Chapter Text
Echo wasn’t sure he fully remembered what happened to himself. He had a pod that he lived with. His twin Fives and Rex were some of his best friends. They had a healer called Kix who was mated with Jesse. Tup and Dogma were the youngest of the group and tended to stay close.
One day, Echo was traveling with his pod, and the second thing he knew was that he was in a boat. Surrounded by humans. Fives was there briefly. Pain caused him to black out and fall over the edge. It was the last time he saw Fives. Rex caught him and apparently took him to their cave. That was over three weeks ago.
Echo’s tail was gone. One of his arms was gone. He couldn’t swim. He was as good as dead. But he wasn’t. Rex was there. Returning to the cave again and again to bring him fish and keep him company. Even the others spent time with him, but he could see the growing problem. Winter would be coming soon, and his pod would have to travel. No creature really messes with merfolk, but they would have to eat. And for that they needed to hunt. And Echo was dead weight.
“Maybe we can make a flipper?” Dogma, barely in the double digits, was pouting. He was cuddled against Echo’s side with the missing arm. It was tender and battered, but Kix did amazing work getting it mostly closed. Tiny hands held onto his stump before Dogma held his own arm out.
“And how exactly are we meant to do that?” Echo tried not to flinch as Tup swam up and brushed against his broken tail. Not that the pup meant to. He simply settled onto Echo’s lap and tucked himself under his chin.
“Maybe we can use… er, well, the humans leave their stuff around. Maybe we can use some of that.” This time Echo did flinch at the little one's suggestion. He didn’t want anything human around him. Not now. Not ever. They didn’t know what happened to Fives.
“Let's think about it for after it’s healed, alright?” Kix was closer to the entrance of the cave. He was messing with something that he was placing on Echo’s wounds. A green paste that kept the infection away.
Echo was tucked into the furthest recess of the cave, curled up with the pups to keep them out of the way. Jesse was helping Rex bring in a few of the fishes they managed to catch for food and several strands of kelp that would be turned into a meal.
“How about we get you cleaned up for some food?” Echo let Tup float off him and nudged Dogma into motion. For a moment they hesitated before taking off to Jesse, who was trying to work with his load.
“How are you?” Rex hovered over him, but he was gentle as he pulled him up. Echo tried to stabilize himself before cringing back. His tail no longer had any fins to help him move, so it was a little over half of the original size. There was something wrong with his spine, making it even more difficult to maneuver. Everything ached with sharp pains in his wounds that ran deeply down into his body, seizing his mind until it was all that he knew.
“I’ll be fine,” Echo croaked out a bit. The adults all turned to watch as he was resettled closer to their eating spot. He clung with his good hand a second longer before nodding. “See, I’m fine.”
“I can up the amount of…” Kix started, but Echo waved him off.
"I am fine. I don’t need more.” He flashed a smile in an attempt to show that he was telling the truth. But in reality, the truth was that he did not want Kix to waste more of his precious supplies on him. They were running low. He had to make it last.
“Mmph,” Kix stared him down before turning back to his task. Jesse watched the whole thing with too-knowing eyes before proceeding to show Tup and Dogma how to cut up the fish. They wrapped bite-sized pieces in the seaweed. With the many hands working on the task, it finished rapidly.
Echo’s dish came with an additional dose of pain-nulling plants that Kix snuck into the small pile that was given to him. He could see that there was less to go around than they normally had. With Fives gone and Echo no longer able to hunt. They were barely scraping by. Echo made sure no one was looking when he snuck two or three pieces of kelp-covered fish to Tup and Dogma. The pups didn’t understand but were delighted when more food was offered. It made Echo’s stomach clinch when he thought about Fives. Thought about how he would’ve noticed Echo not eating and would’ve done something about it.
Next to him, Rex was dozing between bites. Their pod leader, the oldest mer, spent the last few weeks spending time split between trying to stay with Echo and his recovery and searching the sea for any sign of Fives. It was heartbreaking to watch. It would’ve been easier for them if Echo had died too.
“You should rest after,” Echo said, making his eyes as large as he could when he stared at Rex. The mer glanced at him in surprise before nodding. He missed when he tried to toss a piece of fish into his mouth from less than six inches. Tup stole it with a quiet snarl.
“I guess you’re right,” Rex stared a little mournfully after the pup as he took off with the morsel in his mouth. Echo snuck another onto his pile before twisting to drag his beaten body back to his spot. It was out of the way. And he didn’t need to eat as much as the others did. They were working. He was just dead weight. He could be the reason his pod didn’t survive winter weather.
