The Arctic waters were alive more than ever before...but not with the true life that it had always boasted for centuries. Songs were reduced to hums and echoes of their former selves, giving rise to the harsh gnashing teeth that were the Seer-Beast ways of communication.
Cariu led what was left of the pods that she commanded, along with a fleet of injured beluga and narwhal, through the thick pack ice near the North Pole's equivalent to a beach. All around them the predominant color was white. The sea was an illusion, taken by the glare of the sun and the deep black trenches where lived nothing.
Thin trails of blood hid behind the injured and the maimed...for the creatures had become too numerous to fight against any longer. Regretfully, the matriarch ordered a retreat.
Now, through the thick walls of the icebergs, they could still hear the creatures searching for the meat that they were commanded to kill. The further the singers tried going, the more they could hear the Seer Beasts, as if they were hunting, listening, waiting.
Tensions were rising among the great pod as well. The Orcas had nothing suitable to hunt for days, and often reverted to killing their allies. The narwhal and beluga sang against the Orca, even out loud as they sang with them and nobody could take it any more. Their alliance, forged only through their allegiance to the great Ecco, was falling apart piece by piece. None of the Orca wanted to fight any more...even the bravest, hardwired for honor, wanted to run.
Ronon growled to himself as he led his pod members with everyone else. "Chistak... they aren't about to give up, are they? The beasts won't stop until they've consumed as much Orca blood as there is left on the planet!"
"We must make do with these ice shields, Ronon, as much as we can..." Seidrac replied, "Until Ecco returns with help, we don't have any choice."
Cariu kept quiet throughout, the matriarch faltering with thought and starting to show her age. Her time was almost near, and if this threat could not be solved and a new matriarch chosen to lead, all was lost for her race.
Suddenly, a light shone from one corner of the iceberg where the water met the ice. What it was, the singers could only guess.
Biransa paced the bay in circles, swimming and barrel-rolling almost lazily, though the look in her eyes gave away her pain. The female flinched as another spasm rocked her nerves and made the calf inside kick impatiently.
Ecco and the others had stopped to rest, at the edge of a small island beach. Further out to sea was a deep-water trench, where Sawtooth was busy diving. The others could hear the massive whale sound as he moved like the trained diver he was.
Scaroth was off by himself, deep in thought and impatience, his only worry for the safety of Diricha Cariu and the others. For all he feared, the creatures had already killed everyone else off. Glacier and Bro-aht were sparring nearby; play fighting almost like calves, though the narwhal nearly gouged his comrade once or twice.
Ecco too was by himself, keeping an eye on the others. With a sigh, he wondered what his allies had in mind for him. Even during his battles with the Vortex and the Foe, the dolphin never thought that the star markings on his head were of any importance. Just because they matched Delphineus...
But it could have been true...how else to explain how he was able to find the ancient paradise of the Seers without the Keystone Song? Only by the will of the gods and their chosen, Sawtooth had said.
Suddenly, a shrill Orca screech pierced the quiet. Ecco shook with surprise upon having harshly been taken from his thoughts. Glacier and Bro-aht stopped what they were doing, and Scaroth glanced up to the disturbance. It was Biransa, enduring yet another contraction. "Augh...not now! I was hoping it would be born after we returned to the north...waters...AH!" she growled.
Ecco was the first to race to the female's side, his eyes widened. "Biransa, easy! Grit your teeth, try to calm down!"
Glacier swam on her other side, a safe distance away from the distressed female's teeth. "Interesting...I have never witnessed an Orca birth..."
Bro-aht stayed further away, tilting his head. "Another killer in the world..." he muttered.
As Biransa rounded again, she snarled at the cetaceans closest to her. "Back away from me, NOW! Grah!" she groaned as she started pushing. The tiny, weak flukes of the calf were already in sight.
The cycle went on for nearly an hour, the singers plenty occupied with trying to help the female, trying to keep to the surface and control her breathing. Neither Ecco nor Glacier had the strength to keep her large body from sinking as she kept pushing. When the both of them tried helping, she merely snapped her jaws and kept them away.
