as mean when a temper came on him! To have Captain Rorarc’s fierce, vivid blue eyes burn into a person would put the fear into them right quick, it was said amongst the crew.

“Hoy, Kor, ‘tis about time now, lad—signal to me boys and girls that we go up. Oy, Yer Highness laddie—yer friend thar ain’t lookin’ so well. Thar, thar, I know, but we’re headin’ up now, see? Why don’t you take the lass up to the Recreation Deck now—an’ tell Rake to round up the other passengers too, if you see him. We’ll be above sea-level in a minute or two, then we’ll open up the ‘Winds for some air. Now don’t stand thar with your mouth open, lad, off with you now! I run I tight vessel, you know!”

Kor, more used to Captain Rorarc’s expectation of prompt obedience than the Royal passengers, was gearing up the high-frequency signals for the oulpheis, these being the large mammalian navigators on the outside of the vessel, long before the captain ever said “lad”. Though Nya longed to ask of him how they worked, he and his friends had to be on their way and there was no time for questions.

The Recreation Deck that the captain had referred to was located at the first level of the vessel. To reach it, the friends had to go back to the Passenger’s Mess and up the stout flight of stairs located on the right end of the chamber. There they found another trap, albeit a much larger one than the one found in the Navigator’s Quarters, which Rake unbolted and opened to allow the passengers entrance.

The deck itself, while the most spacious of any chamber on board The Whisperwinds, had the lowest roof, so that all of the passengers had to practically crouch down on their knees once inside. It was dark in there as well, since it was meant to be vacant except in times that the vessel was loading on passengers or, in cases like this, rising for air and the deck’s namesake. In a few moments after everyone had crawled into the darkness and found a remote corner to sit in so as to avoid being crawled over by someone else, Dantione, the vessel’s flaxen-haired medic, appeared up the trap with a small lamp. “We’re rising now,” he said, “Everyone just sit tight for a moment or two—we’ll be above water in a few minutes.”

Gideon and his friends had stayed near the trap on Marley’s behalf. As long as she could see a way out, her claustrophobia might be able to be contained. As Dantione’s light dimly illuminated her next to him, however, Gideon could see her knuckles were white in her lap. Gently he put his hand on her shoulder and smiled a little.

“A moment or two,” she gasped under her breath, “What is that supposed to mean?”

“It shouldn’t be too long,” Gideon said.

“It’s already been too long.” Marley moaned quietly, squeezing her eyes shut.

“Just d’not focus on it, Marley,” Nya said.

True to the medic’s word, it was only about fifteen minutes or so (though this felt like an eternity to poor Marley) before crew members came to the Recreation Deck with their own lamps to key points of the deck, where Gideon could now make out odd-looking wheels and levers. With some effort, the crewmen started turning these wheels, and a magnificent grinding and groaning noise reverberated throughout the walls. Then at last, there was a snap and a streak of pale light split the ceiling overhead! The grinding noise continued, and gradually the roof of the deck retracted, revealing the clear near-dusk violet skies outside. The fresh sea air rushed into their faces, and Marley’s countenance noticeably relaxed. The moment the

roof had been withdrawn enough that she could stand, she did so, breathing in deep the cool air. Gideon and Nya rose presently as well and grinned at each other, both pleased that Marley had been so quickly cured.

A few clouds littered the skies, each painted in golden hues from the Kiir’s retreating light, and this was reflected in the waters all around as far as the eyes could see in a breathtaking masterpiece. The sweet scent of salt and ocean flora laced the air. The trio of Royal passengers approached the gunwale just as a great thud noise sounded and the grinding of the retracting roof was hushed. It was then also that Kor and Captain Rorarc appeared on the Recreation Deck.

“Thar now,” said the captain. “Well worth the wait, wouldn’t yeh say, Kor?”

“Aye, captain,” Kor replied dryly. His eyes only briefly wandered to the Kiirset before they fell to the immediate waters near the vessel and he frowned. “The oulpheis will be up wantin’ their cut here in a minute. I’ll go fetch the grub.”

“A’right lad, as you will,” the captain said. He watched a little wistfully as Kor nodded his respects to Prince Gideon and turned to retreat once more below deck. Yet a smile brightened the captain’s face again as he faced the Royal trio. “Ah, Prince laddie, thar yeh be. Yer lassie friend thar is lookin’ mighty fine. I take it yer feeling better now then, lass?”

Marley smiled politely and nodded. “Yes, Captain Rorarc, much better indeed.”

“That’s good, I’m happy ta hear it,” the captain said in his kindly way. He took a deep breath and let it out in a happy sigh, resting his weathered elbows on the gunwale and looking out over the marvellous ocean view. “Sure is a fine evening, ain’t it now?”

“Aye, zat it is,” said Nya.

Gideon frowned. “Captain, I hope you don’t mind my asking, but what is wrong with Kor? He has seemed a bit down these past few days.”

Captain Rorarc’s face flashed a look of regret, but he merely shrugged. “How would I be knowin’, Prince laddie? Kor keeps most things ta himself. Yeh know that as well as I does.”

