Fluffies of the Sea - 2

Fluffies of the Sea - 2

	Halfway through their expedition Dr. Mor, Segan, and Liam enter the second phase of testing.  Using a RUV (Robotic Underwater Vehicle) the team will collect several samples of coral for microscopic examination on board.  And, predictably the sea fluffies are all aquiver with curiosity. "Wha dat? Is fow nummies? Fow pway?" The vehicle is floated over the edge of the ship by crane and lowered into the water.  "Eep! Nuu huwty! Hewp!" Now experienced with falling objects from the vessel the sea fluffies scatter only to return seconds later to examine the chord poking through the waves.

	Long thick cables keep the power on and send information to and from the submersible. With Liam piloting Segan enters the water with a spear.  Fellow marine biologists have had troubles with the curious fluffies chewing wires, and a few deep water RUVs have had power or data cables chewed through.  As Segan and Dr. Mor feared the fluffies are drawn to the long stringy looking power cable. "Wha dat? Is... Is..." Oh no here comes... "Is Sketties?!"  The fluffies within earshot all rush towards the cable swimming on the surface in a sort of quick doggy paddle with all four flippers.  A few adults are already upon it.  Wearing only flippers and an old fashioned dive mask Segan plunges towards them splashing and shouting.  "AAAAAGH! GET AWAY! RAAA!" Some shit themselves releasing murky fear feces others try and puff their cheeks.  "Guu way! Dis fwuffy sketties! Nuu fow meanie mistaw!"  Using all his strength a particularly brave red and white sea fluffy paddles with his back fins and propels his upper half out of the water.  With fore fins free he slaps them together at Segan making mildly annoying clapping sounds and with his tail he slaps it against the water’s surface.

	A spear to the gut silences him.  Still half out of the water the fluffy stops paddling and slowly looks down surprised he is floating, "Wah... whaaaaaAAAAAAAAA! HUWT! AAAAAAAAH!" Desperately grasping towards the spear in his belly Segan flicks him off and away from the cable.  Now with each fluffy terrified the surrounding water is tainted with feces from sea fluffy bowels.  Knowing this won't be enough Segan dives down and remains around the RUV as long as his breath holds.  Each time a few hungry or brave sea fluffies have to be smacked away from the cable.

	But, after ten minutes and on his way up for breath once more Segan is unable to return quickly enough to stop a male from beginning to gnaw at the cable.  Diving as fast as he can Segan returns in time to skewer the male chewing desperately at the "Nuu taste pwetty sketties" to find the "guud pwetty sketties" almost certainly hidden within.  Examining the cable a slight fraying is noticed. This desperate underwater dance will continue for another ten minutes before the fluffies are either too scared to get close, or dead.

	A few smaller sharks arrive to feed on the bodies.  With the fluffies now kept away by sharks Segan returns to the boat for a break.  Liam and Dr. Mor congratulate him on the work watching with some amusement through the RUV cameras.  Segan is a little less enthused, "Damnit, why don't we just chum the area? These stupid fluffies will eat anything long and thin. And, the sharks keep em' at bay."  Dr. Mor hums to himself, "Well... Why didn't we think of that before I wonder... Guess we didn't want you to miss out on any fun. Go get the chum then if you wish." Sore and exhausted the grumbling Segan walks out of the small control room.  Leaving a snickering Dr. Mor and Liam.

	Alone again Liam and Dr. Mor continue their exploration with the RUV.  Piloting down to the hexagonal stone forest the RUV cameras capture every second.  The pillars, around five feet across and ten feet apart have plenty of surface area for all kinds of marine life.  But, the fluffies on camera remain above the deeper portions of the reef feeding on algae growing on top of the constructs.  Fear of moray attack keeps fluffies from trying to eat the colorful coral just below the lip of the pillar.

	However, not all sea fluffies avoid the appealing looking coral.  On the RUV camera a bright red coral formation juts above the 10' mark into fluffy territory.  The adults now know to avoid this appealing looking spaghetti like structure.  However, Dr. Mor notices a few pups swimming towards the coral at the edge of the algae topped pillar.  Swimming close the three pups look nervously over the edge down into the watery abyss and swim back a few inches.  One releases urine in fear, but another gets closer to the nearest branch and sticks out its tongue to taste the coral.

	With two small licks the pup is satisfied and opens its mouth to take a bite.  A grave mistake, fire coral is no joke. When suddenly it releases bubbles in a scream.  Thrashing and twisting in the water the terrified pup grabs at its face and releases air and murky feces clouding its bottom.  With no air and in extreme pain the mother nearby notices her child thrashing and now vomiting in the water and swims over to save her baby.  Still thrashing in pain the momma sea fluff grabs and hugs her child, unaware that the small pup is out of air and dying.  Struggling to get away and swim for the surface the mother holds her child harder.  With one last gasp the final vestige of air escapes the tiny body and it goes limp.  Stopping the hug she holds her baby at arms length and smiles, thinking she made the "huwties guu way." To her horror she realizes her child drowned.

	Struggling to not suck in water as she sobs the mother places her two remaining children on her tummy.  They hold on with tiny flippers and bite gently into her fluff for a firm grasp.  She swims quickly to the surface leaving behind the motionless pup as it drifts down to the sandy seafloor.  But, as Liam pans the camera up to watch the family retreat to the surface he notices a large figure moving towards the chum which the mare is swimming through.  Nearly blinded by grief and struggling to save her two living babies the fluffy mare never sees the giant predator coming.  Inches from air the small fluffy family is swallowed whole by a rare great white as it bursts from the water in a magnificent jump.