Chapter 1
Kretavo awoke with a jolt to the chaos surrounding him. Huge waves crashed against and over the dreary ship he was on, while the dim sky roared with thunder. His long dark coppery hair hung in wet clumps around his face, making him appear like a drenched Maral.
Having realized the limp figure beside him, his head sharply turned to his sister. “Eisruh” he shouted out agitatedly, his voice drowned by the storm.
Not getting a response, he started to jab his elbow in her arm as best as he could, for he was bound to the mast behind him. His relentless effort stirred her awake. A girl of twelve springs retained consciousness and groaned, lifting her face. Emerald eyes widened, their brilliance dimmed by the darkness around them, registering their unfortunate circumstances. Her braids had come undone, the cool coppery strands of her hair a tangled wet mess.
She winced, a string of pain shooting down the side of her head. A hint of anger became visible on her face as she remembered why her head hurt. Her attention turned to her brother and croaked out his name “Kretavo ”. Her throat was rather raw, from all the screaming she did when they were caught. The salty sea spray that made it into her mouth wasn’t helping much.
In Eisruhs twelve springs, this was the first, where she had screamed like a vengeful spirit. Unfortunately for her, she had been silenced by a blow to the head. Her lucky brother had been spared from the onslaught, at least. But he was still made to black out from smelling a potent sleeping drug.
The young man of seventeen summers squinted his eyes from the sting of the salty water. His mouth tasted bitter from the relentless sea that loomed threateningly close around them. Relief washed on his face at having his sister finally awake. But it didn't linger for long, considering their circumstances.
“Creator!” he rasped “You are finally up” his voice strained from all the shouting he did earlier. All the while spitting out the constant barrage of seawater from his mouth.
Turning her head away from him, Eisruh took her surroundings in, still groggy and now nursing a headache. Looking down, she found that both of them were bound side by side. A thick rope wrapped around their torso resembling a cocoon.
Fortunately, their hands were free of any restrictions. But that wasn’t going to help much, not unless a miracle happens. The waves were taller now, water sloshing around their bound forms. Both were soaked to their bones, a chill settling in, the sky atop their heads roaring like a deranged beast.
The siblings shared a pitiful, resigned look between them. Eisruh took a shaky breath and bit her lower lip hard. Guilt gnawed at her, for she was mainly responsible for this predicament. If she hadn't spurred her brother in their argument. They wouldn't have gone to the open waters off the coast of their home village. And wouldn't have been captured.
Amidst the raging sea, their captors were frantically trying to maneuver the big vessel. The incident likely wasn’t in their plans either, judging by their faces. The siblings were a surprise encounter for the slave traders and easy pickings, too. They didn’t have to go out of their way to manipulate and capture them. Now, however, they were in dire straits of their own. The sea was wearing the ship down, joints groaning against the raging waters, a persistent assault.
Her thoughts of self accusation were interpreted as a big wave loomed overhead. Causing Eisruhs head to jerk up, her mouth opened in horror, and then the wave took them under it.
The receding onslaught revealed the spluttering duo. Out of air, they panted, catching their breaths. Eisruh heaved a breath assured that their bound forms won't be swept away.
Her relief was short-lived as the receding wave brought to their attention a rather nasty surprise, an insu. A slimy sea creature the length of a person with a rather wide mouth, inlaid with razor sharp teeth, capable of shredding flesh into ribbons. It had used the large wave to come aboard the ship rather unceremoniously and lay a mere few feet from the trembling duo. Kretavo was quite repulsed by the Insu, and Eisruh wasn’t feeling any different. This was the first time they had ever encountered one. They only heard stories of monstrous sea creatures. From the sailors that frequented their village market. The siblings never really bothered to commit the tales to memory.
“What in the Creators name is that thing?” Kretavo yelled with disgust, hoping to get some answers from his ever so booky sister.
Eisruh’s face screwed up in disgust “How in the stinking mushrooms would I know!” while glaring at the creature.
“Of course. You only have your nose in a book if it's about vegetables, don't you” he scoffed deliriously, which earned him a glare from his sister.
“Really Kretavo! Is this the time for your dimwitted opinions. And I would have you know they are called herbs. Herbs, you bonehead” she shouted at his face contempt written all over her face.
