An Orca's Tail

= Hii!! =
Welcome to An Orca's Tail. This is a fanfic based off the story Turtle briefly thinks about. It's about a lost SeaWing dragonet raised by orcas. Talons of Power page 111. Big wip at the moment.
The words in whale language will have ‘apostrophes’ around them like that so you can tell the difference.
Also, the orcas’ and main charater's names translate to multiple words in Swahili, because I think that’s cool. They might be names from Lion King, and I’m sorry I can’t help that because they aren’t random words they are meaningful words so do your homework and look them up.
AHHH MY FIRST POPULAR PAGE YAY!!!!
=== Do not edit!! ===
Unless you are ChasmTheCaveWing or Myself1987, DO NOT EDIT THIS PAGE. Even grammar fixes. You will be reported to A MODERATOR regardless of excuses.
=== Content warning ===
This page is a tad violent and involves mild abuse and mild bullying.
=== Comic!! ===
There is a comic by Angel of Madness, so go check it out! :P
= Prologue =
A dragon was fleeing through the storm.
His wings beat frantically, fighting an updraft at every turn. A gust of wind threatened to slam him into the rocks below, with waves crashing all around.
In his talons, he clutched an egg.
A forbidden egg.
Everyone knows now. No turning back.
He had luminous scales, but he didn’t dare use them, fearing they would alert the dragons behind him. He could only hope to use the storm as a disguise.
Arrows began to twang through the air.
One struck the fleeing dragon’s tail, make him wince in pain. 
“He’s up ahead!” One of the pursuing dragons shouted out. The fleeing dragon cringed and sped on.
This egg would be killed anyway. What do they think that I would do that’s worse?
An arrow shot out of nowhere and pierced the dragon’s wing. He screamed and frantically tried to stay aloft, but his wing failed and he slammed into the rocks below.
He was on the edge of unconsciousness when the pursuers found him again.
”Is he alive?”
”Where’s the egg?”
”What do we do now?”
Those were the last voices that he heard.
Before he collapsed into unconsciousness, he saw the forbidden egg roll off the rock and into the waves below.
…
The egg sank below the waves, doomed to be frozen under the layers of black water.
But wait.
An orca’s cry pierced the water. The pod swam around the egg, and a small orca child gently grabbed the egg in its mouth. The pod took the egg away to their home as the egg began to hatch.
= Chapter 1 =
A shark stared back at me.
How do I get in the situations?
My name is Shujaa.
I am a dragon, and my family is a wonderful pod of orcas.
But back to the shark.
I snarled with all the ferocity I could muster, and Kiongozi says that’s a lot of ferocity.
Kiongozi is my adoptive mother and my leader.
The shark swam forward and inch, then another.
I roared for help, but it was a whale call instead of a roar.
The shark was so close I could see its gleaming rows of teeth.
The shark was suddenly barreled to the side by a massive killer whale.
‘Pili!’ I said gleefully.
My adoptive father.
The shark tried to swim away, but the rest of the pod had arrived. Biting, bashing, smashing. I leapt into the fray, and scored my claws down its side. 
The fight was over soon. And now we have shark for dinner!
I ripped off the fins, my favorite part.
Uh oh. Here comes Kiongozi.
’Shujaa, what were you DOING out here by yourself?! I told you, the deeper waters are dangerous, stay away from them.’ She snapped.
’But mom, I was trying to find a shark (a small one, I promise!) for the family to eat!’ I protested.
’Why in the name of the ocean would you do that?’
I glanced around, making sure she wasn’t in earshot.
’It was a dare.’ I mumbled. ‘From Rafiki.’
’RAFIKI!’ Kiongozi roared. ‘Get over here!’
Oops, she WAS in earshot. Shouting earshot at least.
’Why did you tell?’ Rafiki, my sister, demanded. ‘It was just a silly dare! I didn’t actually think she’d do it!’ She protested to my mom.
’You know I take these things seriously.’ I whispered to her. Rafiki rolled her eyes, as well as a orca could.
’No shark fins for a week for either of you.’ Kiongozi said firmly. ‘And no fish eggs either.’
’Whaaaaat?!’ Me and Rafiki exclaimed at the same time. This was about the worst punishment I’d ever gotten. Maybe it was due to the fact that I almost died?
But something tells me that the deeper waters are more dangerous than I know.
= Chapter 2 =
After dinner, I was attacked.
By a heap of little brother.
