Chapter 1
The sea was calm in that afternoon. The sun was was setting, panting the sky with a deep shade of orange, melted with light pink. The waves crashed against the hull of the ship. Resting his arms on the border was the sailor George, looking at the sea and talking with his dolphin daemon, Carol, who softly jumpped in and out of the water, accompaning the ship in it's journey.
"Don't you get tired of doing everything that silly captain says? Really, it's pissing me off! You know, we are at the limit distance from each other. Every time you go away from the border I feel as if my heart would break!"
"Don't keep telling me that, Carol! I know how much it hurts being appart from you, but it's not my fault that you chose a dolphin form."
"Well, in part it is your fault too. If you hadn't this passion for the sea I would have probably taken shape of a four legged animal."
George sighed and ignored her.
"Now I obey the captain's orders if I am supposed to stay in the ship. Beacause you know I can't afford to buy a boat large enough for me to live in."
She rolled her eyes and dived into the ocean, not comming back to surface to continue talking.
"George!" shouted the captain, a tall fat man, aged forty, with a hawk daemon. "Don't you have work to do? We are going to arrive at the cost next morning and I want all those boxes of fish ready to unload."
"Ay, captain."
The night was light and the sky full of stars with no moon. Whereas many of the sailors prefered to sleep inside, he and a few other sailors who have aquatic daemons rathered stay on the deck. It was the single moment when they were able to have an actual conversation with them. The ship was sailling peacefully and would be easy for Carol to swim near the hull."
"Carol, are you there?
She emerged slowly, swimming with only her head above the water.
"As always, George."
"You know, I've been thinking about what you said this evening..."
She nodded for him to continue.
"I am tired of obeying the captain."
"George, that was immature of me, I know that we have no choice."
"Perhaps we do."
She looked at him. Confusion stampped on her face.
"You know what they say about witches? And their daemons ?"
"Yes, that they can live appart, but I don't get it. Where are you trying to get?"
"Well, as I said, I've been thinking... I... Maybe we can go to them, maybe we can ask them how they do it, and maybe they can teach us..."
"What?" she was horrified. The simple idea of being appart form George was unberable, almost repulsive.
"Don't look at me like that! I know you want to swim deep into the ocean as much as I want to know the mainland. And is not as if we were to stay appart for long. See, I could find a job on land, in a beach, of course, and then every evening I coul go swim with you."
"It's going to painful, George, more than already is. I won't cope with this silly idea! Go to sleep! You are not thinking properly."
She started to dive, but then came back as she had forgot to say something.
"And tomorrow you own me apologies!"
George rolled his eyes. He knew he had upsetted her. But it was just a simple idea... Perhaps she was right, and all he needed was a good night sleep.