CAE: Marrow

The time had been right, and the partner had been right; and thus the two Palpusoids had agreed that a pairing between them was a plan they could carry out. Arch was his regional leader and a general ambassador, having gone through some rather interesting times as they and the Nephidae had worked out a deal with the species of INCEPT that gained them control of their home world from the pirates that had taken control of it for a long time prior. The red colored giant had found another squid type of similar size as a potential partner; and found that she was as fit as she was clever. The female while not much in charge of anything do to her more laid back nature was curious over his work, and would follow with in reason to watch. Clipse turned out eventually to move then an interest in his work, but in he himself as well. He was strong, capable, and bold; and she did after some time approach him to ask for his consideration of her for his breeding partner. Having only a single chance at breeding, it was agreed that they would take time to appraise each other more fully before deciding. And after a few calm years had passed and no others had proven themselves as equal or better options for breeding, the two moved to complete the act.

Clipse turned out to be a rather aggressive and confident nest guard, fully confident that she could fend herself off for extended times while the father of her eggs went to hunt or attend to his business as regional head. Her dark coloring helped to hide her and her eggs from predators, and she fancied herself tough enough to handle a harder nesting period then most with a busy mate. Not that the male ever actually left her wanting, working the extra hunting for his partner easily into his scheduled. With two parents that worked well together, and were extremely attentive all the eggs of the small clutch made it to hatching. The healthy infants were rather typical, able to swim on hatching and staying close to the available parent; their needs as carnivores met by the parents easily.

Marrow did however show issues early on. The black and white male infant was one of the larger of the sixteen infants, suggesting that he would someday grow to be a giant like his parents. While his siblings were typical in feeding, and eagerly gathered the bits the parents offered; Marrow often took a bit to join in. When startled and moving to swim away he'd regularly manage to run into things. With a larger group of infants Marrow would probably would have been picked off by a predator before having a full chance at life. Marrow was blind, born without one of the most powerful senses of a Palpusoid. Clipse was concerned on working out what was wrong, having had to work it out on her own observations as well as through speak with others of the colony with more experience then herself.

He was the only one of his brother's and sister's that was blind. Clipse was determined that Marrow would do just as well in life as the rest of her brood, no matter the challenges. She could not of course dedicate her full time to him, she had fifteen other children; and while Arch was around as father, that still didn't give her full time to baby him. Instead he was urged to stay in sight as he grew, explorations blocked to areas near Clipse or that had been checked by her previous. His siblings did not understand this when he and they were still very young, but understanding came with time and age. Mostly it meant getting dragged to be introduced to things that they had found interesting.

By ten Marrow was gaining confidence in himself and his world. Even at a young age he was fully aware of his one issues, and spent a lot of time pressed into a safe location to listen. What was the sound the boney fish made when swimming? What was the sound of the predator of the same size. What did an area that had recently seen a hunt smell like down current. The entire world that should have been revealed through sight had to be learned in other ways or he'd be eaten or starve. Long expeditions to catch things in fully open water were fully out of the question, even half grown at sixteen feet he was an easy target for fast predators and with no landmarks if he was to be separated he'd never get home. His hunting was limited, but he did have value in gathering. While total darkness was an issue for most, and something he could never get his siblings in joining him to investigate; it was just the same as the rest of his world. Armed with simple shield and nerves he'd poke around the dark places that others were not keen to go.

His abilities would strengthen over time, he would gain the skills and knowledge he needed to better his hunting abilities. If you wanted to gather something in a cave that was likely to flee? Simply attach a net over the exit. Most of his work involved gathering items, and working to learn about them. If asking colony members did not reveal things he needed to know, experimentation was a possible option. How to get up the spike covered creatures that burrowed into the stone. They were good for eating and the spines for hunting, but could harm you. The clear option was to use pods off local plants to stick onto the spines to let the little terrors get picked up. Being a giant with issues doing open water hunting it was important to expend as little energy as possible in order to get the amount he needed to eat- and anytime available to store extra for when his hunting and gathering was poor. While several of his siblings often asked if he needed help, and it came up from his mom from time to time; he insisted that he was making it fine alone.

And things did get better with age. By twenty he'd worked out a good deal with a few others of his species. The off worlders that lived in the city of Lari and at the mid-point station, often were interested in trade for specific items. Some of the things that Marrow knew how to find and gather were well selling (and legal) trade items. If he was willing to set up working in tangent, they would help him with his hunting while he focused on gathering trade materials. Not one to ignore opportunity he agreed to agree with their contract brought before an outside party to prove it had in fact been made. His business partners were eager, but he was not so stupid as to dig everything out of a cave at once; you always wanted to leave some of anything that grew so it could breed. They in turn trading him fairly for his work,and when the value of his haul was worth more then simply a days hunt he was paid in requested items to better his abilities or to give to the colony members that had made his life easier.

He took a general interest in the social goings of his colony, and the things that his father did. How the region was run, and the interactions between species was very interesting for the young Palpusiod. Marrow showed up from time to time to ask questions and gain information, at rare times dropping his own input. He might have not known everything, but some things could be overlooked by others. If certain species on the ocean floor changed their patterns or behavior or travel, it was often because of something that others were doing or an event coming. On any other planet he might have been a ecologist, but on Maridia he was simply one learned of the world around him.