Well this was interesting to write. This story avoided being lost forever in a computer exchange and suddenly just seemed to come together right after a very low point. I had a great time writing this and I hope you enjoy it also.

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As the Selene sailed away from Thira northwards, the sea around them gradually changed from azure blue to a steely grey and the air became cooler and nipped at any exposed skin when the wind blew. Altallo, Shern’aath and Kiya had found themselves confined to their cabin, much to Kiya’s annoyance. When confronted about this, the sharks would just smile, pat them on the head and tell them that they needed time to rest and recuperate.
“Its like they see us some sickly waif!” Kiya snarls one day to no one in particular as she skulks about the cabin. Shern’aath who was sitting at the table and drawing something on a vase looks up at her with a weary expression.
“You’ve been grumbling for an hour now,” he mumbles. “Just go lie down. You’ll feel better afterwards.
Kiya rounds on him but fortunately just before she was about to breath fire, Asterion shuffles in excitedly. He mimes something to Shern’aath and Kiya.
“We’re about to come ashore?” Shern’aath asks and Asterion nods enthusiastically, his ears wagging. “Right, look alive people. We’re going out!”
“Finally.” Kiya huffed and slouched out followed by Asterion. Shern’aath was about to do the same but noticed Altallo had not moved. All through the conversation, he had been silently looking out of the window.
“Are you alright?” Shern’aath asks. Altallo turns to him and to the raptor’s surprise, he looked rather melancholy. But Altallo shook himself and forced a smile.
“Mmm? Oh sorry I was just thinking about something.”
“What about?”
“I’ll tell you later.”
Altallo drifts out of the cabin leaving a worried looking Shern’aath behind him.

The Selene had landed next to a rough wooden jetty. In fact ‘rough’ described pretty much the entire town beyond the jetty. Walls were crumbling and covered in ivy and other climbing plants and overall an air of decay.
“I don’t want to stay here too long.” Solon tells them brusquely as they disembarked. “These Thracians aren’t exactly the most hospitable of people, especially to each other.”
“He wasn’t wrong when said that,” Shern’aath thought at they entered the town. Everywhere they went, unfriendly eyes followed them. At best they were given wary looks and blunt answers to their questions, at worst they were snarled at to go away before things got ugly. Many seemed to be especially wary at the sight of Asterion. The sharks had told them that the Thracians like the Greeks were split into separate kingdoms and tribes and often fought against one another.
“Its become a joke that they could conquer the world, if they only stopped fighting each other!” Solon added with a dark chuckle.
After a fruitless search, they had met up at the main square.
“Seems like that lizard was scared off by the Thracians, and I don’t blame him.” Kiya sighed. “I’ve seen more cheer in a tomb than this place!”
“Agreed, we’re not getting anywhere here. We should probably...Asterion?”
Shern’aath had noticed both Asterion and Altallo were staring at the far side of the square. Following their gaze, Shern’aath also stops and gapes. Kiya glances at all three of them and then glares.
“What are you doing?” she starts, but Shern’aath takes her head and turns it in the direction they were staring and she too looks taken aback. Walking towards them were two massive hulking figures. With their horns and swishing long tails they were unmistakably minotaurs. One is reddish brown and white, the other brown all over and both were clad in armour and carried a sword and a shield. Bystanders scurry away at their approach. The brown one noticed Kiya, Shern’aath and Altallo but didn’t see Asterion who was hidden behind the clutter spilling out from a nearby warehouse. Smiling maliciously, the minotaur taps his companion on the shoulder and they saunter over with grins on their faces.
“Well well, look what we have here.” The brown minotaur sneers in a strange nasally voice. “A couple of outsiders!”
The red and white minotaur chuckles. Compared to the brown minotaur, his voice was much deeper. “A dangerous place for outsiders. What are you doing here? Perhaps you could do with a guide?”
“Oh that is very kind of you-” Shern’aath starts but the minotaur cuts across him.
“A guide to an early grave!”
The minotaurs started cackling and advanced slowly on the group. Asterion steps out from behind the junk. Anger had flared up in the usually passive minotaur and he snarled. The other minotaurs jump back with squeaks and cower behind their shields, for Asterion towered above them both.
“It can’t be!” the brown minotaur yelps. “Its Odryis!”
Asterion cocks his head at the word ‘Odryis’ and frowns. Kiya steps up bravely and pokes the red and white minotaur on the nose.
“Who is this Odryis?” she demands, glaring at him. The minotaur quivers at this fiery human and Asterion standing right behind her.
“H-he was a general in our kingdom. You look just like him.” He adds, pointing to Asterion. “Well almost just like him.”
“Where can we find this Odryis?”
“Find? He went missing years ago with his army and no one has seen him since. He used to live over there.” He points a shaking hand down a narrow twisting path winding away into some rough hills before he and his partner scurry away like frightened rats.

