The Ocean's Barwaaqo

f o u r t e e n

Nin geed gali jirey geed loo ma galo

~ Don't expect to ambush an expert ambusher!  ~ 

Don't try to cheat someone with the trick that's already known

MANDEEQ

The water felt still. Mandeeq was left speechless, she had seen Shermake upset but this was something different. No one moved, the oversized octopus and jellyfish stayed where they were almost like they were as stunned stunned as Mandeeq.

"Jellyfish, let go." Shermake commanded.

Mandeeq watched as the jellyfish slowly removed themselves from the octopus. She couldn't believe her eyes. She watched in anticipation, her eyes glued to what was happening before her. Shermake swam closer to the creatures and Mandeeq along with Amana followed closely behind.

"Octopus, why have you come?" Shermake asked. His tone was much more calm.

Mandeeq of course couldn't tell what was being said, she looked to Shermake and noticed he was listening intently nodding his head from time to time and even cracked a smile. Mandeeq thought about how amazing his abilities were, the ability to converse with creatures that were not human, who have a different way of life, beings we should not be able to understand as well as Shermake does. She thought about how useful his ability must be in day to day life. The village was filled with stray cats and dogs, and birds of all kinds could fly in for a chat. Mandeeq chuckled to herself at how crazy this must seem to people on the outside looking in. Mandeeq found it all to be fascinating.

Snapping her out of her thoughts, Shermake spoke again.

"This octopus said she was just trying to save her babies when she attacked us, in her words we were in her way and it was nothing personal." Shermake relayed the message with a reassuring smile.

Mandeeq turned her attention to Amana, they shared a look and then laughed.

"Oh is that all? Tell her we said it was no problem." Mandeeq replied.

Shermake returned his attention to the Octopus and listened as she spoke. Mandeeq watched this conversation continue until she noticed Shermake's face turn serious. He looked panicked, as he listened on to whatever the octopus was telling him.

"What is going on?" Amana asked, picking up on his panic.

Mandeeq waited for what felt like forever, as she and Amana waited for Shermake to finish listening to the octopus. Her mind was racing thinking of all the worst possible things the octopus could have said. Shermake finally turned around.

"She said that they are coming. We are being hunted by other merfolk. Apparently for our abilities" Shermake rushed his words out and Mandeeq just barely understood what he said. Mandeeq was trying to process the information.

'What could they want with us?'

'Why were they important when they have the rest of the village?'

'Who gave out the order?'

The most important question Mandeeq had.

"How does she know this?" Mandeeq asked Shermake.

"What? I just told you mermaids are after us!" Shermake said in frustration.

"I heard you cousin. Now ask her how she got this information." Mandeeq responded.

Shermake looked confused for a moment but he turned to the octopus and asked anyway. Mandeeq didn't need to hear the answer, she could tell by the anger on Shermake's face. Amana looked a bit confused.

Shermake turned around once more.

"She was forced to help them. She's stalling. They are closing in as we speak!" He said.

"We need to move. NOW!" Amana exclaimed.

Without hesitation they started to swim but were stopped by tentacles blocking the way. Amana made a move and swiped at one of the tentacles and the octopus thrashed in pain. Mandeeq saw an opening through the tentacles and led the way for her companions to maneuver through. Amana's distraction bought them some time to create distance and hide in the nearby ruins of a sunken ship. They laid low and stayed quiet and Mandeeq quietly made her way to the broken chair she noticed in the corner of the room and sat down. A familiar sensation settled in her chest and she knew all too well what came next.

'Mandeeq was in the same chair but with others she did not recognize. She rose from the chair and looked at herself in the mirror, she appeared to not be quite as tall as the other two but made up for that in muscles. The merman head was bald leaving room for a tattoo along his head. It was an interesting design, with multi-colored triangles overlapping. The two others looked like they were brothers. They were almost twins if not for the different colored eyes, one had red eyes while the other's eyes were yellow. They also had similar build while one held a spear and the other had a sword on his hip. They were clearly merfolk but they were not Amana. They spoke to each other and then to her, they stood at full attention when speaking to Mandeeq it hinted that this man is definitely the one leading this mission. Being familiar with how her abilities word she knew that she would speak words that were not hers.

"The humans should be with that big octopus. We will attack from each side and bring them in with all the other prisoners. As for the mermaid who has clearly chosen her side, she will die by my hands."

We all shared a laugh and got into positions. We each carried special hollow batons that allowed for targets to be captured in a bubble. With these they will never see it coming!

Mandeeq snapped back into reality where Shermake and Amana stood next to where she sat. Without wasting any more time Mandeeq quickly stood up and quickly pinched herself as reassurance that she was definitely back where she belonged.

"We need to hurry and move." Mandeeq said and pointed in the opposite direction from which the merfolk from her vision came.

"What did you see?" Amana asked.

"The merfolk the octopus spoke of were just here, this is where they hid. They plan to capture us and kill you Amana. They believe you have chosen sides with the humans. We can't stay here."

"I'm sorry Amana." Mandeeq said, and she really was. Mandeeq saw the hurt in Amana's eyes and couldn't help but feel sorry for her. Amana chose to help them but Mandeeq hadn't considered what that would mean for Amana.

"They have not been my people for a long time. It does not bother me much." Amana responded.

Mandeeq didn't believe her, she didn't see how someone could not feel even the slightest bit betrayed but she decided against pressing the issue further. Instead they swam with Amana leading the way further away from the shipwreck.