It was not a comfortable ride; the seabeast played with the capsules as he pushed them along, tapping and turning them until Shadith felt like a pea in a rattle. At times she thought of calling it off before the lot of them were battered into mush, but she didn't. The sea was shallowing. The land HAD to be getting closer. What's that? Beastie's getting nervous. What?
There was a dull throb growing louder and louder, a pulsing in the water she heard through the Swimmer's ear patches, a noise that made the beast twitch all over. Surf? Reefs? Hold on, li'l monster. A bit farther and maybe we can break out and swim to shore…
The beast screamed suddenly, she felt the swell and scrape of the shout in her own throat; he fought her hold and because she'd been driving him lightly, just a touch now and then to keep him moving, he broke free and began swimming frantically for deeper water.
Shadith let him go. She didn't understand his panic, but she felt its power through the link that joined them and knew she'd better look round for what touched it off.
When she reached, she found sweeping spirals of seabirds filling the skies. That many birds, they wouldn't be more than a kilometer or two offshore, would they? Ahlahlah, I wish I knew more about the sea…
She slid into one of the larger birds and scanned the water around the capsules. Tsoukbaraiml Not surf. Steamer? Something's pumping smoke out that funnel. A warship of some kind. Bow could slice onions and look at those cannons! Coming like its tail's on fire. Sari Might as well be yelling Get out of my way, I'll stomp you if you don't. No wonder old toothface split. And what you bet it's coming for us? Yeh. It's slowing. Stopping. Didn't know you could stop in the middle of the ocean like that.
The capsule split around her.
Hands were reaching in, pulling her out, pulling out the harpcase and her travelpouch. The wind was very cold and the sudden brightness of the morning sun was like broken glass. Her legs were shaky and her knees kept threatening to unhinge so she was grateful for the arms that held her up,.though she didn't much like the avid curiosity in the faces of the young navas pressing about her. She blinked and pushed away-and saw they were about to open Nagafog's capsule. Even without trying she could feel his rage and bloody intent. "Wait," she cried, or thought she did. The word was a croak and dropped like a stone. Impatiently she pushed at the hands that reached for her again and half-ran, half-fell across the short stretch of deck to the capsule that was already beginning to crack open. She wasn't worried about the navas, he might bloody one or two of them, but she knew only too well he'd be shot before he had a chance to get a good massacre started and she couldn't see any reason for wasting a creature only doing what his nature demanded. Besides, she was a lot fonder of him than she was of this world or its people. Hoping they'd hesitate to shoot a girlchild, she flung herself in front of the big cat and froze him as he shoved his head and forelegs through the gap.
"Don't open any more of them until I have him calm," she screamed; this time she was loud enough to be heard.
As she worked with Nagafog, rubbing at his head, stroking under his chin, touching all his peacepoints, she heard the shouted order to keep away (from someone with a loud voice and the arrogance of command), then she heard muted mutters, the scrape of feet on the metal deck. "That's a good li'l ki-cat," she murmured, "goood baby. I know, I know, stuck in the dark and banged around like that, goooood cat, pretty cat, looove the cat, Nagaaa Fogeee, Nagee, goood cat, let those little muscles go loose, thaat's it, goooood cat…" She laughed as she felt the tension flow out of him and heard a basso purr break loose. "All right, baby, you sit there and enjoy and I'll unpack Magi for you."
She got, to her feet, looked calmly around until she spotted the Pihtatipli (Captain of a Steamship) leaning over rails about a platform of sorts that was the flat roof of a flit cradle; she smiled at him, knowing he thought he was safe up there from her and the cats. Fool. Nagafog can jump twice that from a standing start and will if you give me cause.
She turned her back on him and located Magimeez. Pointing to the capsule, she said, "That one next, open it and give me room to work. Then you can open the others, there's no problem with them."
Sassa stood on the deck, shaking himself, flexing his wings, then he screamed his anger and delight and launched himself into the wind, cold wet wind that fought him until he won control of it and soared free.
Kikun leaned against Shadith, shrunken and shivering, his skin a nubbly green-gray rag hanging lank on his bones; once again he'd half destroyed himself to save them, this time from Puk's malice and his missiles. Magimeez and Nagafog were stretched out on the deck beside the Ciocan, making their muscles ripple and switching their tails, pleased with the attention they were getting. Rohant was ignoring everyone with gloomy intensity, working the knots out of his muscles and his temper.
They were surrounded by AWE, battered by AWE. Rohant might pretend to ignore it, but he felt it. Kikun fed on it, used it to plump himself out again-which disturbed Shadith despite her fondness for the little man and all she owed him. She fought the smother and heard, dimly, the Pihtatipli yelling orders to his men. After this is over I'd better get Lee to show me how to block inflow or I'm going to burn out. This Reading thing keeps getting stronger on me.
She rubbed at her eyes, shivered, moved closer to Rohant, using him and the cats to shield her from the emotional battering.
Watching the Three every spare moment, the navas shut down the beepers and dropped the capsules over-side, cracked open so they'd sink to the bottom and stay there.
Shadith watched them go with considerable satisfaction. Puk thought they were dead or he wouldn't have gone off and left them. If he ashed the EYEs, maybe even Ginny thought they were dead. She sighed. Unfortunately, that wouldn't last long. The Pihtatipli's ambition was skunk strong; the minute he hit shore, half the world would know what he fished from the sea. Aina'iril. Seems like we've spent a year trying to get there, and now I'd rather not go. Wonder if Arel got off all right? Should I tell the others about him? No. He's the Jack up my sleeve, my Wildcard. Definitely we should go for the skipcom, best to have two shots, make sure one gets through.