“Don’t be such a pity party.” Jesse’s light tone reached him a second before his weight landed near his shoulder. He curled around him, shoving him upright so Echo could rest his weight against his warmth. As annoying as it was, Echo was thankful for the physical support.
“I’m not. I’m just trying to not…” Be a burden. The words refused to come from his mouth. Instead, he wrapped his remaining arm around himself and leaned back.
“Echo,” Jesse’s serious tone made him crack open an eye. “If it was one of us, would you do anything different from the care we’ve given you?”
“Don’t come at me with logic,” Echo snapped low.
Tup swam back over. He slowed for a moment, taking in Echo’s attitude and Jesse’s failed attempts at comfort. Then he purposely shoved his entire body against Echo’s chest until he was uncurling. As soon as there was space, Tup tucked himself under Echo’s chin and snuffled that way pups did when they were getting comfortable.
“We still need you, Echo. Just remember that,” Jesse murmured. The brawler was already falling into a doze. Dogma was helping Kix clean up while Rex snuck out again. Off to search some more to find Fives. Echo could only watch. The last thing he saw was the dark blue tail disappearing into the growing darkness.
“Echo, let us know if you need anything.” Kix didn’t seem to notice, or he knew he couldn’t do a thing about missing Rex. He circled around Jesse and rested his arms across his hips before placing his chin on them. Dogma settled on the curve of his back.
Echo didn’t fall asleep. He couldn’t just yet. Not with Rex being gone again. He just couldn’t.
A soft snore came from the pup on his chest, but no one woke as he shifted. It took some wiggling and several barely whispered curses, but then he was free. Echo was able to sort of float and drag himself along the wall of their cave. When he stopped at the entrance, he could just scent the latest trace Rex left.
“Where are you?” Echo breathed out the words. The moon lit up the shallow waters around them, but he couldn’t see a thing. One of the great aspects of their cave was a rocky outcrop less than ten feet from the entrance. They could watch the pups without needing to move very far, and it broke up any larger waves before they struck their cave.
Echo peered out of the cave. Nibbling on his lip while eyeing the rocky outcrop. It would be a good viewpoint to stand watch. Better than his current post. And it wasn’t that far out. All he had to do was crawl across the sea floor and then up to the rock. But thinking about it and doing it were two vastly different things.
This would mark his first attempt at swimming alone. Usually Rex or Jesse would be near to catch him. And Kix was always there to make sure he didn’t tear something open again. But Echo had to learn to be alone. Had to learn to take care of himself and not be a burden on them. Because he loved his little pod and he wanted nothing more than to care for them.
Echo made it halfway before a subcurrent dragged him off course. A small part of his brain supplied that it had always been there. That he should’ve known that it was there. And Echo was far too weak to fight such a small current. It picked him up, so he was unable to move with his one hand. He beat his useless finless tail in an attempt to cut through and escape, but it just left him drained.
A whistle ripped through the darkness. His pod was asleep. They didn’t respond. Echo tried a few clicks before wailing out. The current picked up speed, dragging him out toward open ocean. Moonlight flickered around him as he spun. Flopping around before he was waving his arms around frantically. It made his stump hurt with a near-blinding pain.
As soon as it started, the hold on him eased. Echo breathed deep through the shock and pain. He started to pump his arms. It was a start, but it wouldn’t be enough. He was still too weak to properly swim, but he forced his body to keep moving. The pain in his back made him slow. Each move was a press for the surface so he could read the stars while restraining what little strength he had left. All he had to do was make it up. Then he could stay near the surface and maybe make his way out.
“I can’t believe I did this,” Echo snarled when he saw he was somewhat close to the surface. It was such a stupid mistake to make. To let the current take him. He wasn’t a pup. He knew better.
“All because I couldn’t sleep.” He whimpered the last bit. All because he couldn’t sleep well without Rex or Fives near. And now they were gone.
It’s for the best. The little voice that came with his wounds. From his inability to care for his pod. From his own selfish wish to have perished with his twin.
“I want to live.” Echo finally realized that he wasn’t lying in that moment. He truly didn’t want to die. He wanted to live to see the sun again. He wanted to hug his vod and see them safe. He wanted to live.
And the sea wants you to die! The voice cackled.
Echo’s frantic movements stuttered for a moment before he kicked out strongly. He had to keep fighting for his life. Because his family had already lost Fives. Rex wasn’t doing great with the information. And they hadn’t even told Ahsoka yet what happened to them. But he had to live for them.
