Behind the Shadows

"I just saw a shark!" Jake screams out, making his voice crack. The rowing boat wobbles while he scurries to the other side to sit behind Sapphire. He then proceeds to give her a look as though he expects her to save him if the Shark decides attack or maybe he just thinks by looking at her like that, it might encourage her to just take the shark down now in a full on fist fight. Sapphire calmly sat on her seat and continued to look down at the water.
"That was a dolphin, you twat" Sapphire states and reaches out a hand to swish at the water. The dolphin approaches it. It gives a few nudges like its inspecting for any dangers. Jake gives out a huff but from the corner of Sapphires eye she can see him edging closer giving the dolphin a curious look. The dolphin gives friendly nudge once it is done with its danger search. Percy had said that any sea creature usually could sense who he was and because of that he would never be in any danger around sea creatures. Sapphire wondered if that was the same with her now.
"Looks like a shark" Jake mumbles. He had crept close enough that he is now beside her leaning over the boat. If he leaned any further out he would take the boat with him. As though hearing him the dolphin swishes a spray of water at him. Sapphire laughs and pets the dolphins head. Jake grumbles and wipes the water off his face. The dolphin starts making odd movements towards the boat. It begins nudging it lightly, but when it gets no reaction from Sapphire except a frown it grabs her hand in it mouth. It's not hard enough to be a bite but its strong enough to pull her further over the edge of the boat. It tugs back in an attempt to get her hand out of it mouth.
"See! Just like a shark" Jake shouts, however makes not attempt to help her. She gives another tug but the dolphin is strong and soon enough she is hanging out of the boat. Her other hand is the only support keeping her half in the boat.
"Jake!" Sapphire hisses. "Help"
"Looks like it wants you to join it in the water" Is all Jake replies with.
"I don't know how to swim" She cries back. Jake laughs but quickly goes silent.
"You're being serious?" He sounds surprised.
Sapphire gasps as she is pulled further out. Her face is inches from the water and the shock hits her when she sees her reflection. Daughter of Poseidon. She is the daughter of Poseidon god of the sea and this is the closest she has ever been to the sea. She sees her scared green eyes staring up at her. It was still strange how much she looked like Percy. The final tug of the dolphins grip breaks through her thoughts and she finds herself falling face first into the ocean with Jake's voice calling after her. Her first and only thought is about how is she supposed to swim. She has never been in water before and has never known how to swim. The water swallows her whole and she instinctively holds her breath. She sinks lower while the panic and shock eats away at her. She can't breath. She can't swim and the dolphin is nowhere to be seen. Had the dolphins intentions been to kill her?
The lower she sinks the darker it gets, but her vision remains clear. She can see everything. A school of fish swim past her and Jelly fish flow upwards. Her effort to hold her breath is failing and her hands begin to claw at her throat as though tearing it apart might help. The dolphin appears in front of her and hits her hands away with its mouth. Another dolphin appears then another. They all sing to each other. In her mind it plays out like a song with no words but she can understand it. Without having the words said to her she knows they want her to breath. They are telling her that she can breath. Slowing taking her hands off her throat she closes her eyes and breathes through her nose. It's not oxygen she breathes in. Its just water, however it does not drown her nor does it even affect her in the slightest. Sapphire gasps. The dolphins follow her deeper in to the water as she sank lower and lower. One of them comes closer and nudges her arm up telling her to hold on. She does and it pulls her up towards the surface but stops before she breaks through. It plays out a songs again and she knows that they want to take her boat to its destination. Her eyes glance at each of them before nodding. Accepting their offer. She its taken out of the water. Jake is hanging half off the boat in shock, staring at her. Sapphire grabs the boat and jumps back on to it.
"Grab the ropes" She barks out an order at the shell shocked Jake. He follows it and grabs all the rope he can and gives it to her. Sapphire ties the ropes ends to the boat and throws the other end into the water for the dolphins to take. The boat Jumps forward causing Jake and Sapphire to fall backwards. She grins at Jake and sits up. Three fins stick out of the ocean where the dolphins are pulling the boat. Jake and Sapphire would be back at camp half blood in no time.

Notes