---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As it moves closer, Galen can make out…"
description: "\"“As it moves closer, Galen can make out smaller bodies within the mass. Whales. Sharks. Sea turtles. Stingrays. And he knows exactly what’s happening. ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87f/anna-banks-1453_food-chain_as-it-moves-closer-galen-can-make-out-sm_971839.jpg"
---

#  As it moves closer, Galen can make out smaller bodies…

![“As it moves closer, Galen can make out smaller bodies within the mass. Whales. Sharks. Sea turtles. Stingrays. And he knows exactly what’s happening. The darkening horizon engages the full attention of the Aerna; the murmurs grow louder the closer it gets. The darkness approaches like a mist…” quote by Anna Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87f/anna-banks-1453_food-chain_as-it-moves-closer-galen-can-make-out-sm_971839.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87f/anna-banks-1453_food-chain_as-it-moves-closer-galen-can-make-out-sm_971839.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87f/anna-banks-1453_food-chain_as-it-moves-closer-galen-can-make-out-sm_971839.jpg)

> ““As it moves closer, Galen can make out smaller bodies within the mass. Whales. Sharks. Sea turtles. Stingrays. And he knows exactly what’s happening. The darkening horizon engages the full attention of the Aerna; the murmurs grow louder the closer it gets. The darkness approaches like a mist, eclipsing the natural snlight from the surface. An eclipse of fish. With each of his rapid heartbeats, Galen thinks he can feel the actual years disappear from his life span. A wall of every predator imaginable, and every kind of prey swimming in between, fold themselves around the edges of the hot ridges. The food chain hovers toward, over them, around them as a unified force. And Emma is leading it. Nalia gasps, and Galen guesses she recognizes the white dot in the middle of the wall. Syrena on the outskirts of the Arena frantically rush to the center, the tribunal all but forgotten in favor of self-preservation. The legion of sea life circles the stadium, effectively barricading the exits and any chance of escaping. Galen can’t decide if he’s proud or angry when Emma leaves the safety of her troops to enter the Arena, hitching a ride on the fin of a killer whale. When she’s but three fin-lengths away from Galen, she dismisses her escort. “Go back with the others,” she tells it. “I’ll be fine.” Galen decides on proud. Oh, and completely besotted. She gives him a curt nod to which he grins. Turning to the crowd of ogling Syrena, she says, “I am Emma, daughter of Nalia, true princess of Poseidon.” He hears murmurs of “Half-Breed” but it sounds more like awe than hatred or disgust. And why shouldn’t it? They’ve seen Paca’s display of the Gift. Emma’s has just put it to shame.””

[Anna Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-banks/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

In a perilous arena, Emma shows bravery and defiance, challenging expectations and embracing her identity.

**In simple terms:** Emma bravely defies danger.

Key Takeaway

Embrace courage and authenticity.

Themes

courage identity defiance

Mood

tense dramatic

Type

narrative inspirational

When to use this quote

- sports competition
- personal crisis
- leadership challenges

Key Concepts

heroism self‑acceptance social hierarchy

Questions to Reflect On

- What risks are worth taking for self‑expression?
- How does leadership affect personal safety?

A Different Perspective

Her actions may endanger others.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Escaping Galen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/escaping-galen-1870700/) [Food chain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food-chain/) [Galen Decides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/galen-decides-1870702/) [Gasps Galen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gasps-galen-1870699/) [Gaze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gaze/) [Life Circle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-circle/) [Nalia Gasps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nalia-gasps-1870701/) [Poseidon Hears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poseidon-hears-1870698/) [Sea life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sea-life/) [Sea Turtles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sea-turtles/)

## Related quotes

> [“...Falon sucked hard on her straw and swallowed. “You haven’t mentioned a girlfriend or a wife.” “That’s because I don’t have one.” Haley touched…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-alexander/falon-sucked-hard-on-her-straw-and-swallowed-you-haven-t-mentioned-a/)

[Robin Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-alexander/)

> [I have to get out of here! I have to find my son! I have to tell him how old sea turtles are! -Marlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finding-nemo/i-have-to-get-out-of-here-i-have-to-find-my-son-i-have-to-tell-him/)

[Finding Nemo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finding-nemo/)

