Wheeling Gull Isle Hurtin' for a smile

@Steelhead

She hadn't thought the rock would crumble beneath her paws.

The Stalker was small, light - she'd climbed to dangerous heights before albeit never this high. Usually she wouldn't even risk it but she was hungry, ravenous even, and the cry of the seabirds was almost like mocking laughter in her ears - as if they could hear the rumble of her belly. 

The girl had scaled the cliffs seemingly without fear - the charter on Shearwater Cliffs had been a respectable height and they were far more scary than this climb. The nests were higher up than she thought and as she got higher, the anxious knot in her stomach grew until she felt she would be frozen with fear. Nym reminded herself not to look down. Then, just as she looked up in search of the next ledge that would take her higher, the rock shelf she was standing on gave way with a horrible crack and The Night Stalker was sent crashing into the sea below.

She woke with a yelp!

Stumbling on paws that didn't seem to know how to function, she jerked to her feet at the harsh pinch of pain she felt on her haunch. The girl wheeled, whipping her head around to find a crab clinging to a handful of her flank. The girl snarled savagely at it, beyond pissed with the whole situation, and promptly tore it from her body with a quick snatching motion despite the pain it caused her. 

She flung it, hard enough for it to crack as it hit a nearby boulder. She offered it a rumble of satisfaction from her throat, glaring at it with a pair of enraged sunshine orbs, before turning and cleaning the blood that trickled from her flank where it had grabbed her. 

Once it was clean, Nym turned her attentions to the rest of the injuries that battered her form, limping slightly as she approached the dead crab. The girl ate the meat she found within its cracked shell before turning her attentions to her surroundings. 

The beach was smooth, the golden grains of sand clinging to her pale coat that didn't seem to belong on the exotic island. The waters were a brilliant blue, so bright it distracted one from the heavens. The coast could be seen in the distance, across a surprising distance of ocean between the mainland and the isle. Nym was momentarily surprised that she hadn't drowned before she was distracted again by her investigations.

The strip of beach she found herself on didn't appear to be marked but the scents of a pack lingered - causing the Daughter to grow wary as she imagined eyes watching her from the jungle. 

She called out hesitantly, the sound a hoarse noise that likely wouldn't be heard by anyone that wasn't nearby. 

Someone was nearby, a very pissed, very heartbroken Steelhead. Not even a month had gone by here and his brother had barely spoken with him, before suddenly deciding to come and tell him he had a girl and was going after her. Of course Steelhead understood the draw of a pretty face but he'd always been a bros before hoes type of man. Apparently his brother was hoes before bros now, maybe Sockeye had decided he liked being alone instead with his brother while they were seperated. Either way, Steelhead was hurt and alone and stuck with a promise of loyalty to this little Ocean Island pack filled with an assortment of oddballs. 

When the howl went up he looked up and stood, deciding to go see what newcomer was trying to join. He walked quickly and spotted a nice sight, though she did look rather drowned. A teeny white furred lady whose fur was plastered to her small body. "Ey, you alright miss?" he called out, eyes slightly filled with concern.

Her call did not go answered. He called out and Nym murmured softly, "Ya."

As he approached, the girl greeted him with the feral language that was her native tongue - she dipped automatically into a submissive stance and chirped a soft sound that stated she wasn't here for trouble. She glanced at him curiously, feeling as if she knew him. 

As he drew closer, the girl realized it was the copper agouti who she'd met along the coast - so this is where he ended up. "You," she stated, unaware that she was mixing him up with his brother. Disregarding the fact that the last time she'd seen Sockeye he'd been irritated by her inability to communicate, she let out a soft rumble of recognition.

Steelhead paused in his approach when the female dropped into submission and made a small sound, the nature of it causing his tail to rise in a curious curl above his back though he gave it a few slow slow wags to show he was friendly. The next thing she uttered confused him but the look on his face sharpened, a mischievous look coming into his eyes as he gave a lopsided smile "Me? What about it?" he asked wondering who she thought he looked like. After a moment's thought he supposed it could be no other then his brother, since they looked so alike. She didn't seem entirely pleased about his presence either which almost made him chuckle bitterly. Sockeye was never as much of a ladies man as he was yet here he was, the brother abandoned for a woman.

