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You were on the move as soon you received the call over the radio. Just the quick code call informing you what critter had beached itself, calling all nearby units to hurry over. Had to ensure the growing crowd kept a safe distance, to not stress out the poor creature more than it already was.
By the time you made it on the scene, you were glad to see your colleagues already handling the crowd of beach goers all gawking at what was going on. Plenty of phones held out to capture it all, to share online with friends, family and everyone else on the planet for likes. As long they kept all the way over there, it wasn't your problem.
Your problem was the source of the sudden wail that quickly grew into a eardrum vibrating shriek. Even the crowd flinched and stepped away from the sound, a few phones dropped at the instinct to cover ears with their hands.
At least the shrieking was shortly lived, the noise of the ocean returning along with the murmuring of the nearby people. You were moving again to get to the nearest colleague from your team not busy with the crowd.
”What we got here?” you called, while covering your eyes from the sun with a hand, squinting at the form still a bit distance from you.
”Definitely not one of the usual locales, haven't gotten any pings from the network matching its description.”
”Are they hurt? I don't see them moving, and that wailing-”
”Can't tell from this distance, but they might mostly just be in shock from it all. It only cries out whene-”
Another wail that turned into that high pitched shrieking, making you all flinch. You saw what had caused it. Another team member had walked over to throw water from a bucket over the creature. The sun was harsh today and even if it was scared it was necessary to keep it from drying out under the sun. Its reaction for some reason reminded you of all those videos you have watched recently on the Internet, of huskies making a fuss and high pitch cries when not getting their way or disliking a change. Added a bit of humour to the situation at least.
”Yeah, that, it doesn't like when we get too close.”
You nodded. ”Yeah, I see that. Better get them calmed. Think it's lunar type? Doesn't fit solar, might be more distressed because of the time of day if its nocturnal.”
”Might be, but I think it's more than that, look at the head, reminds you of something?”
Squatting down to squinted harder for a better look. Sirens came in many shapes and forms, matching a variety of existing fish species, as well as whales in some cases. Despite being warm blooded reptiles, fun how evolution works sometimes. Focused on its head as you looked closely you saw it now. Those big protruding teeth, the big bulgy eyes, even a stalk hanging from its forehead, the little bulb at the end resting on the sand. Very angler fish, definitely not a locale mini siren you knew of.
”Deep sea? No wonder it's upset, how did it get here?”
”No clue, buddy.”
”And any idea how they got beached?”
”The witness that called us in said they saw it just leap out of the water like determined to get on land. Then some of ours noticed movement out there in the waves. Big astrosiren.”
”Ah, escaping a hunt.”
The astrosirens were definitely the apex predators of the sea. Got crazy big, like 100 feet and more kind of big. Intelligent, could be somewhat reasoned with if not too big to be able to even noticed tiny human shaped ants. And they weren't shy from chasing anything big enough to look like a meal. Like a 6 feet long miniature version of the astrosiren, the sub species mini siren. With a specimen now stranded on your beach, crying out after escaping being someone else's lunch.
”Is it still out there?”
”We are keeping an eye out, but they might have lost interest. Too much hassle to chase the poor thing all the way on land, hopefully.”
Yeah, hopefully. You had seen what kind of speed a determined siren could move at even out of water. The minis might not be as graceful but they also had their techniques to get around across the sand. Just not this one. Might never been out of the water before, the poor thing. No wonder it was all distressed, didn't sound like it was having a good day.
”All right!” you declared. ”I got a full feed bag on me, so I'll get to try calm it. Do give it a good look over, we can't send it out there if it's hurt.”
The two of you nodded to each other as you both set into motion. Still squatting you began moving closer carefully, keeping an eye on the siren.
Its big body seemed healthy enough, the fish shaped tail that nice level of chonk mini sirens should have. It scales dark and shimmered in the sunlight from your colleagues' efforts to keep it from drying out.
You saw its front limbs had long sharp claws currently digging into the sand its torso was resting on, even its chin pressed down like that. Either doing so itself to be as small as possible and try and disappear from the scary humans circling it.. or it truly never had been on land before and had no practice in pushing itself up by the hands.
At least it wasn't wailing for now, just panting with its big round eyes open wide. You paused your approach, leaning side to side for a moment. It didn't seem to follow your motion, its eyes blank. Regular blind or dayblind? Definitely didn't look like something meant to be out in the sun at this hour. Looking at those eyes, its entire expression of stress and despair, you were hit by the images of those memes found online, of sad looking cats with their eyes photoshopped to look extra wet and teary and ready to burst into tears any second. That was one distraught siren.
Still, not taking any chances you went into snake mode, dropping down onto the sand completely like the siren was, keeping yourself low and non threatening. ”Hey there, buddy,” you called out softly, moving an inch closer. Its head whirling side to side, definitely heard you. You kept on cooing in a soothing tone as you approached a few more inches.
”Is okay, baby,” you spoke to the frightened creature. You heard it whimper, but at least not another ear splitting wail yet. ”Who is a big brave boy? Is it you? I think it's you.”
When it seemed to start getting nervous, claws digging further into the sand underneath it, its maw opening to take in a breath for another shrieking session, you executed project distraction.
Swiftly dipping a hand into your feed bag, pulling out a handful of bait fish you quickly threw as close to the siren as you could without full on hitting it.
