Read Dolphin Way: Rise of the Guardians for Free Online

it. You’re imagining things again. Listen, I know how important it is for you to finish this last year at the Academy well. Here’s my advice: keep away from Dusk if you can’t avoid talking about philosophical things — it always ends in a fight and I hate having to listen to it. Now, no more about this please; here’s the clan.’
    As they closed with the shallow water near the shoreline they found themselves in the happy confusion of the Dune Coast Clan. The water was full of sound as the dolphins moved about in sociable groups; playing, flirting, hunting. Sky realised that there was at least one more family present now that had returned to the clan after having been away for a couple of years. He tried to remember how many that made their number now; he guessed at about sixty-five: a big clan. He and Muddy threaded their way through the groups and among the small isolated coral heads that protruded from the sand. Then there was a signature call he knew at once, with an odd, urgent edge to it: ‘It is I, Deneb Rising!’
    They replied with their own calls and Deneb appeared, his pale eyes showing concern.
    ‘ Sky, my mother wants to see you immediately. Follow me.’
    Sky took station alongside Deneb who led him in silence away from the crowds and along the coast where the sandy beach turned to a harsh rock face that fell almost sheer into the water. A narrow vertical fissure in the cliff face continued downwards into the water where it widened, its two inward facing walls dropping away out of sight. They approached this, and as they drew closer, Sky could see the slight form of Silent Waters suspended almost motionless between the towering stone walls, the wavering shafts of sunlight from the surface making her pale skin seem to glow against the dark shadow of the cliffs. Deneb signalled to Sky to continue alone and turned to leave.
    Sky approached her, troubled. In spite of having been raised by her since he was only two, he still shared some of the awe that most of the clan had for their leader. He had never been summoned to see her in this way before, and he struggled to stay calm.
    ‘ You wanted to see me Prime Mother?’
    ‘ Yes, come closer, Sky.’ Her rich, melodious voice would have sounded as composed as ever to most listeners, but Sky detected something: a faint echo of alarm that made his stomach tighten in concern. He stopped in front of her, the two of them hanging almost upright in the rock recess; moving their tails gently to hold position.
    ‘ Sky, you are doing well in your studies.’
    ‘ Thank you Prime Mother, I try. I enjoy most of the lessons.’
    ‘ Your teachers tell me you have great promise. This is your last year as a Novice; if all goes well you will soon qualify as an Initiate of the Way. But there are heavy responsibilities attached. We Ka-Tse have always expected the highest personal integrity of our Initiates: they should not merely be able to quote the Way. They should embody it.’
    ‘ I understand that, Prime Mother, and I want to do exactly that. I do believe in the importance of the Way— it’s allowed us to live in harmony with nature for a million years after all. I want to try to embody its teachings.’
    She nodded slowly, as though to herself. ‘I believe that you do. But I have learned something today that will make others question your right to become an Initiate — will make them want to argue against it in fact.’
    Sky stared at her in confusion. She continued, picking her words carefully.
    ‘ We have had a visitor. He came to seek help from the Healers, they did what they could and he has gone now.’
    Sky nodded. It was Rain Ending of course, the lone dolphin that had approached their hunting party.
    Silent Waters watched him intently as she continued. ‘Sky, you always told us that the rest of your clan died that day on the beach.’
    Sky felt as though his heart had stopped.
    ‘ Yes…they did…I was sure they had.’
    ‘ This visitor told us he was