Totoka River Help me do it myself

AW for anyone who wants to meet a cute lil' girl

Chusi woke up in a self made little sleeping place (mostly leaves, stacked not so tidily on top of each other), blinking her ocher orbs as the sun was already shining brightly. She had slept too long for her liking, for she had planned to do something for Zephyr, who was still not feeling well. She had seen Aggie chase after other animals, catching them with ease, and they were quite delicious. Perhaps she could try to do that as well. She scampered to where Zephyr was kept, and he seemed to be sleeping. She gave him a snuggle on his shoulder in affection, then ran off to wherever Aggie was.

Her nose worked hard as she tried to find wherever her new mother was, but perhaps it didn't work as well as Chusi had hoped. The salty smell of the sea overtook everything, and tracing her footsteps was as always very hard. She let out a few soft barks, even though she had the hang of talking. What she had also noticed was how far her face was from the earth. She could swear it had been closer to her before. Perhaps the ground didn't like her anymore, and soon she'd be floating.

Before she knew it, she had wandered all the way to the river, a place she knew still, but quite a trip away from where they currently resided. Oh boy, Aggie was going to be angry with her for this. She saw something move in the corner of her eye, and her little head spun toward it with caution. It was a small critter, a rat; a big wolf would know. What it was doing here, and why it was here was not important to the little girl- only the proud face of Aggie and Zephyr if she brought it home.

Hey, you! She called out, the creature only twitching his ears. It seemed not fazed by the little girl. Only when she ran forward, loudly so, did the critter run, much faster than the girl could. She pouted. Yeah, you better run! She called after it. Chusi's brave and big, Chusi not be scared of you! She smirked, actually quite saddened with not being able to catch it. 

Seelie cannot talk, but hopefully she will suffice? ^^;;

Cloistered within the shadowed sanctuary of her mossy den, sweet with the scent of fresh berries, Coelacanth tenderly brushed the tip of her nose against the newest addition to her living space — the black-barred flight feathers of a snowy gyrfalcon. Then, stretching each leg down to the tips of her nimble toes, she slid out her “side door” and sidled through the waving cotton grass. Already the sun beat down upon her mercilessly, each feathery strand of fur drinking in light and heat until her pale skin fairly burned with it; her slim jaws parted as she began to pant, droplets of berry-sweet moisture collecting at her lips. Then she tilted her head with languid slowness, the muscles of her neck, shoulders, spine, torso, and hips following suit as she slid into the water with the liquid grace of a sea lion. A soft noise of contentment midway between a purr and a sigh bubbled in subdued fashion from her lips as she tilted head, shoulders, spine, torso, and hips in the other direction. Like a slow motion clip of a dog shaking water from its fur, she repeated the motion several times: left, right, left, right, until the snowmelt wrapped her in a shroud of cool comfort.

Born though she was to a sheepdog mother, a creature meant for dales and fells, Coelacanth was her father’s daughter — the first Groenendael in a long line of wolves, the first wolf in a long line of Groenendaels — and a creature meant for rivers, lakes, waterfalls, and most of all, the sea. Without bothering to shake herself dry, the inky sheepdog cross withdrew from the river’s embrace, and picked up her pace, streaming with water, for the sound of puppyish barking and yelling had soundly caught her attention.

It took only a few moments before she spotted the culprit, a gangly puppy whose fur was nearly as dark as Seelie’s, though it was dappled with sterling guard hairs along her spine and a bright patch of white that dazzled her throat. The foundling’s words were brave, and the smirk that shaped her youthful lips was sassier than the atramentous ingénue could ever hope to emulate — still, something protective stirred within the empath, and the child’s bravado rang with a certain disappointment at her failed hunt. Coelacanth knew the feeling well, but could not deny that a failed hunt had been the catalyst that birthed one of her closest friendships in these wilds. She was no Kierkegaard, and would likely be of little use to the small wanderer, but she approached with a friendly — if a bit bashful — manner, her sleek sheepdog physique soaked to the gills and quite tiny, all in all. In a few short months, even Chusi would likely outweigh and overshadow her, being a full-blooded wolf.

