I'm a Stingray?

Chapter 14: Stiff, struggling and a new friend.

Dipping in the water, damage and risk made clear, the first thing that thunders through Tim's mind is. "I need to get back home!"

And of course when home glows as a golden topic, he means the new den, it's a home although technically it's just a hole.

What still swims as a massive barricade however, is the fucking large sardine storm taking residence beneath him, or whatever the hell they're doing.

Finding his home in such conditions is nearly impossible unless roaming around like a blind bloak is reasonable to the young Tim.

Normally it would be an option but right now Tim's tail is hurt, feels bruised but quite actually it's sprained. The tail plays a role when swimming and most definitely proves useful in self defence.

Finding his den will be impossible unless these fish swim away but waiting here for a predator to swoop in and bite him in half, isn't a good option either.

So he finally decides through the raging pain, "I have to find my den." And starts swimming down.

Sardines keep bumping into him, nothing serious or comparable to the past situation, they are just randomly swimming fish.

Tad annoying when bigger sardines block his way, the young Tim has to give an extra effort to just slip away from them which is draining energy he doesn't have.

Due to the restraint he feels on the tail, it feels as if stamina is being restricted. As if 10 bars out of stamina got reduced, temporarily banished, and the only ones to his disposal are the 5 other bars.

Thankfully it isn't that hard to slip through sardines either, considering his natural pancake like form, but still he can't help repeating. "Ouch ouch ouch."

Sinking lower, he can harshly spot what looks like freedom. Well it's dark but at least there aren't any more sardines there.

A tad more motivated, as if pain wasn't pushing enough, he charges forward with a bit more energy and instantly feels as if his tail muscles are crackling. "Ouch ouch! Fuck!"

[Health, -2 bars.]

"Okay, okay I need to slow down." Tim spoke to himself and started slapping the sea water in a way that wouldn't allow the tail to move much.

The darkness becoming more attractive, sinking a lot lower right now compared to the starting point above, he notices how the sardine masses are slowly reducing.

Taking his time to sink about 20 meters lower, he stops, looks up and notices how the sardine storm is well above the young stingray's head. "Okay, this is progress. Okay okay okay, now where is my home?"

Asking that question, panic no doubt along with enthusiasm, he starts comprehending a prime fact. "This is nowhere near my home."

Trying to think of another plan, another procedure to take, the system breaks his brain storm with words worthy of consideration.

[Danger!]

[Danger!]

[Danger!]

[You've swam too deep, you're currently 220 meters underwater!]

"Why didn't you tell me earlier?" Tim shouted while panicky swimming up, to avoid anymore damage but at this point it seems impossible.

[The sardine school above you are making the waters lighter, so it took a bit longer for you to receive damage.]

"Ouch!" His tail stung, rather in pain still and rushing made it worse.

[Health, -2 bars.]

Swimming higher, aiming towards the sardines where at least he can survive a bit easier, Tim keeps thinking. "Is this the end? I was just getting used to this body..."

[Health, -2 bars.]

"I'm trying my best!" Tim shouts, feeling himself 10 meters away from the cloud.

[Health, -1 bars.]

And at this point, he has reached the cloud again and thankfully this time the system brings kinda good news.

[Safe depths reached.]

[Your total health is = 42/100]

"This is shit! System, help me find my home!" Tim insists although expects that the system will enhance it's greed now that desperation is a topic.

[Dangerous situation protocol measures activated.]

[Measures will end once guest is safe.]

[Free survival tip upcoming, such tips have to be bought as an option.]

[Swim 50 meters higher, and then turn left until you find the border between shallow waters and deep waters.]

"You mean that big dark ditch thing, the one near my home?" Tim questions, trying to understand the tip and already following it.

[Yes, you're currently in that so called ditch. The border is your best friend, find it.]

Soaring through the sardine cloud, roaming across slowly for the sake of not receiving tail damage, a fact goes through his mind right now. "Predators won't find me here, it's too crowded."

Then again he thinks about meeting a barracuda through the same cloud who followed all the way back to the den and can't help worrying. "What if a predator finds me again?"

Thoughts roamed in his head and we can't say that any of them were positive considering the damage and situation, but after a few minutes of struggled swimming he meets what looks like the border.

Well, it's mostly sandy with a hunch of rock, and a long almost straight line stretches left and right. Wanting to be sure of this success, he once more questions the system. "Am I close to my den? Help me system."

[System can't pinpoint the den location but you are progressing, search this area for the den.]

[Avoid the darkness that's behind this border, your den can't possibly be there.]

Tim can see the border but yet it's crowded, with health as a prime concern, he looks at a sardine and takes a bite, regardless of how full he feels.

To slim the odds of getting an overly bloated tummy which can make this situation worse, the young stingray slaughtered the smallest sardine he could find.

And the system laid out various stats but the one Tim is most interested in is, [Health, +1 bar.]

WIth the same idea in mind, he goes for another sardine... but ends up kissing what he doesn't want to kiss.

A nose appears in front of him but far different from that of a sardine, less pointy and a bit wider.

Surprisingly, the species in question speaks stingray and accurately deciphers. "I need your help, I have an offering."

And right after, drops a few sardines out of its mouth, that are bitten in half.

Seeing it as an opportunity, Tim explains the situation with an aid of a beg. "My tail is hurt, help me find my den."

And indeed the situation is becoming hazardous health wise, the tail keeps feeling numb by the minute and movement through fins is becoming restricting as well.

Having a better view of the creature, it looks like a shark but much smaller than what he's used to. Looks twice the size of a full grown sardine, probably half a meter long.

Yet this one isn't hostile, and even offers solutions. "By any chance, do you have dead things in your den? I can smell a few close by!"

Spotting the golden opportunity to bargain, Tim pitches. "I have a lot of them and I can give you some, I have a barracuda killed as well."

"I don't need food." The shark deciphers, swimming near Tim and laying on the sand.

And offering something that is tad sacrificial, the shark adds. "Swim over me, sink your jaws on my back and hold on, I'll try to go slow."