“Yes but—” Gideon started, but he was suddenly interrupted by several splashes in the water below, followed by shrill whistles and squeaks as the oulpheis surfaced. The captain’s eyebrows shot up in momentary surprise before he smiled fondly down at them.

“A’right, a’right! Hold yer horses, me lads, Kor’s commin’ with yer treats!” the captain mocked scolding. He turned to look at Gideon and his friends with a twinkle in his eye and he shook his head. “Silly beasts. They can spend a whole week unda’water and never know the time what went by, ‘less their air tanks run low. Make ‘em wait two extra minutes after they rise for their grubs, though, an’ they’ll make yeh sorry. Hoy—Kor! Where are yeh, lad?”

Marley grinned down at the large creatures, all bright-eyed and eager like little children. They would pop their large heads out of the water and squeal excitedly at the captain, vibrating the long white whiskers flaring off their faces around the muzzle and eyes to make a strange BZZZZZRTTT sort of noise, then dive back under the water and swim in great foaming circles. One of them, in the midst of this routine, noticed Marley watching him. His little ears perked up and his blue eyes widened so that she could see the black of his sclera. She giggled at the silly expression on his mustelid-like face, which seemed to encourage him. He swam towards the side of the watercraft where she stood and stretched his long sleek body out of the water to put his large webbed paws on the side of the Münshirling vessel. There he stared at her with those wide, eager eyes and chirped at her while buzzing his whiskers again hopefully in intervals of five seconds. BZZZZZRTTT! ..... BZZZZZRTTT! ..... BZZZZZRTTT! Marley burst out laughing.

“He’s beggin’ yeh now,” the captain said. “That little whisker thing he’s doin’, ‘tis the same as pups make ta their parents ta beg fer food.”

Seeming encouraged by their laughter, the oulphei leapt out of the water with an explosive splash and seemed to make a motion as if to grab the gunwale! He purposely missed it, giving it a stiff whap! instead that shook the watercraft violently! Passengers cried out from the sudden disturbance and the captain had to grab Marley to keep her from falling off the vessel! No one was hurt, in fact, most were amused, but the captain cried out angrily, “Tojo, yeh great clonk! Yeh know better than that! Clonk that yeh are! Ah, Kor, thar yeh be. Let’s get me lads fed afore they capsize us, eh?”

“Aye captain,” Kor said, rolling a large barrel up to the gunwale.

“Now, wha’ about you, lassie? Are yeh a’right?”

Marley, laughing, nodded. “I’m fine, captain. Really.”

“A’right, good. I’m sorry ‘bout him. Tojo gets a bit rowdy a’times, an’ I suppose I might have warned yeh when I seen that look on his face. Ah me.” The captain sighed and rubbed his balding head.

“All’s well as ends well,” Gideon said.

“Captain, can we help feed them?” Marley asked.

Gideon looked uncertain. “What exactly do they eat?”

“Well, they usually eat fish and sea greenery, but we keep a special treat for ‘em to keep ‘em healthy an’ willin’ ta work. Here now, let’s get this barrel open an’ yeh can see.”

Kor at that moment gave the lid of the barrel a twist and a pop and it came off. It was filled with water and a lot of fat, wiggly talgonfree grubs. Gideon felt his insides tighten at once and a shudder went up and down his back. Involuntarily, he took a step back from the barrel.

Kor noticed. “Not too keen on the wrigglies, eh Prince Gideon?”

Before Gideon could answer properly, Marley said, “He’s terrified of them. I caught him a mimbeetle for his birthday once. I do believe you might have heard his scream all the way from Zaine when I handed it to him.”

“You forgot to mention that was nine years ago, Marley. I’m not afraid of them now,” Gideon said, “I just don’t like them.”

“Well if you’re not I'm certain this is the first time I have heard of it. You don’t like them because you’re afraid of them.”

“I am not,” Gideon reiterated, more seriously this time.

“You’re being ridiculous. If you’re not afraid, then you won’t mind reaching in there with your bare hands and grabbing one of those talgonfrees, will you?”

Gideon cast a doubtful glance at the barrel, but straightened his shoulders. “Of course not.”

Marley was surprised, but she was not about to leave it at that. “Fine then, go ahead. Show us how it’s done, Your Highness.”

Nya looked between his friends, his expression something between concern and amusement. “Zat’s not nice, Marley,” he said softly.

“‘Tis like this, yer Highness,” Kor said, reaching into the barrel and skilfully snatching up a large, slimy talgonfree larva. It hissed and writhed, trying to bite his wrist. “Yeh got to hold it like this so as it can’t get at yeh. An’ be careful at that—they ooze a bit and can become mighty hard to keep a grip on.”

“If it gets a grip on yeh, ye will be sorry, let me tell yeh,” the captain agreed. “Nasty biters, they are. Always hungry, this lot.”