Seemed to startle it enough to cut off the incoming wail. Its focus changed as it eagerly sniffed the air, catching the scent of the treat. You pulled back, still cooing encouragement so it had something to go by to determine the distance between you and itself. Then you watched it shoot its clawed hand out to scoop the fish up and straight into its waiting maw. Didn't seem to chew, just straight down the gullet. Well, seemed to like its treat.
”That's right, baby, a nice snack,” you cooed. Tossing a few more its way as you noticed your team mate on watering duty approaching. When the water was tossed over the siren it startled again, then paused, head moving back and fourth as if debating to pay focus on the surprise that kept it from drying out, or the new treats it could smell close by.
Being a siren, it picked the treats, no fresh wail escaping as it was busy feeling around for the small fish to shove into its awaiting mouth. Ah yes, no matter the size and looks, the sirens were all very food motivated. The angler from its head even perking up a little, although its eyes still showing the stress it was going through at least the bait fish offerings were doing the trick to calm it a bit, as you kept talking soothingly to keep its attention on you.
Watching through the corners of your eyes as your colleague from before had circled around closer, giving the siren a big look over. Looking for any signs of injury that needed a closer inspection.
It raised its head a bit, seeming to sense his presence, breathing in deep again. And once again successfully distracted by your treats and words for it. Even when it was splashed with water again, it merely flinched a bit, but stayed relatively calm. Your friend taking the cue to get closer, for a better examination, patting its side testingly. Getting no wailing, he resumed.
You kept on talking to the siren, feeding a little treat now and again. Keep it distracted and keep it calm. Your buddy coming around again, a thumbs up in your direction. All clear, clean bill of health it seemed. That was a relief. Now you just needed to get it back out into the sea where it belonged.
Others starting to approach slowly, watching out for signs of distress. Its head whirling up again, you called for its attention on you. ”Is okay, baby, you are a big brave siren, aren't you? Big baby boy, gotta get you back home, safe and sound,” you promised.
A large surf board was scooted over up by its side. Okay, here comes the tricky part, moving a nervous siren that could decide to roll over and catch one of you under it, or just slash out its claws at you, or bite at you with those very large teeth.
It was still clearly nervous with the action going on around it but you moved closer and kept on talking, cooing softly between praise and promises of it getting to go home soon. Once sure it was calm enough you nodded, and your team moved in. Had to help encourage it to push itself up enough to easier move its body from the sand and onto the surf board pushed underneath it. Quick and swiftly, before it could decide this was too distressing.
Recognizing the whirling of its head in distress while handled by the beings around it, you took a chance. Reaching out to cup its head in your hands. ”Sweet baby, you can do this, so brave, ain't you?” It seemed to distract it enough to keep it from trashing and lashing out at everyone and soon they all retreated to give it its space back.
Very slowly you let go of it too, pulling back. Giving it space and some time to calm down. Throwing another treat its way.
Noticing the board now underneath it, you saw it move its clawed hands to grab onto the edge of it. Feeling around, testing the surface with a few scratches. Keeping calm, and not showing any attempts to just roll off of the board and undo all the efforts, earning praise from you. Hearing your voice its head turned in your direction, making you smile. ”Let's get you back home.”
You looked up to a colleague. ”Any sightings of the astrosiren?”
”Nope, haven't seen anything in a while, hopefully long gone to find something else to chase. Should be good to go now.”
Agreeing with a nod you got up, joining the effort to move the siren. With the board underneath, tied to a rope, it was easier to move it by shared effort of pushing and pulling it across the sand. You kept on talking, now it knew your voice and related it to treats and soothing calm tones, to reassure it all was fine and it was going home.
You saw upon first contact with the waves, it moved a hand, tapping it around in the wet sand. Feeling the water, to prove your promises held truth. Your team heaving on to keep going, it would be a few meters before the water would be deep enough for it to drag itself more easily into the water, yet it kept clinging onto the board. One hand tapping around for the sand below now and again as to double check the depth it had been pulled into so far.
Finally, seemingly satisfied, it moved with such a suddenness a few of your teammates were pushed over into the water, yet you all cheered as you saw it shoot off into the deeper waters, clearly eager to return home.
Your cheers bursting into laughter as you noticed the surf board chasing after it, before you realized the siren had in fact grabbed the rope from the people who had been pulling, to pull the surf board with it out to sea.
It didn't stop the cheers as you all celebrated the successful mission, a few highfives going around before you even noticed the applause from the beach. You had forgotten about the onlookers, so focused on your task. A few of you waving at the crowd as you began returning to dry land. Hopefully the siren would stay safe out there and not get itself beached again.
Looking back to watch the surf board turning smaller and smaller out on the waters. Pulled down a few times but popping back up, until it was pulled under one finale time to not reemerge again. Welp, not first time a siren decided to make claim on human property just because it could. You were happy to let it keep a souvenir, no harm no foul.
”Did it have any trackers on it?” you asked your buddy as you rejoined him on the beach, seeing him working his tablet.
”Scanned it, found nothing,” he reported back. ”Chipped it real quick, so we should be able to track it while it's in the area. I haven't found a match in the registered list, so I'm putting up a profile for it now,” he informed as you peaked over his shoulder to see.
An attempt at holding back a surprise laughter from your quick skim of the profile.
”Baby? You naming them Baby?”
”Hey, that's what YOU were calling it this whole time,” he chuckled back at you. ”If it's associating your voice with treats now, it sure will be thinking that it's name.”
”Pffh, fair,” you raised your hands in mock surrender.
Bonus ref of Da Baby
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