There was once a lonely malamute who would take long walks along the beach with his master….One morning he spied a seal on the rocks off shore. Malamutes cannot bark so he yelled. ‘You are the most beautiful creature I have ever seen, please come and play with me!’ She hesitated and then dived into the ocean. He was struck by her movement, so fluid, so elegant! 
‘I am here to play you silly thing!’ and so both splashed in the waves on the beach until twilight descended. Each went home and slept well.
On and on they played on the beach each day till winter blew and the cold Antarctic winds called to the seal. ..Be gone now oh creature of mine. You must swim to warmer clines…
The seal smelt the air and was gone.
The malamute walked the beach each day and as evening came would howl to the moon…’ Why have you left me here without my most wonderful Creature?’
‘You must know that she loves you but she must do what she must!’
What can I do to be with her? Cried the malamute
‘Listen to the sea and smell its sweet scent in your nostrils. You will know then when she will come back to you.’
‘She is fickle, like the wind!’ cried the malamute
‘Not this seal. She is true. Open your eyes and see… You have lived alone too long and guarded yourself too well. Deep in your heart she has always been there. She is your love. Do what you must do…’
Months passed and season followed season. As the twilight of each day approached the faithful dog would fetch his masters’ hiking stick and place it near his feet.
‘Ah! Kaira my dear friend I can always rely on you. But I cannot walk with you today. My bones are weary’ and with that Kairas’ master fell into a deep sleep. The malamute was a devoted animal and stayed close. He also fell into a deep sleep and dreamed a dream that kept him warm that chilly night…. A dream of his wonderful creature. The land was beautiful strange. The scent of the warm sea, clear in his nostrils. The sun was bright and the sky crystal blue. And there she was, sleek and happy.
Kaira called to her but she could not hear him. The waves on the beach crashed too heavily. ’I will swim to you’
the seal turned and remembered a lost memory…..She dived into the ocean
She did not understand what made her seek her watery home at this time of day. The seal was happy and well fed. Yet something strong within her heart called to her.
She dove deeper and deeper amongst the mighty coral. And there not far off shore glistened a pearl, of magnificent character on the ocean bed. It reflected the blue of the tropical sky and the green of the Antarctic sea.
‘I have been waiting here for many seasons and now you have come to claim me. Take me with you on your journey…. And you must travel far. I will be the eye to guide you. We will dance as sunlight on crystal clear waters oh creature of nature.’
Kaira woke with a start! He ran down to the beach. The sun was golden in morning light. ‘Where have you gone my wonderful creature?’ It seemed to him she was gone forever.
Time passed by. Sunrises turned into sunsets. One season followed another. The faithful malamute walked the beach each day longing for his lost seal.
Then one morning in early spring, a sea eagle that had been diving for fish, chanced to notice a lonely dog, sniffing the salt air.
‘If you are searching for food you will be greatly disappointed’
Kaira was silent…
‘Well be that as it may,’ squawked the sea eagle
‘Even seals have trouble finding fish these days.’
‘Seal! Yelled Kaira
‘Yes. There is one not far from here but alas she is trapped in a cave pool’
‘Show me! Kaira demanded.
‘If you wish, but you will need to be swift there is not much time left.’
And with that the eagle winged his way along the coast line, over craggy rocks and slopping hills until he landed near a most remarkable cave that bridged both ocean and land. Night was descending….
The full moon was bringing the tide in. Soon the waves would be too strong for Kaira to venture into the cave. Without a thought for himself he plunged into the icy water swimming as fast as he could. He saw a flipper poking out of a rock crevice. The salty waves slapped his face and blinded his sight. As he made his way closer and closer to his wonderful creature he could feel the pull of the ocean. Alas she was lifeless, her beautiful seal coat battered and torn. He would not give up on her. Kaira took her flipper gently in his jaws and paddled his way out of the cave against the tide. He managed to climb his way up onto a rock pavement just above the high tide mark.
. . .
The early morning sun spilled over the entrance to the ocean cave, now empty. A couple of children gambled over the rocks and stumbled over the lifeless body of large dog.
Yuk! What’s that? squealed the children.
Stop that Girl! They shouted
‘Wake up you silly thing and come and play’
The words jogged a lost memory. Kaira lifted his head and slowly opened his eyes. There before him stood a creature much like himself.
‘Come on! She yealled. ‘We can splash in the waves’
He was struck by her movement. So fluid, so elegant….and her eyes. One as blue as a tropical sky….the other as green as the Antarctic sea.
This little story is for Kaira, a beautiful Malamute who lives on Bruny Island…
On the edge of the Southern Ocean.
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