Except pain was making his body slow. His arm was more deadweight than anything. Every movement caused agony to run to his shoulder. Eventually his tail numbed to nothing, and a short glance told him that he was bleeding again. A thin trail of red spread from several of his wounds into the dark waters around him.
Your efforts are pointless. This time the voice was no less harsh, but the delight was far from it. It was snarling at him to notice. You’re not moving upward anymore.
“No!” Echo could see that he was treading water. Holding his current position was taking everything he got. All his skills left him helpless as his body failed and he slipped down. Falling deeper into the waves around him.
Down you go. A fall no one will see. Once again the tone changed, and he cocked his head to the side.
Echo was failing. His speed decreased more until he was sinking more than rising. A few more strokes of his useless tail before he stuttered to a stop. One hand raised toward the sky, wishing he could see the stars one last time. Echo started to sink toward certain death.
A tired whistle slipped past his lips. One last attempt to call out for his pod. For his brothers to come find him. He wanted his family. But he accepted that he wasn’t going to make it. A glance over his shoulder proved nothing but black beneath him. Nothing to the sides. Only the steadily fading surface slipping away from him.
A steady rumble reached his ears. A late-night trawler. Humans. He ran through his options while watching the light flicker. The boat blocked the light. It returned with ripples from the waves the boat was putting off and brought a little fight back into him. Glancing frantically around, he noticed the lines. They were coming to him.
Now you’re going to die in a massive human net.
“Shut the kriff up,” Echo pulled every last drop of energy he had left in his body to swim toward the lines. It was close, but he barely managed to swing over the edge and grasp it tight.
“See!” He cackled a bit.
Then his fingers slipped. Echo was silent as he slid downward. His tail caught and released the rough net against his scales, making it bounce against his bare stomach and back toward his face. He flinched away when it nearly tangled in the fins by his ear.
At the very last second, he managed to wrap his arm around a loop and hold on. Feeling foolish for even celebrating. The rope dug into the flesh of his remaining hand, and he let the waves take his weight. Floating weakly while thinking of his next move.
Before he could make up any sort of game plan, a thudding groan started. Slowly, the weight holding him shifted around until he was being jerked upwards. There was a good amount of fish currently in the net. Enough to hide him.
The sea wants blood. You know this.
Echo paused. He was mainly looking up to see the approaching humans. The boat was just coming into view at him. It was relitively straight forward from there. So the little voice should be gone.
“Kriff,” Echo looked down at his wounds. They didn’t seem to be bleeding anymore, but he could see that they were raw. Warn and pale pink now.
Movement caught his eye. Just beyond his vision, swimming below him in the dark waters was something vaguely fish-like. But he knew it wasn’t. He knew his luck wasn’t telling him that it was maybe a large grouper playing in the night. It had to be something tracking his trail. Or one of the sharks that stalk boats.
You’re fighting the end. It’s going to come anyway.
“You’re less threatening than the danger right now, so let me think.” Echo looked up and down once. Twice.
He started dragging himself up hand over hand. The net was just making its way to the humans. Lifting the edges out of the water. He had to get out of the water. And right now, humans were a somewhat safer bet than a shark. A shark would eat him. Humans sometimes were nice. And Humans sometimes killed. But their kills were mainly clean. Sometimes.
Placing bets again? Look what happened last time you got too close to a human.
His hands stuttered from their rapid ascent. The voice was boarding the right side of an argument. The last time that he was this close to humans, they tore his life from him. Killed his twin. And now he was dangling on the side of a boat with his only hope being that these humans were friendly.
Echo glanced to the side before staring in shock. The shark was circling, watching him. It wasn’t often that his kind was vulnerable enough for them to have a chance. And while he wouldn’t provide a good meal with blubber and fat, he was an easy one. A seal would be more terrifying right now.
“But I would still bet on humans.” Echo turned back in time to flinch as his hand broke the surface of the water. He was too busy clocking where the shark went to think about the danger of the humans and how to deal with them. Instead of coming up with a plan, he was stuck clutching the net as they lifted the haul from the sea. It hovered over their deck for a moment before releasing.
A shrill yelp came from him as the substance that he was using to hold himself up fell away. And Echo fell along with it. His fingers froze in the night air. Stormy winds picked up around him. Air screamed past his ears, blocking everything as he fell freely to the deck of the ship.
