Disclaimer: Inspired by the movies and Animated series by Warner Bros. Note that the cartoon took place after the first movie and before the sequel. Luna and Little Spot did not appear in the cartoon if anyone was wondering if they did.

Summary: Jesse is grown up, married and raising a family. He spends an evening with his sons, telling the stories of him and his best bud Willy and the adventures they had together. Prequel to Twin Tides.

Warning: The prologue is a little depressing. Future Chapters will be on lighter notes promise.

Enjoy!

Blackfish Saga - Skaana Tales

Prologue

Once, before there were orca, lived a great carver named Natsilane. Natsilane married the daughter of a chief on a nearby island and took up residence with her family. While most of the island's people welcomed Natsilane, his oldest three brothers-in-law were jealous of his skills and were threatened by his presence.

One day, while out hunting with his brothers, Natsilane speared a sea lion but the animal escaped, with the tip of the spear lodged in its skin. Even worse than missing the kill, Natsilane turned around to see his brothers-in-law paddling away, abandoning him on a desolate rock with no supplies.

With nothing more he could do, Natsilane curled up under his cloak and fell asleep, unsure of what the next day would bring. When he awoke the next day, he was met by the chief of the sea lions, who asked him a favor: the chief's son had been injured by a spear tip. If Natsilane would help save the chief's son, the chief would send him home safely, with new skills and abilities.

Natsilane removed the spear tip and the chief's son healed. Natsilane was then given safe passage home. Once he was back with his wife and family, Natsilane set to carving a great whale out of spruce wood. After a number of tries, he finally succeeded in carving the perfect creature. He launched it into the ocean and the carving sank. At first nothing happened. But then Natsilane began so say a prayer, one he had never heard before...

...Salana Ayun Iasis...

The words echoed over the water.

Then the water began to churn and swell and from below the waves the carving leaped out from where it had sank. But it was not a carving anymore, it had come to life and became a whale.

It had become an orca.

Natsilane ordered the whale to find his brothers-in-law and avenge their actions. The orca then sank the canoe of Natsilane's brothers-in-law, drowning them in the ocean. Natsilane ordered the orca to never again harm a human.

The villagers and the orca lived in harmony ever since...

~oOo~

Reading the familiar legend brought a soft smile to face of 47 year old Jesse Greenwood, happily married to his lovely wife Nadine, father of two twin sons Taylor and Tyler. He could remember when his old friend and mentor Randolph had told him the Haida legend of the origin of orca. He recalled all the adventures he had as a young boy, working at Misty Island oceanographic institute with Randolph, Marelene and of course Mr. Naugle, taking care of sick and injured marine life, travelling the seas. Jesse will admit one thing to anyone that since growing up and starting his own family, he missed the sea. But there was one thing he missed more than anything, or should that be anyone.

Placing the book onto the desk, Jesse sighed. He missed his best friend, his best bud and fellow trouble maker. He missed, Willy.

When Jesse was in his mid thirties, he and Nadine, his fiance at the time, moved into a new two story house in Oregon, happily settling down with their twin newborn sons, when he had gotten the call from his parents. They had gotten a call from Randolph that Willy had been hanging around the area lately.

Willy, thirty-seven years old, was spotted in a shallow cove near the camp grounds Jesse and his family visited every year. According to Randolph, Willy had been there for several days. Of course Jesse and Nadine wasted no time in going to the Islands. When they had arrived they met up with Glen, Annie and Randolph. The small reunion with family and friends was brief as they made their way to the cove where Willy was.

It wasn't a happy sight, Willy was listless, barely even moving. Randolph tells the Greenwoods that Willy hadn't moved much unless to eat, which from what the aging Haida had seen, wasn't very often. Out in the deeper water of the cove, Niki, Willy's mate, Little Spot, Willy's brother, and three other younger orca, two males and a female, which were Willy and Niki's offspring, circled within the cove. Ocasionally spyhopping to see the humans that came as well as watching over Willy who now was beached in three feet of water. Hearing a mournful cry from Niki had Jesse's heart clench like being in a vice. He knew what was happening.

Willy was dying.

Jesse waded through the shallows toward his lifetime friend, who tiredly squeaked in greeting. Placing his hands on the old orca's snout, Jesse gave his friend a hug.

Jesse closed his eyes and took a long slow deep breath, hoping his childhood ability would work one last time. Reopening his eyes, Jesse knelt into the water softly patting Willy's side. "Hey Bud, been a long time."

Fwoosh. Willy spouted mist as he inhaled. "Too...long."

Jesse swallow hard as hiss eyes began to water at hearing how tired his friend sounded. Gone was the cheerful trouble maker. "I guess there'll be no more adventures for the two of us, huh?"

Willy smiled, "I-I wanted to see you one last time, wanted...to say Goodbye."

"I know." Jesse sniffled trying to fight back the tears, "I know, bud. You-you don't need to hang on anymore, i'm here beside you."

"You'll always remember me, right?"

"Always." Jesse sobbed. Willy's breathing was slowing becoming more ragged. "I love you, Willy."

"Love you too, Jesse. I'm...glad we were...friends." Willy softly said.

"The best."

Fwoosh. "Good-bye, Jesse."

Willy spouted his last breath as his eyes slowly closed and he was gone.

Jesse didn't stop the tears as he sobbed. "Good-bye, Willy."

Willy's family each let out long sorrow filled cries that echoed over the water and into the trees. Jesse's family mourned on the beach. Jesse with tears mixing with the salty waves he began to whisper familiar words...

...Salana ayun iasis...

~oOo~

Jesse leaned back in his chair wiping away a stray tear as he remembered his last moments with his orca friend. Twelve years had past since his friend's death and Jesse was on the verge of a new adventure in his life.

A/N: Ska'ana - the Haida word for whale. Blackfish was the common term for orca (Killer whale) used by sailors and fishermen on the Northwest pacific coast.

In the cartoon Jesse, age 12, discovered that, when his spirit was calm, he could speak to and understand animals. Yes, Willy can talk, Willy has always been able to talk, all animals can, but only those who can 'Truth Talk' can understand them.

Natsilane's story is the original telling. I added the prayer from the movie since it is not apart of the original story. Future chapters will be from the episodes of the cartoon as well as the movies and how i tie them to each other.

i wrote this Prologue while listening to "The Soft Good-bye - Celtic Women", it's not a theme but if you read and listen to the song you'll see how it is fitting.

R&R