’Where were you?! You scared us!’ My little brother, Kaka, exclaimed. ‘Don’t EVER EVER NEVER do that again!’
’I won’t, I promise! Promise!’ I said. ‘And besides, it’s partially Rafiki’s fault, so go tackle her instead.’
As he sidled off to go whalepile somebody else, I sighed and turned back to my cave. My cave was a gaping hole is the side of the underwater cliff. The other whales found that I was more comfortable in a enclosed space than drifting around in the ocean.
Over the years, I had decorated it with various seashells, corals, sharks’ teeth, and other trinkets that one finds at the bottom of the sea. But I noticed, it looked like something had rummaged around in here, but that wasn’t surprising. I’m sure Kiongozi got one of the younger orcas to look through here when I was missing.
Right?
As I settled off to sleep, I realized that my favorite object was not there. It was a small ring, with a silver band and an emerald in the middle. 
Whatever. It might’ve gotten blown around in the current. I’ll find it in the morning. 
With that, I settled off to sleep. 
***
Where am I?
’You’re dreaming, of course.’
The large whale that hovered before me was achingly familiar.
’Mzimu!’ I cried, swimming forward to hug him. I mean, as much as one can hug an orca. My claws went right through him.
'Ah!' I yelled, startled.
'I'm sorry, young Shujaa. I am in a different realm than you from now on.' He said.
'O-ok.' I said, angry at my stupid tears. How could I feel sorry for someone who's already dead?
'I come with a warning, Shujaa. Listen carefully.' He began. My ears pricked at the word warning.
'Something is coming our world, fast and fierce. Things are going to change, and you will have to summon the courage from inside you to make it through.'
'Well, what's THAT supposed to mean?!' I demanded, but Mzimu's form was already fading. 
The water around me turned cold suddenly. A void of blackness opened beneath me.
I screamed as I fell in.
= Chapter 3 =
I awoke suddenly to the sound of orcas screaming.
I blew out of my cave, swimming as fast as my wings would take me.
What I saw, I will never forget.
Harpoons.
Blood.
Blue and green scales.
More dragons.
With my vison tinted red, I roared as loud as possible and dove at the nearest dragon.
He looked at me with surprise and roared something at me. I roared more unintelligible sounds as I slashed his underbelly. When I was finished with him, I spun around, ready for more. 
But that didn't happen. 
I was now surrounded by sharp points and blue and green scales. 
But. 
I also had a perfect view of my family, getting away while I made a huge distraction. Injured, but all alive. I saw Rafiki struggling, trying to get back to help me but the rest of the pod held her back. 
'GO! GO! RAFIKI, I'LL BE FINE, YOU GET OUT OF HERE!' I screamed louder than I ever have before. She apparently heard me, and spun around to get back with the pod. 
Silent tears rolled down my snout, but I whirled around, growling at the dragons. 
The biggest of them, a dark aquamarine male, grumbled something at the rest of them. The others then produced ropes and weird metal things. 
They darted foward and tied me up before I could even blink. I thrashed as hard as I could, but to no avail. 
Then they tried to force me on land. That was a mistake. I managed to scratch several before the big one rubbed his temples and growled something. 
I was so busy watching him, I didn't see the light blue one lift a rock from the seafloor. 
He bashed me in the head, and darkness engulfed me. 
= Chapter 4 =
When I woke up, I was on land.
The orcas had always warned me that there were bad things on land, don't go there.
But here I was, and I HATED it.
I shrieked, drawing the the attention of the dragons.
I was laying in sand, but not the wet, soft, underwater sand that I was used to. This sand was hot and gritty and it stuck in between my scales and in my mouth nope no no I hate this get me in the water. There were huge tall brown things tipped with green... Kelp?... that made rustling noises in the wind. And wind was kind of like a current, but out of water.
My mouth was also untied, so when the dragons came closer, I could bite them. Yippee!
One of the dragons poked me in the neck with his spear thingy, and I promptly grabbed it in my mouth and yanked it out of his talons, then spit it out in the other direction. He called something to the other dragons, and then he grabbed my head and held it while another tied my mouth shut again.
They grabbed more rope, tying it in a harness around me.
Then they took off in the air.
And as it turns out, I hate heights.
I screamed so loud that most of them nearly fell out of the sky in fright. I curled into a tiny ball and squeezed my eyes shut, wishing I was with my family in the ocean.