“Da Fuck!” A young voice yelped out. Thundering footsteps moved around him, but he did his best to roll onto his stomach. He had to get somewhere safe and avoid being killed or completely captured. Something had to give.
Booted feet appeared in his vision for all of two seconds. They tried to rush past. In their haste, they stepped into the edge of the newest catch and flipped into the air faster than Echo would’ve expected. Water was less forgiving than air. It held its shape. Air let you go. The body seemed to hover in the air for a heartbeat before crashing down.
“Ahhh,” The young human skidded toward the back of the ship. There was a hole that was letting the excess water drain out from the boat, and its massive yawning maw seemed to swallow the body.
“Kriff,” Echo flopped weakly, but he was just fast enough. He clawed his fingers around the slick, wet but textured in a way that made him want to let go, and held on. The weight of the human dragged him toward the opening before a weight landed on his back.
“Hold him,” Echo jerked flat when the human shouted. It made him headbutt the deck hard enough that dark spots danced in his vision.
“Jack!” A third human grabbed the other leg just as the first reached out and grasped the one Echo held. As one, they all pulled, and the young human reappeared.
“There’s a fucking shark again!” The young man was screaming as he was pulled up. Mostly annoyed, but he latched onto the second human the moment he was free to do so.
Echo ignored them in favor of dragging himself toward the other end of the boat. He could just get away long enough to come up with an actual plan that didn’t involve more pain. The boat was slick and cold. A thin layer of water made it easier to move around, but it wasn’t enough to ease the pressure on his tail. On his wounds.
“Wait?” The young one was shouting, but Echo was too busy looking over the edge of the boat. It was through another opening like the one before. He could just see dark waters and the definitive nature of his own demise. Behind him, the humans were up and moving again.
“Kriff,” He shoved off and slithered to a corner. There was a large box tied to the side of the boat that he pressed against and closed his eyes.
I told you. This is it. The end of the line for you.
Echo curled his tail against his chest and wrapped his broken arm around himself. He pressed his remaining hand to try and cover his face. It didn’t stop him from seeing their approach. It felt like he was being stalked by a dumber version of an orca pod. Echo let his head fall back against the crate and watched them.
“God Damn,” An older one spoke. When he stepped into view, he could see the strange fabric over his body. He had seen humans on the beach, but these were fully clothed with heavy gear on.
“Paps, what’re we doing with him?” The youngest peered at him with bright eyes.
“Ugh, get that catch loaded and we’ll take him to that one place.” He barked out the orders.
Echo curled tighter around himself as the humans broke up. The one who just shouted started working on getting the net put away while the other two started on the fish pile. They worked swiftly, so much like his own pod.
Minutes ticked by, and he eyed the opening once again. He couldn’t tell if there was anything out there. The young one paused his work to take a bucket and dip it over the edge of the boat. His entire arm disappeared through the hole.
Echo sat up and stared at him before glancing at the other humans. The quiet one kept sorting fish and putting everything away. The one that seemed to have a deeper connection with the youngling was watching him. Not the youngling, but Echo’s reaction to him.
“He’s fine. It’s you that won’t like this next part,” The man sounded very much like the little voice in his head.
Echo growled low in his chest at the way he was staring directly at him. There was no aggression in his eyes. Or really his stance. Everything about the man was calm and collected. One who had already finished his set task and was simply watching.
Water being poured over his body made his growl cut short. Echo sputtered for a minute before turning his eyes up at the youngling who was smiling down at him. He could tell now that his scales had started to dry out and the human was keeping that from happening, but the fresh wave of water just made him cold once again.
“How can something that’s supposed to be wet still look like a drowned cat?” The quiet human finally spoke. There was a faint laugh, more so at the devastated look the youngling was currently giving Echo.
“He did almost drown. Look at his tail.” The youngling reached out.
Echo tried to duck, but he had nowhere to go. He ended up pressed flat against the crate as the human brushed a hand over his forehead. It flicked his hair out of his face before dropping down to press the back of his hand over his cheek and then under his chin. A short hiss came from one of the older humans that had a warning tone to it. Whether to Echo to let it happen or to the youngling to stop him, he didn’t know. Echo peered at them while letting it continue. They haven’t actually been aggressive to him.
“Dad, he’s burning up. You can feel the heat.” The youngling glanced over his shoulder before seemingly realizing that he still had his hand on Echo. He snatched it back and grabbed the bucket again. They all froze when Echo whimpered and tried to curl himself into a tighter ball.
