River Rescue

by Summer Waters

  “Hello, I’m Claudia from Sea Watch, and this is Antonia and Emily.”

  “I’m Brenda. Thanks for coming so quickly,” said the lady. “I haven’t tried to take the fishing hook out in case I made the injury worse.”

  The bird watched Claudia warily as she bent over it.

  “Steady,” she murmured. “We’re not going to hurt you.”

  The kittiwake was a medium-sized bird with a yellow bill, a white head and underside and a grey back. Its black legs were tucked underneath it, but the bird shifted as Claudia approached, revealing a fishing hook stuck in the top of its leg. A length of thin nylon twine stretched around its leg and down to its webbed foot.

  Claudia continued to murmur softly to the bird as she assessed its injury.

  “That’s nasty. I’m not going to try and remove the hook here either. We’ll take the bird back to Sea Watch. I might have to call the vet. Pass me the gloves, please, Emily. And bring the cage closer, Antonia. That’s great. OK, open the door and stand back, everyone.”

  Antonia put the cage down and moved away. Emily went and stood beside her. With a deft movement, Claudia lifted the bird; it flinched, but never made a sound as she put it in the cage and closed the door.

  Antonia and Emily waited patiently while Claudia explained to Brenda how they would treat the bird. Antonia was half listening when Emily made her jump by grabbing her arm and exclaiming, “A whale! Look, it’s a whale.”

  “Where?” squeaked Antonia, spinning round.

  “There,” said Emily. “No, you’re looking the wrong way. It’s over there.”

  Antonia turned her head.

  “Too late!” Emily sighed with disappointment. “It just dived under.”

  “Are you sure it was a whale?” asked Antonia, still scanning the sea. “I’ve never seen one round here. Could it have been a large dolphin?”

  “It was a whale,” insisted Emily. “I could tell from its fin. I wish I’d had my camera with me! That was amazing.”

  Brenda nodded excitedly.

  “Whales are amazing. I saw one once when I was walking my dog Meg, but it wasn’t round here. Which reminds me I’d better get back. It’s not fair to leave her in the car. It can get quite hot even at this time of the year.”

  She hurried off, but Antonia, Emily and Claudia remained where they were, staring out at the sea, hoping for a glimpse of the whale.

  “We better get this little chap home,” said Claudia eventually.

  Back at Sea Watch Claudia cut away the fishing twine and successfully removed the fishing hook from the bird’s leg, but she decided to call the vet anyway.

  “I should probably take the bird in for an antibiotic injection,” she said.

  Mr Singh told Claudia that he was coming her way and would call in at Sea Watch later.

  “He’s going to take a look at Rusty as well,” said Claudia.

  Antonia loved watching Mr Singh when he came to Sea Watch. He was an excellent vet, clearly explaining how he would treat each animal and patiently answering questions. Antonia stayed at Sea Watch until the end of the day hoping to see him. Her last job was feeding Rusty. The little cub drank more than he had at lunchtime, but he still couldn’t finish his bottle. Antonia recorded the amount on Rusty’s chart then washed his bottle very slowly. Afterwards she took ages making up the sterilising solution to soak the bottle and teat in. Antonia was hovering around when Mr Singh rang to say he’d been delayed. Antonia was disappointed, but she couldn’t wait any longer. Mum was strict about her being home on time and would ground her if she was late.

  On the way home she bumped into Sophie.

  “Hi there, what have you been up to?” asked Antonia, pleased to see her friend.

  “Drawing,” said Sophie, waving her sketch book. “Guess what I saw? A dolphin! Look, I drew a picture of it.”

  Sophie opened her book and passed it to Antonia.

  “That’s really good, Soph,” said Antonia admiringly. “But that’s not a dolphin. The fin’s the wrong shape. That looks more like a whale to me.”

  “A whale!” Sophie was astounded. “I didn’t know we got whales round here.”

  “I’ve never seen one, but Emily did today when we were up on the cliffs.”

  “Wow!” said Sophie. “I’ve got to go and tell Dad. He’s always wanted to paint whales. Bye, Antonia. Come round sometime.”

  “I will,” Antonia called after her.