One of the oulpheis hit the water with his tail and shrieked impatiently. “There now, Kor, let’s not make ‘em wait. Prince laddie, yeh and yer friends can help too, if yeh want. Jus’ be careful about them mouths, is all,” the captain said.

Kor pulled back his arm and cast the grub out to sea. A great big oulphei shot out of the water in full expectation and caught it in mid air! He twisted his body as he came falling back down towards the water. They saw a glimpse of his pure white belly under his shiny dark blue dorsal fur before he hit the surface of the sea and disappeared in the magnificent spray!

The captain laughed heartily. “Ah, that be Xaro what caught it! ‘e’s the oldest, ‘e is. Such a show-off, the clonk! Ha!” He gathered a couple more grubs from the barrel and cast them out to the oulpheis.

Marley followed suit. Catching the grub was a little tricky for her, but once she had a good hold she pulled it out of the water and cast it overboard. It flew quite a distance from the vessel before a smaller oulphei leapt up and caught it.

“Well now, tha’s a good arm yeh got on yeh, lassie! Brilliant throw!”

“Go on, Gideon,” Marley said, and she truly meant to be encouraging this time. “It’s not that bad. Just don’t let it bite you and you’ll be fine.”

Gideon had to swallow both his fear and his pride. There was no getting out of it now. He took a deep breath and plunged his hand down into the barrel. It took all of his resolve not to leap back the moment his fingers brushed up against the cold, soft side of a grub nearly the same length and width of his hand. Clenching his jaw, Gideon quickly grabbed it and yanked it out of the water—only then did he find something to Kor’s warning, for it immediately started oozing a clear slime, successfully lubricating itself from his grip! It writhed this way and that as he tried to get a better hold, and then as misfortune would have it, it twisted its eyeless head towards his wrist and sank its tooth into his flesh! He cried out more from surprise than pain, the grub’s saliva had a numbing effect—but when a few flicks of his wrist did nothing to loosen the creature’s grip, his horror began to set in. Yelling, he tried to beat it off on the gunwale—without success!

Marley tried to stop him and help get it off, but she soon doubled over in laughter and became quite useless. She could barely stand, let alone wrench the wriggler off her friend’s wrist from laughing so hard at his predicament.

People on the deck were gathering now, unsure of what to make of this spectacle. Even the Prince’s bodyguards stood still at a distance, just watching and entirely uncertain of how to respond to the tiny aggressor assaulting him.

“Here, now, lad, let me see thar,” said the captain. He grabbed the frantic boy’s hand and gripped the grub by its head. After a little bit of wiggling, it came off and he threw it over the side of The Whisperwinds. “Thar now, Prince laddie, that happens a’times. Rake! Grab me a cloth an’ bring it here!”

The sandy-haired cabin boy, whom had been standing some distance off and pretending to be completely unaware of the Prince’s plight, dropped his mop on the spot and hurried down the trap. In another instant, he returned with several white bandages. “‘Ere, Cap’n!” he said.

The captain took a cloth and wiped some of the blood off of the Prince’s wrist. “‘Ere now, press this ta the wound until the bleedin’ stops.”

At last able to catch her breath, Marley exclaimed, “Oh, Gideon, I am sorry, truly!”

“Of course you are,” Gideon shot back.

Marley could not help but laugh again. If this was not just desserts, she did not know what was.

Dantione came up from the trap then and inquired of them what had happened. “I heard a shout,” he said. After the captain briefly explained the situation, he nodded calmly. “Aye, I see. Well, on the bright side, if any animal were to bite you, Felidula morohemia is the best-case scenario, Your Highness. Their saliva contains components to numb the pain, cleanse the wound, and speed the healing. I will let you in on a trade secret here; it is the first treatment any good physician will administer to small wounds. You will be just fine.”

Once the show was over and the oulpheis fed and quieted, the captain ordered a few men down into the water to remove their harnesses and air tanks. When Gideon questioned him on this, he showed him a map, where several spots and patches on the sea were marked in orange.

“See that?” he asked. “Them’s Cranky Fields. Litter the seafloor like a scourge, they do. An’ we’re here, right on top of this great big one—luckily, the only one between us an’ Zaine, but look a’ all the area it encompasses. Come nightfall, the whole place will be awakened by the moons thar—great roarin’ jets an’ pillars of water as can tear a beast to pieces will come shootin’ outta the depths. We’ll be a’right in The Whisperwinds once she’s shut up tight and anchored ta the bottom, but me lads an’ lasses need ta be a’far away from ‘ere as they can afore the sea wakes up. I raised ‘em all from pups, yeh know. They’s like me own flesh an’ blood. If somethin’ happened ta ‘em, ah me, I don’t know what I’d do.”

“Captain, the harnesses are off now,” someone shouted.

“Aye, good. Thank ye Naude,” the captain replied. “‘Ave Falvo pull some of ‘is own weight and get the anchors down to me lads so they can weigh us down ta the bottom.”

“Aye, captain.”