***
I hit the ground with a thud. 'OW!' I said, the first real word I've said since being captured. The other dragons looked at me, puzzled.
'What? I just said ow.' They looked more puzzled.
When they recovered from the massive shock I apparently gave them, I studied my surroundings. I'm at a huge palace-like structure, but I'm not that impressed. I've only ever been impresed by nature, not dragon-made objects.
More dragons are here now, staring at me and growling things at me.
'What do you even want?! Speak to me real so I can answer!' I shouted. Gasps and whispers ran through the crowd.
Even more puzzled, I stood up, realizing all my bindings were off, except for the weird ones on my wings. My gills fluttered in frustration.
I glanced around, studying the faces surrounding me. I wasn't that good at dragon expressions, but from what I could see, it ranged from puzzled to angry to fearful.
I snarled and leapt at the nearest dragon, a pale blue one.
Then a dragon whacked my head with a rock.
Again, I was out.
= Chapter 5 =
Days pass. Weeks. As they come and go, I get more and more depressed.
A dragon family "adopted" me. More like they bought me so the could have someone to scream at. But I have a "brother" who keeps trying to be nice. I try to bite him instead.
I start learning Dragon, because apparently I can only speak Orca. I know a bunch of words now, but I'm nowhere near the number for my age, which is apparently 7.
And dragons make me really, really, really mad sometimes. 
Like when my owners (I refuse to call them family.) tie me up every night, so I can't make an attempt to escape. 
Or when they scream and hit me because I'm a bit clumsy out of water and drop a bowl of squid (by accident, I swear!). 
Or when my “brother” calls me “Rivulet” instead of MY NAME, which is Shujaa. Argh. It’s really hard not to bite people. 
Speaking of my brother. 
”Are you ok? Rivulet? Are you ok?” Cove asked me. 
I pointed at myself. “My. Name. Is. Shujaa. Use it.” I hissed. 
He blanched and mumbled, “Oh, a-alright then…” 
“What do you want?” I growled, still angry. 
”I wanted to show you the rest of the Summer Palace. It’s absolutely-“ A growl I didn’t know. 
”What?” 
“Yes, I want to show you the Palace!” He said, bouncing on his talons. 
”No, not that, the WORD.” I said, getting frustrated. 
”The Summer Palace?” 
“NO YOU FISH BRAIN! THE WORD YOU SAID AT THE END OF THE FIRST SENTENCE!” I roared at him. He yelped in fear. 
”Oh, you mean-“ the growl again. 
”Yes, that.” I said, fuming. 
”It means beautiful, spectacular, amazing, awesome…” 
I repeated the word until I got it. “Alright fine, let’s go to the the ‘magnificent’ Summer Palace.” 
*** 
”It’s not magnificent, you fish brain.” 
Cove sighed and flicked his green tail back and forth. “Why is it not?” 
”Because it’s a dragon thing. I only appreciate nature things.” 
Cove mumbled under his breath. 
”What was that?” I hissed. 
”Umm, nothing.” He said, glancing sideways. 
”What was it?!” I said, a bit louder this time. 
”I said, nothing.” 
”IT WASN’T NOTHING YOU FISH BRAIN!! TELL ME WHAT YOU SAID!!!” I roared. 
”I SAID YOU'RE THE FISH BRAIN!” He yelled, matching my volume, which surprised me. 
I snarled and slashed my claws across his snout. Cove yelped and fled out of the room. 
= Chapter 6 =
Cove came back later that day, with some fish eggs.
I was pacing my room, fuming to myself, when he stopped in the door. I didn’t notice him at first until he cleared his throat and I jumped.
”What do you want?” I snarled, with a prick of guilt in my chest at the sight of his not-yet-healed snout.
”I brought some fish eggs for you. I just wanted to check on you.” That wasn’t all. I had always been able to sense if the whole truth wasn’t told.
”And what else?” I asked, relishing his startled face.
”I’ll tell you in a minute.”
He sat the late with the fish eggs close to me, then scooted back and sat a bit farther away. He watched as I dug into the fish eggs. Mmmm. Grouper eggs. My favorite.
“Do you want some?” I said against my will.
”If that’s alright with you.” He said, inching closer.
I sighed in frustration. “I won’t bite. Unless you make me mad again.” I added.
”U-uh ok.”
He grabbed a talonful of eggs and we ate in silence for a moment, until I broke the spell.
”What was it that you wanted?”
Cove faltered for a moment.
”Teach me to speak Orca!” He blurted.
