Blackwater Islands when the whole world running scared

warning? sort of gory?

She belonged here. As the Siren belonged to the Sea; as the Sea shared her love with the Moon.

Akantha jogged down the western beach with a furlong eating stride, ears slicked back against the roar of the wind and wave, and hunger raging in her hazel eyes. A young seal pup lay basking upon the sands where his mother surely left him for safe keeping while she hunted, unaware of the presence of the oppertunistic predator that now lurked on the storm-battered enclave. It rolled and scratched at it's spotted belly with a mewl. The gulls cried out in alarm as she sped past, but it was not enough to warn the young seal of its impending demise.

She pounced and trapped it between her paws while her teeth sank deep past blubber to rip and tear at precious arteries. She growled as blood dribbled across her tongue, and she felt a warmth sink into her bones. This would nourish her for a time, and allow her to fill a few small caches on the Isle with the leftovers. Soon the pup ceased struggling and she, with little effort, dragged it away from the shore and onto the dunes nearby where she flopped down onto her belly and began to peel away the velvety skin to reach the good stuff inside.

Kalika hadn't wandered far from Akantha in the days past. She kept close at all times, though silent nonetheless. She followed Akantha to her resting place and watched her tear into the young prey before chuffing a greeting. Akantha. Kalika made her way around and sat, though she remained far enough from the catch. She was interested, anyway.

Changed the loction to the Blackwater Islands, just FYI!

Akantha regarded Kalika as almost an antithesis to her opinions of outsiders, males, and nearly life in general. She was open, brave, and willing to entertain. Akantha was reserved, paranoid, and hostile at best towards those not from Themiscrya. There were exceptions to this, of course—Indie and Chip had, somehow, won her over and she was warming to them as time went on. She expected the same would soon happen with Whip, though there would be no intimacy and care there; simply she would tolerate him. He was of use to them.

She sliced through the fat and blubber of the seal pup and spotted the ghostly wraith as she approached. Her eyes locked on to the snowy yearling, and her pupils grew. She had no concerns of the younger she-wolf wanting to muscle in on her kill, or even challenge her rights to it, but she was a wolf and understandably protective of her meals. But Kalika settled on the outskirts with little aplomb and Akantha quickly settled once more. She latched on to a particularly tough bit of tendon and placed a paw on the kill before yanking hard, ripping it free. She chewed it a bit only to swallow it down to her gut. 

Kalika still sat, patiently, and Akantha cupped her ears towards the young siren with a soft chuff. "Join me." She rumbled with a shrewd cast to her hazel eyes. "Tell me what you think of this place and I will share my meal with you." Despite her age, Akantha valued the opinion of the young Siren—she valued all of their opinions, and would continue to do so if she was to lead.

Kalika could see the moment of apprehension from Akantha and adjusted herself in lieu of the reaction; her ears lowered, as did her head so that she had to lift her eyes to the roofs of her sockets. Seeing the superior soon settle once more, Kalika relaxed a bit and took a step closer. I enjoy the coast, Kalika admitted, her mouth beginning to salivate with the scent of the young seal drifting into her nostrils,and all that it has to offer. The outsiders, however, those born away from the sea? They're strange. A bit harder to get used to. She herself was new to the culture, though her home had always been near the embrace of the tides. Her lineage was pure, hence her mother tongue of Greek, though she was only now learning about the world she was stolen from. It's comforting; hearing the waves crash at night, the thick scent of salt in the air. It would be an understatement to simply say that I'm enjoying my stay.

Akantha tore another strip of meat off and chewed thoughtfully as Kalika spoke. She gnawed on the tough, fatty chunk, savoring the taste of iron on her tongue. They would have to be careful not to overhunt the seals so they continued to risk the shores for their pups. But they could, under her command. She smiled at Kalika as she spoke of the waves and the scent of the air. They all belonged here—they no more fit in among the wolves of the inner territories than a elk belonged in a desert.

She gathered up the pup as she rose to her feet again and padded over to where the pale woman stood. Akantha deposited the kill at Kalika's feet, and sunk down to her belly again, paws extended out and hindquarters curled on either side of her hip. She nodded to the young Siren, motioning for her to take her fill of the seal pup. "Good." She stated. "I intend to claim these islands for us. Do you agree?" She asked, eyes intense with curiousity.

Kalika looked to Akantha for approval once more before dipping her head and tearing a piece of meat from the pup's bountiful carcass. The sweet taste of the young one's flesh singed her tongue, making her eyes roll back and close in pure pleasure. With a sigh of satisfaction and a short laugh from her throat, Kalika looked back to her Sister. I would like that very much, yes Akantha. With a warm shield over her heart and a smile on her maw, she leaned down for one last tear from the pup, before finding herself content. I think you'll be a fine leader.

Akantha flashed her Sister a grin and her heart swelled at her honest approval of her, and her choice of location. "Excellent." She replied, waiting for Kalika to finish up. She cast a look out over the shore, watching as the murky green-gray water crashed up and onto the shore with a loud roar, only to hiss softly as it retreated back into the wake. "In time, I think I would like to see you rise up through Adept. We disagree on how to handle the males, but your overall input is valuable to me." Akantha revealed as she slowly brought her full attention back around to Kalika. Her gaze honed in on the pale woman's own rich blue, and remained unwavering as she waited.

Wrap up?

Kalika laughed lightly at Akantha's comment on their personal opinions on males. They were at a break when it came to the consorts, though they held opinions not quite as different as one might think. I would like that. I am still learning, though I am prepared to give myself wholly to Her. She sighed as she looked out to the sea, unforgiving and harsh, yet impeccably beautiful in Her movements. Though she was young and only a student thus far, it was already clear to Kalika that this would be the culture through which she lived.

Totes. Last from me! <3

Akantha smiled, pleased to the core with Kalika's answer. "Good," she said as she, too, followed Kalika's eyes to the ocean just down the slant of the beach. The waves hissed as they receeded into the water, only to roar up the shore once more; over and over and over. "I'll oversee your training personally once we are settled here. It will be a long road, but I have faith in you." The Matriarch said softly in conclusion. She did, truly, have faith in the pale gray woman; she was still young, not as set in her ways, and it would benefit them both to explore this avenue together. Akantha was not so ignorant to believe she knew all there was to know. 

She rose suddenly and stepped over the carcass to press her nose into Kalika's cheek. "Doris' blessing, Sister." Akantha pulled away and turned, heading down the beach until she passed between a break in the rocks and disappeared from view.