The path led them to a ruined villa nestled in a wooded glade overlooking a deep valley where a river flowed. Even from afar it as clear it had been abandoned years before, with most of its walls covered in plants and many of the roof tiles had fallen off revealing the wooden beams underneath. Inside, most of the furniture had rotted away and the more valuable items ransacked long ago. Birds had made their nests in the roof and there were several sleeping bats hanging upside down also. Gingerly Kiya, Asterion and Shern’aath venture inside, while Altallo investigated the outside of the villa.
Shern’aath started shifting through some of the rubble while Kiya made for a mostly intact box and peers into its contents. Inside are several scrolls and she unfurls one and starts reading. Her Greek was somewhat rusty but she managed to decipher some of it.
“According to this, Odryis went on over thirty campaigns and conquered huge swaths of land.”
Shern’aath frowned at this. He could never understand all this talk of owning land by Kiya and the others. You can’t own everything, especially not the earth itself.
“Where’s Asterion?”
Shern’aath looks about and just sees Asterion’s tail through a doorway.
“Oh there he is. Hey Asterion are you alright?”
Asterion didn’t move, so Kiya and Shern’aath walk to where he was standing. Asterion was standing completely still in a smaller side room. Compared to the main chamber, the furniture here was more intact and a small round window provided illumination. The bull’s eyes were fixed on a small cot set against one of the walls. Scattered here and there were brightly coloured bits of plaster. Kiya followed Asterion’s eyes and gasped.
“Asterion. You don’t think he…”
Altallo sidles up behind them.
“I’m afraid so Kiya.” he says, making them jump. Altallo holds up his hand to show a gold coin in his palm. Despite covered in years of grime, a distinctive pattern can be seen.
“Recognise this Kiya?”
The girl peers closer at the coin and then recoils somewhat when she sees pair of stylised horns.
“Its from Crete. They had those horns all over the place. You mean that they were here?”
Altallo nods. Kiya turns to Asterion sadly.
“Asterion, I’m sorry about your home-” she begins but Asterion holds up a hand. To her surprise, he was smiling down at her. He pointed to the house and shook his head. Then he pointed to them and to himself. Kiya was confused.
“I think I get what he’s trying to say.” says Shern’aath. “He’s saying ‘This place isn’t my home. We are his home; you, me and Altallo.”
Asterion nods vigorously. He scoops up them all up in a warm, soft hug. After putting them down again, he looks at Altallo and points to the coin. Altallo holds it up and Asterion takes it in his hand, letting it rest in his palm. He stares at it with a blank expression on his face, before he suddenly hurls it away into the valley below. Then his face brightens and he leads the way back to the town, without looking back at the villa once.

At the port, Solon was a nervous wreck and he looked as though he would faint at the sight of them.
“Oh thank the gods you’re back, I’ve been seeing those Thracians sneaking about and I think they’re-”
He breaks off as they walk straight pass him and into the cabin. They were all hugging and smiling up Asterion. Loukianos sidles up to Solon.
“What’s up with them?” he asks.
“No idea. But whatever they’re back. Get the ship ready, before they burn it down.”

