Underwater gallery

Taking a deep breath of the sea air, Zuma even stuck out his tongue in delight. It had been three days since he’d been out the water — and Zuma was a sea dog not just by profession, but in his soul! The whole problem was that missions requiring his help didn’t come along all that often. And right now, he wasn’t on a mission either… Or rather, he was on a light but very unusual assignment. A few months ago, Ryder had developed prototypes of special underwater breathing devices for all members of the Patrol. After all, hauling around air tanks with the weight of the main backpack was no fun! Ryder had made small devices shaped like bones that needed to be opened, taken into the water, and submerged. A special system extracted dissolved oxygen from the water and — voilà! — delivered breathable air. The “bones” didn’t take up much space and could always be kept in paw's reach, which was also important! It was precisely to test these breathing devices that Zuma had headed out to sea today, sailing far from Adventure Bay. Although he hadn’t brought any equipment, Zuma considered himself a good swimmer, and diving in the waters of the Bay, where the bottom was covered only with sparse clumps or thickets of tall but sparse seaweed, seemed just plain boring to him. So Zuma launched his hovercraft into the water and sailed so far from shore that the Lookout Tower in the distance looked quite small. He’d dived here before and knew there was plenty to admire on the seafloor. The underwater world here was untouched by civilization — underwater currents flowed toward the shore, not away from it, so the seawater had only a slight emerald green tint, obscuring the picturesque bottom. Through the clear depths, he could already see forests of seaweed and corals that could rival any land-based grove in beauty. Maybe even surpass it! Zuma took a deep breath of the warm, salty air — in the calm, the breeze didn’t ruffle his fur except for the slight headwind from the hovercraft’s motion, so the sun beat down even hotter, and the water called him to dive in and leave all his troubles on the surface to enjoy the quiet marine beauty. After checking the engine, Zuma climbed onto the bow of his hovercraft and gave a sharp bark. “Close the cockpit!” he commanded, and the transparent canopy slid over the cabin. Zuma himself, who hadn’t forgotten to bring the “bone,” took it in his teeth, and its ends clicked apart. Well, no point waiting! “Let’s go!” he exclaimed and jumped, splashing into the sun-warmed water and quickly paddling with his paws. The first breath went smoothly — bubbles soared upward, swirling beautifully behind the young Labrador as he hurried straight for the bottom. A school of small fish flashed past him, their scales glinting, startled by the intrusion of this visitor from the surface. Though he wouldn’t admit it to his friends, the first few breaths from the humming bone’s nozzle were scary. It seemed too small to contain enough oxygen. But soon the pup grew accustomed and could finally focus not on the frightening unfamiliarity but on the convenience. Unburdened, as in free diving, his body slipped through the depths with smooth, animal grace, but he could breathe his fill of air — though damp and salty. Zuma felt even more close with the sea, now that no suit, helmet, or heavy tanks on his back separated him from its caring embrace — the pup truly felt free, soaring above the picturesque bottom. His attention was drawn to a wall of green seaweed up ahead. With a few strong strokes, the pup swam to them, startling a multitude of colorful fish that scattered in every direction, wiggling their tails comically. Parting the seaweed with his paws, Zuma admired the shells hidden within — what a find! Each cone-shaped shell was the size of his paw — he’d have to come back here for sure! Such a gift would surely delight both Katie and Skye. The pleasant touch of the seaweed against his paw pads made a wonderful impression on Zuma. Giving in to the impulse, he swam into the seaweed like a fish—how wonderful their touches felt against his fur, even reaching his undercoat. Before, protected by his suit, his double coat had never given him sensations like these! Every dog loves being petted. Zuma was no exception. But if people could only pet one spot at a time with their hands, the water surrounded him from all sides, giving similar sensations all over his body as he swam. Maybe that was one reason why swims made Zuma so happy! But with denser-than-water seaweed, and without that annoying suit… It especially relaxed the Labrador. Happily exhaling and inhaling, Zuma spun, rolling onto his back, and swam into the thickest part of the soft sargassum, which tickled his sides, back, and the thighs of his paddling hind legs. These were unforgettable sensations! Whether Zuma’s fur was slightly different from a regular Labrador’s or he’d just been craving pleasant touches, the seaweed had a shocking effect! Taking another breath and holding it this time, Zuma lay down on the soft seabed and rolled in the thicket, feeling ticklish pokes and strokes from the underwater vegetation — very pleasant and mesmerizing. The soft bottom played its part too — rolling onto his stomach, Zuma sank his paws into it, delighting in the pleasant touches between his toes and against his pads. How wonderful, just magnificent! He pulled out his left hind leg and leaned on his front paws, then stretched like a cat, releasing a new cloud of bubbles and getting a whole dose of pleasant sensations in his front paws as they stirred the sand! And if he lifted them, his body, no longer weighed down by gear, began slowly floating up, so he had to grab the bottom or seaweed again to stay down. Or exhale the stale air, releasing all the carbon dioxide back to the blue sky far above. But he couldn’t hold his exhale for long — his body began trembling, his chest felt tight, and then — a new sweet breath… Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind: to explore a small cave in the rocks about three minutes’ paddle from where he was tumbling. The narrow entrance had never let him squeeze through with his backpack, but what was stopping him now? Gripped by this new idea, Zuma floated up and, allowing the seaweed one last stroke of his belly (which, contrary to the pup’s expectations, quivered and tightened), the young Labrador continued his underwater journey. Not that he expected to see anything particularly interesting or unusual, but he was curious to peek where he’d never been before. Labradors are restless