Dropping politely to her stomach, Coelacanth tilted her head inquisitively at the little girl, offering a soft, toneless whuff of friendliness. If it was food the girl wanted, Seelie could try to teach her to fish — but large game and even small prey were likely out of reach for now.

The little girl stared at the empty spot- almost praying the critter would come back to her. Her smirk soon turned rather grim, mouth corners lowering in a sad little frown. She hated being alone, for it reminded her of her time trapped in her mother's den. While it wasn't dark outside, being lonely was one of the worst feelings ever. She had first felt like it when Sen took her away from Zephyr, not allowing the little Gorgon to play with her friend- and now her new daddy. But with Zephyr sick and Aggie nowhere to be found, she felt it again. With a soft thump she let her small booty hit the ground, eyes closing as she let her head droop like a little lost bird. 

One ear swiveled around as she heard someone approaching, soon followed by indeed a sound that came from something living. Her head spun around, big eyes staring at the black creature before her on the ground. It looked wolf-like, but not anything like Zephyr or Aggie. She supposed she looked a bit like her mother. If she had brownish or ocher colored orbs, Chusi might have confused the female for Sen, but luckily that wasn't the case.

Ooooho, so dark and beautifuuul! She said in amazement, finally turning around. The other didn't seem like a threat, not like this- so low to the ground. She set a few careful steps toward the obsidian woman, sniffing her over and eventually laying down herself. Maybe she knew where Aggie was, or where the critter had ran off to. Does Darky know where little animal is? Or Aggie? Or both? She rattled on, not knowing she would never get an actual answer. 

Loneliness was the inky ingénue’s overarching theme, and she knew its symptoms well. A soft, airy whine of empathy spilled tonelessly from her tender lips as the ocher-eyed little sparrow regarded her, the forlorn expression upon the foundling’s young visage replaced with one of wonder. Beautiful? Coelacanth regarded the pattern of scars that dappled her chest like a stylized pair of wings and felt her velveteen cheeks flush in bashful demur. Slender forelegs opened to usher the small, defenseless girl in; if she allowed it, Coelacanth would bathe her fragile crown in kisses. More than ever, she wished for a voice, that she might sing or hum the girl a lullaby. She smiled with shy fondness at the instantaneous gift of a name — simple and innocent, “Darky” would she be to the tiny wanderer. She shook her head regretfully — she did not know where the rodent had escaped to or who “Aggie” was — and got slowly to her paws, not wanting to startle the little wolf. Her delicate features were friendly and reassuring as she offered the wolfling an arch-eyed smile.

A low whuff of invitation and a warm expression in her bright seablue eyes, and Coelacanth flowed into a graceful walk, wading in the river where the water turned brackish. Here there were shallow pools and crevasses where aquatic creatures might hide, well within the pup’s capabilities. Pointing her streamlined muzzle toward one such pool, Coelacanth whisked her ink-feathered tail in blithe invitation and gestured with a quirk of her finely-sculpted head, hoping that the little one would come and see the miniature universe just waiting to be discovered. Therein lay a few small fish that had been trapped between saltwater and fresh — an excited “bark” escaped the Groenendael, as whispery as her whine had been. She crouched like a cat before a bowl of rich cream, her oceanic eyes intently staring into the pool — and then, with a swift scooping motion of her paw, she landed one of the small fish onto the bank. It would still be a challenge, but the cub should be able to pounce on the fish and “kill” it, satisfying her hunting urge while teaching her an important lesson: food could be gleaned from the water as much as from the land.

