Finding Nemo: Jaws and Claws

Chapter 4: A True Friend

Keeping out of sight while still getting a view behind the protection of Lanna's blubber and spotted fur, I scuttled slowly up the side of her and was able to see what was lurking above while keeping hidden in the crevice of the old reef "Shellie, stop crawling on me, that tickles" Lanna said behind her teeth, while trying to keep it quiet as I got off of her.

"Sorry" I whispered an apology back, I happened to catch a glimpse of a Bronze Whaler. Not the kind of shark you want to get on the wrong side of. Especially to you humans out there if food is around. The next morning, we were back on the trail to the reef that I call home. I crawled up onto Lanna's back and she chuckled "oh...I guess it does tickle"

"I'm sorry about last night" I apologized

"Don't worry about it, it's cool, and hey, it's life, and life's all about lessons to learned, eh?" said Lanna, looking behind her back and smiling at me, accepting my apology in her own way. Lanna has soft smooth fur and spots. I'm hard-shelled and pinchy. I never thought I'd get along with her, but I do "stay on my back, Angel Sharks lurk in these sands"

"Darn it, Lanna!" said one from the sands

"Hey, she's with me! You're not getting your jaws on her, you hear me?" She barked back at him, and the Angel Shark swam away looking for another place to hide on the ocean floor. Lanna made a stop in a local shipwreck for a rest. I got off her back, and scuttled about looking for some food. Lanna caught herself an eel while I had cracked open a clam

As I ate, I couldn't help but notice that Lanna stood up for me back there against that Angel Shark. Their jaws are lightning fast. Once they get a hold of you, you're done. I felt like I needed to express myself to her "Lanna, you've done more nice things to me than anyone I've ever known" I said "I want to know what I can do to pay you back?" I asked

"I knew there's some sweetness under the armor"

Lanna got a bit too close "Hey! What're you doing?!" I yelped

"Easy now, I said I'm not going to eat you, I'm a seal of my word" she replied as I was 'claws out'. I looked up at her, and slowly let my guard down. Lanna moved in closer, and smiled a warm smile on her muzzle. Lanna nuzzled her dark-colored nose against the top of my shell, and being careful not to get cut by those spikes around my shell and claws

"Wow...that...that feels" I stuttered, I'd blush if I could

"Good I hope" Lanna said, and gently nuzzled the top of my shell with a friendly giggle. No wonder humans like being around seals. Lanna likes having her form of 'fun' with me, now it's time for a little fun of my own. I scuttled up her back from her tail-fin, and up and around her back in a massage of sorts "Mmmm...a little to the left, oh that's the spot"

When we were well-rested, we were back on our way to the Kona Reefs. While I'm not native to the reef as Lanna figured out, neither is the one who rules the reef "So what's it like at home for you?" she asked, among the crabs and lobsters there is one who rules justly and fairly. Anyone can rule the Reef, you have to challenge and defeat the Reef King

"For us crabs and lobsters, we have a 'Reef King',"

"Who's the 'Reef King'? Sounds important" said Lanna

Lanna slightly tilted her head at that "The current one is King Regis, a 'Tasmanian Giant Crab', he's huge and he's no shell-for-brains, he's wise and has lived there since my first molt" I explained "he's good, but don't get on the bad side of his claw" at my home, you can find Three-Spot Swimming Crabs, Spotted Reef Crabs, and Hawaiian Spiny Lobsters

"So can anyone become a king...or queen?" she asked

"Well, there is one thing you must be and one thing you must do, one is be a crab or lobster and the other is defeat the king in combat with an offered challenge to the king" I explained to her, we were still a couple days journey from the Kona Reef. Still, we are making good timing. I also showed her why I'm called a 'Swimmer Crab' to Lanna's delight

I'm not as graceful or acrobatic as Lanna, but I can swim. Lanna laughed a hearty laugh, not a bullying one "So you can do it?! That's so cool!" as my armor is heavy, I cannot swim for very long, but I can sprint pretty fast to a hiding place if there's danger scuttling about that I can't handle "hold on, Shellie, I gotcha" she said as picked up off the floor.

"We should be at the reef in a couple days" I stated

"That's good, let's slow down, my flippers need a rest" said Lanna

Lanna snatched herself a few in a school of sardines as we swam through the ocean currents. I caught myself one as well. I know, it's not the prettiest sight watching a crab eat it's meal. Once we were in a safer part of the ocean floor, I was on my feet and scuttling on the sands while we took a bit of a rest and slow down a bit. Still, my claws are ready