Ecco smiled to himself as he swam with the Orcas, who didn't need to use sonar to find their way around the frozen labyrinth of the north seas. Led by the matriarch, the four pod leaders following closely behind like well-trained soldiers, and their pods swimming as one, the very glaciers that hindered their swimming now seemed to give way to this legion of proud, strong hunters.
Any seals that had been camped on those icebergs, any polar bears searching through holes in the ice, shuddered slightly as the familiar black and white messengers of the hunt traveled slowly beneath their feet, in the element more powerful than earth...water.
As with all new worlds, the frozen world was fascinating to Ecco. The Orcas seemed to own it. Even as he saw pods of narwhal and beluga pass by, heeding the danger that these pods provided, none dared make a move upon them.
It wasn't long before the massive pod came upon a frozen bay where they could rest, and each leader had their own errands. Members of Biransa's pod rested with her, constantly tending to her and the unborn calf she carried.
Seidrac dispatched her pod throughout the frozen beach, on the lookout for seals and anything else they could eat. Ronon's pod was led towards the open sea. They had volunteered to defend the pod should the vicious Orca-killers ever return...and they hunted for whales while they were at it.
Only Scaroth stayed at Cariu's side. No longer having a pod to command, he could do nothing else. Ecco swam with them, awaiting more messages from the Asterite. The remaining Orcas could also hear when he came again via Ecco's thoughts, displaying himself to the others as well. The vision in their minds was astounding, the mysterious entity of orbs coiled in a double-helix, full of vast wisdom.
An interesting journey it has turned out to be for you, my friend. You have questions, I assume.
Cariu watched with curiosity as Ecco nodded. "Yes, so long as you are able to answer them, Asterite."
I shall do my best.
"Very well..." Ecco started searching his mind for the questions that plagued him. "Why Orcas? It seems these things don't care to feast on anything but them."
Quite evident...my hunch was right, for one of them was easily vanquished by the narwhal. They don't seem very prepared for anything other than Orca. The Song of Calling proved useful.
"Very useful...but it all makes no sense...nothing made sense ever since I ran into that warm cave upon arrival."
"'Warm cave'?" Cariu interrupted.
Scaroth scoffed. "Nothing 'warm' exists in this part of the world."
A short distance away, Ecco heard "Diri Biransa, are you sure you are able to swim?" Followed by a "Yes, do not worry about me. Tell the pod to join Ronon's group." Biransa appeared a moment later. "I heard everything...do not be so harsh, Scaroth. Stranger things have happened than a 'warm cave'...let Ecco explain himself."
As the brute calmed, Ecco sighed. "It may sound quite strange...but I was lured into a strange cave when I came here. It was warm inside, and very dark. It was also very long...before I knew it, I had escaped an illusion and arrived in a virtual paradise hidden in a frozen world. Then...something...spoke to me, told me that I was unwelcome, that Orca were merciless killing beasts, and they thrust me out. I thought it was a dream, but it was far too real."
Cariu tilted her head. "'They'? Who is 'they'?"
"The seers, they called themselves...they resembled whales."
Cariu looked thoughtful, as if something had been confirmed. Biransa's eyes widened, and Scaroth remained neutral but interested.
Then, the Asterite chimed in. Ecco, something has been bothering me...but when you sang for help, shouldn't whales have heard it too? The blues, the humpbacks, the bowheads, the grays...there should have been more than two different kinds of pods coming to your aid.
Ecco clicked. "That's right! There should be whales here, even with the presence of so many Orca! Where are they?"
"Maybe those creatures prey on whales as well," Scaroth offered.
Ecco shook his head. "No...if I know whale-kind, they don't let anything stop them in their migrations. They should be here."
Biransa blew at the surface for a moment. "Maybe we're too early for them, or they're too late. It's happened before."
"Or maybe this strange paradise that our Ecco has found had something to do with it. 'Seers' that hate Orca-kind...creatures that only prey on Orca-kind..."
"Oh, be realistic! My apologies, Diricha, but this coincidence is far too impossible. The 'warm cave' is nothing but myth! Our pods have been everywhere in the north seas and have encountered no such thing!"
"Be open, Scaroth." Cariu replied simply. "Like I have said before, there is always a deception behind the obvious in these seas. Fools rush in where they don't think first. A tragic example that your pod has set for all of us."
Abashed, Scaroth clacked his jaw and looked away, saying nothing.
You are an example, Ecco...
Ecco... The Asterite's voice started in, interrupting the dolphin's sudden thoughts.
Suddenly, Ronon appeared, singing with urgency. His body was filled with gashes. "Mother! They're back! And there are three times as many as before!"