  When Antonia got home she was restless and unable to settle. She decided to ring Cai to find out what Mr Singh had said about Rusty and the kittiwake. She started to punch out the numbers on the key pad, then remembering what Mum had said about giving Cai space, slammed the receiver down. Antonia suddenly felt uncomfortable about interrupting Cai’s time with his parents.

  Jessica had gone to her friend Naomi’s for tea and by the time she came home it was too late to play in the den. Antonia went to bed with a book, but she was too restless to concentrate on the story. She lay with the duvet pulled up to her nose and hoped that Cai would be at Sea Watch the next day.

  Chapter Six

  The following day there was good news. Mr Singh had given the kittiwake an antibiotic and its wound was recovering nicely. He was also pleased with Rusty’s progress. He’d said that considering the cub was probably still in shock he was feeding quite well.

  “It won’t be long before he’s draining that bottle dry,” he’d reassured Claudia. “Your biggest concern now is to socialise him with other foxes.”

  Cai was late starting at Sea Watch again. Antonia kept watching the door and her heart jumped when he finally arrived. She waved at him and, with a tight smile, he waved back. Antonia stared at Cai from under a curtain of hair. She was convinced that something was wrong. Her Cai was usually much bouncier than this new one. Claudia came over and asked if Antonia and Cai would take a supply of litter sacks down to the harbour for the fishermen. Recently they’d started bagging up the rubbish they caught in their fishing nets and disposing of it back at the harbour instead of tossing it into the sea.

  On the way there Antonia chatted to Cai, but he seemed distracted and answered her questions with single words and grunts. Sandy Bay was full of tourists and the pavements were crowded with slow-moving people.

  “So many holiday-makers!” exclaimed Cai suddenly. He tutted crossly as he finally managed to overtake a family carrying a huge amount of beach things.

  “They’re good for the town,” said Antonia mildly. “I just wish they’d take their litter home with them.” She stooped to pick up an ice-lolly wrapper and Cai almost fell over her.

  “Watch where you’re going!” he exclaimed.

  Antonia giggled and, giving him a friendly nudge, replied, “Watch where you’re going yourself.”

  “Get off!” Cai shrugged her away.

  Antonia was so surprised she stopped where she was. Had her best friend really just shouted at her?

  Cai kept walking, leaving Antonia staring after him in dismay. He didn’t stop until he reached the harbour. Then he sat on a mooring buoy, moodily kicking it with his heels while waiting for Antonia to catch him up.

  “We leave the sacks in the harbour-master’s office, right?” he asked.

  “Yes,” said Antonia. Surely Cai wasn’t still cross with her?

  Cai weaved his way through the busy harbour to a small white building with a flower box full of brightly coloured primroses hanging under the window.

  “That’s pretty,” said Antonia.

  “Yeah, very pretty,” said Cai, not sounding like he meant it.

  When the harbour master opened the door, Cai was polite and friendly. He was totally different to how he’d been earlier. Antonia studied him out of the corner of her eye. Cai’s behaviour was making her nervous. Antonia didn’t want to admit it, but she had a sneaky feeling that she knew exactly what was wrong with Cai. She’d suspected it since yesterday, but didn’t want to believe it was true. Now that Cai’s parents were here in Sandy Bay he
’d decided that he didn’t want to live without them any more. Antonia didn’t blame him, but she was shocked and upset that he hadn’t shared this with her. They didn’t keep secrets from each other. Unable to bear it any longer, she grabbed Cai’s arm as he turned away from the harbour-master’s office.

  “We have to talk,” she said firmly.

  Cai went as stiff as a board, but at least he didn’t shake Antonia off. He let her lead him to a private spot behind the harbour wall. Antonia sat down on a long wooden bench and after a moment’s hesitation Cai sat beside her. He wouldn’t look at her, though, and stared out to sea.

  Antonia took a deep breath. “It’s all right, I don’t mind. Well I do, but I understand…”

  Antonia knew she wasn’t making any sense, so she started the conversation again.

  “Look, Cai, I need to know the truth. Do you want to go and live with your parents in Australia?”

  “No!” exploded Cai. His lip trembled and he bit it, closing his eyes as he fought back tears.