“Heh, you know, Prince laddie,” the captain said, turning back to Gideon, “I like Falvo, I do. He’s a good lad. But he can laze about like no other a’times. Sometimes I tell ‘im that seafarin’s not quite what he was cut out ta do, but jest like when Kor was a wee lad, I jest can’t be rid of ‘im. ‘E’s fallen in love with the ‘Winds, ‘e has. This clatterin’ box o’ gears and gyros, heh.”

“I think Nya would too, if I’d let him.”

“Nah,” the captain said, “I’d seen the look in that lad’s eye. ‘Tis the sea what he loves, an’ his loyalty to you is stronger still. ‘E’d not be parted from yeh, tha’s for sure an’ certain.”

Gideon was quiet and looked out over the waters, purpling now in the dying light. “It is beautiful. Had I not a duty in New Münshir, he might not need to be parted from me to love it,” he muttered softly. He looked at the captain again and said louder, “Will the oulpheis come back? What I mean is, they won’t get lost out there, will they?”

“Ah me, they know their ways about. If somethin’ did ‘appen to ‘em, their ears bear The Whisperwinds mark. They’s tame beasts, so they’ll seek out men wit’ vessels. If anyone finds ‘em, they’ll see the mark an’ return ‘em to us at port,” answered the captain. He glanced up at the sky then. “Ah me,” he muttered, “Gettin’ nigh for moonsrise, it is.” He folded up his map and slipped it into his jacket. “All right! Recreation time’s over now! Everyone down the trap!”

As the captain went to round up other passengers and direct his crew, Marley sidled up next to Gideon and said in a low voice, “Gideon, the scientific name for a ‘Cranky Field’ is actually Terredomes. Please don’t ever call it a Cranky Field in front of anyone of good society—it’s terrible slang.”

“Good society?” Gideon repeated, chuckling. “The captain was one of my father’s dearest friends, Marley.”

“It’s still terrible slang.”

“Everyone below deck, unless you want ta be seafood for the Rot Cod!” the captain called.

Several passengers were made obviously uncomfortable by this sentence, particularly the Galdans. All made their way towards the trap, but one young man stopped near the captain and said in a low voice, “Hush, old seafarer, else you doom us by speaking that demon’s name!”

“Superstitious nonsense, Master Keru,” scoffed the captain, “Off with yeh now.”

The passenger looked off at the sea with wide eyes. Then he hurried down the trap muttering some chant and making motions around his head and stomach.

“What was that about?” Marley asked.

“Eh? Oh, the Rot Cod. Merely a superstition. ‘Tis a Galdan myth; they say the Rot Cod is a sea demon what sleeps in the depths, and if ye wake it by speakin its name, it comes up to drink out your soul or what not,” the captain said. “Fiddlewink and rot, says I. I said its name afore, an’ I’ll say it again, ‘specially if passengers want ta laze about when I’s sayin’ ta go under. Fear the Rot Cod, pah! But they don’t fear things as are real, say the Moons and the fury they rouse on the sea. Humph!”

Marley sighed. “Much as I hate it, you’re right. We’d better get below deck before the Terredomes are activated.”

“Aye,” Nya added, “Crazy zings... I’ve seen ‘em before once or twice from a distance before zough. Sure are beautiful, what wiz all zose silvery jets and waves shimmerin’ in ze moonslight... why, I’d—”

A great impact hit the vessel from below and knocked everyone off their feet!

“What was that?!” Gideon asked as Nya helped him back up.

“Search me!” gasped the captain.

“It's the Rot Cod! It’s the Rot Cod, answering your call of his name! Confound it all, we’re doomed!” cried a passenger, throwing up her arms in anguish.

“Fiddlewink!” the captain said, “This was somthin’ real. Rake, call up me lads and we’ll have a look around. Where’s me whistle?”

No sooner had he spoken when a hollow, ghostly scream filled the depths.

“Listen!” Marley said urgently.

“Look!” a crewman in horror, “What’s that?”

The captain and his three royal passengers came to see what the crewman was pointing to. There, just below the surface of the water on the starboard side, was a huge dark shadow. Marley’s eyes widened as she watched its long body lazily circling around the watercraft. She could hear a deep rumbling noise that seemed to vibrate the very air as it did so. The surface of the water writhed and bounced along the creature’s dark mottled flesh.

“It’s huge,” Nya whispered. Its body was as thick around as a tower of Münshir Palace back home, and it was at least three times as long as The Whisperwinds was!

“What is it?” Gideon wondered aloud.

“It’s the Rot Cod! My brother told you it was bad luck!” the other passenger insisted, shaking a fist at the captain, “He’ll kill us all, and you’re to blame!”

“Would ya stop at tha’? I’m sure it’s a mortal sea creature, though of its like I’ve never seen. Do you suppose—” the captain was interrupted by a loud crash! The creature nudged the vessel with the side of its body again!

“Fiddlewink, indeed!” yelled the angry passenger, after regaining his balance.

“This is no time for squabbling!” Marley shouted, “It’s obviously not here peacefully, we have to figure out a way to defend ourselves. If it keeps beating The Whisperwinds like that, she’ll burst!”

