I'm a Stingray?

Chapter 76: Cartoons

Throughout travelling under a day, the group of 6 fish was blessed with the eye sore of dead coral that gave a vibe the same like a wicked disease. It would be reasonable to think so, as the damaged portion stood right in the middle of this entire coral reef.

It truly was unsettling but yet the rest of the group could not understand what the whole point was. Sure the coral here had died out but what did it have to do with the reef life in general? No matter how much the rest thought it out, they just could not find a connection between this coral and letting those dark crabs run free.

At this point Timmy proved useless in terms of shedding more light so he was hoping that the 12 year old sea snake whom assigned this task, would help explain better.

But that became another problem, the old lady just wasn't here! He had absolutely no idea where a tired animal would go but the boy didn't want to scope the whole coral to figure it out either.

One thing that occurred as a blur to Osira especially was the reason why Timmy quit the recruitment and solidarity task short.

It was hard to understand at first so the small sea pancake had to repeat himself a few times, but the sentences always originated to one idea.

"We have gathered enough friends to kill a shark, why deprive the north side from fish when they need it just as much as the rest of the reef does? We don't want the reef to die so those who stay in their hidden dens, must remain there and do whatever they do that keeps the reef alive."

"I wanted to meet the sharks everyone feared so much but that's for another day, we didn't need to engage in pointless battles, killing those sharks wouldn't give us any benefits."

"We need to start this mission of saving the reef and I just wanted to get away from that crazy undead anglerfish as well. The sooner we start, the quicker we can save this place."

Well those were the answers of which the boy gave every time, they surely made sense but whom was smart enough could tell that everything originated around his agendas.

One couldn't get mad about it though, his intends are good enough and he was just a little stingray whom was pretty much pushing all boundaries just to help everyone, be it the tribe or the entire reef.

So most could respect his spirit, hard to believe that this young man was only 40 days old!

...

As they paused to take a good long break, one thing bloomed in common amongst them. Hunger! Their bellies were thundering because of it and it was harder on the big ones.

These diamond stingrays were a meter across and obviously required more food just so their bodies can keep going.

They had passed the middle of the reef a few hours ago but to reach the den which was all the way to the other side of the reef, specifically south, at least 12 more hours were required.

Travelling that long without eating something now would be a horrible idea, they need nutritional energy to go on.

Tim was the first to pitch the idea, his health being 61/100 aided the motive. "We should stop here and see what we can hunt."

"Agree."

"I would even eat an urchin right now."

"All I taste is water, I need meat."

A few of the group members followed up while some weren't really talkative, it was easy to figure out why.

Known as the idea man thanks to the countless heroic and or typical acts, the youngest here felt obliged to state. "We'll split up and meet back here, don't forget this spot."

Unwilling to put up any debate, the group split and began to scavenge for any little critter they could find. Although the tribe strived for solitude throughout the entire reef, there still were certain marine animals that proved good as a feast.

Such as species of smaller crabs, shrimps and clownfish. The reason behind it was obvious, what shark could a shrimp possibly fight and win against?

Feeling his stomach roaring for food, Tim couldn't help asking the system. "How's my hunger bar looking, lady?"

[Hunger bar 1/15]

"That's pretty bad, reminds me of my first days in this body." Tim thought out and made for what seemed like a hole in this patch of red coral.

The hole itself didn't seem like it was made from coral, just dirt and gravel. It didn't look like anything worthwhile but the boy was desperate enough for food.

Swimming about 2 meters in, the first thing that caught his eye was this purple looking fat animal that seemed to have 11 or so arms.

Absolutely disgusted, Timmy shouted out. "Eeww what the hell is that?"

[A starfish]

"Really? They look disgusting!" The young one complained once more and his desperation flew away by a corner.

[You're lucky they aren't bigger.]

"Not helping." He answered and observed just how small these beings are, certainly shorter than Tim but they stretched wider by a hunch.

This starfish had to be about 10 centimeters wide, and he didn't waste a second on killing it considering this marine animal can't really fight back or swim away fast enough.

With 3 or so strikes with that wonderful barb that carried a couple of blue lines on each corner, he could hear the system announcing. [Reef starfish identified and killed.]

[1 system point has been given as a reward.]

[Since this is a system given task, you received an additional point.]

[Total system points = 36]

[Eating a full grown reef starfish grants the following...]

[Effect on health, +5 bars]

[Effect on hunger, +1 bar]

[Effect on sleep, non existent]

[Effect on stamina, non existent]

"5 health bars ha..." Timothy contemplated as the 11 arms on the being didn't fail to give the boy a chill... underwater. "This is not the starfish I remember in cartoons."

[Cartoons? You mean those drawn things that show in a small box?]

"You don't know what cartoons are? But you're like extremely smart." At this point he was absolutely staggered.

[I'm 14 hundred years old. But a few thousand guests have mentioned cartoons, although I still don't understand what they are.]

"They are very funny, we gotta find some way for you to see them." The boy pitched the idea but then remembered what will not be so funny, eating this animal.