"Dolphins"

Two dolphins swam, the one near the other, in the blue sea. They were very fast and they swam with happiness. One of them was Cloud, the selfshaper, in his dolphin-form: the other was his bondbeast and best friend, Shadeshark.

Although Shadeshark was very old, he was now happy and bubbly: he jumped up and challenged the youngest dolphin to play, hitting him with a tail's throw. But Cloud hadn't time to play with his friend: they were near the rock at which he had seen his sister for the last time, and Cloud wanted find her.

Suddenly, Shadeshark stopped. Cloud looked to see what frightened his friend... and saw a human ship that swam on the surface of the sea. Humans! The young dolphin jumped with anger when he thought of this word. His sister was killed by humans... if now Storm of Wave was dead, the blame was humans'. Cloud knew that they were dangerous, so he swam away. But Shadeshark was curious. He hadn't understood that there were humans on the ship: for him, the strange thing was a giant and unusual fish. So he swam until the surface and jumped over. Cloud followed his friend, because he was in danger... but it was too much later, and when Shadeshark returned to the bottom of the sea, Cloud saw he was hurt by a long harpoon. The humans threw other harpoons: Cloud swam under Shadeshark, trying to avoid the harpoons. Then he swam away. He forgot the humans: he only knew that the breath of Shadeshark was getting more weak... He swam as fast as he could, hoping Shadeshark could survive.

Finally, he arrived in the territory of the colony. Shadeshark now was ready to collapse. Quicksilver saw the two dolphins.

**There's a hurt dolphin!** she sent. **It's Shadeshark! There's need of a healer! Starwater, come quickly! Shadeshark is hurt!**

While Quicksilver, Eelstrike, Zarra, Girtam, WaveJoy, RedReef, Tandar, Sol, Seaspray, Redspire, Wynn, Lord Vohl, Kossia, Kraken and the dolphins Streak, Stareye, Coralfin, Echo and Seafoam looked to the hurt dolphin, Cloud left his dolphin-form and embraced Shadeshark.

"You cannot die, my old friend... you must live... Shadeshark, I pray you..." he sobbed. The dolphin looked at him with sad eyes.

"But what's happened?" Vohl asked.

"We met a humans' ship," Cloud cried, "And Shadeshark had gone near them. Oh, Shadeshark!"

Then, Starwater the animal-healer arrived.

"What's happened?!" she shouted. "Shadeshark...? Ugly wound...."

"Can you save him, Starwater?" Cloud asked.

"I can only hope the harpoon has not gone through his heart," Starwater said. "However, he could die of blood loss."

"Oh... no! NO! Shadeshark!!" Cloud embraced the bleeding dolphin, sobbing.

**Believe me, Cloud, I'll try all I can to save him. But this hurt... it's very deep, my friend. I think there aren't many hopes for Shadeshark,** Starwater sent.

**I'll help you,** Seaspray sent. **I am not an healer, but I can speak with Shadeshark and the other dolphins, however.**

While they took away the collapsed dolphin, Cloud cried desperately.

"I understand you're very sad, Cloud," RedReef said.

**Starwater'll heal him, I think,** Zarra sent.

"I know that you love your dolphin very much," Vohl observed. "But Shadeshark is old, however. If... if he would die... I'm sure you could find another dolphin."

**No, I cannot! Shadeshark is my dolphin! And it's my fault if he'll die! I decided to go to search for Storm of Wave! I hadn't thought that there were humans...**

**If you were searching for your sister, Cloud,** Redspire sent, **It was because you loved her very much. Like now you love Shadeshark. Nobody can blame you for humans' acts... believe me.**

**Cloud! Beloved, what's happened!??** Current saw her lovemate and swam to him.

**Humans have hit Shadeshark. Perhaps he'll die. And Cloud is devastated,** Redspire sent to her.

**Oh, beloved! I'm sorry!** Current embraced Cloud, crying.

**Humans...** Cloud sobbed. **They killed my sister, and my first dolphin.. and now they have killed Shadeshark, too!**

And when he cried, he returned back in time, remembering the terrible moment in which Deepbluefin was killed.

Deepbluefin was Shadeshark's father. He was the mate of Fargoldenshell and he had four other calves, besides Shadeshark. He was medium-old and tired, but he was a faithful friend. He had been Narwhal's last dolphin, and when Narwhal and Whisper Recognized for the second time, Narwhal decided that Deepbluefin would be his son's new bondbeast. For four years Deepbluefin and Cloud had been always together, and when the selfshaper was in dolphin-form, Deepbluefin played with him as if he had been his own calf. But four years after Cloud's birth...