I was shocked.
“Why do you want to know that?” I asked, puzzled.
”I just thought it would be nice to understand it.” He said. “I thought it would help me understand you better.”
The shock on my face was very apparent.
”It’s fine, you don’t have to.” Cove mumbled. 
I walked over to him and looked him over while he shifted uncomfortably.
”Joka.” I said finally.
”….What?”
”That’s your name now.” I said, satisfied.
“Um…” Joka started.
”You’ll get used to it.” I said, with a playful punch at his arm. Joka practically screamed and jumped through the roof.
”Calm down, I was just playing.” I said.
”Playing? Does that mean we’re friends now?” He asked with a smile.
”More like acquainted.” I said, smiling back.
= Chapter 7 =
Joka was basically the only nice dragon in the SeaWing tribe.
And I swear to the eggs that hatched the world (Joka told me that one) that I will BITE anyone who threatens him.
For example, yesterday was my first day at dragon school.
I never had school with my orca family. They taught me survival, which I believe is more important than science, math, reading, and such.
But some bullies today were harassing Joka. And I taught them a better lesson than they’ll EVER learn in school.
“Hey Cove! Where’s your coo-coo sister!?” One yelled, while the others laughed their heads off. I stepped into the shadows to observe.
”She’s not here…” Joka mumbled, stepping to the back a little.
”Oh well, I guess we’ll have to settle for beating YOU up!” The biggest yelled as he and the gang took a step forward.
”Don’t you DARE touch him!” I said, leaping out of the shadows and into the dragons’ way.
”Well, well, well, look who it is. The killer whale. Or should I say, baby whale?” He said with an infuriating baby voice.
”Shujaa, don’t do anything!” Joka muttered in a warning tone.
”Do anything? HA! I’ll bet all the fish in the sea that this baby whale can’t hurt me!” The bully threw back his head and laughed again.
I calculated the fight before it happened. The bully was bigger than me and had strength in numbers. But I was probably faster and had the element of surprise.
I jumped at the dragon’s face and covered his eyes with my front claws while digging into his shoulders with my back.
”HEY! GETOFFGETOFFGETOFF!!” He screamed. 
“Better think twice about messing with the ‘baby whale’s’ brother again.” I hissed in his ear, then I leapt off.
”Come on let’s go.” I muttered to Joka, pulling him along while he stared in shock.
***
”That was absolutely nuts.” Joka scolded me.
”Why? I couldn’t just LET them beat you up.” I retorted.
”Rrr. I suppose you’re right.” He said. I wanted to ask more, but he moved on to the room in which I taught him Orca.
”Password?” I said with a grin.
’Whales-are-cool.’ Joka said, struggling a bit with the accent.
‘Let’s go!’ I responded.
”Can you tell me how to say I need help?” Joka asked. 
“Alright, repeat after me.” I said. 
‘I need help.’
’I-need-home.’ He tried.
I laughed. “You said I need HOME!” I said. “Try again.”
’I need help.’
’I-need-help.’
”You got it!” I said gleefully, grinning.
He smiled back at me.
= Chapter 8 =
Joka was a fast learner. In about a week, he knew about half the Orca language. And the accent was near perfect.
We use it as sort of a code, for example, whenever the bullies are tailing him, he’ll mutter the ‘I need help’ code and I’ll come running.
It’s also a way for me to get good answers on my test. >:) hehe
I’ll make eye contact, then say the question number quietly. Joka will hum the answer back to me. He’s the best.
But then the murders start.
Two dragons have been found dead, floating in the water around the Summer Palace. They have been identified as Ray and Wave, two palace guards. No body knows why the were killed.
But today, I get to meet the SeaWing queen, and her daughter.
I'm SO excited. Yay...
"Who is this?" Princess Aqua demanded from her spot on the princess throne. She had a snooty, I'm-better-than-you look.
"My name is Rivulet." I say, JUST barely making it without gritted teeth. "And you already know Cove." I gestured with one of my wings.
My "Mother" said snidely, "This is that thing that the gaurds found while they were out scouting and whale hunting." I growled ever so softly.
"Oh yes, I'm glad that you are indoctrinating her well." Queen Depth said. Oh yes, VERY ever so VERY VERY well. I thought bitterly. I was thinking about my "Mother's" last explosion, where I had been TRYING to clean the floor but the soap bucket spilled. Personally, I think that made it very clean. Buuut "mother" (Whose name is Gull, but I call her Ukatili.) didn't think so, and I got bitten twice, then locked on the roof in the harsh sunlight. I was so distracted that Aqua came down from her throne and slapped me in the face, saying, "I asked you a question! Give me an answer, creature!" 
