Flight, his instincts told him, the new shift overwhelming his senses and driving him to depths no mammal could safely follow. But such a retreat took time, precious seconds that stretched out as the orca remained close on his long, long tail and the whale he'd called for help built up speed of its own.
He wasn't prepared for the pain that flared through the bond, so sharp and sudden he thought it was his own for a panicked moment as the wake of the sperm whale knocked him about, nearly dropping the precious stone again as it clattered against his teeth. It took another moment to realize it had come from elsewhere - from behind him - and the black and white predator that had been chasing him with such malice.
Wait! he called through the Beastmaster link and Attuned bond both, twisting to see what was happening behind him. The bull whale fought the command, the instincts Jigano had inflamed to protect its territory from the orca encroacher unwilling to calm so swiftly, but the bard's will was iron and the whale floated on inertia, turning only to keep the injured killer whale in its sight.
Given a moment to think and actually look at what - at who - had been chasing him, Jigano had to suppress an internal growl. He'd seen that tail before, and it wasn't one he was fond of these days. Sunjata.
And gods but it was tempting to help the sperm whale finish what the Arbiter had begun.
Instead he swam a little closer, pressing the stone against the back of his teeth with his tongue as he focused on speaking through it.
He wasn't prepared for the pain that flared through the bond, so sharp and sudden he thought it was his own for a panicked moment as the wake of the sperm whale knocked him about, nearly dropping the precious stone again as it clattered against his teeth. It took another moment to realize it had come from elsewhere - from behind him - and the black and white predator that had been chasing him with such malice.
Wait! he called through the Beastmaster link and Attuned bond both, twisting to see what was happening behind him. The bull whale fought the command, the instincts Jigano had inflamed to protect its territory from the orca encroacher unwilling to calm so swiftly, but the bard's will was iron and the whale floated on inertia, turning only to keep the injured killer whale in its sight.
Given a moment to think and actually look at what - at who - had been chasing him, Jigano had to suppress an internal growl. He'd seen that tail before, and it wasn't one he was fond of these days. Sunjata.
And gods but it was tempting to help the sperm whale finish what the Arbiter had begun.
Instead he swam a little closer, pressing the stone against the back of his teeth with his tongue as he focused on speaking through it.