It was a pacific morning and the sun was shining. Nobody could forsee the tragedy. Cornflower and Hermit-Crab were seven years old, and Fargoldenshell was pregnant with Shadeshark.

That morning, Narwhal was swimming with Redreef and Vohl, while Whisper spoke with Thillai, Freisoll's mother, and Tyre, Freya's lovemate. The children were playing. Suddenly, a dark shadow covered the sea: a big humans' ship was arriving. The elves ran away, before somebody was killed. During the confusion, Deepbluefin saw a human ready to hit Cloud.

"NO! DEEPBLUEFIN! COME BACK!" Narwhal shouted, but the dolphin swam away, to encounter his death, while Whisper again gathered her children. But Cloud had seen his friend while he had been hit by an arrow, and he had felt Deepbluefin's last cry of death...

And in that moment, Storm of Wave had sent to him.

**You have seen.**

**Is... is he dead?**

**Yes. Cloud, your dolphin has died to save you. Deepbluefin is still alive... somewhere in your heart.**

Two weeks later, Shadeshark was born of Fargoldshell: from that moment, he had been Cloud's bondbeast.

Remembering his sister's words, and the death of Deepbluefin, Cloud cried and sobbed, embracing Current. Three hours spent, and suddenly Starwater arrived.

"Starwater! How is Shadeshark?" Cloud asked with a weak hope.

"I'm sorry, Cloud. Your dolphin will not live until tomorrow," Starwater said.

"Oh no... oh no..." Cloud sighed, but he didn't cry.

"I'll find you a new dolphin," Vohl said.

Current took her lovemate's hand.

"Bring me to Shadeshark!" Cloud said, decided.

"But my dear friend... perhaps it's better..." Zarra observed.

"BRING ME TO SHADESHARK!" Cloud repeated with anger. Current accompanied him. The dolphin was laid on a rock and he was collapsed, but still alive. "Leave me alone," Cloud said to Current.

"Cloud... I'll stay with you... I..."

"Go away, Current! I've already said, leave me alone! Leave me alone!" Cloud hissed. Current swam away, hurt. Cloud embraced Shadeshark, laying near him. "My friend... try to live! I've need of you! I've already lost your father... however I'll be near you, my friend... if you can hear me..."

Finally, Cloud cried. He was very tired, so he slept still embracing his friend.

The morning later, Starwater's shout broke the silence.

**"CURRENT! ZARRA! QUICKSILVER! LORD VOHL! FREYA! GIRTAM! TYREE! BLUEMIST! HERMIT-CRAB! CORNFLOWER! SOL! TRE! FRIENDS! COME ALL!"**

Cloud opened his right eye: Shadeshark was still near him. He probably was dead. Cloud closed his eyes, trying to avoid tears... but suddenly, Starwater shouted again:

**"FRIENDS OF THE RED CORAL! IT'S INCREDIBLE! SHADESHARK IS HEALED!!!"**

"What?" Cloud shouted, jumping up and turning around. The dolphin had been staying still because he was sleeping, but now Shadeshark swam around his elf-friend, playful. He was alive, and the hurt was missing. "Shadeshark!" Cloud said, embracing the dolphin. "Oh, my friend! I though you were dead!"

All the elves had been gathered around Cloud and Shadeshark. Finally, Cloud saw Current's face.

"Current, he's saved, Shadeshark is alive!" he shouted. Crying, Current embraced him.

**It's incredible,** Vohl observed.

**Sure! He was collapsed! He was so near death... but how's he still alive?** Starwater sent.

"I know," Redspire observed. "Deepbluefin died to save Cloud. And now he has used all his love, and the love of Deepbluefin, to avoid the death of Shadeshark."

**Another event that had never happened before!** Redreef noticed.

**My love, sorry if I had been angry with you,** Cloud sent to Current. **I was devastated...**

"I know, beloved!" Current said, kissing him. "Shadeshark is your best friend, however. It's normal that you had been sad for him. I'm happy to know that he's fine, now."

"Sure," Cloud said. "And I'll be happy, too... when our Recognition will come!"

After a week, two dolphins swam on the sea. The oldest dolphin hit the youngest, playful. Cloud looked into Shadeshark's eyes. There was a clear message:

"Play with me!"

And Cloud obeyed his best friend, jumping over the sea.

"One day, I will Recognize Current," he thought. "One day, I will find my sister. But now, today, I again have my friend!"

And the two playful dolphins swam away with happiness.