Wheeling Gull Isle i got a prayer that'll make you theirs now

The winterspring was upon them, and so the family kept on the move. They visited the land of the white for a time, ate their fill of the creatures there, played their games, but granddaughter could not be appeased for long. She wished to return to the warm waters. The cold did not bother her; it was difficult to acclimatise to the narrow route the pod followed, and thus she was forced to mingle with the young and old, to not wander. There was not much to see in the white place; but soon enough the days grew long again, and the deep water blushed with subtle warmth. They knew to return, then, and it was granddaughter who led the charge.

But she was too eager. The others could not keep up with her, and soon she had left them behind to their own machinations in the deep. This was fine, for granddaughter trusted in the guidance of the Mother — and her path led her across the vastness of the deep place, until she drifted between spits of land that seemed familiar. They were different only for their colors; the spring had changed the landscape that she spied in her drifting, but the most interesting thing that granddaughter spied were the land-locked beasts crawling along the shores of the island.

These were new. These poor seal-things, who had lost their fins and could not commune with the Mother, they were not meant to be here. The creature grins, blowing salt through her yellowed teeth, and then plunged from the warmth-touched surface water in to the depths. This, she had surmised, would become her shrine to Mother.

It was immaculate. Thick, muscular dorsal fins peered atop the water as the sea creatures made their journey just below the surface. The summer sunset allowed a warm glow to wash over the landscape, giving a most picturesque view from where Droman stood atop a nearby drop. With a sigh, he took a step forward, as if to join them on their journey, but the instincts of the flesh pulled him back before his fatal release.

As they moved further down the coast, so Droman followed, determined to chase after and watch for as long as he could. Every now and then, he would tease the ocean with a step, ever-tempted to submerse himself in the waves.

at a distance, reed spies the sturdy shape breaking the line of the horizon, some strange, unknown, unsettling creature. she's never seen a whale -- or orca -- before, can't place it beyond the feeling of unease it gives her, to imagine such large things lurking below the ocean's surface.

and, of course, there is her brother frolicking along the waves as if trying to follow the creature. the fearghal sighs, sitting and watching for a bit. despite all of her family's love and closeness reed does not feel particularly close to her littermate, having spent the majority of her childhood ignoring his existence in favor of her older sibling's attentions. but they're no longer here, and mama is busy these days, and, well, reed could use some more allies. 

daintily she picks herself up and makes her way onto the sands, until the tide laps at her feet. she barks to grab droman's attention, demanding, "wait up!" as she makes her way toward him.

Unlike Reed, Droman didn't have any particular feelings for or against any of his siblings. In fact, she happened to be his favorite sister of the lot, partially because he didn't know about the way she thought of him. That being said, her bark was met with an enthusiastic wag of Dro's tail and a side trot so that they might meet each other halfway. Hey, he cooed, nudging against Reed's shoulder.

Haven't seen you in a while, Droman commented with a quick glance, Where ya been?

he really is quite a simple boy, she thinks, allowing the affection. at his question reed raises herself haughtily and says, "studying with mama," her tone making clear the importance of such a task. unlike droman and his... uh... "what have you being doing?" she asks, her critical gaze sweeping along the shore where he was dancing.

It might have been his forgiving disposition that saved what was left of his dwindling relationship with his sister, but Droman liked to believe that there was nothing to forgive. To him, Reed's snarky comments were just the way that she expressed her sense of humor, and where was the blame in that? I've been studying, he replied quietly with a wide grin, Just, not the same way.

one day, maybe, she will feel bad for the way she thinks of and treats her brother -- but for now it simply is the way they are. his answer does surprise her. she scans the shore critically, trying to guess, before saying "studying what?" with more curiosity than malice. it looked like he'd just been dancing -- is he studying dancing? is that a thing you could do? it strikes her as frivolous and unnecessary, frankly. thank god someone in the litter has the brains to do serious work like healing.

The clear judgement behind Reed's words didn't shock Droman in the slightest. He was well aware of his sister's uppity attitude, and it was all that he could do to accomodate it. The water, he answered with a sigh. It's really interesting, y'know. Everything has a pattern, but there's so many everythings to keep track of. It was unlikely that he would ever be able to understand the sea the way that he dreamed to, but Droman planned to try. What have you and Mama been studying?

the sea? she tilts her head, her eyes returning to the tide as it laps the sand gently. the sharpness of her expression yields to something genuinely interested -- only for a moment! -- before returning to her brother. "good," she says, deciding she approves of his choice after all. though it's definitely not as refined as her pursuits, in a way it suits him. at his question she puffs up proudly. "plants, mostly," reed answers, "their purposes -- i'm planning to be a medic." it is, of course, practical, useful, and important to study these things, and they are fortunate enough to live on an island that provides bountiful herbs to her purposes. "so if you sprain an ankle dancing," she adds, smirking, "i'll patch you up."

Sprained ankles don't need herbs, Droman laughed, They need water. When's the last time you got in? You probably don't even know what I'm talking about, since you're so busy on land. These weren't necessarily comments made out of spite, but that's not to say that Dro didn't know exactly what he was doing, taunting his sister in this way.

she frowns at his dismissal, prepared to counter (nettle!) -- but his next sentence activates her competitive nature. "i know water's medicinal properities," she counters, sniffing, "and -- so what if it's been a while? the ocean isn't going anywhere." to make her point she cuts around him and beelines for the tide, coming to a stop when the water laps cozily around her ankles, shooting him a mischevious glance.

To a land wolf, Reed's point would have been a good one. The ocean wasn't going to get up and walk away, but that didn't mean that it wasn't in a constant state of change. The shores that had been there yesterday weren't the same as they were today, nor would they be the same the next day.

It was a common misconception to think that the sea was stagnant, but Dro didn't know enough about it either to explain. Come for a swim, Ree, he mused, stepping out a few feet further than where she stood, You might learn something new.

well.. 

"fine," she acquiesces, arching her brow at his nickname for her. (her name is already one syllable, it seems to defeat the purpose -- oh, but whatever, she'll let it go.) deeper into the water she follows him, adjusting to the gentle push of waves against her small red body, and casts him a critical eye. "so shall we?"