Luminous eyes mesmerized and petrified. Frozen with fear, Luna didn’t flee. The fish were but inches away when he felt the push. He couldn’t see what it was in the dark, but it was too big to be one of the sharp-jawed fish. Something much bigger! At least he wouldn’t be the lunch upon by thousands of teeth. Away from the scavenging lights and up though the heavy depths he traveled at great speed.

Had he been stolen away from the thousand jaws by something far worse? A Nether shark. It was large and powerful enough to be one. He waited to feel sharp teeth bite into his flesh. Teeth never bit. Only the rush of water passed. The pressure lessened and the darkness lightened. He could make out the form beneath him now. Relief. It wasn’t a shark but his uncle, Orcan, whose nose his torso balanced upon.

They climbed up and out of the depths and escaped the Nether Sea. His mother waited anxiously in the relative security of the near surface waters. Splash was surrounded by the other females of the pod, her sister-whales. Her face turned to relief. She rushed to Luna, touching her side to his, and nuzzling his nose, but then he watched as the joy on her face turned to irritation.

“Luna, why must you always wander off and worry me?” she scolded. “You don’t know what could happen. A young whale is vulnerable on his own. All sorts of dangers lurk. You could have been killed. If you ever do this again …” She wasn’t able to finish her threat.

The elder council approached: Kinkana, the planner; Wanaka, the protector and the pod’s eldest male; and finally the most powerful and frightening elder of all, Puloonai, healer and seer. The crowd of whales gathered around Splash and Luna drew back. The council would not be happy with Luna. They’d warned him before about his wandering.

At first none spoke. The elders stared at Luna. The rest of the pod stared at the elders. Luna dared not look at anyone. He looked down. If he had been human, for sure he’d have been kicking dirt under his feet. Being a whale, his tail fin only twitched back and forth a little in the gentle current.

Kinkana was the first to speak. Her voice broke sharply through the soft waters. “Have not you been warned against the Nether Sea, young one?” she demanded. “Surely, your mother has done so?”

Kinkana took aim at Splash through Luna. There was talk that Splash would eventually join the elder’s council. Splash came from the noblest of blood, through her grandmother, blood she shared with Puloonai, her aunt. More importantly, Splash displayed flashes of premonition, foretelling the future, telling of the coming of snarlers. She already helped keep the pod safe. Splash might even be the logical pod-leader after Puloonai. This Kinkana did not want. Kinkana wanted to rule the pod after Puloonai.

Up until a year ago, none of this mattered, because Splash had never given birth. A female could never become an elder without understanding the mysteries of new life, regardless of her blood or foresight, but with the birth of Luna, Splash’s future was assured, much to Kinkana’s displeasure.
Splash’s blossoming career would mean that Kinkana’s would die on the vine. Kinkana might even have to answer to the younger whale one day, but if she could bring a shadow of shame to Splash, because of the actions of Luna, she might still rule.

Kinkana's distaste for the young whale hung heavy in the water like an ill-smelling algae bloom. Luna didn’t answer Kinkana. He looked up for a second and quickly returned his gaze downwards. Luna was often reckless but always felt guilty for worrying everyone afterwards. He didn’t mean to cause trouble but couldn’t help his curious nature. Orcan gave him a nudge. Luna gathered his courage and answered.

“Yes ma’am, she has, only I didn’t see the harm if I went down just a little. I was going to come right back.”

“But you knew it was dangerous?” Wanaka asked. “You were told of the peril?” Disapproval colored his voice darkly. He had no special dislike for Splash or Luna. As a male, he had no hope of leading the pod, but he hated to have the rules ignored. He believed in order and obedience. When everyone did as they were meant to, the energy of the pod was inline like a smooth flowing wave. When a pod member disobeyed, then the energy became choppy and unpredictable. Wanaka did not like this feeling and had no problem taking steps to punish a rule-breaker.

Luna grew increasingly uncomfortable under the scrutiny of the council but tried again to explain. “I thought if I was quick, nothing bad would happen … I … I was just curious that’s all.”

“Really Splash,” Kinkana said with disdain. “You must rein this one in. Rules are rules and meant to be followed for the safety of the entire pod. Your grandmother would be ashamed to hear of what has happened today.”

Splash flushed but kept her tongue. Orcan had no such reserve.