Szymon rarely ventured outside the bay territory; he was a Cairn, and tethered to the Sea as indelibly as the Leviathan himself. His duties as an aspiring Angler and Reefer kept him busy enough, and he found little reason to leave the golden sand and roiling sea Skellige had laid claim to — but the disappearance of Sharkbait was a concerning thing, and he set out to glean what clues he could from the undulating terrain. Measuring out each syllable so that they were perfect and unsullied by his stutter, “Which way do you send me?” he questioned his goddess in his splendid bass timbre, nosing the freshly slain, torpedo-like body of a sea lion pup into the shallows. He focused on his query and nothing else — which way which way which way whichwaywhichwaywhichway — for long, unhurried moments. Slowly, the carcass bobbed out to deeper waters — the Sea had accepted his offering, and he held his breath.

A dark, sinister shape approached, briefly hesitating, and Szymon’s heart sank. If one of Her creatures devoured the offering, he interpreted it to mean he was to stay within the territory and bide until Skellige commanded him to go. Yet the shape, long and lethal and razor-finned, slid by without touching the bloody offering. Streaks of crimson swirled in a miniature maelstrom for quite some time — and then the sacrifice began to make its way back toward shore, the nose of the sea lion pup pointing north as it stuttered to a stop at the shoreline. Bowing his head low and leaving the carcass for the scavengers, Szymon pointed his own nose north and broke into a purposeful, long-legged trot. He passed the pinnipeds’ shoals, feeling not at all guilty that he’d infiltrated their ranks to slaughter one of their own, and continued to move north. He saw no sign of the golden child, whose jellyfish-like spinelessness bred a proclivity for flight that lent her fleet paws wings.

His faith in the Sea was absolute, and Szymon knew he’d been rewarded for his piety when the bright, intrepid voice of a child reached his waiting ears. The twin triangles, tattered and torn, swiveled to capture each sound:

“Hey, you!”
“Yeah, you better run!”
“Chusi’s brave and big, Chusi not be scared of you!”

Here was a child worthy of the waves. The Sea had pointed Szymon to her; he was meant to find her. Still, he approached at a walk, not wanting to frighten the girl. He padded carefully through the glassy deltas, making his way inland just in time to see an odd sight indeed: a small black puppy and a small black…creature that did not appear to be a full-blooded wolf. Its ears were reminiscent of a cat, the texture of its fur like nothing he had seen before. Whatever it was dipped its paw — his nose told him keenly that both the feather-furred anomaly and the sturdy little wolf were female — and seemed to conjure a fish from the water with little to no effort. From Szymon’s angle it appeared that the fish had willingly slid into her grasp to be thrown upon the riverbank before the cub. She must be the pup’s guardian — a water spirit, or a siren. Her fur, streaming with water, seemed to glow with the brilliant blue-black of cuttlefish ink.

That Szymon had also met the lynx here, harbinger of a sea storm, with tufted ears, only underscored his swiftly burgeoning theory that he’d been meant to find Chusi waiting here. What was the phrase the cryptic lynx had uttered? The youngest Cairn wracked his brain and soon found the syllables, drawing them to his tongue and tasting their foreignness with a measure of unease. Gathering breath in a measured, controlled inhale, “Aka’Magosh!” he rumbled to the tuft-eared one, the sound resonating quietly through the relative quiet. He waited, crouching upon his stomach before the puppy he knew already to be his. She was very like Qilaq in appearance — again, only adding to his fanatic desire to bring her home to the bay. “Y-You are s-s-strong,” he murmured to Chusi, enthralled. “The S-S-Sea t-told me y-you would b-b-be.”

Careful but surely the child crawled between the lady's forelimbs as they opened for her. Perhaps she was too trusting of wolves that were not her mother, but for now it only helped her make friends- and that was always good. While the other did not talk, Chusi didn't mind. She was just happy to not be alone here anymore. Her tongue tickled, and the girl giggled a few moments before relaxing and letting Darky do whatever. Of course she didn't know where Aggie was, Chusi herself didn't even know- she didn't blame her. Two big eyes looked a bit confused as the dark woman rose and walked away, Chusi scampering up and following her new friend.

