Dragoncrest Cliffs all right, mavericks!

maybe an adult or other kid he hasn't met yet? :O

today, quennell ran along sandy shores. clutched between his jaws was the wing of an unfortunate seagull. something he had found along his run, he had not understood that something had probably wanted that because now it was his.

except between his puppy teeth and the whipping winds, the wing was already starting to look...rough.

that didn't stop him from howling out in triumph as he whipped it into the air. a makeshift boomerang.

Although there was part of Meerkat that mourned how quickly her children were growing, a much larger part of her couldn’t wait to introduce them to the world that awaited them. And unlike her own mother, she intended to raise them under the belief they would one day disperse to lead independent lives. She wanted to prepare them for that from an early age.

Right behind me, Ray? she asked as she led the trio away from the burrow, intending to take them on their first and short foray from the whelping den. If their little legs could manage it, she hoped to take them to the nearby beach so they could be introduced to the sea. Come on, Fish, she coaxed the more lackadaisical of her boys. Ladies first, Vixen! she said, gesturing for her daughter to come up front with her.

They’re hypothetically en route! Pinging @Njord, @Stingray, @Swordfish and @Mercy.

Swordfish plodded after his mom on large paws. His eyes shifted between her and the sandy beach. Ray looked like he was having a good time, but when didn’t the golden brother appear that way? Swordfish followed lazily, slipping from falling too far behind to trotting ahead and kicking sand out from under him. 

It was not until his mom called out that the boy drew his head up and caught sight of another boy - different from their little family. Swordfish perked his ears and drew alongside Meerkat. His tail waved softly at the other pup, thinking that this must be a friend. All creatures were friends to Swordfish, at the age he was. 

The boy yapped at Quennell. 

Come play!

Stingray was just getting his sea legs under him on solid earth, but sand was a different beast. The moment his broad puppy paws touched it, he discovered that the ground was slippery. He felt like he should be going farther and faster than he really was. Every time he placed weight on a foot, it sank down and threatened to trip him up.

His siblings seemed to grasp it better than him. Swordfish surged ahead from his previous position near the rear, overtaking both Meerkat and Stingray. The blonde boy tried to follow, keen to see who or what his brother had discovered, but lost his footing and plopped on his hindquarters with a frustrated yawp.

He gave one forepaw a brisk shake and struggled to get up, growling when the ground kept shifting under him.

For the first time in his life, time seemed to slip away like a shell on the shore. A blink of an eye and Spring had come and gone. Perhaps it was because because he was soon to be another year older. Or maybe because Meerkat and Njord’s little brood kept their new parents so busy. He had enjoyed being in a little bubble – the five of them tucked away in their small woodland burrow. Yet, as he caboose’d the family train at the rear, he couldn’t help but realize how absent he had been when Quennell crossed their path. Wasn’t he born just yesterday??

The sun caught the bright crimson on Quennell nape. Njord felt himself pause, a stern look on his face. How had he not noticed it before? He had never asked who Erzulie’s suitor had been this year… and he wondered if his brother, Aegir, was still wandering around the shores.

The trio heeded their skeptical father no mind as they pranced, excited to meet a new playmate. Njord assisted Swordfish with a little muzzle-bump to his rear end to help him find his footing. He noticed the dismembered wing in Quennell’s grasp. “What ‘av ye got there, lad?” Njord asked, as if to encourage him to come say hi.

suddenly, he had guests! quennell did not know if he wished to share this joyous prize of his own, though. perhaps he could...show it off, not let anyone have it but let them wish they could.

especially as the old male seemed to wonder what he had.

MINE! quennell declared with a muffled bark around the wing in his mouth. although still he dropped into a play bow, eyes now transfixed upon the agemates with the adults. tail waving over his back.

then he zipped, hoping to entice them to chase.

Someone awaited them on the beach. Meerkat grinned as they came upon Quennell, her tail twitching as Njord called out to the boy. He responded by shouting, “MINE!” before dipping into an unmistakable play bow. Her attention turned back to her own children to see how they responded.

Ray seemed a bit preoccupied with the sand sticking to his paws but Fish looked intrigued by the would-be playmate. He even barked at the older pup, surprising his mother with his initiative. Her tail swung all the harder as her eyes flicked to Mercy, who had taken advantage of the collective distraction to begin trundling down the beach.

Exchanging a quick glance with her mate, Meerkat trotted after their wayward daughter. She caught up to the runaway quite easily and barked, swiping out a paw to send Mercy tumbling into the soft, sifting sands. The girl went down with an indignant squeal and then began laughing. Rolling onto her back, she kicked her legs as Meerkat attempted to tickle her belly.

Since these two are sort of in the backdrop now, feel free to skip. :)

Some of his bravery diminished when Swordfish realized that he was the only one who appeared interested in the other playmate. Ray looked like he was struggling to walk – a tiny drunkard who staggered around on large paws, sand spiraling from his feet as he lifted them. The golden pup looked like he was walking through freshly laid cement. Swordfish divided his attention between the stranger and his brother but didn’t appear to want to move from his place.

Whatever toy Quennell had was only interesting from afar. The idea of giving chase to further investigate was not something Swordfish was going to humor. Instead of running after the prized treat, the boy plodded over to where Stingray was mushing his paws in the sand and sniffed at him. Fish nudged his sibling on the shoulder – a way of asking what was wrong.

Stingray struggled harder against the sand when the older boy proclaimed that the wing was his, determined to prove otherwise by stealing it, but it seems he had met his match. There would come a day where he would learn to walk the beach as gracefully as any Sapphique adult, but today was not that day.

Swordfish circled back around to him, eliciting a shriek from Stingray as he churned his paws and made little ground. With a loud huff, the boy deflated and sank to the ground, dropping his chin into the sand and blowing out his whiskers. There was no way he would be able to outspeed Quennell and take the wing when his stupid feet wouldn't work.

He peered dejectedly up at his brother, silently asking what the trick was, and never realizing that it was his toddlerish stomping tread that mired him so.

exit quennell :3c feel free to keep going for brother time or fade out!

quennell had never felt so dejected in his life.

he had, near constantly, been doted upon from birth. his siblings cherished him, his mothers cherished him, even visitors cherished him! now the boys who he had hoped to engage in roughhousing with seemed more keen to be crybabies together.

not that either of them seemed to actually be crying at all. qunnell had just discovered a new (rude) line of thinking.

so he'd continue his run down the beach until somebody found him and collected him or he made his way back home.

I thought I’d wrap for us? :)

When their tickle fight ended, Meerkat glanced down the beach. She saw no sign of Quennell. Njord hovered near their sons, who looked rather put out about something. Coaxing Mercy to come along with her, she hotfooted back toward their men.

When her husband explained the situation, Meerkat looked at her sons and said, That’s okay. We’ll try again another day. Let’s go home and eat! Not so fast, young lady, she added when Vixen took that as her cue to dart ahead.

Smiling despite herself, she glanced over at Njord, the two of them conversing with their eyes for a moment. Meerkat then moved to catch up to their daughter before Mercy could dash out of sight, leaving her mate and boys to bring up the rear.