All was good. The waves warmed, the world was brightening with spring, and Vairë was seeing through rosy glasses.
Saltshore was going to become. She knew it needed to become before her heat, before her children, but she knew she could trust Samani. Her anaa. Moonglow and Moontide welcomed them should they need it, and though Vairë did not want to leave her bay, she welcomed the thought she might.
The gilded doe came sloshing out of the water that morning, cleaned and smelling of salt, ocean dripping from her belly fur as she walked back upon the shore. The covered sun offered barest winks at its bright face, and she stood there to gaze upon the clouds.
All would be good. This she knew.
Heph had been wandering the coast, following those lines losing track of time. While she had followed along it in a vague way she did not often go along it directly. After all as broad and vast and intriguing as the sea was, as much as it called, she could not explore it like the land which remained beneath her paws. One day she would swim out further than before, she had tried once and nearly drowned but she would do it again.
But the lines the ocean left separating it from the land left its own puzzles to be mapped and she charted it all out in her head, distracted from her thoughts by a particular sight emerging from the water - not one she had expected. Her voice called out ahead of her, announcing her presence, a bit of laughter embedded in it but confusion as well. "Well I suppose that's one way to have a pelt like no one else's, though I think you'd look good enough without." She trotted to a more comfortable distance but still left enough. This area held the scent of wolves gathering, not quite a pack yet but something, she did not know whether or not this was a wolf who would be looking to reinforce her borders.
She sloshed out of the water and a voice was her greeting. Her head turned to regard the woman coming closer with a bright smile.
Certainly. If I wished to look as though I was rolled down a hill, just underwater.
She laughed at her own joke.
My husband says I shall get my sea legs soon. I am looking forward to not being beaten up by water.
Heph laughed, but leaned into the humor nonetheless. "Well with a face like yours you can set the style rather than follow it." She considered curious - not at all concerned by still playing with her words to indicate the question. "Ahhh I'm waiting for my sea legs as well, recently settled around these parts. Should I worry about some bear of a wolf coming to chase me away from his bride?" Her own frame had adapted for ocean travel somewhat quickly if only because it adapted to any kind of travel rather quickly.
Vairë waved a paw in the air, ducking her head in sheepish embarrassment.
Oh no, don’t worry about Rhaegal. I sincerely doubt he’d do that.
Her husband didn’t seem the type, if she was being honest with herself. The doe flicked her tail, raising her nose a bit.
You live around here, then?
She knew of Samani’s pack being close by, and another in the opposite direction. Which one did this wolf hail from?
Heph grinned at the familiar name and realized she had not introduced herself. It seemed this wolf was not as much of a stranger as she might have originally assumed. "Ahhh Vaire, my name's Heph, I've met Rhaegal a few times." Though they had not talked much she remembered him as a strong hunter and courteous enough in conversation.
She wagged her tail and responded easily. "Yes, I'm part of Moontide. How about you? Decided this is the place or still chasing the coastlines?" There was a light note in her voice that did not fully match up with the bare curiosity though both were present.