> [“I'm sorry, is what she means to say. Sorry, sweetheart, about the elephants. About the sea turtles with their heads lopped off, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noy-holland/i-m-sorry-is-what-she-means-to-say-sorry-sweetheart-about-the/)

[Noy Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noy-holland/)

> [When this is over...we will got to the rainforest, or a beach as white as bone. We will eat grapes from the vine, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/when-this-is-over-we-will-got-to-the-rainforest-or-a-beach-as-white/)

[Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/)

> [I would love to go help baby sea turtles back into the ocean after hatching in Mexico.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamara-feldman/i-would-love-to-go-help-baby-sea-turtles-back-into-the-ocean-after/)

[Tamara Feldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamara-feldman/)

> [Taking care of our families isn't just about putting food on the table today. It's about ensuring that our children and grandchildren will have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-velez-mitchell/taking-care-of-our-families-isn-t-just-about-putting-food-on-the/)

[Jane Velez-Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-velez-mitchell/)

> [Even a mentally challenged shark would figure out that sea turtles did not wear boxer shorts printed in flying piggies, and no sea turtle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/even-a-mentally-challenged-shark-would-figure-out-that-sea-turtles/)

[Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/)

> [The industrial way we fish for seafood is harming the marine habitats that all ocean life depends upon. Indiscriminate commercial fishing practices that include…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-danson/the-industrial-way-we-fish-for-seafood-is-harming-the-marine-habitats/)

[Ted Danson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-danson/)

> [“Eating dinner with conservation biologists was like walking through a minefield of ethical decisions: grasslands have been overgrazed by steer raised for beef, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-roman/eating-dinner-with-conservation-biologists-was-like-walking-through-a/)

[Joe Roman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-roman/)

> [The beach is in our blood. Everyone in our family returns to the beach instinctively, just like the sea turtles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandy-archibald/the-beach-is-in-our-blood-everyone-in-our-family-returns-to-the-beach/)

[Sandy Archibald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandy-archibald/)

> [“In fact, fishing is one of the world’s most wasteful and destructive industries. Every year, more than seven million tons of so-called by-catch (perhaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hope-bohanec/in-fact-fishing-is-one-of-the-world-s-most-wasteful-and-destructive/)

[Hope Bohanec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hope-bohanec/)

> [Florida offers state-of-the-art rehabilitation programs to help care for stranded sea turtles, who already face endangerment. In fact, many sea turtles who are rescued…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-paulina-luna/florida-offers-state-of-the-art-rehabilitation-programs-to-help-care/)

[Anna Paulina Luna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-paulina-luna/)

> [“At first, you fall in love. You wake in the morning woozy and your twilight is lit with astral violet light. You spelunk down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-paterniti/at-first-you-fall-in-love-you-wake-in-the-morning-woozy-and-your/)

[Michael Paterniti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-paterniti/)

> [Being on a successful show is kind of like being a sea turtle. Every year, sea turtles lay hundreds and hundreds of eggs, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keiko-agena/being-on-a-successful-show-is-kind-of-like-being-a-sea-turtle-every/)

[Keiko Agena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keiko-agena/)

## More by Anna Banks

> [“I won't meet his glare. "I guess I didn't care." Telling him I meant to murder his sister probably wouldn't go over very well.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-banks/i-won-t-meet-his-glare-i-guess-i-didn-t-care-telling-him-i-meant-to/)

[Anna Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-banks/)

> [“He'd live on land and eat cheesecake for the rest of his life before that happened.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-banks/he-d-live-on-land-and-eat-cheesecake-for-the-rest-of-his-life-before/)

[Anna Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-banks/)

> [“The two-man crew of the patrol boat does not speak English. Rachel exploits this as best she can, while still dumping life jackets in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-banks/the-two-man-crew-of-the-patrol-boat-does-not-speak-english-rachel/)

[Anna Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-banks/)

> [“When it passes us, the driver tips his cap our way, eying us as if he thinks we're up to no good-the kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-banks/when-it-passes-us-the-driver-tips-his-cap-our-way-eying-us-as-if-he/)

[Anna Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-banks/)

> [“Taking both of my hands, he pulls me into the tide. Salt water deepens the lavender satin of my gown to almost black. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-banks/taking-both-of-my-hands-he-pulls-me-into-the-tide-salt-water-deepens/)