“He probably has an infection from his wounds.” Suddenly the older human stepped forward. His eyes were calculating. Taking in his injuries before slowly reaching out. His hand closed around a fish that he then tossed to the youngling.
“What?” The youngling held it up in confusion.
“Just see if he’ll eat.” There was something about the way that he said it that made Echo shiver again. He understood most of the words being said, but something had shifted between the two older humans. They had shared a look that made him uneasy.
Look at them giving you a last meal.
The youngling noticed the shift. He picked up the tossed fish gingerly before slowly lifting it in his hand.
Echo suddenly saw what kind of fish it was. A small thing that he couldn’t remember what they had called it, but it was one of his favorites. It was fast, and he hadn’t tasted it in weeks. Maybe longer.
When it was handed to him, he hesitated for a few seconds before taking it. The first bite washed some of the bitter flavor from his mouth. It was as good as he remembered, and he pressed himself against the crate while he savored the last two nibbles.
“Holy hell. Did you see his teeth?” The youngling hissed. The tension among the men dissipated while he ran back to refill his bucket. Echo wasn’t sure what that strange test was for, but he felt a little better. This time he was able to close his eyes as the water cascaded over him.
“We can try to move him into one of the larger buckets, but I don’t think he’ll go willingly.” The main human hummed before shaking his head. “I doubt that he’ll let us close. I believe that he only likes Jack because he knows that he’s a kid.”
“Hmmn,” The second just nodded. He had just about finished sorting the fish.
“Let’s just get him to the institute,” The first moved off.
Another bucket of water was poured over him by the time that the boat started to roar under them. It started moving again in the gently rolling waves until the youngling was struggling to hold onto his bucket when he fetched more water.
Echo did his best to hold on. He wanted to return to his pod. To see them. Part of him wanted nothing more than to see Rex again. But maybe it was better this way. Better for him to have vanished like Fives. Rex could watch over Dogma and Tup, and he would recover. He would move on with life. They wouldn’t have to waste time and energy caring for him.
It wasn’t like he had the energy to move off the boat. He could growl and fight and gnash his teeth at them. But it wouldn’t be much of a threat. His tail was shredded, and his arm was shattered, with his hand completely torn off. There was no way that he could get up. And the little fish that he had eaten was hurting his stomach. With the pain threatening to bring it back up, he meekly watched as the youngling ran back and forth to pour water over him.
The night was so cold. It was pushing toward morning. He barely realized how much time had passed. Unsure whether he blacked out or dozed, the next time he opened his eyes the sky was lightening. The sun was at least half an hour away before coming into view. But the boat was slowing down.
“Hey! You’re awake again,” The youngling was back with even more water. He snarled weakly before shaking his hair out.
“You can’t dock here! This is the institute of…” A voice was calling out, but the first human just lifted his hand in a dismissive gesture.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” He called back. “The institute for sea life rehabilitation.”
“Well, then what are you doing?” The human continued, but a strange sound of thudding echoed out. It took him a moment to understand that the newest human was racing across a dock. That they were approaching.
“Kriff,” Echo wrapped his arms around himself and tried to tuck himself as tight a grip as he could. When he glanced up, he saw that now a fourth human was leaning over the edge to see him. A second later he vanished. It was oddly more terrifying.
“By the taints of the virgin mother whore,” The human took off quicker than he had come.
“That’s a new one.” The youngling had a faint blush on his cheeks as he stared after the human in shock. He was closer now, yet still moving to dunk the bucket into the sea and pour it around Echo’s head and neck. It brought another bout of shivers, but he realized that it was probably due to his wounds becoming infected. All the fear and pain, and he would most likely die from being so sick.
“I’m sorry, but we’re going to have to move you soon,” The youngling kept going.
“Keep your distance. He can still be a danger to you.” The older human warned gently.
“I don’t think he will. I think he doesn’t like adults.” The youngling shuffled ever closer before smiling.
Echo tried his best to put on the same disappointed look that would have Fives balking, but his heart wasn’t in it. It was proven pointless when the youngling simply grinned and settled next to him. A wet cloth was wrapped around his neck and down his tail while they waited. Echo tried one more time to mount a believable defense, but the youngling just adjusted the cloth on his head.
“Alright, what is this about an injured marine animal?” Another voice asked as a human with long hair and a calming aura appeared. To his annoyance, he saw that the human didn’t fear him either. Instead, he stepped onto the boat after receiving a nod from the first human.
