![]() ![]() ![]() The group’s old Chimney, with its fount of warm, rich water, was failing and so they had to flee, and fight for a place in a new cavern. This should have been the climax, the supreme moment of Cilia-of-Gold’s life. The end of the tunnel was an encroaching disk of darkness already Cilia-of-Gold already feel the inviting warmth of the Chimney-heated water on the cavern beyond. “It’s still in its early stages, I think. and had realized, with horror, that her life must inevitably end in madness, in a purposeless scrabble into the Ice over the world. The pain of Strong-Flukes’ perception was as sharp, and unexpected, as the moment when Cilia-of-Gold had first detected the signs of the infestation in herself . . . Tunnel water filtered between Strong-Flukes” carapace and her body her cilia flickered as they plucked particles of food from the stream and popped them into the multiple mouths along her belly. Not now.”Īs they swam together, Strong-Flukes flipped onto her back. “I can’t afford to be weak, Strong-Flukes. And if she didn’t, we’d have to tell her.” Ice-Born was the third of Cilia-of-Gold’s mates. “Only Ice-Born suspects something is wrong. The hairlike cilia lining Strong-Flukes” belly barely vibrated as she spoke. “I couldn’t expect to keep secrets from you. I know something’s wrong.”Ĭilia-of-Gold thought of denying it but she turned away, her depression deepening. Strong-Flukes” presence was immediately comforting. Not now.Ī broad body, warm through the turbulent water, came pushing out of the crowd to bump against hers: it was Strong-Flukes, one of Cilia-of-Gold’s Three-mates. With a beat of her flukes, she thrust her body along the tunnel. She could feel its tendrils wrapped around her stomach, and-she knew-its probes must already have penetrated her brain, her mind, her self. The Seeker was a heavy presence inside her. She climbed up through the water, her flukes pulsing, and prepared to lead the group further along the Ice-tunnel to the new Chimney cavern.īut, even as the people rose from their browsing and crowded through the cold, stale water behind her, Cilia-of-Gold’s resolve wavered. The people-though exhausted by the tunnel’s cold-had rested long enough, Cilia-of-Gold decided. ![]()
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