There were two songs sung that day but three faces to meet, two dark and one bright, each with eyes like the sea. Aningan was near enough to not leave them waiting long, pace quick and eyes searching; he sought their figures even before they were within his line of sight, eager to greet them—they were strangers, true, but he knew he must meet them. After all, as much as he enjoyed the present group on the plateau, he could not deny how much easier it may be to hunt with more paws on the ground, come the return of the herds.

As the bear approached he looked between the three of them, intrigued; he assumed them to be related based on appearances alone, in addition to the scents they shared on their pelts—of the sea, he found, instilling within his chest a longing for what he once had. He missed the shoreline, the ocean, and all that came with it—but it betrayed them, attacking the wolves of Rusalka with its rage.

“Salutitsinik,” greeted the boy, tail waving amicably; he was relaxed overall, whatever wildfire ignited within in response to the former trespasser smothered. “Who are you all?” And what do you need? his eyes seemed to ask, a curiosity in his gaze that refused to die out.

Of the three, the pallid woman was the first to speak and therefore the one to receive the majority of the boy’s attention. He looked to each sister as they were introduced, offering a smile and a small nod of his head, acknowledging their presence there. Seeing them together, three siblings side-by-side, brought a brief glimmer of longing to his gaze; it was there one second and gone the next, retreating to where the memories of his own siblings lingered in the back of his mind. “I’m Aningan,” he said, continuing with his own introduction. Best not to dwell on that which could not be changed, after all.

When the first to speak added their origin point, his suspicions were confirmed: it was the sea that clung to them, his former home. “You’re from the coast?” he asked, seeking further confirmation. “Is the sea still angry? We lived there once, before it devoured the shore.” And yet, he still missed it. But, like his siblings, that was of the past now—he could not be sure when the sea may settle, and so he knew not when, or even if, they may ever be able to return to their former home safely.

They sought a home and another of the trio spoke about working hard, a comment that made his attention jump over to her as his gaze lingered for a moment or two. “Yes, this is my home,” he answered, looking back to the apparent head of the sisterhood. “If you’re willing to work hard, you all can stay here and join our family.” Slowly, over time, that is. Aningan still felt uncomfortable around those he did not know well but, given the state of the land, he knew he had to be more open to new members. And welcoming them seemed like a step in the right direction.

One claimed the sea was not angry, another that it was calming more with each day. He clung to the information, saving it to be investigated at a later date; he didn’t doubt them, he simply wished to see it with his own eyes. His attention was pulled elsewhere, too, as the more vocal of the trio spoke up again—this time confirming that they would work hard, and seeking acceptance into the pack.

“Yeah, you can,” he said, smiling all the while. Three new faces to spy throughout the territory—three new wolves he would have to get to know. Saving the latter part until he was more comfortable, Aningan welcomed the sisters into Rusalka and led them near to the land’s heart, where he then left them to settle in at their own paces.