34-Our Village

Nexha looked at Zhaelor's new home, reflecting for a moment before turning to the great sperm whale.

— Wouldn't it be amazing to have our own village? With houses for everyone? The nest is getting cramped… maybe we need a new shelter.

Zhaelor tilted his head, thoughtful.

— A village? I’m not exactly sure what that means, but if everyone has their own home, it would be something like the burrowed nests of dolphins.

— Dolphins make nests like that? — Nexha furrowed his brow, curious.

The whale smiled.

— Normally, they’re just playful and migratory, but when they decide to settle down, they do their best. Given their intelligence, these nests form some of the most well-built fortresses I've ever seen.

Nexha observed Zhaelor’s improvised house and smiled with determination.

— They seem to know exactly what they want… If the ocean is going to hunt them down anyway, why not build the best shelter possible?

Zhaelor chuckled.

— My young master seems like he’s about to do something grand.

— It’s not that big of a deal. We're just going to build homes for each of us, made of moray seaweed. We’re not carving stones like those dolphins you mentioned.

— Young one, the fact that this house even holds my weight is already an impressive feat.

— Not really. I just had to place multiple triangular pillars in the foundation to support the weight.

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The elder smiled, impressed, but chose not to prolong the conversation.

— Shall we start on the foundations for the other houses? With my help, it will go faster.

Nexha nodded eagerly. He and the sperm whale spent the night cutting several seaweeds, but realizing there wasn’t enough time to build another base, they decided to store them under Zhaelor’s house foundation.

The real work began the next morning. Nexha and Lilay mapped out locations for each house, marking positions in the sandy seabed. Zhaelor carried the materials with ease, while Nalu and Krahs—who had mysteriously disappeared the previous morning—were now nearby, watching with curiosity. Krahs, however, cast wary glances at the sperm whale, as if he still didn’t fully trust Zhaelor.

For the house foundations, the moray seaweeds were tied into triangular shapes to ensure stability. Nexha applied the same technique he had used for Zhaelor’s house, reinforcing the structures to withstand underwater currents.

The construction was laborious, but everyone contributed in some way. Lilay, always observant, pointed out the best seaweeds to use for bindings. Nalu, skilled in knot-tying, secured the structures firmly.

Even Krahs helped—he was tasked with hunting for dinner. However, feeding Zhaelor proved to be an unexpected challenge. The first fish he brought wasn’t enough, so he had to keep hunting all morning and afternoon just to satisfy the sperm whale’s hunger. When he finally finished, he collapsed onto the sand, shooting an exhausted glare at Zhaelor.

— Nexha, never ask me to hunt for this glutton again… He eats too much.

— Okay, Dad. — Nexha laughed.

The young one felt moved seeing Krahs so tired and noticed a bandage. However, he chose not to ask about it, not wanting to bother him.

After a long day of hard work, the first structures began to take shape. Small round houses, woven from seaweed, sprouted around Zhaelor’s home, forming the outline of what could one day become a real village.

Nexha stepped back to take in the result. He smiled.

— This is starting to feel like home.

Zhaelor nodded in satisfaction.

Krahs crossed his arms, still skeptical, but this time, Nexha and Lilay pulled him toward one of the houses. He was surprised to see that the second-largest house was theirs.

— Surprise! This is your new home, Dad!

For a moment, Krahs remained silent, gazing at the tired but happy expressions of his children. They were giving him this shelter as a gift. Without hesitation, he pulled them into a tight embrace, a single tear slipping from his eye.

— You two are the greatest gift I could ever have, little ones.