So, yesterday was actually pretty cool. I had another lesson with Kohric, which was fascinating in and of itself. He taught us about the body of water we’re living next to. I know I was already talking about this when we first arrived, but to recap Kohric; it’s pretty much an epeiric sea (which, if you hate geology, means a very shallow ocean sitting on top of a continent). The water is very shallow compared to what a human would be used to, and it’s completely loaded with different living things. Kohric told us all about some of the plants and animals that inhabit the shore area, and promised to go into some of the bigger sea creatures next time. I’m excited.
But the most interesting part of yesterday came after the lesson.
I was playing around on the beach with Eyani and Oshtik. I introduced them to the art of making sand castles (though it probably was pretty stupid, since the concept of “a building” is lost kinda on them). Oshtik was quick to inform me that you don’t build things on the beach, you make pictures and stories.
She even spent a good ten minutes trying to draw me. I don’t know that my pride will hold up to much of this. Even a caricature artist never made my nose THAT big, and it didn’t help when Eyani started praising the likeness. Tee-Tee Huge-Schnoze. Great.
Anyway, I was absently sitting down, doodling a happy face, when Oshtik became very excited and came slinking up next to me, pointing. She was whispering in that excited hush type of voice, like a pro bird watcher who’s spotted the rare Orange Spotted Chocobo or something.
Picking its way carefully through the shallow water was—something. Seriously, I defy you to put this thing into Earth taxonomy. It moved vaguely like a wading bird; carefully and deliberately lifting each foot and then placing it down again without disturbing the water much more than a ripple. But instead of having a long bill down in the sand, it would rest its “forehead” against the water and unroll this long trunk-thing down to the seabed. Every few minutes the trunk would come back up clutching something, and it would shove whatever it had found behind the crescent-head. When it moved closer I caught a very quick glimpse of its mouth as an object was brought up to the head. Its mouth was like a squid, only with far more “teeth.” It was a little intimidating to hear it crunching away at whatever morsel it had picked up. Oshtik insisted I keep very still, and stay low and quiet. She explained that seeing a ba’oh is very good luck, but only if you do not disturb it. It isn’t something the Azu-nah hunt, apparently. They see it as a guardian of the beach. Through the entire whispered explanation, Oshtik was making these slow gestures; I couldn’t help but imagine her dressed in khaki and talking with a British accent, like one of those video nature guides. It was cute.
The ba’oh (which I keep thinking of as a beach beast) spent perhaps five minutes in our presence, tops. It crunched up several unfortunate sea creatures and then disappeared into a cluster of bushes without a sound.
I like it. It’s nice to see a completely benign creature like this, and get to see it with completely natural behavior. It was very, very cool. I hope I can see another one someday.
Author's Note:
Because of the time of year, O faithful readers, I am going to be very, very busy. I hate delaying posts or putting them off, which is most likely what would happen a lot over next two weeks. So instead I'm going to put the blog on a mini hiatus. There will be no official update next week or the week after, and I will pick up again starting the 4th of January. I will very likely post a piece of art or two to keep dust from accumulating, but we won't hear anything from Tee until the new year. I hope everyone enjoys their holiday of choice, and that you all have a Happy New Year!
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