“The gerl’s right.”

Just then, with an explosion of water, the beast’s long neck rose from the depths! He was covered in dark green scales, and had long whiskers all over his almost biireo-like face. Orange teeth that were larger than Gideon protruded out of his mouth in crooked directions. He looked his paling onlookers over with a somewhat bored expression, blinking his third eyelids lazily. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly as something of a sigh through his nostrils. Finally he looked up towards the sky and let out another of his horrible screams! This time without water to smother it, the sound rattled the very frames of every soul onboard the watercraft! Marley could feel her ears ringing with the sound, and she got a pounding headache as the noise died away! It made her feel very lightheaded, and she could not quite see very well for the seconds before it subsided. The sight she met when she could see straight again was not a pleasant one, for the beast’s fearsome head was flying straight towards the vessel!

The impact almost rolled the watercraft! Marley and Gideon cried in unison as they were knocked off their feet again and went tumbling for the dark waters! Desperately, Marley reached up and grasped the gunwale just in time—then just before she could take on water, the vessel swung up and righted itself, effectively slamming Marley’s chest against its side and knocking the air out of her lungs! While she almost lost her grip then, Nya caught her hand and pulled her back on board! Panic and chaos met her there; crewman were scrambling about to try and secure the vessel, passengers were wailing and knocking each other over in an effort to get below deck! In the midst of this she saw the Münshirling soldiers trying to keep order and find the Prince—she crumpled to her knees and wrapped her arms around her aching torso. “Where’s Gideon?” she groaned.

“I didn’t see him!” Nya said.

“He must have fallen in, we have to help him!” Marley said, struggling to her feet.

“You get below deck,” Nya ordered as he helped her up, “I will look fer him.”

“Keep in line, now!” Captain Rorarc shouted as he tried to keep his frantic passengers in order as they scrambled to and fro! He noticed Marley and Nya and pushed his way towards them. “Why aren’t you two below deck? Where’s the Prince? We’re sealin’ the ‘Winds up until the beast loses interest—come along now!”

“No! Captain, we can’t!” Marley cried, “Prince Gideon fell overboard! We have to find him!”

A hollow scream preceded another battering from below the hull, and the deck lurched. Though her armour held still, many were cast from their feet. Then, a great tentacle shot out of the depths and wrapped around both Nya and Marley! In a moment that seemed slow motion though it encompassed a mere two seconds; the captain reached out and caught Marley’s hand; he saw her pale face and terrified eyes—then the creature yanked the two from him and pulled them over the gunwale! He heard their screams—then they disappeared with it under the water!

“No!” yelled the captain. Then the watercraft was struck yet again and he was thrust from where he stood! He made an effort to prevent falling overboard, but it was too late—he hit his head on the gunwale and plummeted into the icy water below! For a time, the captain was aware of nothing. The water around him was dark, the screams and sounds on the surface were hollow and muffled... then they quieted all together. He was losing consciousness as he sank deeper and deeper into the depths. He might have given himself up for dead in that moment, when suddenly he was aware of many bodies in the water with him. They were warm and smooth as they rubbed up against him... familiar. Without really thinking about it, he reached out and grasped the dorsal fin of the creature that was swimming around him and beating its whiskers in his face. The instant that he did, the animal made a break for the surface!

Only when Xaro broke the surface of the water did his master regain a sense of what was happening. Coughing and sputtering as the oulphei rolled over and positioned him on its belly, the captain tried to catch his breath. Other oulpheis splashed out of the water, chattering and squealing anxiously as they gathered around their eldest brother and the man whom had raised them. The captain felt as though all the strength had gone from his limbs. Where was The Whisperwinds? What had happened to the children? And the Prince, where was he? He raised his eyes first to the face of his loyal animal who was watching him intently. Xaro wheezed and squeaked, nuzzling him a little.

“Aye, that’s a good lad, Xaro... good lad...” the captain breathed weakly as he reached out to pat Xaro’s nose. Then his eyes rose to the skies. It was almost twilight now.

Hoy, that was Kor! Where was the lad? There, some distance behind him was the silhouette of the vessel on the purple horizon. Tilly and one of her sisters squealed and started to swim in that direction, chirping excitedly. Presently Xaro and the others followed.

“Ahoy, Kor! Right ‘ere!” the captain called, before he burst into another fit of coughs.

The First Mate heard the captain’s call and ordered men together to get a rescue in order. As the oulpheis drifted nearer the watercraft, a rope was cast down to him. Three men slid down the rope into the water and helped the captain up.

“Are yeh all right?” Kor asked, extending his hand to pull the captain back on board.

“What happened?” gasped the captain as he took Kor’s hand, “Where’d the beast go?”

The La’Karnian pulled his captain back up and steadied him before he explained, “‘Tis gone. Right after yeh fell in it disappeared.”

“No’ all, a’ tha’!” young Rake exclaimed, “The Prince an’ his mates is gone too, cap’n! Gone as gone!”

