Okies, I might have to change the rating of the WHOLE STORY because of this chapter XD And it is a little upsetting, but I just hope I spaced all the action out properly. And I decided to move the moment Vin finds out to the next chapter, so there's a little bit of a cliff-hanger ;)

Vincenzio pummelled the heavy-bag, his crimson red boxing gloves leaving large rounded imprints. The next heavy weight championship was being held in two months time, and Vincenzio was back in full training. Over the past ten months since Bambi was born, he had taken some time off to be with his family. But it wasn't long before he had to slowly get himself back into rhythm and was going to the gym once a week, then twice a week, then every other day. Now he was back on top form, he was away from home every day. And he and his family felt it. He missed Bambi terribly, and took as many baby photos with him to the gym as he could. Mona was feeling a little caged in the apartment all day, and was thankful of any company, whether it was her mother, her sisters, or even her elderly neighbour, Mrs Crinch.

It was a beautifully warm day in the Reef. Many fish were using their holiday time and soaking up the sunlight. Those fish fortunate enough to have a rooftop garden had everything they needed for a day to themselves. Mona rifled through the refrigerator. Nothing but leftovers. She huffed, turning her nose up at some of the Unidentified Foiled Objects. Bambi was a capable swimmer now, and swam circles around her mother, nearly tripping her up. Mona sighed, looking out of the window.

"Come on Bambi, its time I took you outside," she said excitedly, scooping up the growing pup. Stuck inside a stuffy apartment was no way for a pup to spend the day. Mona scrawled out a shopping list, while Bambi squirmed in her grip.

"Alright Bambi, we're going. Now listen to mommy, you have to stay close to me alright? I want you to hold tight to mommy's fin," Mona tried to drill into her daughter. Bambi was more concerned with the pretty shapes and bright colours outside. It was the peak of summer, and everything was fresh. By the time the championship, and Bambi's birthday, rolled around, it would be the start of autumn.

Mona took a firm hold of Bambi's right fin, locking the door behind her as they left the apartment. She would inevitably have to leave Bambi for a few moments while she hunted, but that was at the back of her mind at this moment. It just felt good to finally be showing off her daughter to the world. Swimming through Greater Caverns, heads turned and fish whispered. Compliments and cute names flew through the water directed at Bambi. She was looking about actively, tugging at her mother's fin, wanting to go explore. She jumped a few times as large eels and barracudas streaked past, and even hid behind her mother when a leopard shark waved. Mona just chuckled and gave her fin a reassuring squeeze.

Leaving Greater Caverns, the mother and daughter pair would have to cross an underwater plain to get to the hunting grounds. There was very little cover, save for the odd kelp overgrowth and rocky formation. A light grey mist hung over the plain, thicker in some areas, clearer in others. Anyone could appear and disappear easily here.

Bambi was trying to pull her mother over to look at things, but Mona just kept pulling her back close to her body.

"You can't wander off here Bambi, you could get lost. Remember what mommy said?" Mona said firmly to her daughter, trying to instil some discipline in her.

Bambi just pouted. Then she saw something she knew her mother would want to see. A single white flower blooming amongst a clump of kelp. It was only small, but it shone brilliantly when the light touched it. Bambi tugged and pulled, but her mother's fin never moved. She whimpered and she whined, but her mother's resolve didn't falter.

"Bambi! Stop tugging, I told you – " and she stopped suddenly, eyes narrowing, her body rigid. Bambi still squirmed and whimpered, pointing her fin to the flower. Mona had to stifle her daughter, rushing a fin to her mouth.

"Sssshh…be quiet..." Mona whispered. Bambi finally sensed the unease in her mother and stopped wriggling. She took Bambi to the nearby column of blackened rock, placing her neatly in a hole partly shielded by some kelp.

"OK, no matter what happens Bambi, stay down," Mona commanded, pressing Bambi's back down so that her stomach was flat to the floor. Her dark hide would provide some protection if the worst should happen. Bambi tried to get up, but Mona just pressed her down again. She stayed still this time.

Mona looked around. She knew she'd heard something, but with this mist, she wouldn't be able to see it. Taking a deep breath and swallowing hard, she slowly swam into the murk, her undulating form disappearing from Bambi's sight.

Bambi looked out from her little hideout, wondering where her mother had disappeared. She made a few whimpering noises that usually got her mother's attention. But she didn't appear. Bambi frowned and was about to clamber past the rock and kelp keeping her safe when she remembered her mother's command. She stopped still, and then curled up inside the darkness, a sliver of light reaching her.

It felt like an eternity, the silence pressing down on the poor pup. Suddenly, she heard terrible high-pitched noises. Clicks, squeaks, screeches. They sounded so unearthly to her and she had to peek from her hole to see what kind of sea monster made those noises.

