The whale carrying Nathaniel turned suddenly. He caught another glimpse of the shark. It was circling in wide loops. Each time it moved closer, the whale’s body tightened around him. Each time it moved away, the pressure eased. Nathaniel began to notice the pattern.
“It knows you’re there,” he whispered to himself. That seemed clear now. What he could not understand was why the animal cared. He was not part of its pod. He was not a calf. Yet it seemed to be treating him like something fragile that needed protecting.