Wheeling Gull Isle tripping on skies, sipping waterfalls

@Amoxtli @Stockholm, @Faeryn, @Komodo, @Hemlock, @Sirimiri, @Tapat, @Reed, @Droman, and @Fawn — Seelie is going to go check out the island and scout out a new stomping ground. Feel free to join in whenever! I kept this purposefully vague. ♥ This thread will have a posting order, to make it less chaotic for people. ^^

They gathered in the water, but there were clouds beneath their paws.

It was an unseasonably warm spring day, and the sun was at its zenith. To Coelacanth, it sounded like the sea itself was talking, the breathlike rhythm of the waves asking gently but insistently, “Why wait? Why wait?” She’d been putting off returning to the island because her obsessive sheepdog’s mind demanded that she wait until absolutely everyone was gathered together in one group before they made the trip — but she was beginning to see that her hesitation wasn’t doing anyone any favors. The wolves she and Stockholm had lost had forged their own paths. Some of them had returned to the sea: Faeryn, Komodo, Hemlock, and Tapat, for example. Others had made settlements of their own, like Constantine. She fancied that she could see her own path stretching before her; she just needed to reach out and take it. But she couldn’t do it alone.

As if pulled by some invisible force, Coelacanth took one step — then another — then another. If not for her dancer’s elegant muscle memory, her hesitant locomotion might have appeared stilted and mechanical. As she got closer to the land bridge she quickened her pace and her faraway eyes refocused; she looked shyly upon her companions, her Neptune gaze lingering fondly upon Stockholm, and turned to sniff curiously at the sand. The tide was unusually low and was likely to remain so for some time, making the crossing safe for even the burgeoning pack’s tiniest guppies.

---

Delicate paws touched down upon the shore where Coelacanth had found Stockholm and Aditya; where she had been welcomed by Komodo; where she had been reunited with Axolotl, Ixchel, and Doe. She had forgiven Dakarai and Arturo upon these pearled sands. Immediately she felt a sense of homecoming that she had previously only associated with Vargas Island. She had so longed to show Amoxtli the little slice of heaven she’d found, and she hoped her twin would find the unexplored nooks and crannies of the island to his liking as well as find security in its relatively small size. The land afforded freedom for those with a penchant for wandering, like Komodo, and distance for those who wished to separate themselves from the congested Teekon mainland.

Nose to the ground, she meandered without any real rhyme or reason as she reacquainted herself with the isle, her carriage neutral and her limbs loose and untroubled.

The earthstalker wasn’t gone for long — Komodo knew better than to leave for months at a time, now. He wayfared enough to sate his itchy paws, but then he promptly made his return, lest the seawolves scatter themselves to all four winds once again! They had only just made a reappearance in his life, and it pleased the man immensely, so he felt rather protective of the bunch in a way that might of been unwarranted. 

Komodo had not experience the hesitance of returning to the island that Coelacanth did. Then again, the girl’s relationship with the spit of land was akin to a religious experience, while to him, it only played host to his religious experiences. He and the trio of Cortens had explored it previously and found it to be undisturbed; unperturbed — and that was good enough for Komodo — but as he watched the girl tread shyly into the gentle waters of low tide, he wondered. The ink dark girl, with her pelagic gaze and balletic zest, was truly something; there was something in her that riled his need to safeguard, to champion her wants and needs... but there were so many others that felt the same, so Komodo withdrew and let the woman have her happiness with the gampr. 

In a not unrelated distraction, the mottle wolf swung his head to look for the newest amongst them, @Fawn. She was new to island life, the fragile thing had divulged to him, so the angakkuq would gladly show her their ways.     

The scents and sights around the water's edge were spectacular to Faeryn's senses - the taste of salt hung in the air but she had grown used to it. It was something now that she found undeniably pleasant, reminding her only of familiarity. Perhaps it was strange how quickly she had adapted to life near the sea with those rolling waves of blue, but she remembered no other residence so this was what she thought of at the mention of home.

Her bright, cerulean gaze wandered to Seelie as she treaded further into the low tide, and the blue seawolf found herself encaptured by the movements of the water as it rippled around each wolf's paws. She had greatly missed the island, yearned for the safety it had provided and the idea of home it perhaps would always remain to her. Faeryn was comitted to these wolves and the island they had resided upon, and she was certain she always would be. She may have no memories of her life before the Teekon, but she had found her place.

The wintry fae was silent as she followed, eyes drifting briefly to the other wolves around. Some had been from Undersea previously, but others she did not quite recognise. They all seemed relatively content with either talking between themselves or remaining quiet as she did, so she decided not to bother them with speech of her own. Instead she continued onward, a svelte woman elegant in every step she made into the cold waters.

