Chapter Ten

Honour

Prior being accepted into the pod of Wind, Sage had been fearful of his lone future. Unsure where his next meal would come from, or where he may become a meal him-self, Sage had been cautious and careful in his approach to anything alien to him. New creatures, plants and environments frightened him and he refused to advance.

But, upon being surrounded by the familiar song of orca-kind once more, Sage's fears evaporated, and his courage built itself up once again. Sage felt the power that flowed through his veins burn, awakened once more as the song of the hunt rose within him once more, slightly tainted with songs of revenge, personality, wisdom, play and many other emotions, actions and beliefs that Sage had integrated into his song from those that he learnt of others.

There were eight others in the family pod that Sage joined, Wind being pod-master with his sister, Gale, one of the largest and bulkiest females Sage had ever witnessed, larger than even Kiera. There was one young calf, Medivo, son of Gale, who was barely a newborn and shied away behind his mother from the foreigner that Sage was. Four more females, one heavily swollen with her pregnant belly, and one scarcely entered the cycle of pregnancy graced the pod with their songs. Two males tailed behind, both large and strong of body, but slightly weaker of song.

Adopted by Gale and Wind, Sage was surrounded by the pod with their salutations, all welcoming the newcomer from their sister pod in the frozen Arctic, underneath the silver light of the moon hanging above. Songs of questions of friends, companions and allies were asked, overwhelming Sage's mind with the forgotten memories of his lost pod those many moons ago when he left his home to gather his wisdom, vigour and audacity alone.

"Enough," Gale crooned gently, silencing the questioning pod with her gentle, flute tones, as Medivo nudged her underbelly, pleading for milk. Giving her crying calf his wish, she whimpered gently, "Sage shall sing with us in due time. For now, let his song fill with questions and allow us to answer. For this brother seeks wisdom from singers around our world, and we as sisters to his pod of ice will aid him in any method."

Nodding and whistling in agreement, the pod fell hushed, allowing Sage to speak with their eyes and expressions radiating the joy and anticipation that they all held caged within. As Sage stared around his new family, he remembered the first and foremost responsibility that he had upheld.

"I wish to sing with the song-master to your pod," Sage announced in his developed diplomatic tone that he used upon addressing pods. The great whales never listened to smaller singers that attempted to converse without opening a formal addressing first. "For I am Sage of the White River Pod, and seek knowledge from pods, by sharing songs with the song-master."

With a murmur of song, a laboured call was given as the bloated female approached, her face pained with the efforts of her motion, but smiling within the eyes, "I am Foxin, song-master of the Marble Gate Pod. I hear and accept your request young Sage, and will indeed sing with you."

Dipping his head in the sign of respect, Sage raised his eye-line once more to Foxin, "I thank you for your generosity, kind song-master." Foxin's eyes gave a spasm of agony, as pain rocked her body, but she retained her posture, wordless.

Gale took charge, "I believe your pod mentioned you seek the sunken city as well as gathering your wisdom of the seas? The sunken city houses answers to the many questions that singers seek answers. We patrol the waters of the gate before the city, protecting the purity of the city. We shall guide you to the gate, but due to our traditions, the city must be entered by you alone. If you will, we will continue to travel to the gate as you and Foxin shall sing?"

Sage was unsure of how to answer such a question. He twisted his eyes to Foxin, seeing her troubled state, and first fearing for her wellbeing in her vastly pregnant state. "Is travel such an idea in the condition of Foxin? She looks--"

"I am fine, my friend Sage," chuckled Foxin, her eyes sparkling in laughter. "Fear not for me. I have travelled further distance than the journey before us to the gate as you see me now. The pain you see, is the trauma before the birth, and it will continue until my calf accepts this world out, and free from me."

Blowing in thought, Sage nodded back to Gale, "Then in the case of Foxin's request, I would imagine I would enjoy to venture forward. I long to witness the city with my own eyes and song."

Wind blinked in agreement, as he gave the blast of song for the pod to move out, every individual forming one unity towards the south. Sage lingered back, to swim within the large slipstream of Foxin, and begin to sing with her and understand the truths that she held within her song.

"It was a dark night, the moon having died and awaiting rebirth, the waters thrashing in rage as the pods converged, a migration of the Marble Gate, passing the White River. Light flashed in anger as Delphinius struck blindly in rage at the guilty, his tears of grief, sorrow and anger pelting the waves, his songs booming out in rage and his exhaling forcing those that surfaced to be thrown about.

In this dark time, two females went into labour, among the icy worlds, their calves attempting to pull free. One of White River, one of Marble Gate… Both having thrashed about in hours, screaming and cursing, as the calf was attempting to remain safe within the darkness, warmth and home of the womb, as the mother attempted to give their final gift of life to their progeny…

In the churning waves, the mothers both gave a final, ultimate scream. Both a scream of life and a scream of death, sung by two as one… Different, yet the same…

For the mother of the Marble, gave birth to the healthy young, a female who cried and sung for the wonders of the life around her. But the fatigue of the birthing was too much for the body to handle. Expelling a live calf into the world, Rana of the Marble gave her life for the life of her offspring, leaving the youngster motherless and hungry…

Mother of the River, screamed for the life inside her to end, and life outside to begin. The life inside, within the womb did indeed end, but life on the outside never began did it… The calf was birthed, devoid of song, soul or heartbeat. Though Lokoni pleaded, sung and nuzzled with all her heart, the calf would not wake and despair set in.

Two sets of tears were shared.

A mother without young.

A young without mother.

