28th of Vhalar 720
Rorom’s sloop was moored by the pier near Havadr. Not wanting to show off to the other fishermen, he decided to go as they did, in small fishing dinghies. He had his net, his spear, oars, and a few other things besides. He was intent on catching as much fish for the people as possible, and so went far out from the rest of the crowd, spreading out so as not to upset the traffic of fish schools.
Yet the waters were relatively silent, they spoke not to Rorom of fish. Perhaps it would’ve been a better idea to stay by the shore and net for urchins or go clamming at low tide? These waters, by reputation, were normally replete with fish, bursting with them. The elements must not want to talk to him that day, that must’ve been it! Whatever the case, he was determined to find a school, whether nearer to shore or out farther.
There were a few boats that followed him out, filled by fishermen by the pairs. One manning the oars, the other dragging a net. Rorom had been made their leader of sorts, the younger fishermen following the elder’s lead into deeper waters. Rorom didn’t ask to be made their leader, and truth be told wasn’t comfortable with the idea. Yet there they were, and he wouldn’t steer them wrong if he could help it.
He searched the surface of the water, looking for the telltale signs of traffic beneath the waves. His eyes squinted, and he thought he saw half-eaten strips of something in there. Fish or seal or… perhaps even whale. But what creature was large enough to hunt whales?
As if in answer to him, he was warned by the whispering waters only moments before a great breaching beast burst from the waters, just a dozen meters off to the west. It was a great, big furred thing, like a mix between a sea lion, a whale, and a wolf, and three times as big as any of those things!
Rorom cried out for the other boats, letting his voice carry further on the wind by channeling the elemental witchery that’d been imparted to him. ”Turn around lads! There’s nought to be had here but death and drowning! Row for shore!”
Sure enough they heard him, as the wind carried his message over toward them. Rorom, for his part, lifted his net, and threw it into the body of the vessel, then took up the oars and began rowing for all his might, going to shore.
He could still see the thing breaching from just beneath the waves as it approached their vessels. Obviously whatever it was was intent on capsizing one of their vessels. It was also possible that the unknown beast was curious, but Rorom didn’t want to take that chance.
His arms strained as he pulled the oars, up and down and around, swishing through water and trying to find the current that led him closer inland. He was making better time than his fellows, who’d fallen somewhat behind his own vessel.
Just when it seemed to calm down, and Rorom thought that the beast might’ve lost interest in the chase, a great breaching explosion of water and air and the screams of one of the fishermen rent the air. The two lads were capsized, and dumped into the drink.
One of them sank beneath the waves, but the other was flailing about, ”Help!” He cried.
To his shame, Rorom thought about leaving him to his fate, knowing that having that much more to chew on would keep the beast occupied. But at the last moment, Rorom turned his boat around, and began paddling for the lad. Within moments, he rowed alongside him, and threw him the net as a makeshift rope. There, he dragged him up. In the water, he could feel the violent turmoil beneath the waves, as the other fisherman was torn to shreds by the terrible beast. Then its intentions were made clear. Rorom shuddered.
The fisherman grabbed a couple of oars that had floated to the surface, beside the capsized vessel. These were brought along, and kept on hand as Rorom took a seat at the prow of the ship. ”Row damn you! Take the oars and row, or Chrien will feast on our bones!”
So saying, Rorom took the spare oars and rowed with him. At first it was a sloppy effort, with their oars colliding with each other. But soon enough, they righted themselves with a bit of chanting by Rorom, as he recited an old rhyme from his youth.
The waters whispered to him again, telling of the great drag that the beast’s body made through the undercurrents of the water. It fulfilled a pattern to his ears, as the waters called to him. He began to know exactly what it sounded like, moments before the beast breached above the waves to go on the attack. But by then, by the time Rorom had figured that part out, the creature struck again. Another of the boats, with one man rowing and the other standing guard with a spear, was rocked by the sudden eruption of the creature from the waters. It flew through the air in an impressive show of breaching. The creature caught the spearman in his jaws, flying over the vessel and leaving the oarman alone for the time being, although as it crashed back into the water, his boat was rocked severely.
Rorom shouted out to him, ”Row damn you!” Rorom tried to plead with the elements to make their passage go smoother, and as he rowed toward the lone oarsman, the waves smoothed out for him in Deference.
Therefore, it was decided without words that he would guide them to shore, going closely with each other so as to stabilize their passage. Thankfully, it appeared the creature, whatever it was, had its fill of flesh, and was going to leave them alone.