She merely stared at him. 

What about me?

She wanted to explain why she was there and who she thought he was, and she wanted to ask why he had been so disturbed by her on their last encounter - surely a girl half his size wasn't a threat - and she wanted to know why he was so rude when all she wanted was to make a friend. 

But the words were stuck, she couldn't figure how to push them from her mind, out of her mouth. Her lips parted but all that came out was a soft whine. Her ears flattened with distress as she shook her head, embarrassed at her inability to speak. 

"Can't," she murmured at last, the word small.

He had expected some sort of annoyed reaction to get a bit of teasing in but was met with a confusing stretch of silence instead. As she stared he stared back, concerned that he had frightened or pissed her off so bad she went catatonic. When her ears went back and she whined, speaking a sole word he tilted his head and pondered for a moment. Can't what? Deal with him? She didn't seem to talk very muc- ohhh wait.  He'd run into others like her. The one broad he'd met had sort of been like her too, more physical language, little speaking. He assumed she meant she couldn't talk after this bit of thought. "Oooh. Oh. It's okay, I'm sorry. I'm Steelhead. You..uh..probably thought I was my brother, Sockeye." he immediately apologised, feeling quite bad that he had made her feel so embarrassed. He didn't know if she understood him though, that would be a bit of a problem indeed. "Can you understand when I talk? It's okay if you can't speak too much...it just makes it more difficult if you can't understand me. I'm a bit of a chatterbox" he rambled because really he couldn't help himself at all. At least if she confirmed that yes, she could understand then they could get some where easier. He gave a friendly wag of his tail, lowering it from the territorial raised position and sitting down hoping to make her feel more comfortable.

Feel free to skip me as need be, Stock is just hanging back and observing right now.

The Gampr had not been nearby enough to hear the muted call; instead he had simply been on his daily rounds, checking the borders and planning to roust up something for his children to eat on his return trip to the den. His path inevitably leads him to the beach where he catches sight of a familiar figure along with an unknown. He pauses just short of leaving the treeline, lingering back where he may not be noticed right away. Since he hadn’t heard a summoning call he isn’t sure if the newcomer is like most that come to their little patch of shoreline – someone looking for a pack to call home – or if the white-coated girl was a friend of Steelhead’s that had come for a visit. Something about the body language indicates it is most likely the former rather than the latter, but either way, the Overseer is curious as to how their newest Tauhou will handle the situation.

She blinks owlishly in surprise at the incoming string of words, pale ears flattening atop her crown. The wolfdog, the leader, went unnoticed where he hid - even by the Mistress of Whispers. Steelhead had her full attention as he spoke of a brother, leading her to nod in understanding. There were differences now that she looked closely. 

Nym nodded again, this time in response. She sent him an odd look, as they had been communicating in a strange way, indicating she understood. "Can't," she gestured to his muzzle, whining as she mimed that she couldn't speak, not like he could.

He was so focused on this stranve, partially voiceless girl that Stockholm went unnoticed. She apparently understood him since she nodded twice, to confirm it. She spoke again, seeming pretty distraught over the fact that he couldn't speak like she should be able to. He gave her a sympathetic look "I see that...Can you learn? If someone helped you, would you be able to learn more words?" he asked her. He had absolutely no idea how he would teach a partial mute to speak but he figured he would do his best. He wondered if she had a place to go. Lessons would be difficult if she lived far on the mainland. "Do you need a place to settle? The wolves here are really nice and tolerant of strangers. A spot opened up due to my ass of a brother leaving just as quickly as he came." he hinted she should join, looking at her with a forming smile.

Nym studied him, focused on the words spilling from his maw. She latched onto one, clinging to it like a lifeline: learn. 

"Learn, yes, learn," she chirped excitedly, prancing back and forth on her feet. Desperately, she wanted to learn. Her golden eyes shines with the silent exclamation: Teach me! without care if it embarrassed her. 

A place to settle, truly? It was a kinder offer than she expected, halting her in her joyful bouncing and causing her to peer at him with curiosity. She sniffed him hesitantly, unsure if he had the authority to offer her a spot amongst the ranks and chirped uncertainly.

Nym nudged him, as if to say she would follow to the borders at least.