When at last they reached the shore, Faeryn allowed a small sigh of relief to slip from her blackened lips. Ah, indeed it felt like home. 

It wasn't out of the ordinary to find Droman tucked neatly beneath Hemlock's chin. Some children found themselves comfortable in bushes, stalking beetles and mice; others were pleased to spend their time rolling in mud patches and kicking dirt-balls at their siblings. Droman, on the other hand, was content to spend time right where he was, and by extension, wherever Hemlock decided to be. Mama, he cooed, nudging at her jaw from his hiding spot, I like this.

For the first time in a long time, Droman detatched himself to explore the sandy shore. There were all sorts of things that he hadn't seen before (or didn't remember seeing); so much to discover! Immediately, the young Fearghal's tail began a steady sway from left to right, indicating his need to investigate. Ma-ma! he called, rushing tones in his voice clear, Come look!

the pair had made it to the island safely, and fawn had more or less already made herself at home.  although she preferred the dense cover of forest, the sand between her toes was not unwelcome, nor were the wolves who had made their home here.

she could see the land bridge now, how the tide had receeded.  she turned her attention to the water at the edge and suddenly became thankful that komodo had not let them pass when the water was high — fawn had never gone swimming and was likely to have not ever made it to wheeling gull isle.

she watched the inkdark girl break from the pack and with tentative, stilting paws she broke into the water.  it was warm today, though the water would retain its slight chill, and from a watchful distance she did the same, padding into the water halfway up her legs.

looking around, she caught komodo's gaze.  it was certain now that he was not going to hurt her; later, she would have to thank him for this somehow.

Tagging for reference.

Serein walked alongside @Sirimiri in companionable silence, but Brontide split off from his sisters, kicking up spindrift as he sought to make @Faeryn’s acquaintance.

“Hello there,” he said simply, remembering her from the Hunter’s Moon. “I don’t think we got properly introduced — I’m Brontide Corten, the little’uns’ uncle.” The sweep of his muzzle paused significantly on Coelacanth and Amoxtli’s wispy silhouettes in the distance. His smile was warm and easy, but he kept a respectful distance, not seeking to encroach upon the woman’s personal space or waste her time if she didn’t feel like socializing. His tongue darted out to wet his lips and the tip of his pink-scarred nose. “Heard that you were the sole leader of this place awhile back,” he offered as a conversation starter. “I’d be interested to know about how things were back then, if you’re in the mood to talk.”

Whoops, here I am!

After Brontide's departure, the two sisters were left to bring up the rear of the group. Sirimiri hoped that didn't set the tone of the entirety of their stay. She was not generally a sedentary or slow-moving creature, but the presence of family had caused her to scale back and simply bask in the company.

"We're the spinsters," she said to Serein, gesturing toward the young women ahead of them. "How do you like that?"

Not very much was the answer, judging by the look Serein shot her in return. But Sirimiri simply chuckled, not thinking much of their age. Her bones hadn't started aching just yet, and she still felt flushed and alive during her heats. They had some years left in them yet.

 

This time when they had crossed the bridge it wasn't with Droman and @Reed carefully hoisted above the waters. They walked on their own, curious and cautious as ever, and Hemlock kept a wary eye on the lapping of the waves even as she tried to watch both children and the movements of the sea sprite. It was harder alone and she longed for her older children, but, she had to trust that they were okay. They had to be. 

As Droman parted from their collective to explore the shores she gently nudged her daughter to encourage her, mischief shining in her eyes. "We should see which of us finds the best treasure for our den." While the children were little enough she'd reclaim her whelping den, it was familiar and she'd chosen tbe spot based on what it offered. An ear swiveled to take in what everyone was doing as she responded to her boy and made her way to the darker Kali child. 

reed remembers the sea. she remembers the shock of it against her paws for the first time, the way it looked as she was carried over the bridge, hung from her family's loving jaws. she remembers the sea, but she does not remember these strangers, and so regards them with suspicion even as she walks with mama. they are not threats, she understands that much, and if mama is going with them, they must be an all-right lot. nevertheless.

droman, overcome by some new energy, runs ahead to the shore. reed raises her head a little haughtily, content to stick close to mama's side until she's nudged -- mama says to look for treasure, droman's gotten a head start, no fair! -- at which point she takes off after her brother. she's definitely going to find the better treasure, the best treasure! to share with mama -- the fearghal makes her way to droman's side, sniffing at whatever he's discovered with an unimpressed air before announcing "m'gonna find somethin' nicer," and setting to combing the sands for some beautiful trinket.