"Maumivu!" I shouted in shock, recoiling.
Aqua narrowed her eyes. "What?" she said in a low, dangerous tone.
"Um, I-I uhh..." I stammered. Joka and I had agreed to keep our secret langauge to ourselves.
"She had a head injury from the guards attacking her when they found her," Joka leapt in. "She says messed up things all the time." He said with a snort and a fake look of disdain.
"Ni kweli." I muttered as emphasis. "What was your question?"
Aqua scowled but continued. "How did you survive so long on your own without anyone's help?"
"Um..." I wasn't sure if it was smart to spill my secrets to this snooty princess. But I didn't want another slap in the face or worse.
"There was this pod of orcas," I started. "They... Took me in I guess. Raised me." 
"So... You can speak Orca?" Aqua probed. That was a bit to deep for my secretive taste.
"Of course not," I stammered. "That's ridiculous."
Aqua glared at me for a loooong moment.
"Fine." She hissed. "You may go." She resettled herself on her elegant throne. 
I found it funny that Aqua (or Maana) gave orders like she was the queen, even though she was just a silly princess.
"Where are we going now?" I asked, turning to Joka.
"I think there's a feast for the queen's brother's hatching day." He said, rubbing his temples like the concept of life gave him a headache.
"What's a hatching day?" I asked, intrigued.
Joka's talons dropped and he looked at me with wide eyes. "You don't know what your hatching day is?!" He said loudly. Other dargons turned to stare. I snarled at them to hide my embarassment, and grabbed Joka by the wing to drag him to a less crowded corner.
"I DO NOT know what a "Hatching day" is and I want to know NOW." I demanded.
"It's the day you hatch! You know, when you count how old you are."
"Well, I'm told that I'm 7, so when's my hatching day?" I huffed.
"Nobody really knows that... for you, I mean."
I sigh. "Let's go to that feast then."
***
The food here, I don't even have words for.
There is more food here than I have seen in my LITERAL ENTIRE LIFE.
But then, on a silver platter, being delivered to the queen's brother as a special part of the feast, is a gut wrenchingly familiar patter of black and white.
Poossessed by fear, I leapt away from Joka and fling myself toward the platter, eyes only seeing the still, small form...
Of my little brother.
= Chapter 9 =
(Content warning)
I don't really remeber what happened after that.
With my mind a mess of grief and terrible, fierce rage, I began to scream at the top of my lungs to the world, to dragons, to anything that will hear me.
"Ninyi wauaji! Nitawaua siku moja kwa hili! Utajuta kwamba umewahi kuthubutu kuogelea baharini! Utaamka siku moja matumbo yako yakimwagika baharini! HAUTAWEZA kuwaza kulipiza kisasi nitakachowapa ninyi nyote!"
I don't know what those words mean. The meaning came to me soon enough, but I'm getting to that.
After that, all I really recall is blurs of green, blue, and other colors as my claws tear into Tidal, the queen's brother. More blurs, now accopanied with sharp points stabbing into me as I finish Tidal, then spin to repay the murder of my brother over and over again, knowing that no amout of revenge will heal my shattered, shocked mind.
Darkness over my memory until I'm back in I'm back in my house, locked in the cellar. Trapped in my mind of crashing grief, I attack anything live that comes near me with a terrible fierceness, killing three guards and nearly Joka as well, earning him several new scars along his tail and back, as well as a cracked horn as I attempted to shred it off.
Suddenly, after about a week and a half, according to Joka (who reaccounted all these events) I had a sudden moment of clarity at what I had done. Now a numbing sadness over the loss of my little brother, Kaka, chased out almost all thoughts. 
No more dragons attempted to come into the cellar anymore, and other than the food thrown down once a day, there is no activity.
Later that night, I dream.
Mzimu gazed at me, love and anguish in his eyes.
I gasp. I had not seen my dream grandfather since I was captured. It hurt my heart all the more.
The shadows next to him swirled, and my heart nearly shattered again.
"Kaka!" I cried, sprint-swimming over to hug him. My claws passed through him like he was smoke.
Like he was a dream.
Tears form in my eyes, but I won't cry.
"What did they do to you?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper.
