Sea Lion Shores this ain't no place for no hero.

Akantha stood rooted, waiting. Her disatisfaction churned deep in the pit of her stomach, the feeling akin to digesting gravel, at the sight of the young nymph out here without any supervision. It was a heaviness, and anger. But the little fawn soon explained the situation in a rush of facts in the way children often did when trying to dodge around responsibility and get back to having fun. The names rang no bells, nor did her situation. It was clear she was in some sort of trouble, or had been, but when, how, and why remained a mystery that Akantha was not keen to dig into.

Instead, she obliged the girl if only to keep her interested by bowing her head so that she may get a better look at the gnarled scar tissue. "I'm a warrior, and I protect my Sisters from bad guys." She explained, her voice lacking any inflection, but her eyes sparking with a sudden intrigue. If she could lure the girl back to the Blackwater Islands... 

Suddenly, the fluid movement of an inky shape caught Akantha's attention. A twinge of fear rocketed down her spine and her hackles raised as a result, bristling high, and standing at full attention. Her tail lashed, and her lips pulled taunt over her concealed teeth while she braced herself for an assault. This was the black dog, Akantha concluded, as the shepherd crept near with a earth-kissed sprite frozen beneath her protective heights. Her ears peaked atop her skull, and her eyes narrowed as they fixated on the queer set of the hybrid's face. She was entirely alien to Akantha. All fluid angles, thin musculature, and tall tufted ears cloaked in the most unusual hue of bluish black. 

Akantha noted the demure creature's inclination to submit despite the jaws of something far more powerful menacing one of her lambs. She lashed her raised tail and lifted her head to curl it protectively over her throat. There was something formidable willing to make itself known should the Matriarch give her reason, and it gave Akantha pause to reassess the situation. "You took it upon yourself to care for these children alone," Akantha spoke, "even though it was the wilds themselves that likely stole their parents?"