cold seawater washes over dainty paws, reminding chun tao of home. she inhales the salty sea air and lets it flow through her lungs, invigorating and empowering her. it was a long journey from the lagoon to here and along the way she's lost track of kun kun. she's never been the best at tracking or reading the land but that's okay. she knows to follow the sea. the sea will always guide her home.
she stops in the foamy wake and peers up at the cool sun, a prayer to rìzhào lining her lips. for her family's health and good fortune. she will find dear kuku again, no doubt about that.
Wandering from her realm- whether that was Rusalka, or the island, she no longer knew. Rusalka was home, yes- but ever since she'd set paw on the island, it had been on her mind. Ying was missing, too- she suspected the nuvujak had been taking trips there. Whether hunting or otherwise.
Following her trail, making her way towards the bridge, Huā's eye catches on a little smudge of creamy peach in the water. Were it not for the blue surrounding her, she would've been lost among the tones of sand. Seaglass eyes glimmer with recognition. "春桃, 是你?" She calls out boldly to the girl, already making her way closer on dainty black paws.
a voice to complement the ocean's calm demeanor calls out her name. chun tao lets her head fall back to neutral while turning to meet her greeter. it is with delight that she sights the gray-beige of huā zhen's fur, the dark sea rock hue of her legs, the cerulean of her rounded eyes. "表姐!" chun tao chirps, striding forth from the wake with water trailing from darkened limbs.
"表哥见到你很高兴," she says, appraising huā with a critical but caring eye. "你吃得好吗?" it seems to chun most prudent to assess her family's state of health before querying about her brother and her sister. they are both clever wolves who don't get lost as easily as she.
Chun's voice falls upon her ears like music, and a smile touches her face as the girl calls back. Striding closer and closer as her cousin pulls herself from the water, Huā approaches and gives her an affectionate lap on the cheek. She leans away then, speaking up- "我吃得很好了. 你呢, 春?" She chuckles warmly. The gentle girl held a special place in her heart, and she hoped dearly that she'd fared well.
But this was miracle enough! Here she was again, in the flesh. Considering how one, then another, and another had followed her to the north, she wonders whether more are nearby. Ying had alerted her with a call before; it seemed Kun had arrived already. Eyes flicker back and here and there and to the side, wondering if her other cousins would appear from nothing. "你一个人吗?" She queries, tone needlessly worried.
chun giggles at the feeling of huā's tongue on her cheek. she gives a hasty lap to her cousin's chin in return, then laughs at the returned question. "我不需要太多," she answers with a quick gesture to her thin belly. she is small statured and ladylike and eats like a delicate dove. "我不饿." this is added as a reassurance.
huā zhen's worry is not misplaced. chun has been alone for some short time. she is not a fighting wolf nor an excellent hunting wolf. she has always cared more for stories and god and healing than physical strengths. being alone is a dangerous state for a wolf like chun tao who isn't good at defending herself from foreign teeth. fortunately she's found her family and can rely on their protection while she takes care of them. "我在关注坤坤," she shares, welcoming huā to walk down the beach with her. to where, chun doesn't know. she assumes her cousin will take the reins. "我做白日梦，迷路了."
The girl returns her affection, and assures Huā that she's fine, not needing much. Huā gives a concerned glance to her cousin's figure silently, currently refusing to acknowledge their naturally lithe build for the sake of being worried. But she she says nothing more of it, instead following Chun and the two began to walk. Huā would lead them, though not anywhere in particular.
The girl shares that she was following Kun Kun, and lost him after daydreamed. She laughs. 你这个傻女孩!
She giggles teasingly. She was unworried, she knew where Kun was now. 你哥哥在Rusalka. 这是我们的群.
She informs her, paying a glance back inland. Thoughts bounce back and forth in her head, and she's curious whether the girl will join them or opt to stay alone for now. But she remains quiet, waiting for Chun's reaction to the information she had just given her.