Water

Wave Seventy Three

A full meeting of the Councils had not happened in Leira’s lifetime. The clan leaders met in the meadow; Leira and Hali were allowed to attend. Tal refused to leave Nerida’s side as she was tended by Healers. Anahita led the proceedings, and Leira watched as she moved carefully through the seagrass. She rose through the waters until she was above them. Her silvery hair shone in the orb light and her eyes looked sad. Anahita’s projections were dark.
(Mer. We have two choices. We know the Black Tails probably won’t cooperate. They are Warriors, yes. But they don’t mix with other herds – they destroy them. We know of no other herds. We could try and seek them out, but that would take time. Time we do not have.) She paused to gaze around the meadow. It was packed with Mer. They had all assembled quickly, and mingled together. Clans were forgotten in the face of survival. Colourful tails swished amongst the long reeds.
         
Anahita stopped her scrutiny and continued.
(Our options are to stay and fight. We gather our Sources, travel to the spheres, and do whatever it takes to destroy them. We don't know what they are, but we know they are a threat. Our waters are changing. Now we know why.) A murmur of trepidation spread through the crowd. Sand swirled up as dozens of Mer flicked their tails anxiously.
(Or we flee.) Anahita thought it firmly. (We go further down. It worked once, it would work again. We’d have to rebuild. And conditions further down are harsh. Bleak. Those are our options.) Anahita drifted down to the crowd.
         
Darya took her place. Her faded mauve tail looked as worn as her face. Briskly, she thanked Anahita for her words. Then she thought to the Mer.
(We need to decide as a Herd. We can’t split up without splitting Sources, although this is also an option. Some of us could dive deeper, and take fragments of Source energy. Others could stay, and fight, with the rest of the Source. The Guardians will go with whoever has the most Sources to guard. That is our vote.) Leira saw Firth scoff at this – he wanted to stay and fight. He swam to join Darya and began projecting urgently,
(We’re trained for this. It’s what Scouts do – you need to give us a chance to fight. To protect what we have here. What do you think will happen, in the end?) He paused to let his question sink in. He ran his hand through his dark hair, making the orbs in it tinkle and clink.
(Let us tell you. We’d flee deeper and deeper until there was nowhere left to go. All the while we’d be using Sources and getting weaker. We should fight back now, while we’re still strong.) Firth’s piercing eyes searched the crowd. Leira saw that some of the Mer met his gaze, but many others couldn’t hold it.
The other leaders began to project their thoughts. Hali and Leira slipped away.