Seeing the ocean was nothing like looking out over First Shore Lake. It had a weight to it, as if you could feel the millions of thousands buckets of water making it up just by looking at it. Nor did I like the hungry impression the lapping waves gave off; as if the waters knew they surrounded the land, rather than the other way around, and they were determined to conquer more.

The large white shape rising out of the water out of the water didn’t help the impression either. The bulbous thing was still a good distance from the shore but the multitude of odd flickering movements abnormally shifting the water near its side didn’t bode well.

Creed said, “Two score, probably at least a handful more.”

My eyebrows crept up. How were a squad of four with six seedlings tacked on as an afterthought supposed to hold and distract at least forty-five fish warriors long enough for the other two squads to dispatch the Shore Eater? I knew in Mishtaw’s eyes the six of us only made up of the skill of a single veteran fighter and that was mostly because of Breck. It didn’t even make us equal with the other two squads who had six and seven members, respectively.

We were hidden in a dip in the scrubland leading up to the sandy shore. Apparently, the Shore Eaters were drawn to beaches as they were the easiest to consume, but if we were spotted too early by the fish folk they would go harrying off to some spot we weren’t ready to defend. They had already done a few “feedings” at this beach before, but the whisper women hadn’t managed to kill the beast before getting pushed back while the Shore Eater and its defenders retreated.

The plan was simple. We were supposed to surprise the enemy soon after the Shore Eater started to feast as it would be more difficult for them to immediately slink back into the ocean then. When we surprised them we would drive a wedge between the defending fish, splitting their fighting power and creating an opportunity for the squads hidden behind us to easily attack the Shore Eater. From there, we were expected to hold out until the beast was dead and its defenders had also died or fled back into the briny water.

Since Mishtaw plainly thought that most of us seedlings would die as soon as a spear was thrust in our direction, we had the honor of rear guard while she and Creed held the left flank and Eliss and Petra held the right. Despite the number disadvantage, none of them showed any outward worry. All I could see was steely focus tinged with perhaps some eagerness from Creed and Eliss.

Not that that was surprising given that they were veterans who were prepared for a difficult fight. Each of the four wore shin length coats of thick, padded cloth and simple, ugly if functional leather caps protected their heads, back of their necks, and cheeks. Creed had a heavy two handed spear by his side that was longer than I was tall and a wicked dagger strapped to his waist. It made me wonder where he had found a branch long and strong enough to make the impressive weapon. The other three also had spears but they were more on standard with what I used to huntresses having. They also had slings and pouches of stones along with a dagger on their belts. There wasn’t time to speculate on what that might mean, but I thought it meant something.

As for the cohort and I, we also wore thick padded coats to protect us from an errant blade. Mishtaw and her squad had apparently stayed up the night before procuring the garments and cutting them down to size for us. However, there weren’t any helmets small enough to fit us, so we had to take the risk of going without those and our weapons were more varied. I had my spear, sling, and knife as backup. They all had sling and their knives as well, but Prevna added a whip to her arsenal along with her spear and Idra was looking forward to trying out the stone hammer she had been training with. Ento had her dual daggers and Breck hadn’t held back with a spear in one hand and lasso, sling, and knife on her belt. Juniper joined me in having the three most basic weapons. I thought the others should have stuck to them too, given that the whisper women likely knew what worked best against the fish, but they were determined to put their unique skills to use. Mishtaw, for her part, had noted the range of weapons with a look that said to use what you were comfortable with or risk death—this wasn’t the time to play around with new toys. That’s when Prevna’s whip was returned to her hip and Idra stubbornly held onto her hammer.

The Shore Eater was nearly to the shore, smaller shapes briefly popping up around it as the fish started to survey the surrounding area with more intensity.

“Blessings be upon the deaths I bring today.” Mishtaw pricked her wrist, despite not having a mark there, and let the blood drip onto her spear. I supposed that made more sense before a fight than shifting around layers of protective clothing to prick her mark, wherever it was hidden. And while pricking your mark was the traditional thing to do, if someone happened to have a mark with..awkward placement pricking their wrist was an acceptable alternative.

Creed, Eliss, and Petra also pricked their wrists before tucking their prayer needles away. “Blood and honor we offer to the goddess.”

Awkwardly, and not in unison, we followed their lead and repeated the second half of the prayer. The others were already tensing to spring as we hurried to put our needles away. I shifted slightly, checking the healer’s work once again before the fight began. A dull ache persisted throughout my side, but the intense stab of pain at regular movement had dulled to an uncomfortable twang. I knew the curling-up-into-ball pain was only a bad twist away, but as long as I didn’t forget myself, I could fight. Grudgingly, I had to admit Trish had done a good job.

Really, I was surprised Mishtaw had decided I could still come along, but she had given strict orders we could only fight the fish that slipped past the flanks and from the way she said it at the time, she didn’t believe there would be many of those.

It didn’t take me long to learn why.

The enemy party reached the shore, but we stayed put as the two shovel-like front claws of the Shore Eater began to shove yellow sand into its maw and fish poured onto the shore, bulbous eyed and slapping wetly against the sand. Another long moment passed as the Shore Eater shifted its bulk to gain better access to the beach. It settled, legs splayed out grotesquely.

Mishtaw bolted forward and our whole squad followed, close on her heels. Blood pounded in my ears in time with our near silent steps. We crossed half the distance between us and the landing party before one of the fish shifted, spotted us, and let out a burping cry. I shuddered as the horrible sound was taken up by the rest of the party and blue spears were lifted into the air in challenge.