Thairyn was awake. She had been for a while now. But she did not stir. Listlessly she stared out of half-closed eyes at her bandaged hand, lying still in soft, purple fur. She wanted to cry. But she could not. She did not feel that she could do anything at all. Her wings hurt so badly. Her hands, and her arms... they had been burned. But the physical pain meant nothing to her. Why? Why did it happen? Why?

Slowly, and perhaps for the first time since she had been here, her eyes wandered up past her hand. She saw the cave; large, lit with the golden light of candles... she saw the table, and the black pot of soup boiling over red hot coals. She knew she had been rescued... but she did not clearly remember the name or the face of the one that had come. She had been tending her burns... But she was not Mama. Mama had not come. The fight had been won, but she had seen her Mama crumpled over. She had seen the dark blood on her hands and chest. She heard her voice, Thairyn... my child, take Neyhira, take Neyhira and get out of the forest. Run.

“I’m sorry Mama...” Thairyn whispered. She had not kept that promise. Mama was hurt—how could she get Valii out all by herself? After she had dragged Neyhira out, hidden her, made sure she was safe... she had gone back. But she could not find them. She had cried. She had screamed for them. The canopy collapsed... Fire was coming down like rain out of the sky! But she remembered very little after that—mostly just colours, sounds, blurs and ideas of what was happening around her.

Suddenly there was a tinkling sound... metal bracelets. Thairyn’s eyes wandered up again. There was someone standing in front of the pot now. She was a dracoen, tall and white, with long golden hair flowing around her shoulders. She wore an almost transparent silken wrapping, with a chainmail kyntin and long white trousers underneath. Golden bracelets adorned her wrists, ankles, and tail. “Are you a spirit?” she whispered weakly.

The woman turned, startled, her golden eyes wide for a moment before they fell upon the child. Then she smiled softly. “You’re awake,” she said gently, her voice deep and musical somehow, as she came towards Thairyn and kneeling down beside the fur bed. She brushed her hand over Thairyn’s brow and asked, “How are you feeling?”

“Are you a spirit?” Thairyn asked again. “Am I dying?”

“No, child,” the woman said, “You are on the mend. It will take some time, but you will feel better soon, I promise.” She laughed softly, “No, I am no spirit. My name is Meyjey. I am but a simple Moonkind.”

Thairyn was quiet. Her eyes wandered from her rescuer and drifted lethargically across the room.

“What is your name?” Meyjey asked softly.

Slowly, Thairyn looked at her again. “Thairyn.”

“Thairyn,” Meyjey repeated. “That’s a lovely name. Are you hungry, Thairyn? Thirsty?”

“No.”

The woman looked surprised. “Are you sure? I made some soup over there... wouldn’t you like some?”

“No,” Thairyn said, turning her head away from her.

Meyjey stayed by her side for a moment or two more. Then Thairyn heard the tinkling of her bracelets as she stood and walked back to her pot. She listened as Meyjey took a small wooden bowl that had been hanging on the wall and ladled some soup into it. Meyjey carried it back over to Thairyn’s bedside and knelt down near her again. “Please eat, little one. You must be hungry. It's been days since we found you.”

But Thairyn did not move. After a little while, she heard the tinkling of Meyjey’s bracelets as she left again. Then Thairyn turned, just in time to see her rescuer disappear into an arched doorway with some steps leading down at the northern end of the cave. Slowly, she pushed herself up. She looked at her bandaged hands. They looked so tiny, so helpless. She almost glanced over her shoulder to look at her wings, but somehow, she did not want to know. Not yet. She sighed softly and crawled off the big purple bed. There were four bed mats lying on the ground near it. Towards the southern end of the cave, she saw the mouth. There was daylight outside.

Thairyn’s eyes grew wide and her body stiffened feeling the hot breath on the back of her neck. Then she heard a squawk behind her that nearly made her jump out of her skin! Turning around she saw that what she had assumed was a bed was really a—well, Thairyn was not certain. It had the head of a biireo with a curved raptor-like silver beak and long purple ears. Its body was like a large feline, powerful and sleek, and its tail was long and bushy. It had paws for back feet, like a feline, but its front appendages looked more like hands with three fingers and a thumb each. It had great silver-scaled wings; fingered wings—like her own—with blue membranes, and soft downy feathers in patches about its shoulders. The rest of its body was covered in the same kind of fur that a Fur Dracoen would; each shaft a bit stiffer than a mammal’s, but soft and sleek; this was all purple, save for the belly, paws and tail that were all a sky blue colour. Its face was pied in white, and its eyes were the most entrancing gold. It stared at her expectantly and tipped its head to the side, again making a softer squawk.

She looked back at the pot, and then back at the thing. It excitedly chirped. Getting the impression that it was hungry, Thairyn walked over to the pot and scooped out the ladle full of the soup. The creature watched her with great interest as she blew on the soup to cool it down a little, just like Mama had taught her to do when handling hot food. She walked slowly towards the creature and extended the ladle.

