Below, the whale calls grew stronger. Nathaniel felt several replies from nearby animals. The pod began changing formation around him. Large bodies passed through the strips of light. Nathaniel could not see enough to understand what they were doing, but the movement seemed coordinated.
Then the shark struck. Nathaniel felt a hard impact against the whale’s side. His body jerked and his mask shifted. He grabbed it quickly. The whale rolled but did not release him. Instead, the tongue tightened, holding him safely while the animal absorbed the blow.