He spoke pointedly. “She does her best. No one was harmed. Really, Kinkana, it was just a little misadventure, that’s all.”

Kinkana expressed false concern for his safety. “You could have been injured or even killed, Orcan, saving this disobedient youth.”

Orcan and Kinkana shared a knowing but displeased look.

“Kinkana is right,” Wanaka argued. “Luna hardly behaves like a young orca should, never mind like one with such noble ancestry. You should be very concerned Splash to have a son such as this one.”

Anger overtook Luna’s shame, not anger for what the two elders were saying about him, but anger for the way they were speaking to his mother.

“Leave her alone,” he blurted. “It is not her fault, it’s mine.”

Kinkana and Wanaka turned two angry sets of eyes on him.

Wanaka spoke first. “You dare to speak in such a way to the council. We have ways of dealing with such disrespect. Trust me lad. You are making your punishment worse.”

Wanaka and Kinkana approached Luna menacingly. A protective Splash put her body between the two advancing elders and her son, and an angry Luna struggled to get in front of her again.

“Please,” Splash pleaded. “He’s young and doesn’t know his place. If his father had … lived … I try. Perhaps it isn’t always enough.”

Luna was about to begin arguing again but instead held his tongue, quieting at the mention of his father. His mother didn’t talk of his father often. He knew only that shortly before he was born, Saturna had died a hero, saving the pod from some danger, but no one would tell him what that danger had been.

Orcan had come to stand beside his sister, forming a united front before the two elders. He was angry and not about to let Kinkana and Wanaka continue to scold Splash or harm Luna.

“Silence! Stand down, all of you.” Puloonai finally spoke. She’d been listening, evaluating. None, not Splash, the other two elders, Orcan, or even Luna would have dared disobey. Everyone was instantly silent and still. It wasn’t that they feared physical violence from the Puloonai. They were silenced because over the years Puloonai had proved herself in thousands of ways. She knew what sea plants to eat when one was ill, and her foresight had always led them to food and safety. As the supreme elder, it was her responsibility to deal with rule-breaking whales and resolve disagreements. Love for her pod always led her to make the best decisions for everyone, despite her own feelings.

Kinkana and Wanaka moved aside. Puloonai took the place in the center. She spoke to her two fellow elders first.

“Kinkana, Wanaka, I am certain that Splash has done her best with the young one. I have watched her and that is my personal opinion.” Next she turned to Orcan. “You are from a proud line but you must remember your place. Elders, even when you disagree with them, must be respected and should be addressed respectfully.” Finally, it was Luna’s turn. “Now, you, foolish one, come forward.” Puloonai motioned toward him.

He moved away from his family and closer to Puloonai, avoideding making eye contact.

“Life in the pod requires that certain rules be followed to avoid harm to oneself and others. Rules allow for safety and harmony. Luna, you are still young and learning. We make allowances but there will come a time when you have no choice but to abide …” Puloonai paused for what seem an eternity to Luna, forcing him to finally look up and into her face before she finished her statement. Holding his eye-contact, she continued, “… if you wish to remain a member of this clan, that is.”

Luna said nothing. Splash gasped and then there was a pause that spoke with the volume of a rogue wave. Puloonai was threatening him with banishment: the worse punishment of all.

“So choose young one,” she began again. “Decide to behave, because the council does not wish to make this decision, but we will to protect the safety of all.”

She held his gaze for a moment longer, grunted an acknowledgement, turned, and swam away. The other two elders followed. Kinkana looked back for a second. Her glance filled with obvious menace. Orcan glared back but seeing the excitement and threat to his family had passed, Orcan gave Luna a gentle nudge with his tail fin and turned to go.

Over his shoulder he called, “It’s okay kit kat, but stay out of trouble, will ya. Night sis!”

Splash turned a worried and pained face to Luna. His heart ached at the sight. “I promise, Mama, I’ll stay out of trouble,” he sobbed. “Please, forgive me.”

Splash couldn’t bear to see her child suffer. Her pain and worry softened to love and tenderness. “It’s okay Lu-Lu,” she said reassuringly. Luna was forgiven. She had used his pet name. They swam close and their slick, smooth skin touched. The day soon slipped away and was replaced with a marine dark blanket, calming and inviting all to sleep. Plankton offered a flickering night light. Luna and Splash were tired. They snuggled next to each other for warmth and drifted off to sleep.

***