The creature stood up and sniffed the ladle before it lapped it up gracelessly and soup spilled all over the floor. After it had finished licking the ladle and then the floor, it gratefully licked her face and she heard a rumbling purr in its chest. She could not help but giggle as the long blue tongue tickled her face. She leaned forward and nuzzled its soft blue mane.

“Thairyn,” she heard Meyjey’s voice behind her say softly. “I brought you some water.”

Thairyn turned. Meyjey was relieved to see a light in her eyes that had not been there when she had first awakened. She looked at the small metal cup that Meyjey held. Shyly, she nodded.

Meyjey handed her the cup and patted the purple creature’s large squared head. “I see you’ve met Meiikii.”

Thairyn sipped the water. “Is that his name?”

“Yes,” Meyjey said. She looked at Thairyn carefully. “Are you feeling better?”

Thairyn’s tummy growled in answer. She looked a little embarrassed. “I am hungry,” she said softly. She looked at Meyjey earnestly. “Do you have any gemfruits here?”

“Gemfruits?” Meyjey repeated.

“Or gems, I can eat gems too.”

“You eat... gems?”

“Yes. I know you don’t, you’re a Moonkind,” Thairyn said, “But I’m a Gemkind. I need to eat gems.” She was actually fairly surprised Meyjey did not already know this. Could she not see the Birthstone hanging from her neck?

Meyjey stared at her like she had just declared she was a visitor from the Third Moon. She opened her mouth, but closed it again shortly without a sound. “Why don’t you try some soup for now?” she asked.

Thairyn looked disappointed. “No thanks,” she said softly. She could drink gallons of water and be just as satisfied as she would if she ate a whole meal of taste-goods—they just did not have the minerals she needed. No, she decided, it was better not even to tempt her tongue.

“Oh, come on, just try some? I’ve not been cooking long, but it’s not that bad,” Meyjey said, smiling a bit in a teasing sort of way.

Thairyn felt sorry for Meyjey, she really did, but she had told her she needed gems. Why did she still insist that she eat the taste-goods?

Suddenly there was a sound; people were approaching, from outside. Thairyn looked up at the mouth of the cave. There were two Dracoen figures, but as the light was behind them she could not make out their details until they entered the cave.

“Meyjey! Hey, Meyjey!” cried the first to enter; a young boy Thairyn could see now. He looked to Thairyn to be about Kaqurei’s age. Black-scaled, and dressed rather shabbily, with a look of excitement in his deep red eyes lit up his whole face. Thairyn knitted her brows as she looked at him. Was that a flatface skull painted over his right eye?

Thairyn looked at the other one who was now taking off her cloak and setting it on a wooden peg at the cave’s entrance. She did not look to be much older than Thairyn was herself, perhaps ten at the most. She had lovely round cheeks, a cute, small, baby-looking muzzle (even if it was not as broad as a baby’s), and large silvery lavender eyes. Her black hair was cut short, and Thairyn noticed that even though she was a Fur like Papa, her wings did not have large flight feathers, but the small fur-like ones like those that covered the rest of her form instead. Her long tail fur was brushed and silky, like Gideon’s horse.

“Kazen, Vamele,” Meyjey said, turning.

“Oh, look, the itty-bite’s awake,” the boy noted, looking at Thairyn. He looked at Meyjey again and went on excitedly, “Hey, Meyjey, you won’t believe what we got!”

Thairyn felt slighted. What right had he to call her a itty-bite? What did that even mean? Was he implying that she was short? She glared at him, but he did not notice.

“What did you get, Kazen?” Meyjey asked, only half interested. She kept looking between him and Thairyn anxiously, wringing her hands until another Moon Dracoen entered.

He was another True, with weathered turquoise scales and mid-length black hair that was tied back into a ponytail. He had a sleek form and robust muscles. His face struck Thairyn as somewhat familiar... the distinct bridge of his muzzle and the shape of his eyes, in particular, but she could not quite place them. Was he the father of this family? Did that make Meyjey the mother? Both of them looked too young to be parents though...

After the man had placed his cloak on the peg he turned and looked at Thairyn. “How are you feeling, little one?” he asked gently.

Meyjey approached him. “She won’t eat,” she said in a low voice, so that Thairyn almost did not catch it. “I don’t know what to do, Annota. It’s been days, and she hasn’t eaten a thing.”

He furrowed his brow and looked between Meyjey and Thairyn. He said something to her, but Thairyn did not hear. Kazen had come to set his sack on the table near Thairyn. He looked at her and grinned. “Hey new kid, I wanna show you something,” he said. He reached into the sack and retrieved a bright red Krancyr that was about the size of his fist!

Thairyn’s eyes widened and her mouth watered.

“Isn’t she drool-worthy?” Kazen asked. “You should’ve seen me sneaking her out of Ol’ Scarf’s cache. I was brilliant, and boy, was this little lady worth it!”

“Kazen, stop bragging,” the young girl said as she approached from behind him. She playfully tapped the back of his head with her stick. “You know Annota said we’re going to have to find its real owner and return it to them.”

