Shark Wars by Ernie Altbacker Page A

would protect Atlanteans if their ships sank in storms. In return, these landsharks taught them things, just like Oceana told him.
    The Atlanteans were the ones who showed sharkkind how to repair battle wounds and even cure fever from the poisonous stings of urchins and jellies with algae and mosses from the ocean. They forged metal armor for sharkkind, with razor edges to cover fins, a spike for the tail, and protective plating for the flanks. Sometimes humans even swam into battle with sharks, protecting their dorsal topside while breathing air from a bladder made of animal skin! The humans who lived on Europa got jealous of the Atlanteans as they became more and more powerful and finally sank their island. They killed many sharks while doing that. Because of this treachery, all sharkkind vowed never to treat with humans ever again. Now any landsharks that came into the Big Blue were fair game.
    â€œAlthough they’re not really worth it, even the fatter ones,” said Goblin as he made a face. “They’re bony and don’t taste good at all.”
    Goblin also told Gray about the measurements landsharks used. These measurements did seem useful, especially when comparing them against the mako standard of flippers and body lengths. It would be easier to tell someone that a drove of halibut was a thousand feet down than to describe it in tip-to-tails. Gray wondered how the landsharks could be so smart and so stupid at the same time. After generations and generations of sailing on the Big Blue, they still can’t swim better than a turtle!
    â€œWhy are you telling me all this?” Gray asked.
    Goblin smiled. “I see potential in you. Who knows, maybe one day you could be in the Line. Maybe even my first.” The initial emotion that hit Gray wasn’t pride—that would come later. His first emotion was fear, the image of the ferocious, giant Ripper coming to his mind. Ripper wouldn’t like being displaced. Not at all. Goblin seemed to know what he was thinking. “Don’t worry, I’m not asking you to fight anyone today. You’re not ready yet. And besides, we don’t battle for position much anymore. Sharks die often enough without wasting lives.”
    â€œI—I don’t know what to say,” Gray stumbled over his words. “It’s so…umm…weird.”
    â€œWeird to be appreciated?” Goblin nodded. “I get it. Sometimes when you grow up in a shiver where it’s quiet, the sharks in the Line only see you as the pup they scared in the greenie for a joke that one time.”
    â€œOr when you got your head stuck in a bucket,” Gray added.
    â€œWhat’s that now?” asked Goblin.
    Gray coughed. “Nothing. You were saying?”
    â€œWhat I see is a big fin with lots of potential. That’s why you’re going to the Tuna Run with me and the rest of the shiver.”
    â€œYou mean it?” Gray fairly shouted. He was being invited as a hunter ! His own shiver didn’t even want him as a member. Or they hadn’t, until…. Suddenly Gray could only think about his mother. Goblin saw his sadness and bumped him.
    â€œNone of that now,” he told Gray. “You’re going to the Tuna Run, pup. And if you find your family, they’ll see what a great hunter you’ve become. But you need to practice first.”
    â€œPractice for the Tuna Run? How can you do that?”
    Goblin just smiled his toothy smile. “You’ll see.”

CHAPTER 14
    THE GAME WAS CALLED TUNA ROLL. “IT’S NOTHING like the actual Tuna Run, but it’ll help you work on your quickness and side-to-side movement. That’s a good thing to have at Tuna Run and anywhere else in the Big Blue,” Goblin told Gray.
    â€œSounds like fun!” said Snork. The sawfish had regained some of his cheery nature since Gray saw him last.
    Streak jabbed Ripper in the flank with her snout. “He’ll be swimming