She stopped by the side of the river, not following Darky in the river, tilting her head as she tried to understand what she was doing. The sound of streaming water mixed with her breathing was nice, almost an adventure theme, and she smiled. A loud slash and the flopping sounds of a slimy weird thing were enough to startle her a bit, but instincts took over as she laid eyes on the fish. She jumped on it, holding its head down with one paw as she tried to bite it. When that didn't work, she just tried using her body weight and slamming her fore paws on the thing repeatedly. Even when the fish stopped moving she pounded a few extra times just to be sure, then looking up to Darky with a wide, impressed grin. Coooolll.... She breathed out, poking the the fish with one paw. 

The fish had distracted her, and she was not aware of the male approaching until he spoke, her head spinning around to meet his golden eyes, his white fur sparkling like snow and she had to squint to let her eyes adjust to the sudden change of hue. What he had said the first time- she didn't know, but he got her attention by lying down and stuttering out some sentences. The sea? The sea could talk? She set one step backwards, trembling over the slippery fish but quickly getting up. Her head spun up to Darky, to see how she acted around this male. 

A soft ripple of laughter burbled within the sheepdog cross’ throat like the flutter of hummingbird wings; she treasured the small girl’s nearness — cherished it! — for she knew that Chusi would leave her as the others all did, with little hope of finding or being found again. It was Coelacanth’s curse that she loved fiercely and swiftly, with no recourse to asking her occasional companions’ whereabouts or names and no voice with which to call to them. She watched with pride as the ocher-eyed sparrow bounded toward the fish, jumping upon it and biting at it with her needle-like teeth. Her ink-feathered tail whisked encouragement as she “barked” again, a rush of air and a clip of teeth with no force of tone behind it; her forelegs splayed upon the ground as her hindquarters shimmied and bounced. When it ceased moving, Coelacanth tiptoed forward, placing a paw on it and using her incisors to clip a bit of the skin — as though she were a renowned sushi chef, she stripped it back with a flourish, nosing the exposed flesh toward the girl. Fish was not everyone’s favorite food, and Seelie would not be offended if Chusi found it distasteful, but meat was meat.

It was then that she realized Chusi’s attention was fixed on something else — someone else. The lean, rangy male who approached did so with courteous slowness, but Coelacanth felt a surge of innate protectiveness for the little wolf and placed her waiflike, tiny body between Chusi and the stranger with a wary eye. Her finely-sculpted head drew to its full height and she regarded him with a rare curl of lip — warning him back, just in case. She, like Chusi, was made curious by his statement about the Sea, but for a different reason entirely.

The siren of Tara had never outlined Szymon’s appearance, and Coelacanth had no way of knowing that she looked upon her closest and most reliable friend’s intended mate. What she did know was that Atoll, like this wolf, had spoken of the Sea as one might speak of a deity or ruler — the similarity of speech was almost uncanny. Too, the direction from whence he’d come was a telltale giveaway, as was the scent upon his salt-crusted pelt. Seelie could smell the heady brine-and-gunmetal scent of the bay pack’s territory borders and the sweeter smell of Atoll upon his fur. Whoever he was, he knew Hind’s odd-eared daughter — and that meant he was to be respected, if not fully trusted. Still, she stood her ground, posturing with a bravery she did not completely feel as she stared daggers at the male, or tried to. What did he have to say for himself?

Szymon had to fight his baser instincts as the silver-spined wolfling took a single step away from him, her attention immediately winging toward the inkdark creature who set herself in front of the child and regarded him with a distrustful air. The curl of her lip stung him, and he knew himself chastised — had he used the wrong inflection or pronounced the words wrong? The black-banded Cairn was not an eloquent beast and words did not come easily to him; her unspoken command, however, was easily comprehended and swiftly obeyed. Carefully he set more distance between himself and Chusi, the intrepid, spirited little creature that was to be his. That the tuft-eared one was an otherworldly creature sent by the Sea to guard Szymon’s quarry, he had no doubt. She streamed yet with water, her fur a living silhouette of squid ink, and he spoke again, doing his best.

