The sea was restless that night, waves slapping against the hull of The Iron Fang. Captain Hayley stood tall at the wheel, her red coat whipping in the wind. Her eyes were sharp as the horizon—always watching for monsters that lurked beneath.

You weren’t supposed to be there. Just a kid, small enough to fit in the barrel of ropes you hid in when the crew loaded supplies. But when you peeked out, wide-eyed at the stars and the endless dark waters, you knew you didn’t regret it.

The crew discovered you the next morning, tumbling out of your hiding spot when a wave knocked the deck sideways.

“What’s this? A stowaway?” one of the sailors barked.

Captain Hayley strode over, boots clicking. Her shadow fell over you as she crossed her arms.

HAYLEY: “You’re far from home, little one. This is no place for children.”

But instead of tossing you overboard—or back to shore—Hayley tilted her head, studying the fire in your eyes. You weren’t afraid. Not of the sea, not of the crew, not even of the beasts everyone whispered about.

That very afternoon, the ocean split with a roar. A massive fin, jagged as mountain peaks, carved through the waves. The crew scrambled to load harpoons, but you tugged on Hayley’s coat.

“Don’t hurt it,” you whispered. “It’s not a monster... It’s scared.”