And it was indeed a sea monster.

Mona was battling bravely against Tooti. Although he was alone, he was a dirty fighter, resorting to tricks like bottlenose blows to her gills and tail to slow her down, before ramming her with his bulbous head. It hurt the most when he clamped his slender jaws on her fins.

But he wasn't unscathed. Mona had taken a chunk out of his dorsal fin, a scar that he would later become famous for, and her razor teeth had left grazes and gashes all over his body.

She lunged for him, but he darted out of the way. Mona was sent sliding into the floor, kicking up sand and bits of rock that she crunched in her jaws like candy. He broke the water's surface for a new supply of air. Then he dealt a momentous blow to her back, making any movement painful. She gritted her teeth in a growl.

"Hmmm…I'd say you're warmed up now," Tooti laughed cruelly. Making a rather unusual noise for a dolphin, two ghostly white figures gradually appeared from the mist, overshadowing the diminutive dolphin.

Mona looked up at the gargantuan bodyguards, eyes wide in fear. She would have eventually tore Tooti to shreds, but she was no match for two belugas. Her weakened form looked so small in their combined shadow.

"OK boys, she's all yours," Tooti gave the command and watched his henchmen work with a smile.

They slammed their weight down onto her. A horrible crunching noise was heard as Mona's body was crushed beneath them.

One whale grabbed her by the tail and spun her around like she was a rag doll.

She was let go. A thunderous thud as she hit a boulder and then slumped onto the seabed.

These two behemoths were like rabid animals, enjoying this for the pure sport of it. One beluga couldn't be told apart from the other in the foray.

Bambi flinched as she watched her mother be beaten to death by these horrible monsters. One blow after another. Head butts, punches, bites, body slams. Everything was thrown at her mother, and the onslaught was endless. As one beluga finished his move, the other came in so quickly with another, that Mona barely had time to feel the pain of the first. She was nothing more than a chew toy to these whales.

She came to a skidding stop in front of the rock where Bambi was hiding. Her body limp, her once slender and stunning body covered in bruises, gashes and lumps where bones were broken. The belugas swam in for a final blow, but they were called back.

"I think she's had enough boys," Tooti ordered, smiling down on the mangled mess that was Mona.

The belugas looked very disappointed that they couldn't finish their fun, but they obeyed their boss. Tooti swam down, putting a flipper to her chin and lifting her head. She certainly didn't look like the most feared hunter in the deep blue, her left eye swollen shut, her right eye bloodshot and bleeding, many teeth missing from her mouth.

"If you live long enough to see that husband of yours, give him my regards," Tooti sneered venomously, dropping her head. He swam away without another glance, his guards flanking him.

Bambi waited for the ominous figures to disappear, their sharp forms gradually blurring into nothingness. She looked to the right, and then to the left, then swam from her hole to her mother's side. Nuzzling into her mother's cheek, she whimpered and whined, noises that would usually make her stir.

Nothing. Stillness. A lifeless body.

Bambi continued to whine and whimper, shuffling underneath her mother's right fin, curling up and clenching her eyes shut, trying to erase the images of those white demons from her mind.

"Hehe, you are so bad!" one barracuda joked to the other.

"Yep, I am good," the other boasted. "They don't call me 'Tricky' for nothing."

They were jovial and triumphant over a good day at the cards. Barracudas were avid card-players, and had a calculating mind, perfect for bluffing in poker. These two had sneakily worked together to pull in a big haul of 1000 Clams.

"The look on Jerry's face when you laid down that hand, dude it was SWEET!" the first chuckled.

Tricky nodded with a smile. He cocked an eyebrow as they approached a blurred shadowy form on the seabed. He faced his friend. "Dave, what do you think that is?" Tricky pointed, slowing down as the form grew larger.

Dave squinted, then grunted. "Grrr! I hate this smog, you can't see heads nor tails for it!"

He squinted some more as they swam out of the thick patch of smog, and Mona's lifeless form became apparent.

"YIKES! It's a shark!" Dave yelled. "Quick, lets get out of here!" He started to swim away, but Tricky grabbed his tail.

"Its not moving, you doofus," Tricky snapped. "Come on, lets take a closer look," he suggested excitedly. Although sharks and barracudas were both predators, the odd barracuda went missing now and then, often reappearing as filet in the restaurants that sharks frequented.

Tricky led the way, the cowering Dave reluctantly swimming behind him. Dave was very nervous, and was ready to bolt at the first sign of movement, but Tricky was curious. What would a shark be doing sleeping on the seabed? Only when Tricky saw the multiple bruises and bloody gashes did he realise that this shark wasn't sleeping.