Despite Mishtaw’s head start, Creed reached the enemy first. The big man pushed passed the first fish’s defense, stabbed it through the eye, and flung the body off his spear and into two charging fish. The whole exchange lasted barely three seconds and didn’t seem to cost him much effort.

Mishtaw took advantage of the opportunity he provided and stepped up to stab one of the now off balance fish in the chest. It squelched and fell, yellow blood draining from its chest as she withdrew her weapon.

Eliss and Petra hit the fish on our other side with equally effective and quick attacks. In the space of a handful of seconds they cleared the area in front of the beast’s head and the other seedlings and I had to step out of the way as the other two squads rushed in.

They dove and wove around the Shore Eater’s claws, aiming for the base of its stout neck. One still got knocked to the ground and another barely escaped the beast’s fetid, gnashing teeth as it shifted from focusing on its feast to defense more quickly than I thought possible. Fish defenders clambered up its legs and onto its back to help protect the vulnerable spot while others rushed my squad to steal back the ground we had gained.

I made a quick decision and shoved my short spear into its spot on my belt before pulling my sling and a stone free. I’d be more help with a ranged weapon and while I might not be a genius with the sling, I knew I wasn’t bad enough to accidentally hit someone on our side with a stone.

Stone in pouch, too close to the others to spin overhead unless I wanted to nail one of the taller girls in the temple, cross body spin then, build momentum…release. One of the fish on the Shore Eater jerked back and fell out of view, a stone lodged in its chest.

No time to dwell on that. Load stone, spin sling, release. I started with two dozen stones in my pouch, twenty two left. Keep count, find target, spin…release. The stone went wide, but the fish flinched enough that it gave a nearby whisper woman the opening she needed to stab it with her spear.

I meant to keep track of the entire battle, so that I could help where it was most needed and not be caught unaware, but my focus narrowed to the top of the Shore Eater without me noticing. Which was why when a disturbance happened to my right, Eliss and Petra’s side, it took me a longer moment than it should have to process what was happening.

A fish, twice as large as the others, golden orange with thick looking scales and claws where its front fins should be, had broken through our right flank. Petra was on the ground, spear still in hand but her left shoulder was bleeding badly. Eliss stood near her, skin textured unusually, no doubt her blessing, and only her dagger in hand. Her spear was embedded in the thing’s side. Other fish started to swarm forward.

“Ento! Idra! Protect the right flank!”

They didn’t need to be told twice. The pair was already surging forward as I swung my gaze around to find Juniper standing with her feet planted, hands cupped together in front of her. Water welled.

The giant fish’s fist slammed down on an invisible barrier when it tried to pummel Eliss into the ground. Ento sprinted past her partner and the golden fish to the group of nine beyond. I got an impression of glowing daggers on floating circles before yellow blood sprayed.

Two cries from the left flank. One whooping and unnaturally invigorating, the other a gasp of fear. I shifted and took in the situation there. No doubt Mishtaw had just used her blessing as well but the other shout had been from Creed. He’d caught sight of his wife and hesitated, not for long, not much, but it was still enough to give the fish on that side the edge they needed. Sheer numbers were overwhelming the pair now that their rhythm was broken despite the increased…strength, yes that was it, and perhaps agility, from Mishtaw’s battle cry.

Breck wasn’t about to outdone by Idra and Ento. She ran from where she had been protecting the outside of the left flank, where it looked like some fish had tried to sneak around Mishtaw and Creed when they were out of reach and busy. It didn’t look like the blond girl did anything, but suddenly her presence pressed on my mind and all the fish within thirty feet of her swung around to fixate on her. Even the Shore Eater ignored its attackers for the moment and strained toward her.

Breck didn’t look particularly perturbed to have thirteen or fifteen fish rushing at her. Instead, she readied her spear. When she struck her spear ripped out the back of the first fish, which was considerably more damage than I thought she should be able to do.

So much for being the rear guard.

Mishtaw and Creed set about attacking the unprotected backs of the fish and, not feeling particularly worried for Breck, I switched my attention back to the other side.

Most of the regular fish seemed to be dead over there. Ento seemed to have slashed them all open. Petra was back on her feet and doing her best to stay near Idra. Idra and Eliss had their focus consumed with the monster fish. Prevna had also moved into help, but she was just getting into position to keep the regular fish at bay, so that Ento could help with the main threat.

Juniper’s pearl was glowing and far more water than she previously displayed was flowing from her cupped hands. It ran through the sand and from what I could tell the new stream was a foot from the monster fish’s fins.

She yelled through gritted teeth, “Bring him closer!”

Again, Ento didn’t need to be told twice. She ran across the sand with an ease I refused to envy, leaped, and planted both feet on the fish’s back before jumping off in the next instant. The fish staggered forward a step, not quite to the stream and didn’t fall. Ento slid a little bit on her landing.

Eliss took advantage of the stagger and hooked a foot around a slimy fin, tripping it. The fish fell directly onto Juniper’s little stream and a feral smile burned away any tendrils of the sad air that normally floated around her. Her cupped hands shifted to make an enclosed sphere.

“Surge.”

The pearl flashed brighter and the water under the fish bubbled up into a sphere that enclosed it from head to toe. At first, I wasn’t sure what closing a fish in water would accomplish despite the marvel of it, but Idra and Ento dismissed the creature as soon as it was enclosed.

A minute passed and belatedly I realized the other two groups of whisper women had succeeded in killing the Shore Eater. Then the struggling monster fish began to bloat…and bloat. I looked away before it ruptured.

That was when Prevna caught my gaze and we shared a moment of shock mixed with feeling a bit useless and distinctly out of place. Out of everyone we had done the least to help.

I didn’t like it.