Dolphin Way: Rise of the Guardians Read Online Free PDF Page B

and no nasty sharp spikes or bones.’
    ‘ Yes, I know. And I will eat soon. I was just wondering about what that strange Sand character told us.’
    ‘ Yes, he was very strange. Mad would be a better word. All that stuff about zetii killing each other! That can’t be true.’
    ‘ Are you so sure, Muddy? What about Born Into Summer? Something caused her death. And Sand said he had “heard it is already happening”.’
    ‘ Oh, come on, you can’t believe that the Guardians can somehow make the zetii break one of the most basic teachings of the Way after a million years or whatever it is?’ Muddy looked troubled. ‘But if they could…what would it be like?’
    ‘ Ocean is a very different place now, Muddy. Maybe they could change things with everything in such a mess. Maybe that’s why they are doing this now!’
    ‘ I don’t want to believe it. All this stuff about Guardians must be exaggerated. Where’s the proof?’
    Sky was about to reply when three dolphins shot out of the blue, emitting short blasts of navigational sonar as they came. Sky recognised them from the clan; all young males, not really friends of his but they had always been amiable enough. Now though, they careered past Muddy and deliberately bumped into Sky, one each side then one from below, striking him roughly.
    ‘ Hey!’ Muddy called, ‘what are you doing? You hit him!’
    ‘ Then he shouldn’t be where he doesn’t belong!’ came a reply, and they were gone, as fast as they had appeared.
    Sky stared after them, very shaken.
    Muddy looked at him in concern. ‘Did they hurt you?’
    ‘ No — no not really. But what was that all about? They were so aggressive; what have I done to them?’
    ‘ I’ve no idea, that was really weird.’ Muddy looked around nervously. ‘Well, I think they’ve gone for now at least. You sure you’re alright?’
    Sky nodded.
    ‘ Let’s get away from here then; let’s get back to the clan.’
    After they had swum for a while, Muddy looked over at Sky again. ‘You look depressed. Still thinking about those idiots?’
    ‘ Yes. But also about yesterday. The Cleaner — what Dusk and I were talking about.’
    ‘ Arguing about you mean. You two always seem to argue these days. More than old lovers.’
    ‘ Well, that’s not the reason as I’ve told you before.’ Sky kept pace with Muddy as they swam slowly inshore. ‘Don’t look at me like that — I know what you’re thinking. A year or so ago I thought that maybe there was going to be something between me and her. But it never happened, alright?’
    ‘ That’s because you always just wait around hoping everything will work itself out. You have to take some initiative Sky! She’d have been perfect for you.’
    ‘ I know that’s what everyone thinks, but she’s changed. Dusk has such strange ideas now. You heard her yesterday; she’s openly questioning parts of the Way — I don’t feel I have a connection with her any more.’
    ‘ Look, I don’t get into all the deep thinking stuff like you do, but a lot of Ka-Tse are questioning the Way these days. In fact all kinds of zetii are questioning it from what I hear. Ocean has changed and the Way is ancient. It doesn’t seem to have all the answers like it used to.’
    Sky leapt high from the water as they swam, trying to clear his head. He exploded back down through the surface again, a cascade of silver bubbles following him as he powered back alongside his friend.
    ‘ I’m not talking about questioning details of the Way; there’s nothing wrong with that. After all we’re meant to do it as Novices aren’t we? Even more so if we qualify as Initiates of the Way. No, I mean that she really seems to be arguing against some of the basic principles. If she goes on like this she could get into a mess. That’s how ordinary Ka-Tse like you or me end up getting seduced into the Guardians.’
    Muddy’s normally amiable features started showing signs of irritation now.
    ‘ Sky, just forget