Kazen rubbed his head and scowled at her. Then he grinned again and looked at Thairyn. “Nah, I bet Ol’ Scarf did the real owner in... we’ll never find him, I’ll bet. No one will. That means this lil’ beauty will have to join our treasury; she’ll be mine, all mine.” He stroked the stone lovingly, like it was a meeroh or something.

Vamele looked in Thairyn’s general direction, but she did not meet her eyes. “Don’t mind him. How

are you feeling?”

“Hungry,” Thairyn finally admitted eagerly. She gave Vamele a funny look, and glanced behind herself to see if there was something interesting on the wall. But there was not... not anything Thairyn could see, that is.

“Hungry?” Kazen repeated. “Have you had some of Meyjey’s soup?”

“No,” Thairyn said slowly, her eyes wandering back to his Krancyr. “I’m going to starve.”

“Huh?” Kazen asked. “Why would you rather starve?”

“I wouldn’t rather starve. I just will. Because...” she stated slowly, “...because Meyjey only has soup and... I only eat gems.” She looked at him hopefully.

Kazen looked doubtful. Then he followed her gaze to his Krancyr. “Whoa! Hey, no way!” he exclaimed, hiding it in his fist defensively. “I mean, nice try, kid.”

Just then, the large Dracoen approached them. Thairyn watched in alarm as he caught Kazen in a headlock—the boy let out a yelp of surprise—and rubbed his knuckles roughly on his head! “Whoa, hey, no, no, Annota, come on! Annota!” Kazen begged, but a playful smirk was all the big Dracoen afforded him. He loosened his grip a little then, just enough for Kazen to yank free, and he laughed heartily when the boy did.

“All right, Kaze, let me see it,” he said, extending his hand to him, palm up.

Kazen looked a little disappointed and hesitant. He heaved a heavy sigh and regretfully placed the Krancyr in his hand.

Thairyn watched the exchange forlornly. That is, until Annota tossed it in her direction. She caught it out of the air and looked at him in surprise.

“Go ahead,” he said, smiling warmly. “It’s all yours.”

“Are you kidding me?! What’d she do to deserve—” Kazen exclaimed, but Annota shut him up with a glance. He crossed his arms and pouted. His eyes wandered wistfully back towards “his” Krancyr, when, to his horror, he saw that the little dracoen really was raising it to her mouth! He extended his hand to stop her, but it was too late. CRACK! Kazen’s earfins shot up and his eyes were wide as his priceless “lil’ beauty” broke into three pieces—as if it were only a little harder than a bit of candy—which subsequently disappeared down Thairyn’s throat. “Gah! No! What did she—what did you do?! Did you just? You did! You ate her!”

“Calm down, Kaze,” Annota said, clapping his hand on the boy’s shoulder. “She needed that a lot more than you did.”

It was true; Thairyn’s previously greying scales had already started to darken to a healthy black. Though she was now looking at him with big, guilty eyes, she looked much invigorated, and so soon at that!

Kazen’s shoulders and earfins sank, and his wings dropped limply at his sides.

“My, my,” Meyjey exclaimed. “And here I did not believe you, Annota! How will we continue to feed her? It is not every day one comes across a gem of that size.”

Thairyn was beginning to feel small and stupid because of all of the attention. She wished they would stop looking at her like that, especially Kazen. Gemkinds ate gems, was it so difficult a concept?

“We’ll get her back to the Forest of Gems soon enough,” Annota said.

Thairyn’s eyes fell, and a great lump twisted its way up in her throat. She felt sick.

Annota had not missed the look. “What?” he asked. “A shadow just crossed your face. What is the matter, little one?”

Thairyn shook her head, not looking up. She did not want to cry.

“Why didn’t you just eat your own stinkin’ Krancyr?” Kazen asked spitefully from his mournful heap.

Thairyn’s eyes flashed. She looked right at him fiercely. “This,” she shot, catching her pendant in her hand protectively, “Is a part of me! I wouldn’t eat it any sooner than you’d eat your own heart or liver! It’s not a gem, it’s my Birthstone! And—it doesn’t even look appetizing!” She raised it so that he could see. It was harder than any rock on Sjoria. It even smelled like her.

To Kazen, it looked like an ordinary Krancyr, nothing special, though it did seem to possess a light of its own. He looked unimpressed... until Annota cuffed him on the back of the head a moment later. “Ow! What was that for?” Kazen demanded, rubbing his head.

Annota stretched out his arm and pointed towards the mouth of the cave. “Go. Now.”

Thairyn could not help it any more. She burst into tears! “Leave me alone!”

Annota and Meyjey looked at each other helplessly, and the former threw a disapproving glare in Kazen’s direction as he slunk off.

Meiikii stirred uncomfortably. Quietly he crept over to Thairyn and nuzzled her, purring as he did so. As she wrapped her small arms around his big head he lifted her up to his back and folded his wings around her. Enveloped in his soft furriness and listening to his rumbling purrs, Thairyn quietly lost consciousness.