"I did die, Shujaa." Kaka responded, voice glimmering with wisdom beyond his years.
"What... What were those words I yelled?" I asked, fearing the answer.
"Promises of revenge, my dear. You have a strong togue." Mzimu said.
"I-I... What?" I may be violent sometimes, with bouts of helpless rage, but I do not intend to kill dragons. At least, in my right mind.
"We must go now." Mzimu sadly said.
"What? But you didn't even give me advice! Don't go yet!" I cried, but the water around me was already sudderingly cold. My vision blackened and I fell down a cold, swirling vortex of darkness.
= Chapter 10 =
I awoke to crystal clear clarity. 
No more anger, no more crushing sadness. I was still sad, of course, but it wasn't taking over my whole mindspace.
A gentle breeze caught my attention, and I saw the trapdoor to the cellar half open.
Oh ho ho, yes, I thought. No more stinky cellar!
I climbed out and tiptoed through the house quietly. The sun was warn on my cold, dry scales, and I dove in the nearest pool I could find and rolled in it. Ahhh, that felt good.
The palace was deserted, devoid of life.
I realized I was hungry, so I crept to the kitchens, hoping to snag some fish eggs maybe.
Just my luck. 2 guards stood just inside the pantry, talking in hushed tones.
"What should we do?"
"Tell the queen, I guess."
"But she's our only-" A word I didn't know. It took all my sanity not to roar with frustration.
"But still. the queen can have more."
The second guard huffed. "I'm going to get more fish."
Time passed. The guard did not return.
Where is he? He should be back by now!
The other guard sensed this too but didn't leave her post.
Soft talonsteps, creeping slowly toward the pantry. I duck out of sight.
Good, it's the other guard coming back. But there something erie about the quietness of the approach that made my scales crawl.
A soft tink of silver metal....
The second guard lay dead on the floor, bleeding from the knife in her throat.
Standing above her...
Was Princess Aqua.
= Chapter 11 =
"Muuaji!" I whisper-scream hysterically. 
Aqua turns in my direction. My breath catches and I freeze, not breathing.
She yanks out the knife and slowly walks away.
Hyperventilating, I race back to the house and pounce on Joka, the first time I've seen him in almost 2 weeks.
"AHHH!!" He screams, desperately trying to break free.
"Shut up! I saw something terrible!" I roar in his ear. That's when I get a good look at what I did to him.
He has scars all down his spine and tail, a new cut on his cheek, a cracked horn that must hurt a lot, and a torn sail about halfway down his neck. No wonder he's hysterical.
"Shujaa?" He said, voice hopeful. "You're all right!" 
"Wait, you were worried about me?" I ask, dumbfounded. 
"Of course!" He cried. "Your my sister!"
"Well, emotional reunion aside, I witnessed a murder." His eyes go wide. "And it was Muuaji, Princess Aqua."
***
The plan is set. I will go confront Muuaji about her murder, and then have Joka set in my room that night in case she tries to do it to her witnesses.
As I creep to the palace, I notice that shadows are slipping around, following me. I whirl, but nothing is there. I'm getting weird feelings.
"Aqua!" I shout, seeing her barely in the shadows. I run toward her and tackle her before she gets away. "WHY DO YOU MURDER 4 DRAGONS?" 
Muuaji laughed a brittle, high-pitched laugh. "Murder? What are you talking about, insane dragon?"
I nearly rip her ears of right then and there. "You know what I'm talking about, MURDERER!"
I leap away from her and hurry away.
***
Creeeaaaak.
The soft sound of talonsteps on wood.
Creeeeeeeeaaaaaak.
I can almost hear Muuaji thinking, Geez, someone needs to replace these floorboards.
I force myself to lie as still as I can, pretending to be asleep. My heart pounds as I feel Muuaji and her knife getting closer and closer.
My night vision is kicking in by the time I open one of my eyes to a tiny slit. I can see Muuaji's form creeping close on one side of the bed, holding a knife that gleamed softly in the dim light. My muscles clench.
She stands over my bed.
Joka falls from the roof, onto her back, yanks the knife out of her talon and throws it across the room. While that happens, I grab a rope and quickly bind her talons and snout while she writhes in rage.
"Stop it! That's an order!" Muuaji hisses through gritted teeth.
"Why do you think I would listen to you, murderer?" I shoot back.
"Why are you killing dragons? You're our princess." Joka asked, still on her back.
