The fur seal.

Stormsong, a young New Zealand fur seal, loved the ocean. He had been born on a rocky shore where the waves crashed like thunder, and the salty wind carried stories of distant waters. His mother had taught him how to swim, how to hunt, and how to be wary of the dangers lurking beneath the waves.

One morning, Stormsong ventured farther than ever before. The sea was calm, and the sunlight danced on the surface, inviting him to explore. He dove deep, twisting through kelp forests and chasing schools of shimmering fish. But as he surfaced for air, something in the water changed.

A shadow moved beneath him.

Stormsong froze. His mother had warned him about the great white sharks that patrolled these waters. Their pale bellies blended with the sunlight above, their dark backs with the deep below. If he wasn’t careful, he could become a meal in an instant.

He darted toward the shallows, but the shadow followed. A flick of a massive tail sent a surge of water rushing past him. Stormsong twisted and turned, using his agility to outmaneuver the predator. His heart pounded as he neared the rocky coastline, the one place the shark couldn’t follow.

But danger didn’t always have teeth.

As he swam, he felt something tighten around his flipper. Panic surged through him as he struggled, but the more he moved, the worse it became. A ghost net—an old, abandoned fishing net—had ensnared him. He thrashed, but the net only wrapped tighter. The shark circled, waiting.

Stormsong knew he had to stay calm. Using his teeth, he bit at the strands, twisting his body carefully. The net was strong, but he was determined. With one final yank, the fibers snapped, and he was free!

He surged toward the rocks, the shark lunging just behind him. At the last second, Stormsong leaped onto a ledge, the shark’s snout crashing into the stone below. With a final splash, the great predator disappeared into the depths.

Breathing hard, Stormsong lay on the warm rocks, safe—for now. He had escaped, but the ocean was full of dangers: sharks, nets, and the ever-changing sea. Yet, as he watched the waves roll in, he knew he would return. The ocean was his home, and he belonged to it, no matter the risks.

And so, after resting, he slipped back into the water, ready to face whatever the sea would bring next.