From _Terror of the Frozen North_
Jul. 13th, 2013 11:32 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
valarltd“There's an uncommon sight off the starboard,” Zimmer said as they came to the deck. “You don't see them this close to land usually, or this close to London.”
Sleek black and white shapes cut through the waves, some rising high enough that Charlie could see the white patches where eyes should be and white bellies. High squeaks and squeals carried across the waves.
“What are they?” he asked, staring. He'd never seen anything like these. There had been a few whales on the trip to London and dolphins in the Mediterranean, but he'd been too seasick to pay them much mind. Now, he watched the darting shapes and gasped when one leaped.
“Orca, Doyle,” came Nigel's voice from where he was leaning on the rail watching them through binoculars. “Killer whales. Beautiful creatures and always hungry.”
Charlie felt Edward go tense and then relax. His lover left his side and went to the rail beside Nigel. “And you'd know all about them, of course.”
Nigel just sent back that infuriating smile, the one that said he was the smartest man in the world, knew it and would happily let everyone else know it as well. “Of course.”
Charlie tried counting. “Are there about fifteen?”
Nigel nodded. “Been watching them for a while now. That big one, that's the leader.” He pointed at an enormous beast, at least twenty feet long and very thick around, who made a low leap out of the water.
Charlie saw Edward's hunting instinct start up, an almost audible event, much like turning propellers. “He'd make a fine specimen.”
“You don't have room for anything that big, not even in the gallery,” Charlie said.
“She,” Nigel corrected. “Orcas are led by a dominant female.” He watched as she leaped again. “And herself is quite pregnant, or she's been eating better than the rest.”
“That settles it,” Charlie said, uncomfortable to find himself on the same side as Nigel and against Edward. “You are not to take to the sea in a tiny wooden boat with a harpoon, Captain Ahab, since you have a job to do in Greenland.”
Nigel went quiet, looking in the water. He smiled. “They're hunting. They've surrounded a school of herring and are tearing right through.”
He offered the binoculars to Edward. Edward shook his head. “I don't have your taste for blood.”
Charlie took the binoculars, wanting a closer look at the beasts. They glided through the water, dark against the tiny silvery shimmers of the herring. Bits of pink flesh, mangled herring and dark blood clouded the water where one of the orca plunged into the fish.
“Careful, Doyle. These things have been known to beach themselves and snatch seals and penguins off the ice floes.” Nigel took his binoculars back with a nasty chuckle. “Stay away from the edge of the ice, dear boy or they might decide to try American secretary.”
Sleek black and white shapes cut through the waves, some rising high enough that Charlie could see the white patches where eyes should be and white bellies. High squeaks and squeals carried across the waves.
“What are they?” he asked, staring. He'd never seen anything like these. There had been a few whales on the trip to London and dolphins in the Mediterranean, but he'd been too seasick to pay them much mind. Now, he watched the darting shapes and gasped when one leaped.
“Orca, Doyle,” came Nigel's voice from where he was leaning on the rail watching them through binoculars. “Killer whales. Beautiful creatures and always hungry.”
Charlie felt Edward go tense and then relax. His lover left his side and went to the rail beside Nigel. “And you'd know all about them, of course.”
Nigel just sent back that infuriating smile, the one that said he was the smartest man in the world, knew it and would happily let everyone else know it as well. “Of course.”
Charlie tried counting. “Are there about fifteen?”
Nigel nodded. “Been watching them for a while now. That big one, that's the leader.” He pointed at an enormous beast, at least twenty feet long and very thick around, who made a low leap out of the water.
Charlie saw Edward's hunting instinct start up, an almost audible event, much like turning propellers. “He'd make a fine specimen.”
“You don't have room for anything that big, not even in the gallery,” Charlie said.
“She,” Nigel corrected. “Orcas are led by a dominant female.” He watched as she leaped again. “And herself is quite pregnant, or she's been eating better than the rest.”
“That settles it,” Charlie said, uncomfortable to find himself on the same side as Nigel and against Edward. “You are not to take to the sea in a tiny wooden boat with a harpoon, Captain Ahab, since you have a job to do in Greenland.”
Nigel went quiet, looking in the water. He smiled. “They're hunting. They've surrounded a school of herring and are tearing right through.”
He offered the binoculars to Edward. Edward shook his head. “I don't have your taste for blood.”
Charlie took the binoculars, wanting a closer look at the beasts. They glided through the water, dark against the tiny silvery shimmers of the herring. Bits of pink flesh, mangled herring and dark blood clouded the water where one of the orca plunged into the fish.
“Careful, Doyle. These things have been known to beach themselves and snatch seals and penguins off the ice floes.” Nigel took his binoculars back with a nasty chuckle. “Stay away from the edge of the ice, dear boy or they might decide to try American secretary.”