“Is it just the arm?” This time he was more serious. He knelt down, but Echo hissed, trying to flatten himself. “Ah, yes. Understood.” The man backed up a few inches, but he was staring at the cloth covering Echo’s tail.
“It’s not just the arm. His tail is….” The youngling started, but he simply gestured weakly at Echo.
“He’s very weak. I want to give him some pain medication before we take him into the building. That will make it easier on him.” He started to dig through his bag and pulled out several things that Echo didn’t recognize.
“Good Luck. The thing is only letting the boy close.” The first human went to step closer before thinking better about it. Instead, he strolled over to stand with the two others that were there. Echo tried fiercely to think about where they had come from, but his thoughts were turning sluggish. His brain didn’t want to listen to him. All he wanted to do was sleep and forget where he was.
“Hmm,” The human with the bag rumbled low. It was somehow a touch like a mer subvocalization before he turned to look at Echo.
Echo’s throat clicked as he swallowed back his nerves. He hissed again. Baring his teeth. Nothing worked. The man was staring back with a calculating gaze before turning to the youngling.
“Will you help?”
“What do you need?” The youngling was practically pressed against his side. His shoulder had nearly wiggled under Echo’s good arm, and he had his legs tucked up to mimic Echo’s own curled body.
“I need him to stretch out his arm to me, and I need you to hold off.” The man was speaking in the same low tone. “My name is Jinn, by the way.”
“Jack,” The youngling twisted to Echo while working his hands over Echo’s arm. At first he fought it, but he wasn’t strong enough.
“Now, I’m going to talk through the whole process so you understand what I’m doing and because these creatures are social ones. They tend to relax around noise, and while human voices are generally feared, it’s been proven better than just silence. Jinn rumbled.
Echo’s arm was shifted so his palm was facing up. The youngling circled his hands around his bicep before squeezing tight. It made him chitter and lift his useless arm. It waved uselessly around. Part of him wanted to smack the youngling off, but it would cause too much pain. It would be agony to use. But the guilt clear on Jack’s face was enough that he merely whimpered and watched.
“Now, when I say so, please release the hold enough to let the drugs pass into his system but not enough to let him move his arm away from me.” Jinn was suddenly closer but also pressed closer to Jack than Echo. Before he knew it, the youngling was pressing his back against Echo’s side and stretching his arm out to the human.
Warm hands ran along his elbow before a finger ran over the crook a few times. Echo yelped at a sharp, almost chilly feeling. When he tugged at his arm, it didn’t move. The two humans held firm. A sting moved up his arm before dissipating around his shoulder.
“Is he going to be alright?” Jack’s voice was strange.
Echo grunted as his head fell back against the crate. His arm was settled back over his chest. The wet cloth covering his tail was removed. He assumed that it was meant to be painful, but all he really felt was his scales catching on the fabric sections that had started to dry. His mouth was dry, and he could swear he could feel his heart beating. It was slower than he expected.
“These are extensive. His fin appears to have been taken by humans. It’s most likely why he was scared.” Jinn kept talking as he moved back. Echo snarled weakly, but it just made his head fall onto the youngling's shoulder. Keeping his eyes open at this point seemed pointless. Whatever the human did weakened him further.
But the pain was eased. Not gone. A steady ache that told him if he lived long enough that it would be back. But enough that his mind was clearer. He was in danger. But the youngling seemed nice. And he didn’t think they would do anything shitty to him.
“Now, we have to get him inside.” Jinn’s voice made him open his eyes. He was lifting his hand toward the dock. In a flash, there were three more humans running around him. The youngling was pushed to the side in a manner that had Echo snarling. It ended in a coughing huff.
“Now he’s going to hate this,” Jinn’s calm instructions broke through the chaos enough that Echo could brace himself. Multiple hands gasped at his body, each trying to find a hold that wouldn’t cause pain.
Echo screamed when he was lifted. It ended in choking sobs that came with tears falling from his eyes. As much as he wanted to curl up again, there was some sort of fabric wrapping around him to keep him stretched out as he was lifted from the dock. Each thudding footstep seemed to make him rock.
A distraction came from a hand running through his hair. It was fluffing it up with skilled, calm fingers, and he saw that Jinn was near his head. He had part of the cloth pulled over a shoulder that he was easily holding in place with one hand. The other was on Echo’s head.
“Easy there. We’ll get you fixed up.” As much as Echo wanted to protest that he was too far gone. Staring up into the eyes that were so gentle and understanding, he started to cry for a different reason. He believed him.