Roo-kai comes back.
Where's my skateboard? asks Terence.
The baby skates won't give it up, says Roo-kai.
What's Felicia doing? asks Gaius.
Negotiating, says Roo-kai.
And swimming? says Terence.
And swimming, says Roo-kai.
Since you're here, says Gaius, would you mind...
Sorry for interrupting, says Roo-kai, but isn't that one of your socks in the shallows?
It is, says Gaius. With a mud crab inside.
Hiding, says Terence.
So I see, says Roo-kai. And it seems to be slowly retreating.
Curses! says Gaius. So it does.
Roo-kai swoops down and catches the top of the sock.
Lifts it out of the shallows.
Shakes it.
But there's no point in shaking the top.
He drops the sock, in order to take hold of the toe end, and shake the crab out.
But the sock has dropped onto a rock.
C-crack!
I may have cracked its carapace, says Rookai.
I'm sure you didn't mean to, says Gaius.
Mm, says Roo-kai.
He shakes the crab out. It appears to be dead.
I may as well eat it, says Roo-kai.
I suppose so, says Gaius. But it's a pity, because I was trying to persuade it to act as a lure.
For what? asks Roo-kai.
For two old maugean skates that were pursuing it, says Gaius. I had only to think of a way to protect it.
I see, says Roo-kai. But now, it doesn't need your protection.
That's true, says Gaius. In fact it may be the best thing that could have happened.
How is it the best thing that could have happened? asks Terence. It fell out of your sock, then it died.
Tragic of course, says Gaius. But if Roo-kai delays eating it....
I understand, says Roo-kai. I shall delay eating it. I'll carry it in my beak out over the water to the place where the baby skates are. The old ones will be keeping their distance, but within a short radius. I'll soon lure them up. Then I'll lead them back to where you are.
Then you'll eat the mud crab, says Terence.
That's right, says Roo-kai. I'll deserve it.
You will, says Gaius. Thank you Roo-kai.
But the old skates might try to fight you, says Terence.
Let them try, says Roo-kai.
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