Gifted Pelt

Chapter 49

Something ripples through the water around them and Astrila's magic stirs in warning. She glances around for the danger but sees nothing. Empty water to the sides, breaking ice floes above, darkness below. She darts over to Tarkik's side and barks, trying to keep quiet.

"Something seems wrong."

His pace quickens. "What?"

"I don't know, but my magic is stirring in warning and the water rippled just now."

His eyes dart around them, trying to find the disturbance. He looks down and jerks in surprise before his voice turns panicked.

"Get up onto the ice!"

He darts up to the surface and Astrila follows on his flippers, glancing down quickly to see a streamlined black and white shape spearing for them from the watery depths. It's an Arluq. Deep, instinctual panic rages through her, filling her mind with stupid, useless terror. Astrila fights it, knowing that it will be much harder to survive the threat of the Arluq if she succumbs to her fear. Her magic stirs again, bolstering her resolve. The emotions buck in her grip, trying to get free, trying to gain free rain over her. But her grip is strong and her magic strengthens it to bone, too hard to break. The fear bucks again as the Arluq gets close enough for her to see its dark, beady eyes, but she is already hoisting herself out of the water and onto an ice floe.

Tarkik snaps at her in human form. "Shift. Now! They don't hunt humans."

Her magic takes over at last and her form ripples upward. She's just in time, as the Arluq slams into the bottom of the ice floe, precariously tilting it to one side. Tarkik stumbles but Astrila stands firm, her talents aiding her. Neither of them falls off the ice floe so the Arluq hovers at the surface, peering at them with one dark eye. Its dorsal fin points straight up, taller than Astrila despite her raised position on the floe. The Arluq lets out a puff of air from its blowhole.

Astrila starts to murmur to it, pushed by her magic to do so. Why does her magic want her to do this? "Hello."

A shadow passes over the Arluq's dark eye and its mouth opens slightly, exposing its ivory teeth and pink tongue. It clicks at her in curiosity and Astrila steps closer, careful not to lose her footing. The Arluq's position in the water shifts as it sidles closer to the floe, close enough for her to touch it if she stands on the edge. Does it want her to do that?

Her magic whispers in response to her mental question. "Yes."

"Why? Why are you having me do this?"

"You are the healer's apprentice, the shaman's apprentice. You can speak to the spirits, so speak to this one."

"I don't understand."

"This is an Akh'lut, not an Arluq. You met her before."

Astrila's eyes widen in surprise and understanding. The wolf she saw with Kōri. She steps over to the Arluq - no, the Akh'lut. She slowly moves her hand towards its dark side. Just before Astrila's hand makes contact with her skin, she pulls off her glove so that they can touch skin to skin. A blur of color passes between them as they exchange thoughts and memories.

"Hello."

The Akh'lut's mental voice is wise and ancient, but it is also soft and musical. "Hello, Child of Wind and Sea. Hello, Child of the Stars and Ice."

"Why do you hunt?"

"Hungry, seals are tasty. Where have they gone?"

"They were not seals, Lady Akh'lut."

The Akh'lut hesitates before she puffs in confusion. "Children of the sea? You?"

"Yes."

"Where do you go? Why do you leave your waters?"

Astrila hesitates. "The wind speaks of something coming. It says to learn. We are going to the human city to see what it may provide."

The Akh'lut hums. "You wish for safe passage?"

"Yes, lady Akh'lut."

"You shall have it. And Child of Wind and Sea, Stars and Snow, my name is Atka. You and I shall meet again, before the days of ice melt come."

Astrila respectfully bows her head to Atka as she turns away from the ice floe. She dives beneath the water with the barest ripple. Her magic relinquishes its hold on her and Astrila turns to see Tarkik gaping at her.

"What just happened? Did you talk to the Arluq?"

Astrila shakes her head. "She was an Akh'lut. She has granted us safe passage."

Tarkik's mouth falls open even farther. "You spoke with an Akh'lut?"

"Yes."

"You are so lucky you're still alive."

"Why?"

"Why? They hunt people, Astrila!"

"I've encountered her before and she didn't harm me."

He forces his mouth closed. "You are the luckiest, or the craziest, selkie I have ever met. Human too."

Astrila laughs. "Not really." His expression says otherwise, but she keeps talking, choosing to ignore it. "Are we going to go to the city now?"

In response, Tarkik shifts and slides into the water. Astrila lets out a soft laugh and follows.
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What do you think of the Akh'lut and Astrila's ability to talk to her? Why do you think she called Astrila what she did? What did that mean, 'before the days of ice melt come'? Tell me your thoughts!

Also, fun fact! The Akh'lut was originally only supposed to be an Arluq, but the story was just "Nope, not going to listen to you, Author's brain! We're doing something else instead." My stories like to do that to me, surprise me.

Happy reading and I'll see you next chapter!

~Goddess of Fate, signing out!