[Anna Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-banks/)

> [“But I'm pretty sure Mom won't consent to a field trip across the country with my hot boyfriend. Especially not back to Florida." I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-banks/but-i-m-pretty-sure-mom-won-t-consent-to-a-field-trip-across-the/)

[Anna Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-banks/)

> [“Nice shack," I tell him. "Trade you." "Any day." "Really? You like it?" He seems genuinely pleased. "What's not to like?" He stands back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-banks/nice-shack-i-tell-him-trade-you-any-day-really-you-like-it-he-seems/)

[Anna Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-banks/)

> [“And then what?” she says, pulling her hand from Grom’s grasp. “Then Grom will mate with Mom and live happily ever after twenty thousand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-banks/and-then-what-she-says-pulling-her-hand-from-grom-s-grasp-then-grom/)

[Anna Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-banks/)

> [“She needs to think you're still a couple. And you'll need to be convincing about it, too. Lots of kissing and stuff in case…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-banks/she-needs-to-think-you-re-still-a-couple-and-you-ll-need-to-be/)

[Anna Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-banks/)

> [“As soon as she releases me, Galen grabs my hand and I don’t even have time to gasp before he snatches me to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-banks/as-soon-as-she-releases-me-galen-grabs-my-hand-and-i-don-t-even-have/)

[Anna Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-banks/)

> [“After all, her motto is "Better to ask for forgiveness than permission.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-banks/after-all-her-motto-is-better-to-ask-for-forgiveness-than-permission/)

[Anna Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-banks/)

> [“I’ve never skydived, bungee-jumped, or parasailed. As I remove the headset, I try to calculate the fall and can’t. Maybe my brain is protecting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-banks/i-ve-never-skydived-bungee-jumped-or-parasailed-as-i-remove-the/)

[Anna Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-banks/)

> [“Mark swings his own door open and meets us by the tailgate. "Why don't we ask Emma who she's coming with? I mean, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-banks/mark-swings-his-own-door-open-and-meets-us-by-the-tailgate-why-don-t/)

[Anna Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-banks/)

> [“And I’m not sure how much time has passed since Galen and his best friend, Toraf, left my house to retrieve Grom. Grom, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-banks/and-i-m-not-sure-how-much-time-has-passed-since-galen-and-his-best/)

[Anna Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-banks/)

> [“Uh, we didn't get your name. Did you get his name, Emma?" she asks, as if on cue. "I tried, Chloe. But he wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-banks/uh-we-didn-t-get-your-name-did-you-get-his-name-emma-she-asks-as-if/)

[Anna Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-banks/)

[Explore all 237 Anna Banks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-banks/)

## More Food chain quotes

> [If you take away the predators in the prairies and the national parks, you suddenly have an explosion of elk, and then you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-benchley/if-you-take-away-the-predators-in-the-prairies-and-the-national-parks/)

[Peter Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-benchley/)

> [We don't have a farm-to-table food safety system. I keep saying this. It came as a big surprise to the FDA that tomatoes were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-nestle/we-don-t-have-a-farm-to-table-food-safety-system-i-keep-saying-this/)

[Marion Nestle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-nestle/)

> [I'm bigger than you! I'm higher on the food chain - get in my belly!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-myers/i-m-bigger-than-you-i-m-higher-on-the-food-chain-get-in-my-belly/)

[Mike Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-myers/)

> [I'm the top of the food chain and well...you're the food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/i-m-the-top-of-the-food-chain-and-well-you-re-the-food/)

[Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/)

> [What I've been developing is a vegan fast food chain and vegan food markets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-mills/what-i-ve-been-developing-is-a-vegan-fast-food-chain-and-vegan-food/)

[Heather Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-mills/)

> [Without sharks, you take away the apex predator of the ocean, and you destroy the entire food chain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-benchley/without-sharks-you-take-away-the-apex-predator-of-the-ocean-and-you/)

[Peter Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-benchley/)

> [In some suburban schools, the curriculum is chock-full of rigorous A.P. courses and the parking lot glitters with pricey SUVs, but one doesn't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfie-kohn/in-some-suburban-schools-the-curriculum-is-chock-full-of-rigorous-a-p/)

[Alfie Kohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfie-kohn/)

