yuèlóng's island is not the lagoon – nothing could ever be, and yunxu misses it even now – but he finds he still enjoys it in its own way. the sea is the sea no matter how far he's come from home; the air smells of salt and the way wind stirs the waves against the rocky shore brings its own sort of calm. he picks his way across, re-familiarizing himself with the feel of sand beneath his paws and seaspray whipping his ink and foam fur into salt-encrusted spikes he'll be unable to groom out in a few days' time.

he's uncomfortable among the forests and meadows inland, but at least it allows him to keep his fur smooth and neat. the feeling has never not bothered him, but it's still better than being away from the sea.

he traces the path of the seagulls in flight as he walks, swooping down from sky to sand. he has never found a shore not full of them, and this one is no exception. while he prefers hunting fish and seal, gulls are easier to find, and he isn't as picky when it comes to his meals as he is when it comes to his fur. 

crouching lower to the ground, yunxu steps towards the largest outcrop of rock he can find, the one most likely to hide him from their view. they pay him little notice as he moves along and into cover, and as he rounds the edge of the rocks and spies the child already ducked down behind it, he comes to an abrupt stop.

he lasts all of five seconds, standing there in awkward silence, before instinct finally kicks in. "hello?" he ventures, leaving her plenty of space in case she's startled to find a stranger appearing behind her.