The rain didn't stop. Instead like the waves it got worse, slamming them against the rocks. Neither said it, but they feared the raft wouldn't survive.
"What do sea creatures do during a storm?"
"Some move deeper. Like trigger fish have been observed heading to deep waters a few days before a hurricane. That's before there is even a change in barometric pressure. Sharks sensitive inner ears alert them and they'll sometimes swim away from the storms. Smaller ones head deeper." He held her firmly atop him as their bodies swayed erratically with the waves.
"You're going to make an amazing marine biologist." She wasn't sure if he could hear her, but it needed to be said. His vast knowledge had helped pass many of hours and she found herself being more and more enthralled.
He knew exactly what he wanted to do with his life. She was undeclared and had felt like she was floundering for too long. Even in this storm he made her feel like she'd finally found a calm.
The storm raged on for a week. They ran out of food the third day. When the storm ended they were both weak and struggled to get going again. They finally got a break when they opened the canopy and found some sea urchin and fish caught on the rocks.
"Oh my god." A boost of energy came over Edward as he leaped out of the raft. "Look it's a guitarfish. I wonder if it's still alive." He carefully lifted it and set it in the water. When it didn't move at all he pulled it back out.
"It does kind of look like a guitar. Are they rare?" She struggled to get the same energy. His enthusiasm was a bit contagious.
"They're critically endangered. They're fished for their meat."
"So it'll taste good?"
"Shit, sorry I just got excited. Yes we need to eat. Let me cut up the sea urchin first." He quickly cut the nearest urchin in half and pulled out the edible parts. "Here eat first. I'll get the next one" They paced their eating. Edward was worried they'd eat too much and just end up throwing it up.
He helped her out of the raft and held her up while she went to the bathroom. Her legs had been too weak to hold herself up. He guided her back to the raft and gently laid her down. In that moment she wondered how she could keep falling in love with him more everyday.
"The guitarfish is actually a ray. They have a unique reproductive cycle." He frowned as he cut into it. "Their reproductive cycle is a year long. The young develop inside the candle, a shared egg, within the mother, but are birthed live as pups. Here try this." He handed her a small piece of the fish.
"Mm this is good." She moaned as the guitarfish meat melted in her mouth. "I can see why they're endangered." He laughed around his own big bite.