> [“No, the algae were making something that killed the corals via their own microbes. That something turned out to be dissolved organic carbon (DOC);…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-yong/no-the-algae-were-making-something-that-killed-the-corals-via-their/)

[Ed Yong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-yong/)

> [Australia is the only island continent on the planet, which means that changes caused by planet-warming pollution - warmer seas, which can drive stronger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-goodell/australia-is-the-only-island-continent-on-the-planet-which-means-that/)

[Jeff Goodell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-goodell/)

> [War will exist as long as there's a food chain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/war-will-exist-as-long-as-there-s-a-food-chain/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [“my ancestors didn't fight there way to the top of the food chain to look down and see me eating leaves”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-connor/my-ancestors-didn-t-fight-there-way-to-the-top-of-the-food-chain-to/)

[Leslie Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-connor/)

> [“Boy, there are people who conquered half the world, slaughtered whole populations, wiped cultures off the face of the planet, and you know what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-maberry/boy-there-are-people-who-conquered-half-the-world-slaughtered-whole/)

[Jonathan Maberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-maberry/)

> [As soon as you step into the water, you are part of the food chain; you're part of the wilderness. That's why I like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-ray/as-soon-as-you-step-into-the-water-you-are-part-of-the-food-chain-you/)

[Charles Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-ray/)

> [“For those who are proud to be human beings, leave it to the mosquitoes to remind us that we are not as high up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-those-who-are-proud-to-be-human-beings-leave-it-to-the-mosquitoes/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [With so much evidence of depleting natural resources, toxic waste, climate change, irreparable harm to our food chain and rapidly increasing instances of natural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yehuda-berg/with-so-much-evidence-of-depleting-natural-resources-toxic-waste/)

[Yehuda Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yehuda-berg/)

[Browse all 209 Food chain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food-chain/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“As it moves closer, Galen can make out smaller bodies within the mass. Whales. Sharks. Sea turtles. Stingrays. And he knows exactly what’s happening. The darkening horizon engages the full attention of the Aerna; the murmurs grow louder the closer it gets. The darkness approaches like a mist, eclipsing the natural snlight from the surface. An eclipse of fish. With each of his rapid heartbeats, Galen thinks he can feel the actual years disappear from his life span. A wall of every predator imaginable, and every kind of prey swimming in between, fold themselves around the edges of the hot ridges. The food chain hovers toward, over them, around them as a unified force. And Emma is leading it. Nalia gasps, and Galen guesses she recognizes the white dot in the middle of the wall. Syrena on the outskirts of the Arena frantically rush to the center, the tribunal all but forgotten in favor of self-preservation. The legion of sea life circles the stadium, effectively barricading the exits and any chance of escaping. Galen can’t decide if he’s proud or angry when Emma leaves the safety of her troops to enter the Arena, hitching a ride on the fin of a killer whale. When she’s but three fin-lengths away from Galen, she dismisses her escort. “Go back with the others,” she tells it. “I’ll be fine.” Galen decides on proud. Oh, and completely besotted. She gives him a curt nod to which he grins. Turning to the crowd of ogling Syrena, she says, “I am Emma, daughter of Nalia, true princess of Poseidon.” He hears murmurs of “Half-Breed” but it sounds more like awe than hatred or disgust. And why shouldn’t it? They’ve seen Paca’s display of the Gift. Emma’s has just put it to shame.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Anna Banks"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-banks/as-it-moves-closer-galen-can-make-out-smaller-bodies-within-the-mass/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Food chain"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-banks/as-it-moves-closer-galen-can-make-out-smaller-bodies-within-the-mass/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87f/anna-banks-1453_food-chain_as-it-moves-closer-galen-can-make-out-sm_971839.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87f/anna-banks-1453_food-chain_as-it-moves-closer-galen-can-make-out-sm_971839.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87f/anna-banks-1453_food-chain_as-it-moves-closer-galen-can-make-out-sm_971839.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“As it moves closer, Galen can make out smaller bodies within the mass. Whales. Sharks. Sea turtles…” — Anna Banks",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Anna Banks",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-banks/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“As it moves closer, Galen can...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-banks/as-it-moves-closer-galen-can-make-out-smaller-bodies-within-the-mass/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-banks/as-it-moves-closer-galen-can-make-out-smaller-bodies-within-the-mass/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