  Antonia looked away, not wanting to upset him further.

  “You’ve got it all wrong,” Cai whispered at last. “Of course I miss Mum and Dad. I’ve been looking forward to their visit for ages. But I don’t want to live in Australia. This is my home now, in Sandy Bay. I love living here with Aunty Claudia, and you and the dolphins, and all our friends. Mum and Dad work long hours. When we lived together I hardly ever saw them.”

  “So what’s wrong then?” asked Antonia. “Why are you angry with me?”

  “I’m not angry with you. I’m cross with my parents. They didn’t plan on staying in Australia forever. At first it was for six months but then their contract was extended. Now they’ve been asked if they’d take permanent jobs there…” Cai’s voice petered out.

  “So what’s the problem? Can’t everything just carry on as it was?” Antonia asked hesitantly.

  “That’s what I thought,” said Cai, sighing heavily. “But Mum and Dad want us to be a proper family again. They’ve given me a choice: I can either move to Australia with them, or they’ll go back to their old jobs…and we’ll live in the city like we used to.”

  Antonia felt like someone had knocked all the breath out of her. She stared at Cai in disbelief.

  “But…” Closing her eyes, she concentrated on breathing slowly and deeply, until her heart stopped racing. “So what are you going to do?”

  “I don’t know,” said Cai tonelessly. “Aunty Claudia said I can stay with her whenever I like, but Mum and Dad said if we move to the city it would be too far to come back every weekend. Visits would have to be kept for the holidays. And if we move to Australia I’d hardly ever get to visit…”

  He fell silent and even though Antonia’s mind was racing with questions, she didn’t have enough breath to speak.

  “I don’t know what to do,” Cai said miserably. “I’d rather stay in England so I can still see you and Aunty Claudia. But if that’s only in the holidays, then how am I going to be a Silver Dolphin? At least if I move to Australia Mum and Dad have promised to buy a house near the beach. I wouldn’t be able to help Spirit and his pod, but I’d get to be a Silver Dolphin all of the time.”

  “Can’t your mum and dad move somewhere near the sea in England?” asked Antonia frantically.

  Putting his head in his hands, Cai tugged at his dark, curly hair.

  “I asked them that already,” he muttered. “But the company they work for doesn’t have an English office near the sea.”

  Antonia‘s heart was banging so hard the noise was hurting her ears. “So what are you going to do?” she asked.

  “I don’t know,” said Cai defeatedly. “What should I do?”

  Antonia didn’t have an answer. She didn’t want Cai to move to Australia because they might not see each other again. But the dolphins needed Cai too. How could he live in England if it meant only being a Silver Dolphin in the holidays?

  “Checkmate,” said Cai softly. “Whatever I do, I lose.”

  Chapter Seven

  Antonia and Cai were very quiet for the rest of the day. Neither of them mentioned the decision facing Cai, but it was hanging over them like an enormous black question mark.

  Late in the afternoon, as Antonia gave the little fox cub his milk, she was pleased to see he was more inquisitive and that he nearly finished a whole bottle of milk. Cai came in as Antonia was shutting the cub back into his pen.

  “I’m going back to the house now. See you tomorrow. Don’t forget Dad’s taking us windsurfing in the morning.”

  “Can’t wait,” said Antonia, smiling even though she was hurting inside. She took longer than usual to check Rusty’s cage and write up his notes. She was dreading going home, as she’d have to pretend to be cheerful.

  The moment Antonia got back, Jessica wrapped her arms round her and refused to let her go until Antonia promised to play in her den after tea.

  “I promise!” squeaked Antonia, wriggling free.

  Playing with Jessica was fun and Antonia managed not to worry about Cai for a while. But alone in bed in the dark the problem niggled away at her, making her tummy ache. Sleep was impossible. Antonia distracted herself by reading until Mum came up and told her to switch off the light. Then Antonia tossed and turned hot, thirsty and uncomfortable until the small hours when, finally exhausted, she fell asleep.

  The following morning her eyes were gritty with tiredness, but Antonia got up when her alarm went off and had breakfast with Mum and Dad.

  “You’re up early again,” said Dad.