From these tears, the pod-masters, friends and allies from youthful travels, Okura, Kiera, Wind and Gale sought an answer. Only a mother with young can nurse a starving calf, and only a calf without a mother cannot nurse. One lost a mother, the other the young…

A unifying move was made, as the young infant nuzzled Lokoni, crying to be nursed. A mother devoid of life the calf did not recognise as mother. Sensing milk, love and life, the calf sought a new mother, a nurture mother to help guide it.

Her heart aching at her loss, Lokoni nursed the calf in pity. And when the calf accepted in its mind, that Lokoni was mother, mother's cold heart melted. One mother was gone, leaving a lone calf. One mother remained, leaving a stillborn calf…

In a rare of ceremonies between pods, Marble Gate and White River unified within sister pods, forming a unity between two pods of different waters. Friendships were formed as the pods bonded. Both pods passed a code of honour that binds them as one, an honour that even after several years remains strong.

But the adoption of the young, by Lokoni, was the move that forever intertwined the fate of the pods. With her lost young, she opened her heart to the orphaned infant, agreeing to care for it, as if it had been the very same that had grown within her for the past sixteen moons.

A name was given to the calf. A name of the ancient tongue, meaning 'unity.'

Elli was the calves' name, and she was destined to…"

"What?" Sage gasped, a harsh squawk of surprise, interrupting the flow of the honour song from the soul of Foxin. For three days the pod had travelled together with Sage, Foxin singing of the history of the pod, the thrill of the hunts and many other glorious songs. He had conversed with the other pod members, explaining what he remembered of back home and also hunted among them, his belly beginning to sag slightly, groaning in content as it digested.

But, as the dawn of the third day arose, Sage had questioned how it was the two pods knew one another so well, when both pods existed thousands upon thousands of tides of travel away. Foxin had explained briefly the code of honour, but Sage had pressed on, wishing to know more.

"So… so, Elli was born of your pod, not of White River? And--And how long ago was this?" Sage babbled, his heart suddenly a flutter as his hopes rose. That Elli was not truly of his pod would mean Sage's feelings would not be misplaced, although his non-compliance of the male code was still there.

Tilting her head in curiosity, Foxin chuckled gently, her fat sides wobbling. She blinked tenderly, answering and asking, "This action of unification occurred what would have been no doubt, soon before your birth. Was your mother not Keeki by any chance? For if she is, indeed Keeki was as obese with you, as I currently am with my infant at this time." Foxin paused, watching as Sage's thoughts racing through his mind, just like a dolphin pursued by a hungry one. A soothing laugh, Foxin added, "You care for Elli, do you not? You consider her more than a friend, for I have heard you sing of her with a passion that few sing of. You sing of her with the greatest of your songs, for your heart calls to her."

Smiling as Sage looked away, shamefaced, Foxin cooed, "Fear not your feelings seeker. You seek truth and answers, yet you refuse to accept the truth within your heart, that you indeed love this one. Elli is not of your pod, yet an adopted cousin, but even then your heart pleads with you to accept the truth your mind refuses to acknowledge." Pausing, Foxin blew in a sigh. "None of the elders would sing a word of ill about such a union, for by no doubt they have seen your longing and loving for long. And if you fear for the codes, fear not, for there are singers around our world that, though their codes command a way, they live apart from them… The codes are not rules. Just guidelines to live by… Do not let them command your life, and instead live, as you want to, as you see fit… Destiny is made by those who live it…"

Sage listened to Foxin's words, soaking them in. They lifted his heart, song and soul. Every inch of Sage's body began to tingle as thoughts of Elli floated through his mind, longing and loving for her sweet song and warm touch. A bashful smile crept into Sage's eyes, as he accepted the fact.

He loved Elli with all his heart.

A gentle smile slipped into Foxin's kindly gaze, as she soothed Sage's side with her stroking pectorals. "Fear not my friend. I am sure that Elli cares for you, as much as you care for her…"

"I know…" Sage smiled, the first true smile Sage had ever smiled since leaving his frozen waters those many, many moons ago. "She loves me, as I love her…"

Foxin began to coo a gentle song, when before she got far into the song, she was interrupted by the approach of Wind. "I apologise song-master for interrupting the song, but we have arrived at the Marble Gate once more, and I do believe we must prepare to farewell Sage before he enters the city."

"So soon?" Foxin pleaded, her eyes glazing over. She turned to Sage, smiling, "Remember what we have sung about my friend, and your life will seem more fulfilling and brim with happiness. Honour bounds our two pods together, and in love you are with that honour, as it with you. I trust we place that honour in the safest of songs…"

"Thank you," Sage choked out, amazed at his discoveries this day.

"But," Foxin added, her voice a little firmer once more. "Before you go, a riddle I was once taught I wish to pass on to you, from song-master to a disciple.

"Among the deep it glows,

In the shadows untold,

Destinies' tools,

Guard the line of seer.

Hear the voice in peril,

Down, left, down, right, left,

Up to the pocket for life.

Down for once more,

And thrice left,

The guardian awaits.

Bright rainbow light,

Among the shadows untold…"

Foxin tilted her head in confusion. "I was told that from the song-master prior to me, as he was prior to him and then the precursors before… None have ever solved the rhyme, yet have dwelled upon it with their lives in search of answers." Sage nodded in wonder, memorizing the song in his head, before chanting it back to Foxin.

"Perhaps in your travels," the pregnant female added as Sage closed the song. "You may find an answer, that we song-masters of Marble Gate seek, but have never found…"