"Holy shells…" Tricky muttered.

"I...think…I'm gonna be sick…" Dave behind him gave a loud gulp, putting his fin to his mouth.

Bottlenose attacks were on the increase in this Reef, and were highly publicised. But these were the worst seen by the two barracudas so far. What made the whole sight worse were the horrid little scavengers that had started to circle Mona's body. A few hagfish had already tried tearing flesh from her. With Dave and Tricky there, the little parasites didn't dare venture closer.

Tricky swam in closer, running a gentle stubby fin over Mona's head. He sighed heavily. He had no great love for sharks, but he would never have wished a fate like this on one of them. His fin accidentally grazed her bloody eye, and she gave a small murmur, her eyelid flickering open briefly.

"Oh my god, she's still alive! Dave, get over here!" Tricky called out. "Can you hear me?" he asked Mona, trying to get some other form of response.

Her eye closed and she slipped into unconsciousness again. Dave swam over, still reluctant to get close to her head…and her jaws. His tail hovered near Mona's right fin, attracting the attention of a certain hidden pup.

"We need to get some help," Tricky said.

"Oh no we don't, its just a shark Tricky, no one's going to miss it," Dave said quickly.

"Dave, SHE could be someone's wife, someone's mother," Tricky replied, a little disgusted with his friend's behaviour.

Dave remained silent, his brow furrowed in worry. His expression morphed into surprise as he felt something grab his tail. He jerked around and saw Bambi squeezing on his tail.

"ARRGH! Get it off me!" he screamed in fright, thrashing about erratically. Bambi lost her grip quickly, and was tossed onto the sandy floor. She sneezed at all the dust and sand moving around her.

Dave made a terrible fuss about the incident, trying to wipe his tail clean. "Ugh, I'll have nightmares for months," he whined.

Tricky rolled his eyes and was growing increasingly annoyed with his friend. "Dave, calm down. It was a pup, like she's going to bite your head off. It won't fit in her mouth," Tricky sneered. Dave just huffed and pouted.

In fact, Bambi was nearly 3 feet long, and half the size of Dave. She could have bitten his head off, but she'd have to chew it for a long time. Tricky approached her carefully. Although she looked quite sweet, for a shark pup anyway, she could just as easily decide to throw a tantrum. She didn't appear too frightened of him and only flinched when he reached out a fin to stroke her softly.

"Its okay, I want to help," Tricky said softly and slowly. He turned his head towards Mona. "Is that your mom?" he asked her.

Bambi nodded, her eyes wide and her cheeks tear-stained. Tricky took a light hold of her fin and led her back over to her mother's body. Dave grimaced and flinched.

"Oh, stop being such a wimp," Tricky growled at Dave. "Make yourself useful and go get help."

Dave folded his fins and stayed put. "Give me one good reason," he demanded.

Tricky looked calm, making Dave nervous. "OK, I'll go get help, and you can stay here with her," Tricky smiled. Dave's face dropped.

"OK, I'll go," he quickly changed his attitude and set off at great speed for the Reef city. Tricky turned around to see Bambi beside Mona's head, trying to wake her up. Tricky's heart broke; he had a weakness for kids. It didn't matter that Bambi was a baby shark. He swam over, taking hold of her fin again, trying to take her slightly away from Mona's limp body.

Bambi whimpered. "I'm sorry kid, but she's not going to wake up any time soon," Tricky said flatly.

He led her over to the rock where she had hidden previously, and got her to settle down and fall asleep. He stayed with her until the flashing red and blue of Patrol-Whales started to cast muffled light onto them. After that, it was up to the authorities to take care of Bambi.

Vincenzio was exhausted. Regis had worked him particularly hard today. He'd been speed-training all morning, and was then put through his paces in several matches with Joey, a young great white with loads of energy. When Regis finally let him go, Vincenzio picked up his duffel bag and got straight out of the gym, barely saying goodnight to his old friend. Just as Vincenzio's white tail disappeared out of the gym doors, the phone in the office rang. An elderly leopard shark, the gym owner, answered, nodding as voice on the other end asked for Vincenzio.

"Yo, Regis, where's Vinnie?" the leopard shark croaked.

"You just missed him, he's gone home," Regis replied.

"Well, you come and answer this then, it sounds serious," the leopard shark beckoned. Regis' bloated form swam awkwardly into the office. He picked up the phone, explaining who he was. When the news was told, his face dropped and he could barely utter his thanks as he returned the phone to the owner.

"Regis, you've gone as white as a ghost. What's wrong?" the owner croaked again.

Regis didn't answer at first. "Something's happened to Mona. I gotta tell Vin," he shook his head, his own voice breaking slightly. He lifted the phone again, and punched in Vincenzio's home number.