Later that evening, hanging lamps illuminated the ship’s deck in a warm glow. Inside the cabin, everyone was sat around the table finishing off a meal Asterion had prepared, all except Altallo who was staring out of the window again. Kiya and Shern’aath were surprised at how well the minotaur had cooked the freshly caught fish, coated in herbs, olive oil and vegetables. Shern’aath looked up to Altallo.
“Altallo, what is wrong? You’ve barely touched your meal. Do you not like fish?”
Altallo turns slowly and Shern’aath’s heart sank when he saw that again he looked sad.
“I want to go home, back to my ship.” Altallo says in a wispy voice.
Shern’aath takes him gently by the shoulders and leads him over to a chair.
“We’ll get it back soon. We’ve been in tougher scrapes than this after all.”
“I feel lost without it.”
Shern’aath, worried at Altallo’s hollow voice, looked to Kiya for help.
“Why not tell us about it? Your happy memories may cheer you up.” she suggests.
Altallo ponders for a moment.
“I always felt safe when inside, because nothing could get in or destroy it. It was always there whenever I thought about home also and my brothers and sisters.”

Unknown to any of them, Solon and the other sharks were crowded around just outside their door, listening intently.
“I also keep thinking of the treasures inside my ship.” Altallo continued and the shark’s interest was immediately piqued.
“Gold! Jewels! Silver!” Loukianos whispered excitedly.
“Wood maybe.” Basilus suggested.
“What’s so special about wood?” Loukianos asks incredulously.
Basilus shrugs. “Good quality wood is great for making things. Can’t make a ship outta gems and gold.”
“The plants and animals on board are very special.” Altallo’s voice says. Loukianos groans very audibly and all noise in the cabin instantly dies away.
“Quick! Scarper!” Solon hisses as the sound of footsteps approaches. Minutes later the door flies open and Kiya peers out. She sees the sharks swabbing the deck, pulling on ropes and other mundane things. They all wave and smile at her a little too cheerfully. Her eyes narrow but she makes her way back into the cabin, closing the door behind her.

“One of my first memories on my ship is a rock sample I collected when I first arrived,” Altallo continues. “It was the first time I touched this planet or a part of it. It was strange holding soil and rock for the first time. My home is made of crystal and a strange slurry on top. Its cold and dead, but here it is warm and alive. I’m...I’m scared that without my ship, all those memories will be forgotten. And then there’s returning home, how can I without it?”
At that moment there was a knock on the door. Solon sidles in awkwardly and coughs.
“Erm, Altallo may I speak to you for a moment?”
Altallo looks at Shern’aath who shrugs nonplussed, before following Solon out onto the far side of the boat. The sea was very calm and there was no sounds except the gentle slosh of the waves against wood. Solon stared into water for a moment before speaking.
“I miss my home also.”
Altallo was surprised, given Solon’s usually stony demeanour.
“Used to be a crewmember on a much bigger ship, wonderful thing. We sailed from one side of the Mediterranean to the other, there was no job too great or minor for us. But...one day there was a storm and the poor thing was damaged badly. To pay for her, the captain laid many of us off, including me. Spend some time alone in a street, doing anything to scrape up any money for a new ship.”
He gives the railing of his own boat an affectionate pat. “And this old dear has been the result of all that blood, sweat and tears.”
“What about the others?” Altallo asks. Solon smirks at that.
“Both very long stories but in brief, Loukianos was a hooligan who tried stealing from me and I caught him. I saw potential in him and offered him a job. And poor Basilus was an unsuccessful craftsman where he lived and was thrown out of his home when he couldn’t pay his taxes. I took him in for his skills and we give him plenty of time to work on his sculptures.”
Solon smiles wistfully at these memories. Altallo looks up at him, feeling a strange knot in his stomach. The shark reads the expression on his face and affectionately ruffles his hair.
“Ah don’t worry, we weren’t the most inviting back in Rhodes. I’m sorry we called you feeble, you humans are pretty resilient in many ways.”
Altallo briefly wondered whether he should tell Solon he wasn’t human, but decided it could wait for later.
“We’ll get you back to your home, I promise you that.” Solon continued, putting a hand on Altallo’s shoulder. Altallo suddenly leaps up and hugs Solon’s massive chest. The great white was surprised by this and blushes deep pink. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Loukianos with his hands on his cheeks and miming the word ‘Aww!’ while Basilus smiled placidly. Feeling very awkward, both embarrassed yet also warm inside, he hugged Altallo back.