dogs! And adventures awaited pups not just in Adventure Bay. As he approached the wide crack running through the slope of a rocky outcrop that reached the surface as a reef, Zuma felt a growing surge of impatience and desire to overcome obstacles — that feeling that thrilled him on missions, drew him to them, and made him eagerly await the next incident. Though it was a bit shameful to realize that others’ misfortunes somehow brought happiness… But saving others was noble and right! Well, now that same adrenaline rush came without anyone suffering, just from curiosity and the expectation of discovering something new and interesting, of going where no dog had gone before!.. Still taking precautions, Zuma paused before the crevice and peered inside. Too bad he didn’t have a flashlight! Still, the “entrance” was big enough for the pup to squeeze through, and inside there seemed enough room to turn around and swim out headfirst, not backward like a crab. Decided! Zuma braced his paws against the rock and carefully swam inside — the cave barely brushed his back, and inside there really was plenty of space! And not just width-wise — Zuma suddenly saw a path of faintly phosphorescent greenish-yellow algae, like a carpet covering the floor of a long stone tunnel. “Wow!” Zuma thought. “Better find out where this leads!” Taking a deep breath, Zuma swam just above the algae, making leisurely strokes. The tunnel turned out to be short, and it even gradually widened, descending — apparently, beneath the sandy bottom lay a whole network of underwater caves, or at least one big one. How cool! And luckily, as the pup descended, the algae grew on the walls and ceiling too, forming a tunnel glowing with an unearthly lime green light. The soft carpet on the ceiling absorbed the bubbles from Zuma’s mouth, making them sparkle and gleam more brightly, mesmerizing the pup as he tilted his head back. Would anyone believe him if he told his friends? Well, probably — given what they’d all encountered… Yeah, he definitely needed to distribute the new find to the whole Patrol and come back here together! If the stout bulldog could fit, hehe… A few more meters — and Zuma realized his expectations were being met! Two more turns opened up — yes, this was a whole network of caves! Mesmerized, the pup chose the left branch, which had more of the glowing plants, and swam along it. Bubbles swirled in a merry dance as the pup exhaled in surprise — this turn led him into a huge cave dotted with blue, green, gold, and red algae growing here and there, giving off such light that the cave was bright as day — but the lighting seemed simply magical. Zuma began swiftly navigating the vast cavity, painted with chaotic strokes of various sparkling colors, revealing a spectacle unavailable on the surface. Bright and cheerful, like a disco, but also quiet and solemn… And what especially pleased him was that all this beauty and wonder was created by nature. And pups loved and protected nature no less than they did people. Curiosity drew him further. Glancing back at the tunnel he’d come from, Zuma began circling an underwater column covered not only in plants but also small red-and-yellow flat shells, whose inhabitants Zuma didn’t disturb. As he passed the column, he noticed a small niche to the left and, driven by interest, swam toward it. It turned out not to be a niche but a concave wall of a new tunnel — how many were there here! And where did they lead? No, he definitely needed to come back here with the whole team! “Just one more tunnel — then I’ll head back,” the pup thought and worked his paws more diligently. It was too interesting here! How could human museums and exhibitions compare! Nature itself, in its imagination, offered so many unknown and wonderful things that lured the pup further and further — not just from the surface, but even from the open sea! The next passage, dark since the phosphorescent grass was far behind, had cracked walls with many holes from which warm jets of water streamed. A real jacuzzi, massaging his skin in a contrasting shower! Zuma slowed down even more, letting the water caress his body. This cave could be turned into a real relaxation zone! Zuma pressed his belly against one of the jets and almost laughed from the tickling sensations that broke through his fur and ran across his tummy! And if he put his paws down — such bubbling started that it was impossible to keep them on the holes! Zuma half-closed his eyes, enjoying the caress of the jets, until he decided it was time to move on. He’d already forgotten the promise he’d made to himself, and that, in the end, was his undoing. But at that moment, the pup didn’t realize it yet, and his attention was captured by even more turbulent streams that truly resembled jacuzzis due to the abundant bubbles. Real underwater geysers, merrily bubbling and even better at smoothing the pup’s fur, making him squint and growl happily into the water, wagging his tousled tail, where — like in all his fur — tiny bubbles got stuck. And the pup himself released them from his mouth, like another source! He spun and tumbled in them, unable to tear himself away from such pleasant sensations, squinted and twirled, offering first his sides, shaking from such play, then his tummy, then his back and neck, held out his paws, letting the streams flow between his toes or caress his pads. He didn’t even notice the next turn, just swam further along this enchanted tunnel, nearly dropping the “bone” from his mouth when the bubbles stroked him between the ears, creeping under them, right to the base! Indescribable sensations! The attraction continued — into the darkened tunnel, which was starting to frighten with its darkness and sharp turns, a beam of daylight broke through from somewhere above. Zuma, spotting it, hastily paddled toward it, as he felt the bone was losing power and the incoming air wasn’t quite satisfying anymore. Squeezing through a small, tight but passable hole for a small pup, carved by the warm spring, Zuma found himself in a small lake that was just as picturesque as the open sea but cozier due to its small size. Not an underwater “street,” but a spacious “room,” perfect for playing or resting! Smiling happily, Zuma climbed onto the shore and shook himself, scattering sparkling droplets everywhere. Then he looked around and spotted the Lookout Tower rising a little ways off. “Well, now I’ll have to call the othels to letrieve my hovelclaft,” the young Labrador laughed and ran through the bushes. Well, he’d have something to thank the other pups for their help!