“I m-m-mean no h-harm,” he said, his splendid bass timbre low and contrite. “I w-w-wished only to p-p-please the S-Sea, for She c-commanded me to c-c-come here. I w-w-would take you both b-back with me, for m-m-my Atoll can better hear Her voice.” He looked upon Chusi carefully. “Y-You are s-strong,” he repeated, “b-but She can m-m-make you s-stronger.” Surely, she would not flounder as Sharkbait did and deny the blessing of the Sea. “Y-You must b-bond with your s-spirit guide,” he breathed. He did not wish this small one to suffer the same fate that the golden child did due to her flighty insolence.

She looked around, hearing what was really laughter coming from her new friend, thinking it was some weird bug. When she couldn't see anything, she shrugged, giving up her hunt for the source of the sound- distracted again by the smell of what seemed to be food. Still, the man before her was more interesting than any kind of food right now- Chusi never having been a hungry kid. She was just about to greet him, seeing as he didn't look like someone who would harm her, but then Darky wove her odd, not wolfish but not any other creature she knew-ish body between him and her. While she appreciated the concern, she felt like it was not needed. She could take care of herself quite well- she thought. And he said it himself; she was strong, she could handle it.

Poking her head to the side of the nymph-like, black body of Darky, she giggled. Two new friends in one day! She had to tell Zephyr and Aggie! Still, the man seemed and sounded nervous, and retreated just far enough for Chusi to come closer herself. "Hiding" sometimes behind one of Darky's paws, she maneuvered past the woman, eventually settling in between her forelimbs, nose twitching cutely as she stuck it out. 

She could easily understand what the man was saying, even though she did not totally get his intentions. He wanted to take them? To where? What about Zephyr and Aggie, could they come? What is your naaame? She asked carefully, ignoring whatever he wanted to do for now. Chusi can really become stronger?

I am so sorry for taking so long, Marie!

A low, contented purr spilled from Coelacanth’s slim jaws, humming rhythmically in her useless throat as Chusi settled trustingly between her slender forelegs. She smoothed a tender lick across the girl’s forehead, careful not to go against the grain and literally ruffle her fur. What the atramentous halfbreed felt was not the desire to mother or possess the foundling, but a sheepdog’s innate need to protect the weak — and she did not trust the scarred and battle-hardened male who crouched before her. She watched warily as he backed away, relaxing minutely as he uttered a garbled apology — his voice was splendid, like spiced honey to her waiting ears, and its deep bass timbre enticed her; but it was the stutter that endeared him to her. It made him seem young and awkward — a bumpkin in a warrior’s livery. Still she stood, her delicate features etched in lines of concern and indecision.

“I w-w-would take you both b-back with me, for m-m-my Atoll can better hear Her voice.”

Atoll.

“Y-You are s-strong, b-but She can m-m-make you s-stronger.”

Coelacanth mistook the pronoun Szymon had intended to indicate the Sea as being meant for the odd-eared siren of Tara, and it was this that decided her. Of course, Atoll would strengthen and care for this tiny creature in ways that Seelie never could. It would do her well to be part of a pack, even if the pack in question was brutal and unforgiving. Coelacanth did not judge or condemn the warhounds of the bay — she merely placed them on a pedestal of ferocity and ruthlessness given their severity in dealing with unwanted visitors, made evident by the swaths of wolf blood at their borders. Dipping her streamlined muzzle to gently nuzzle at the bulb of one of Chusi’s tender ears, Coelacanth uttered a soft, toneless whine of inquiry. She nodded at Chusi’s question, having full faith now in the wolf who smelled so strongly of Atoll and uttered her name.

Szymon hardly dared breathe as he awaited the judgment of the Sea through Her sylphlike vessel. Recognition sparked within the bright seablue eyes at the mention of Doe, sending a current of excitement and pride winging down his black-banded spine — how lucky Skellige was to have found a witch doctor so powerful she was known to the Sea and Her vessel merely by the rank he had bestowed upon her! Szymon had always been a pious creature, walking in the footsteps of his older siblings, but this was the first time he had experienced prophetic fulfillment firsthand. It was a heady, thrilling feeling. With his guttural bass timbre as gentle as he could make it, “Szymon Cairn is m-my name,” he answered the child. “Chusi,” he sounded out her name carefully, one eye on the tuft-eared female, “will you and y-your f-f-friend come with m-me to meet your Amayo?” The word was familiar to him now, and although Doe might not want to keep the small creature permanently, she would certainly know what to do about it.