  “I’m going windsurfing with Cai we’re meeting at Sea Watch,” Antonia explained.

  Dad ran her to Sea Watch in his car before starting work at his garage. Cai was already there feeding Rusty. Antonia went to help, tidying Rusty’s pen and refreshing his water dish.

  “We haven’t got long,” said Cai, as he carefully put Rusty back. “Dad booked us an early lesson.”

  Luckily lots of volunteers arrived as Claudia was sharing out the jobs. Emily, Karen and Eleanor offered to clean out the birds, so Antonia and Cai volunteered to quickly mop down the area around the deepwater pool.

  “This will have to be our last job,” said Cai, checking his watch.

  They were halfway round the pool when a familiar tingling sensation came over Antonia. She stopped mopping, pushing her long, blonde hair back over her shoulder as she stood up straight.

  “Oi!” called Cai good-naturedly. “Stop skiving.”

  “I’m not,” said Antonia, as her silver dolphin charm thrummed against her neck.

  Cai’s charm started vibrating too, its tiny tail flicking rhythmically against his neck.

  Silver Dolphin, we need you.

  Spirit’s voice rang out in the air and inside Antonia’s head.

  Spirit, I’m on my way, Antonia silently answered him back.

  “Spirit, I’m coming,” called Cai.

  But it was almost time to go windsurfing. It wouldn’t be fair on Cai’s dad if they both missed the lesson.

  “I’ll answer the call,” said Antonia decisively. “Go windsurfing with your dad.”

  “No way!” said Cai emphatically. “I’m a Silver Dolphin. I’m answering the call too.”

  “What about the lesson?”

  “We’ll worry about that later,” said Cai. “Come on. It might be urgent.”

  They abandoned their mops, locking the gate behind them as they exited the pool. Shoulder to shoulder, Antonia and Cai ran to the bottom of the garden and squeezed through the gate on to the beach. They stopped to pull their trainers and socks off then threw them inside the Sea Watch boat before running into the sea. A light breeze ruffled the waves as they waded deeper until finally it was safe to dive in.

  Antonia surged ahead, hands pushing against the water like flippers, kicking her legs like a dolphin’s tail as they melded together. Cai swam alongside her and they synchronised their strokes; rising from the sea, their bodies gracefully arched in time as they leapt the wa
ves and dived back into the water.

  Antonia sighed with pleasure. She loved this moment best of all. Becoming a Silver Dolphin was so thrilling and she knew it always would be. But what if she had to give it up? A sharp pain seared through her as she thought about Cai and the decision he faced. Antonia’s pace faltered and Cai began to pull ahead. Pushing away these unwelcome thoughts, Antonia concentrated on being a Silver Dolphin. She swam westward, letting Spirit’s vibrations guide her until she saw his silver body in the distance.

  As Antonia and Cai drew closer, Spirit called out to them. “Hurry, I’ve found the porpoise and he’s badly injured.”

  When they were a dolphin-length away, Spirit dived under the water, flicking his tail for them to follow him. They swam down, passing a school of fish, a coral bed and a garden of seaweed. There were lots of rocks on the seabed and Spirit slowed, weaving his way between them as he searched for the porpoise.

  “He’s here,” he clicked at last.

  A large crab was tucked under the base of the rocks and it waved a threatening claw as Spirit approached. Spirit kept his distance as he swam round it and Antonia and Cai followed his example. The first part Antonia saw of the porpoise was its blunt nose just visible behind a rock. She approached slowly, making reassuring clicking noises. The porpoise tensed as if he might suddenly swim away.

  “It’s OK, we’re here to help,” clicked Antonia.

  Spirit fell back, letting Antonia and Cai slowly edge towards the frightened creature. Soon they were close enough to see a torn flipper hanging uselessly from the porpoise’s side. It took a lot of control not to rush forward, but Antonia moved slowly knowing that a sudden movement might scare the porpoise away. At last she was in touching distance. She trod water while waiting for a sign that the porpoise was ready to trust her. The porpoise looked straight at her, its dark eyes pleading. Antonia stretched out and lightly stroked the creature along his black and white cheek.

  “I can’t promise to make you better,” she whispered, “but I’ll do my best.”