“Something calls to you from the Deep.”

The sun hung low over the tranquil waters of Xiunus’ ocean, casting an orange glow across the sky. Gaeron Pass, the colony nestled amidst the canyons of Issiq, had received an unsettling communication from the DPIP. The message, though brief, sent a shiver through the colony’s ranks. It read: “Something calls to you from the Deep.”

Kanto, the tsabhua asked to act as the lead investigator for this mission, was sent to Gaeron Reef to request help from some of the Outpost members and investigate this case. He read the words for the third time, his pale grey eyes narrowing. His brown and white fur rustled in the morning breeze. He stood tall, his posture brimming with confidence despite the cryptic nature of this message.

Behind him, Loire, the upbeat blackberry belemoid, trotted up with a curious look. Her ice-blue eyes gleamed with interest as she approached the brown tsabhua, her claws clicking softly on the rocky terrain. “Do you think it's the ocean talking?” she teased, nudging Kanto. “Or something in the ocean?”

Kanto chuckled, though his gaze remained fixed on the horizon. “Maybe both. But this message... it’s like a puzzle, Loire. And I don’t really like puzzles.”

“We'll crack it,” Loire said cheerfully, digging her claws into the ground as if solving the mystery was as simple as digging up a fresh tunnel.

The investigation had attracted some interest from the surrounding colonies. Snip’s Pinnacle Peak had sent two of their own to assist, and now Nell, a Tsabhua with light brown fur and a typically dark mane, was approaching the meeting point followed by the slithering form of Esnon. He moved with a deliberate calm demeanor, his steel-blue eyes assessing the landscape. The coast was quiet, serene. Too serene, perhaps.

Kanto and Loire both nodded a greeting as Nell arrived. “Any theories?” Kanto asked, hoping for a fresh perspective. Nell was known for his laid-back nature but had a sharp mind when needed.

Nell pondered for a moment before responding. “It’s cryptic, sure, but it suggests something wants attention. Something from... down there.” He motioned toward the churning waters below the cliffs. “I’d start with the ocean.”

Giving Nell a somewhat unamused look “Yeah, I figured it would be the ocean” but he agreed, they should get a closer look first.

The group made their way down the steep path to the shore. Esnon’s pinkish-brown scales shimmered in the sunlight, his blue and red eyes flicking about with excitement. The beaked creature had a natural affinity for water and was eager to dive into the mystery. “I think it’s a call,” Esnon hissed eagerly, his long body slithering beside them. “Like a song, but deeper. We should listen to it!”

As the team prepared to investigate, Kanto summoned two more members of Gaeron Pass. Seetang and Moray, the reef belemoids, had lived their whole lives near the ocean and knew its depths well and would hopefully offer valuable experience despite their young ages.

Seetang, the young but confident blue reef belemoid, swam through the shallow waters with ease. Her black tail sliced through the water, her pink eyes glittering with experience despite her youth. “I’ve heard all kinds of things out here,” she said, her voice calm. “But nothing that has been... calling out? Nothing unusual at least.”

Moray, her black-and-white marked companion, stayed close to her side, his bright orange eyes darting nervously. He was more cautious, but his bond with Seetang gave him courage. “If something’s down there, we need to be careful. It might not be friendly,” he muttered, casting anxious glances at the darkening water.

Seetang nodded, her tail flicking with a kind of thoughtful rhythm. “I agree. But we’ve got to see for ourselves. Something about this feels... important.”

Kanto, watching the two belemoids with interest, turned to Esnon, Nell and Loire who were standing at the edge of the waterline. “Are you ready to dive?” He moved closer, handing each tsabhua a communication device that would help them stay in touch underwater while also offering a rebreather system.

The draconic tarkee grinned, his beak clicking eagerly. “Always.”

The team entered the water, moving in unison toward the deeper section of the reef. The sun made the surface shimmer in the bright light, throwing weaving shadows beneath the surface, and the ocean grew darker as they ventured farther from the shore.

Esnon swam beside Seetang and Moray, his serpentine body gliding effortlessly through the waves, matching the speed of the agile reef belemoid. He was humming softly to himself, attuning to the rhythm of the ocean. Every now and then, his eyes darted toward the abyss below. “Can you feel it?” he asked, his voice a little more serious now. “There’s something… pulling us down.”

Seetang felt it too. A faint vibration in the water. It wasn’t a sound in the traditional sense, but more like an echo. A distant pulse. “It’s coming from the trench,” she said quietly, looking ahead where the ocean floor suddenly dropped off into a yawning black chasm.

Moray hesitated, his claws twitching nervously in the water. “I don’t like this. What if it’s a trap?”

Kanto, always the leader, swam to the front of the group, his mane floating around his head in the water. “We were sent here to investigate, and we won’t stop now. If something is calling from the Deep, we need to know what.”

The pale brown tsabhua nodded “We’ve already come this far, might as well see if we can figure out more before reporting back to DPIP.”

They descended further, the pressure increasing as the trench loomed before them like the maw of some ancient beast, dark and silent. As they neared the edge, Loire, who had remained unusually quiet, finally spoke up. “What if this isn’t just a call? What if it’s a warning?”

Nell, swimming beside her, nodded thoughtfully. “Or an invitation.”

Esnon, swimming just ahead, stopped abruptly. His beak clicked in excitement. “It’s here,” he said in a hushed tone. “Whatever it is… I can feel it deep down there, the echo is getting louder..”

A deep vibration emanated from within the trench, still faint but unmistakable. It pulsed slowly, matching the rhythm of the strange echo they’d felt earlier. Kanto, ever the bold leader, pushed forward. “Stay close,” he warned. “We don’t know what we’re dealing with.”

As they ventured deeper into the chasm, the echo became louder—more defined, however they could never quite reach its source, as if it was moving, perhaps it was alive after all?

Moray shivered slightly in the back of the group, clinging to Seetang, who gave her friend a gentle look. “I really don’t like this” he murmured her concern “Maybe this is enough data to report back to DPIP and they can send some specialized drone down here to further check it out.. Or something.”

Kanto’s heart raced as the cryptic message from DPIP played again in his mind. Something calls to you from the Deep. “Maybe you’re right” he agreed after a moment of silence “The water pressure is getting too much to safely descend further anyways. Let’s head back and finalize our report."