Water

Wave Twenty Five

For the rest of the morning, Kai outlined the areas of their training. Different teams of Scouts were used for different purposes – often they were used by the Herd as lookouts, but they regularly left the Nest on various missions. All Scouts operated in teams. Kai made it clear they never left the Nest alone.
(We can’t,) Kai thought at Leira, noticing her puzzled expression as he explained. (We can’t be disconnected from the Herd, so we take the Herd with us – we travel in teams if we leave the Nest. That way, we’re always connected. So stay with your team.) Leira noticed Hali, Tal and Nerida shoot a worried look at her. Did they really think she’d abandon them on a mission and leave them vulnerable?

          Kai went on to explain what their training would entail: cartography, mapping further and further from the Nest; creating detailed mission reports; tracking the tides and water temperatures; pinpointing other herds. As far as Leira could tell, being a Scout included staying within the Nest far more than it involved leaving it.

          By late afternoon, the trainees were beginning to lose interest. Leira caught herself watching their surroundings more and more. She could dimly see the Citadel, softly glowing in the distance. They were sheltering under a cliff face near the sea bed, so Kai could occasionally make sketches in the sand to demonstrate whatever point he was making. Sea grass grew in sparse patches and waved eerily every now and again as a cold current swept past. Everything around them was dark, and they had only the lights from their wristpieces to illuminate the area. Kai’s was glowing brightly, but he’d told the others to dim theirs. The effect caused shadows to dance off Kai and cast onto the bare sheet of rock behind him. Leira shivered as his shadow grew and rose over them.

          Finally, Kai fell silent. He looked intently at each of them. Leira squirmed under the heat of his gaze.
(Time to see what you’re made of,) he projected sternly.

          Tal grinned and began to rise from the sea floor, ready for a challenge. He froze when he saw Kai shake his head, and sank back to the ground. Kai reached into his bag before removing several long, ragged bindings. He gave them to Hali. He withdrew behind the cliff face and reappeared pushing a huge boulder, rolling it slowly along the sea bed. It kept snagging on patches of sea grass and other rocks. It took several long moments for him to cross only a few lengths.

          Kai looked at the four Mer and held his bag open.
(Your wristpieces. In.) Dutifully, but dubiously, the four unclasped their lights and began to drop them into the bag. Kai stopped Hali before she could add hers, and he removed the orb from its shell-holder. He handed the orb to her. It was still glowing, but didn’t have much energy left.
(Your task is simple. The Citadel is there -) he gestured a strong arm in the direction of the Nest’s glow. (You get the rock to the Citadel before the tide turns. One of you must bear the rock. One of you must hold the orb. One of you must guide the way. One of you must lead the group. Choose your roles wisely.)
Before any of them could react, Kai snatched up his seal-skin bag and sped away.

          Tal immediately swam to the boulder and flexed his arms. He slammed into the rock and tried to push it, forcing his shoulder against it. It wobbled slightly, but didn’t move. He tried again, screwing up his face as he pushed. The boulder twitched. He turned to the others, his grin fading.
(It’s too heavy! How can one Mer move it all the way to the Nest?) he whined.
(Quiet!) Hali’s thought cut across Tal’s and he fell silent. (We need to assign roles before we worry about anything else. We shall lead.) Hali pointed to herself. She looked at her team, holding Leira’s gaze. Leira returned her look this time, but didn’t challenge her.
(Nerida, you guide us back. There are quite a few side passages we can take when we get closer to the Nest, you’ll need to take us through those. Tal, you can carry the boulder and-)
(How?) projected Tal fiercely. His arms were folded across his chest defensively, muscles straining against his skin.
(He has a point,) Leira thought, not realising she was projecting aloud.