With a whoop, Leed dove off the dock. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan dove into the warm, clear water after him. Drenna took Taroon on the boat closer to shore to give him his first swimming lesson.
Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan donned their breathers as Leed treaded water.
“The principal source of food for many Senalis is the rocshore fish,” he explained. “It has a spiny body with three large claws. If you take only one claw, the animal lives and grows another. You spear the fish through the tail, where it has no feeling. Then you grab the claw and twist it hard. Be careful or you can lose your fingers. You can watch me take a claw first, if you like.”
“That sounds like a good idea,” Qui-Gon said.
They dove deep into the lagoon, down where the water was cool and clear. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan followed Leed as he easily speared one rocshore fish, then another, grasping a claw and twisting to sever it, then dropping it into the pouch he wore at his waist. Soon Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon had speared their own rocshores and their pouches were full of the meaty claws.
They were almost ready to return when they saw Taroon and Drenna swimming nearby. Taroon was gliding through the water. Drenna had been a good teacher. Taroon’s long legs and arms coordinated with smooth strokes and powerful kicks. He did not seem awkward as he had on land. He speared one rocshore, then another. Drenna swam beside him, pointing out fish and spearing her own with deft, perfectly aimed shots.
When they surfaced, Taroon grinned, holding up his full pouch. Qui-Gon realized that he had never seen Taroon smile.
“Pretty good, for your first try,” Drenna said. “You are a fast learner.”
“You helped,” he conceded.
“It took me weeks to learn how to swim that well,” Leed told his brother admiringly.
Taroon turned his head to scan the shoreline. Qui-Gon saw that he was trying to conceal his pleasure at Leed’s compliment. “Well, it’s better than drowning,” he said gruffly.
They swam toward the shore of the lagoon, where Leed and Drenna built a fire. They roasted the claws and cracked them open, squirting juice on the claw meat from tart fruit that Leed and Drenna had gathered.
It was a delicious meal. They ate their fill, then discovered that they still had more than half left over.
“We can take these to the Nali-Erun clan,” he said.
They paddled over to the nearby island. The clan had built their homes in the center of the island, underneath the cool shade of the trees. The structures were different from the ones in the main city. Here, they were built with leaves and reeds. They looked flimsy, and some looked ready to tumble down. When Leed held up his present of fish, children ran toward him hungrily.
“Why are they hungry?” Obi-Wan asked.
“They cannot fish in the lagoon,” Leed explained in a low tone. “The Homd-Resa clan controls the surrounding seas. The two clans have recently been at odds. The Homd-Resa conducted a raid and destroyed much of their dwellings. The Nali-Erun had to rebuild quickly. They still have not recovered. And for months now they’ve had to live on fruit and what grains and fish they are able to trade for.”
Taroon raised his thick eyebrows at Drenna. “All Senali watch out for each other?”
Drenna looked uncomfortable. “Naturally some clans have conflicts. I did not say Senali was a perfect world.”
“Why doesn’t Meenon step in?” Obi-Wan asked.
“Because the clans are self-governing,” Drenna explained. “Meenon is more of a symbol to us than an actual leader.”
The Nali-Erun clan happily distributed the fish and offered the group some. Leed refused but took a bag of pashie, the sweet fruit that grew abundantly on the Nali-Eruns’ trees.
Drenna also handed the head of the clan a pouch full of shells she had collected from the sea floor. The clan members held up each shell and admired it. One of the members began to string a few of the loveliest shells on a cord to fashion a necklace.
He held the finished necklace out to Drenna. She took it with a smile, then hesitated.
Her smile turned impish, and she turned to Taroon and placed it around his neck. “Now you are a real Senali,” she said, tilting back her head and smiling up at him.
Taroon was startled. He touched the shells. His eyes met Leed’s. “I am still Rutanian,” he said. “But I am learning.”
They caught small silver fish for the evening meal and Leed made a delicious stew. Taroon ladled it into bowls. Qui-Gon watched as the two brothers passed the bowls between them. There was an ease in their relationship now. The four moons rose, high and full, sending four silver paths down the dark water.
They sat underneath the wide dark sky. Qui-Gon stayed silent. He sensed something growing in Taroon, a new feeling the young man was struggling to voice. He hoped Taroon would find the courage to speak. Tomorrow was the third day. He would have to contact King Frane.