"Those dragons were criminals!" She snarled. "When I'm queen, the kingdom will be rid of all troublemakers!"
"Why are you trying to kill me?" I ask, but I already know the answer.
She barked a harsh laugh. "You killed the queen's brother and many more! You're just as much of a murderer as me, perhaps more!" 
I hesitate. I had avoided the topic of my, um, raging moments when they rarely came up.
"Also, you an-" Muuaji said, again using that word I didn't know. 
Joka's eyes wided, and he stared at me in shock, as if I suddenly turned into a nine-tenacled octopus.
"What? What's that word?!" I cried.
Muuaji smirked coldly at my dumbness. "Long ago, but not that long, there was a dragon who tried to flee with the queen's sister's egg." 
My mind whirled. "You mean I'm-"
"Hah! Yes." Muuaji scoffed. "You're in line for the throne of the SeaWings."
= Chapter 12 =
"B-but she doesn't have the wing pattern!" Joka cried. I was dead to the world as things moved in slow motion. 
"Hah!" Muuaji scoffed. "Genetic defect. The Queen's sister, Seahorse, had it too. I realized the truth about Rivulet the moment I saw her eyes. The brilliant green, my strongest memory of late Seahorse." He voice softens for a moment, then back to her ferocity. She smiled sweetly. "Now what are you going to do? Kill me?" 
With a startling jolt, I come back to reality and realize what she's trying to do here. If we kill her for her crimes, then there's no one left for the throne. 
Except me. 
But I don't want the throne. I growl fiercely at her little game while she smiles. She knows we must let her go if I don't want to inherit the throne. And I don't. 
But we can't let a murderer go unpunished. "Let's bring her before the queen." I suggust. 
And as if I'm royalty, they obey without a word. 
*** 
"Aqua, I am extremly disapointed in you." 
Queen Depth's voice rang out across the court, while Muuaji stood defiantly in the center of the court. 
"You have comitted 4 accounts of murder, and 1 of attempted murder." 
Muuaji stood glaring at her mother. 
"Any words against this?" 
"Um, yes!" Muuaji cried. "Those dragons were criminals! They deserved to die!" 
"Justice is to be carried out by the court, not upstart young dragons." 
"But-" 
"Just because you are the princess doesn't mean you have the right to whatever you want. I'm sorry for letting you feel that way." 
Muuaji was quiet for a second. Before she could open her mouth to protest, Queen Depth (Or Hakimu) ordered, "Guards, take her to the dungeon in the Deep Palace. We have other business to attend." 
For a moment I thought that meant the trial was over. Then everyone turned and stared at me. "What? What'd I do??" 
"As Aqua is in the dungeon and is being punished for murder, you are the only heir to the throne, and I am getting old. I will soon be unable to have eggs. I am asking if you would like to stay and assume the title of princess." 
I'm shocked. Stay? Be a princess? Have power and influence and wealth? 
Many of the dragons are staring at me, awaiting my choice. I can see in their eyes that some think I would make an excellant leader, while others haven't quite forgiven me for my rage moment. 
I think I didn't have another choice. 
"If I may, I would like to go home." 
= Epilogue =
I swam eagerly through the waters of the north sea. I look around furitively for traces of my pod. 
Of course Joka came with me. Ukatili was happy to get rid of me, but if she had a heart, it showed the most microscopic corner when she told him bye.
'Hurry up slowpoke!'
'I'm try-ing.' Joka was still learning, but he'll get it fast.
I open my mouth and taste-smell the water. Maybe...
There! The faintest trace of orca, passing through quickly.
I swim as if my wings are possesed, with Joka scrambling to catch up. I whistle.
A faint hum, pulling me northeast.
'Kiongozi! Pili! Rafiki! I'm coming home!'
'What are these names?' Joka asks, but I'm almost too far ahead to hear.
Beautiful black and white patterns come barreling toward me. But they shoot past, moving with determination straight for Joka.
'Stop! Stop! He's not an enemy!' I cry.
I fling myself in front of him and snarl. 'Stop! He's with me.'
Understanding dawns in their eyes, and finally one whale swims forward. 'Shujaa? Is it- is it really you?'
'It is Rafiki, it is!' I leapt forward and grab her flippers. Oh, I've missed this so much!
I am home.
= The End =
Whew, finally! That took actually longer than I thought. Be sure to check out the sequel, An Orca's Pod. Thanks for reading!
= Gallery =
Idk add some stuff
Category:Fanfictions
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