it was instinct that bade the sharp-faced witch to gather her brood and shepherd them forward, one by one until their unruly minds registered she was commanding them to follow her. she swept on thin heels from the shaded ferns of the rendezvous, following the sandy reeds that marked one of many trails to the beach.
it would be their first interaction with the lapping shore, and caiaphas selected a time the tide was low and the flats visible. she slowed her pace as they neared the first glassy surface of seawater -- here, they were safe from any overcurrent, and the richly studded pools of water offered many exciting things to discover.
The young boy followed after his mother at a swift trot. His young limbs carried him eagerly to venture out beyond the home that they had known. Illidan was a small shadow of his mother’s figure, and though Caiaphas was not a looming brute or profound in stature, he matched her coloration with every detail in his coat. His young frame already showed signs of having grown and furthermore, signs of what he would be like as a young adult. The dark-hooded pup liked to throw his weight around as much as possible; he enjoyed watching his siblings with a peculiar intensity as they would scuttle about and play within the dark grotto.
Trailing close behind his mother, Illidan released a yap of delight upon sighting the rolling waters and the sandy shores. The coloration reminded him distinctly of his brother. With a quick drawing of his lips over his muzzle, the pup darted toward the nearest pool and plummeted his paws into the chilling grasp of stagnant sea water.
Raleska didn't like it when she was poked and prodded awake. She rose with a scowl, following reluctantly as her mother swept away. Being a creature of comfort, Raleska was timid alongside her braver siblings, moving at a slow and unsure pace. She would stop every few secnds and whine, as if to say "Motheerrrr, why can't we stay by this nice rock? Or this familiar patch of soft grass? Do we haaafta?'
Her requests were utterly ignored.
Feebly, Raleska followed Illidan now, her face contorted into this lovely expression: >(
Any plan to hide behind her ballsy brother was dashed as he launched for the very frightening tide pools Raleska wanted no part of. With a harrumph, she looked up to her mother plaintively as if to ask "when can we go back?"
closing since it's outdated
caiaphas smiled softly to herself as she watched her babes play; they wrestled with the unfamiliar, some braver than others, and only once did she need to intervene when a too-curious babe contested the hungry lap of the sea.
after watching them awhile, the siren queen grew weary -- with a quiet bark to announce it was time to go back to their densite, caiaphas strode away.