#bonegun

Galou tightened the left-side of the triangular sail. With one point attached to the craft and the other two in the air, it stretched tall above their toothboat. Moolo smiled. They had been to sea for turns and he was looking forward to seeing the giant, arching spires of his homeship Quola. Their hold was stocked with goods traded from Terrans they had met at The River.

“Do you believe what they said Galou?” He asked.

“What do you mean?” Replied the elder.

“The Terrans. They claimed that their world had as much land as ours had water. That’s madness! What do they eat? Where do their young grow?” His mind was still boiling with questions and Galou could almost swear he could see steam coming from his apprentice’s head. He bubbled with laughter.

“I don’t know lad. Perhaps some day we will visit their land.” Spotting a nearby toothboat he pointed with his tentacle.

“We should signal our intent. Moolo, do you remember the proper signals?” The youth leapt up, a shimmer of bright pink betraying his excitement. Standing facing the other toothboat he raised his arm-tentacles and changed his color to a bright yellow. A Neptunian on the other boat became yellow in acknowledgment. Moolo then shifted his arms to his left flashing green then white. In return he received a flashing of grey and then white.

“They come from the island colonies and are headed to Quola!” He said excitedly. Galou nodded in affirmation, chuckling but then turned a scarlet red. He pushed Moolo to the side, flashing from bright yellow to the red and then to black. Moolo watched the elder’s signals and mouthed a word in horror.

“Seamaw…” The other Neptunians scrambled atop their craft, it’s round deck swaying from side to side as they searched but it was too late. A dark red shape burst from the water, three large tentacles lashing out to grab hold of the terrified crew. The creature, what could be seen above the water, was a short, fat cone ringed with three huge unblinking, yellow eyes. As it pulled the screaming Neptunians towards it Moolo and Galou gazed in terror as the top of the cone split open three ways into a hideous gaping maw. The beast threw the crew of the other toothboat inside and promptly sealed shut it’s mouth. Sitting, calmly floating in the water it began moving towards them.

“Moolo!” Galou startled the youth back to his wits.

“Fetch the bonegun. Down in the hold. Quick as you can!” Without a word Moolo twirled open the hatch to their quarters below. Diving tentacle first he landed and swiftly spun his body around to place it above the hatch to the hold. He flung the second hatch open and was inside the darkened space deep beneath the waves. Though not much of the craft was visible above, a toothboat was a large vessel and could hide up to four decks below the surface. Feeling around, Moolo’s suctioned hand finally rested on the familiar hollow weapon. With a swiftness powered by fear he leapt through the first then the second hatch. He handed the bonegun to Galou. It was a long, thin, hollow tube with a small tube sticking in perpendicular at the end. The opposite side had four similar tubes that stuck out upwards at an angle, like the ribs if a fish. The elder placed a small amount of greyish substance in the front end. He then forced a small dark, stone ball into the same opening. Inserting a firegel capsule inside the small tube in the front he then rested the gun on his shoulder. The whole time Moolo glanced from the elder to the seamaw which was now deadly close. Galou stood quietly as he took aim. The sound of the waves splashing against the boat and the approaching beast’s body churning were all that could be heard. Almost unnoticeably, Galou depressed the capsule and the silence was shattered by a deafening thunderclap. Smoke shot from the rear tubes of the gun as the stone rocketed forward. In an instant it pierced through it’s intended target, the beast’s closest eye. The seamaw roared in pain as red ichor gushed from it’s wound. The water became stained a muddy crimson color and the creature let go a final cry of pain and dipped below the waves. Moolo shouted in joy, pink racing across his body. Galou sighed, his reserve melting away to reveal the grey of relief.

“Great shot elder.” Said the youth. The elder finally smiled.