Eisruhs guilt had washed away at hearing her brothers foolishness. Now, she wasn't bothered at all in exchanging verbal blows with him even in this unsettling situation. While the two were distracted, the Insu crawled toward them using its sticky, transparent webbed hands. Dragging its skinny torso forward while the slimy, fat, and scaly tail trailed behind. The approach was halted, unfortunately, as its tail was caught in a web of nets and ropes. It thrashed its body around, hoping to get out, but the efforts backfired, and the tail became more entangled in the mess of nets. Realizing its predicament, it thrusted forward in a fury, hoping to reach its target of fresh meat. The violent maneuvering of the creature brought it closer to the duo.
Their squabble ended as brother and sister shrunk back from it, hoping to evade its sharp and long claws. The rotting smell of flesh entered their noses, violating their sense of smell and both gagged. If not for the fact that their stomachs were empty as a dry well, they would have heaved its contents right onto their laps.
Frantic with hunger, the Insu clawed at the siblings. Both panicked, screaming in unison while fear laced their faces. One of its claws had managed to reach Kretavos' bound chest. Eisruh was distressed, fearing for her brother. When the Insu swiped its claw again, it managed to tear one of the thick ropes around Kretavo. Eisruh shut her eyes, sobs wrecking her body as tears streamed down her face.
Kretavo swore “Curse it! Get away, you foul thing” unable to resist. When Kretavo stopped swearing, she jerked open, her eyes fearing the worst. She was surprised instead as Kretavo was wiggling out of the torn rope that was tied to his chest. The Insu had clawed at the ropes, binding her brother in the hope of reaching flesh. But like before, it's hard labor had backfired and instead freed its meal.
Kretavo managed to get to his feet, standing on wobbly legs, gone numb from sitting on them for Creator knows how long. The violent sky wasn't giving any indication of night or day. Just a dreary, furious onslaught of waves and icy rain that fell on them like needles. Looking around, he managed to spot a small knife one of the men had dropped in the frenzy. Sloshing around, he grabbed it and started to slice it on the thick ropes that bound his sister. The Insu swiped at him, and in a fit of rage, he struck back. That accomplished to thwart off the creature's advance, and it backed off, supporting its now injured spindly hand. Its beady eyes ominous while it gave a threatening shriek to the siblings. Kretavo ignored it and continued to free his sister. Struggling for a while, he managed to finally free her, and she stood on her weak legs like a newborn Maral.
The Insu lugged itself back to free its tail. The siblings now clung to each other, dismay surrounding them. Watching the Insu draw back, both of them shuddered and shared weary looks with each other. Kretavo led his sister away from the slimy creature. he ship's crew had not fared better. Most of them had been washed away even with the ropes tied around their waists. The mighty waves did not have mercy on them. The siblings had been fortunate to have been tied down with their torsos wrapped in ropes resembling a cocoon. However, to escape the Insu, they were forced to let go of their strong anchor to the vessel.
With heavy steps, they dragged their feet through the dark water, hoping to reach another pole. The old vessel beneath their feet rocking aggressively while a torrent of seawater washed over them. Both staggered their way to another mast, stumbling on the slippery wood beneath their feet. All the while looking down anxiously at the water around them, for any monstrous sea creature lurking below. Having made it to the big post, Kretavo was able to attain a rope. This time, the two were willing to secure themselves to the vessel. Their fear of being swept away is more than facing that one Insu. Down in the rapids, there are bound to be others of its kind.
Brother and sister gripped each other, hanging on for dear life. While the vessel rolled to its side by a forceful surge of the waters. The rush of water took over their senses, and they were submerged under. The ropes they had tied around their waists loosened, causing them to drift in the water like fallen leaves from a branch. The next wave thrusted them toward the ship's deck, smacking them into it.
They rallied their strength and managed to swim up to the surface for air. They fought the sea that wanted them buried in its depths. Kretavo was able to grasp his sister's arm in the rushing waters. She swam to him, and both lumbered their way to the mast. Eisruh was hauled up onto the mast by her brother, and he followed soon. They laid down on it on their stomachs, wrapping their arms around it, clutching it desperately. Finally, having some respite, they took in deep breaths. Coughing and sputtering out the sea water from their airways. Battered and weary from the ordeal, they rested their eyes, their breaths labored. The sea kept its assault around them. They endured never losing their grip on the mast.
