Page 17 of Kraken the Seal

The conversation was helping to distract her so that she wasn't as tense by the time we reached the beach. My tentacles shortened but stayed out, ready to help Nina if her seal panicked.

“We're on the beach,” I said, setting her down on the rocks. The moment her feet touched down, her form blurred, and a seal slipped from my hands to the ground.

She let out a startled bark and wiggled around in the borrowed shirt she was wearing. I knelt next to her, pulled her free, and placed a soothing hand on her back.

“Easy, my heart,” I said. “It's scary, but your seal is part of you. She wouldn't hurt you. She only wants both of you to thrive.”

As I talked, she calmed and looked around. Her adorable round body rolled over when she looked too far in one direction. She let out a bark of surprise, then another bark that I think was a laugh as she rolled back.

“If you want to move around, let your seal take control. She knows how to maneuver this body,” I suggested.

She stared up at me for a moment, then gave a little honk. I took that as an agreement. She let her head rest on the rocky beach for a moment before her body started moving toward the ocean without hesitation.

She hit the edge of the water and suddenly rolled over and looked like she was convulsing.

Her seal wanted to swim, and this wasn't going to go over well with Nina!

“Hey, no, don't do that!” I said, grabbing her in my arms and tentacles. “I know you're scared of the water, but your seal needs it. It's her natural habitat. Let me hold you in the water. We’ll stay in the shallows. I’m here, and I’ll never leave.”

Nina stopped thrashing, touched her nose to my face, and let out another honk. Her eyes were wide and scared but also trusting.

I carried her into the water until it came up to mid-calf. Hopefully that would be enough to make the seal happy.

“Focus on your seal. She's upset too,” I said. “She doesn't understand why you're scared. Talk to her. Tell her you need time.”

I sat down. There was enough water to let her splash but not enough to cover her entirely. I loosened my grip but didn't release her. She went perfectly still, then opened her eyes.

She seemed surprised to be in the water and not dying.

“Move around a little,” I said. “Feel the bottom with your flippers.”

She experimented with her hind flippers while clutching my arms with her fore flippers. The blunt claws on her fore flippers looked like fingers grabbing me. So cute!

Once she realized how shallow the water was, she let go of me and slapped her fore flippers around in the water. It took a few minutes of awkward movement before she and her seal started to cooperate. To my shock, she moved a little further out until she could float. It was still shallow, but I stayed right with her.

Lying on her back, she floated in slow, lazy circles around me.

“You're doing great!” I cheered.

Her shape blurred, and suddenly there was a human where the seal had been. She went from floating on her back to sitting with her head and shoulders above the water. She was quick to stand up, looking both stunned and elated.

“I’m in the ocean!” she exclaimed. “I’m in water, and I'm not panicking. I think … I think I like it!”

“You're amazing!” I said, standing up and grabbing her in a big hug. I twirled us around, her laughter echoing off the nearby cliffs.

Chapter 7

Nina

I couldn't stop looking at the water.

I grew up with my father telling me horror stories about what it was like to drown. I’d gotten all the way to adulthood never even thinking about swimming. I even avoided most situations that would put me over the water, like whale watching or fishing. In only one day, I was a different person.

We were motoring north again and instead of hiding in the cabin and feeling sick, I was out in the sunshine and sitting next to Delmar.

He had one arm around me and was guiding the boat with the other hand. One of his tentacles was resting on my kneeand another was massaging my back. I was growing to adore Delmar's friendly appendages.

“It's a beautiful view,” I murmured, watching a pod of dolphins jumping through the water. I’d missed so much. From now on, I was determined to enjoy the benefits of living near a beautiful and gorgeous ocean.