The one-eye Bloodfin grabbed Cal's arm and she screamed.
Jake lashed out. The darkness fell. Deafening screams ripped through the water and turmoil boiled around them. In the confusion Jake felt Cal pulled away from him. Almost at once the darkness fractured and light broke through again. A vast swarm of fat venom slugs had descended and smothered the Bloodfin. Them clamped themselves to their victims, stabbing them with thorny spines and sucked at the wounds, oozing poison into the punctured flesh. The Bloodfin teller in agony and smashed their fists against their own writhing skin. Jake looked desperately for Cal. To his relief he saw she was unharmed below him, buffeted by the churning water, watching the frenzied attack with horror. "Aieee, coach!" An eerie cry pierced the chaos. Immediately the slugs released their victims and gathered in the dense cloud that had cast darkness over them all moments before.
The Bloodfin fled up the ravine. Jake and Cal turned. Out of the murky haze floated a massive, ragged sphere. The vicious plague swam directly towards it. Cal and Jake felt the water contract as the shape moved closer and then, from its heart they heard a shrill voice.
"Come, little one, come."