All the while, Scaroth stayed away, seemingly careless of Biransa's plight. His eyes kept trained upon her, however, as the usually wise mother turned angry and destructive as she fought to expel what was giving her so much pain. After a moment, even Bro-aht started to try helping.
The calf was only halfway out now, the hardest part of the birth. Biransa's eyes were sealed shut to the world around her, mind completely focused on her life's duty, and she fought to stay near the surface as the child awaited its new fate. Her body started sinking faster underwater, and the mother strained harder and harder for air. Try as the others could, Biransa shunned their help and she sank faster and pushed less, nearly giving up the fight.
Who knew what drove the arrogant Scaroth to the scene then...but the brute pushed Ecco and the others out of the way, warning them to stay away as he dove under Biransa and used his strength to get her back to the surface. Renewed with air, she fought once more with her strength. The singers watched, eagerly waiting and wondering, awed by the amount of dedication the two killers had...just as any species had to a birth.
Suddenly, Biransa and Scaroth were partially surrounded by a cloud of blood. Nobody could see what was happening, and they dared not swim forth to find out until the blood cleared.
What they finally saw was Biransa, still supported by Scaroth, nosing a little black and gray ball of flesh to the surface and holding it there for a few moments as it took its first breath. The baby was pure and scarless, untouched as of yet by the real world.
Ecco and Glacier smiled, and even Bro-aht looked a little relieved and interested in this event. After a couple of moments, Scaroth let Biransa from his back, tilting his head at the child as it swam with a pokey gait. It blinked its little black eyes, regarding the group of creatures with quickly developing curiosity before gently bumping Biransa's side. Chirps could be heard as it cried for milk.
Ecco watched for a moment before calling out. "Biransa, are you alright?"
The female smiled, all traces of burden lifted from her face, replaced with exhausted pride. "Yes, Ecco, thank you."
Scaroth chuckled, the first laugh he had ever given since he had met Ecco and the others watching as the baby lazily swam in its mother's slipstream. It was protected by her bulk, expressing a little worry at the other un-Orca-like creatures examining it nearby.
Biransa laughed as well. "I don't think he likes his godfathers."
Bro-aht's eyes widened with a bit of surprise. "Bah, godfather to an Orca. Even in my dreams I'd never see that."
"Neither would I..." Scaroth muttered as he kept his eye on the child, remembering days now long past when he still had his mate and watched his own son born. Biransa noticed Scaroth's look, and smiled as a thought came to her.
"Scaroth, what was your son's name?"
Ecco watched Scaroth's reaction, which was simply mere sadness, as he too remembered the Orca child that had died next to him as he gave the warning of the Seer-Beasts. "His name was Niemas..." he sighed.
The baby chirped as it heard the name. "Niemas...the name means 'martyr'." Biransa observed.
Scaroth nodded. "I named him, after his mother died giving birth. He barely survived...but he was strong."
Biransa smiled. "A perfect name. Niemas is what I will call my son."
Scaroth's eyes widened. "What honor has he yet to be called after my son?"
The female only nuzzled the calf as she replied. "Your honor, really. It's the only thanks I can give you for helping me through my birth, Scaroth. If any Orca deserves a godfather role, it is you."
The brute only turned his head, hiding a smile. Ecco and the others laughed softly as they beheld the calf. "Well, welcome to the world, Niemas."
At that moment, Sawtooth arrived, the skin on his snout filled with newly placed suckers from the tentacles of a giant squid. His giant eye rolled down to the others, and noticing the little black speck next to Biransa. "Ah, is he yours? Congratulations, I only wish I were here to help you."
The mother was about to respond when a long call erupted from where the open waters met the bay. The song was deep, its echoes piercing through the hearts of all present, though it couldn't be understood. Only Ecco remembered the song. "A Seer!" he gasped.