No problemo! :D

A small giggle came out of the child's mouth as an act of affection was placed on her tiny head. What was it with grown wolves and licking her? It tickled! Sure, she liked to do it to them too, but her tongue was so little and they were so big. Placing a tiny paw around one of Darky's legs, she began licking it as well, forgetting the male on the other side of her for now. She had to finish this before focusing on anything else. When a yawn interrupted her licking, she let out a small hiccup. 'Xcuuuse meh. She giggled, shifting her attention to the male that said his name was SneezeMom. How silly!

She blinked at the mention of her name, and stumbled onto her little black behind at his question. Chusi was so curious of what he planned to do with the two of them that she almost forgot Zephyr and Aggie. They'd understand, right? Adventure was so cool! And Darky and SneezeMom were so nice!

Dunno, Darky dun't really talk much. She said with a giggle, not making fun of Darky- or, well, at least that wasn't her intention. She set a few steps forward, turning her back to SneezeMom with a plan. Waggy- She said, sticking her butt in the air and giving it a quick wiggle. If you wanna come. She said. This was a whole new form of communication for her, and she wondered if Darky would even understand what she was trying. 

Tilting her head curiously as the plucky foundling curled a tiny paw around her foreleg and began to groom its inky feathers, Coelacanth awaited Chusi’s response. She watched attentively as the little wolf turned her back on Szymon — an innocent, guileless act that nevertheless had seablue eyes pinning golden ones with a silent warning — and understanding bloomed immediately in those cerulean depths. Slowly and decisively, she nodded. Then she gave her response — splaying her forelegs forward to better position her hindquarters, she pointedly waved her tail.

Short posts so I can start a new thread in Blackrock Depths before bed!

Szymon’s golden eyes were steady and unflinching as he bore the full power of the tuft-eared Vessel’s luminous gaze. I mean no harm, he thought, willing her to understand, I swear it. He understood the reasoning for the Liaison’s silence — not every wolf was fit to hear the voice of the Sea — and on a more personal level, he identified with the girl’s lack of verbal communication, whether due to disability or simple abstinence. He watched carefully as the little stray bade the Vessel of the Sea to wag her tail if she found the plan pleasing, and held his breath — surely she would understand the wolfling meant no offense. In stark contrast to the Sea’s tumultuous, greedy nature, this otherworldly creature seemed to represent Her gentle, soporific beauty. She was soothing and sweet-tempered, and obliged with a flag of her ink-feathered tail.

“L-Let us m-m-make haste, Chusi,” he said, mainly speaking to the cub, but he paid homage to the blue-black siren with a obsequious dip of his narrow skull. “Y-Y-Your Amayo — our Atoll — awaits.”

Yep, just tag me when it's up! :D

With glimmering ocher orbs the girl watched with her breath held tight, waiting for the spark of understanding that soon bloomed in her new friend's eyes. She grinned happily as Darky bowed, something her mother hadn't done when Chusi wanted to play, and wagged her tail with the grace Aggie walked. Chusi stumbled toward her, giving her a cat-like nuzzle before turning to SneezeMom again.

With an overjoyed nod, she let out a squeal of excitement, setting a few steps forward but refraining from hugging him just yet. Now was not the time- now was the time for adventure! As she was about to follow, she remembered something; the fish Darky had worked hard for to catch. Wait! She let out quickly, maneuvering between Darky's legs back to the dead animal. With her tiny jaw, she grabbed the fish's tail and began tugging, but she wasn't really hurrying up. With some grunts, she tried picking it up, but even that failed. Silently, she asked for some help, but kept tugging nonetheless.