Wheeling Gull Isle baby beluga

They bade their time until low tide, enjoying the play of the sun upon the waves. Eventually, as it set, the waters receded, too, and the fiery glow of sunset painted the ebbing waves in various hues of red and orange, gold and pink.

All right, Killdeer said, seeing the sandbar emerge. It's time. I've gotcha, Ma. Nobody's drowning today.

With her permission, he'd guide her forward, and the two of them would cross the temporary land bridge to the isle. Step by step, the sand slipping past—but not away from, completely—their paws.

Once to the edge of the beach, he lifted his muzzle and howled for @Caracal, mouth breaking into a boyish grin.

She should’ve had a quip response for that but Fennec didn’t. Instead she made her way across sticking tightly to Killdeer, every tug of water near her paws inciting the memory of being swept out and under. By the time they hit the island her heart was racing and her entire body was tense.

She let him call and breathed in slowly, the salt on the air making her nose itch but also reminding her of previous beach visits. Fuck, there were a lot of memories built into it and none of them were really things she wanted to dwell on right now. She’d never liked the shore for the way the sand clouded her way of navigating the world, but now she had a dozen other reasons to hate it it seemed.

Insulting their home probably wasn’t the best way to kick off a visit. She’d let Killdeer and Caracal catch up and keep her opinions to herself, but her brother really was crazy if he was looking at settling down here.

He hadn’t left @Heda’s side since their wedding day. Caracal felt more attached than ever and saw no reason to separate, particularly while her heat ran its course. Even though there was nobody else on the island, he wanted to protect her from any unwanted attention. And he genuinely enjoyed her company, from sunup to sundown.

Tonight’s sunset was particularly lovely and set a romantic mood. Caracal watched the sinking sun burnish the sea from atop The Greenhills as Heda napped nearby. He thought of waking her for a stroll along the beach, though he decided to let her rest. There would be so many other sunsets to enjoy in the course of their life together.

But then the call he had been waiting for finally came, startling him out of his peaceful reverie. Caracal stood. He looked over to his sleeping wife and nibbled at his lip.

Heda? he said quietly, brushing her forehead with his nose. Killer is here. Do you want to come with me to meet him? Or stay here?

In the meantime, he sent up a howl to his pal, saying, ”Hey, man, welcome to the island! I’ll come meet you shortly!”

The return howl sent his tail a-wagging. He gave Fennec an excited nudge, shoulder-to-shoulder, practically hopping in place. It was odd his mother and Caracal were siblings; his bond with his cousin-uncle seemed far more akin to brothers, and Fennec seemed a lot older.

Anyway.

I'm sure he'll be here in a bit, Killer remarked, shrugging.

He stepped back and splashed around in the surf, chuckling a bit. He already felt better. Even his near-drowning was behind him, and now all he cared about was seeing Cal.

Well, and he hoped his mother could relax a bit, too.

heda lifted her head, tail swishing once as she parted bleary eyes and grinned a sleepy smile up toward caracal. 
she had not thought of children, only her mate, meeting him with the same desirous energy as her season climbed toward its peak.
seeing how she had affected caracal made her wonder, and at length she shook her head thoughtfully. "i don't think i should." her golden eyes flickered with a minute frustration. "i would feel — odd, i think."
heda kissed his fore-ankle. "i will go to the lion's den."

She still felt the sensation of being trapped, but she smiled for her son’s happiness as Caracal’s response came clearly over the wind.

She couldn’t quite bring herself to go into the water the way that he did, but she did find a place where the sand was warmer and recline down in it while her ears tracked his splashing progress through the surf. If you scare up a sea monster, tell it I have a few questions, alright? Like how deep did the ocean go, and what the fuck was the point of all this saltwater?

She was glad he was enjoying himself, and she kept an ear out for anyone approaching too. Caracal knew they should be here but that didn’t mean everyone else on this weird little island did.

Her answer didn’t surprise him. He wanted Heda to meet Killdeer (and Fennec, if she was here too), though it could wait until a… better time. Caracal nodded his understanding and kissed her brow.

Okay, I won’t be long. I’ll come find you later.

After a lingering glance, he rocketed downhill in the direction of the sandbar. He saw Killer from a distance and noticed that his mom was with him. Caracal was glad they were together, though he really only had eyes for his best bud.

Hey! he yelled breathlessly when he arrived, red toes skidding in the sand. I’m so glad you guys came! Welcome to Wheeling Gull Island! You guys are welcome to look around, make yourselves at home.

Of course, there was something he needed to tell them. Caracal was bursting with excitement to share his good news with Killdeer and even his older sister. But there was also a practical reason he needed to mention it.

Heda couldn’t come right now, though hopefully you’ll get to meet her later, he said before exclaiming, She’s my wife now! And I think we might be welcoming a litter in two months, give or take, which should explain her absence.

He laughed at his mother's remark. I'm not gonna go deep enough to find one, he shot back, enjoying the feel of ebb and flow tugging at his ankles.

When Caracal emerged from the treeline, he left the surf and stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Fennec, tail flagging, eyes beaming. 

And his mouth fell agape with the news.

DUDE! Congratulations! Killdeer exclaimed, grinning widely. Wow, you guys went fast! I feel like I just learned about her.

Night, too, was moving quickly, the sun having disappeared beneath the horizon and twilight settling upon their forms. Show us where you stay, Killer requested. He nodded toward the heart of the isle. I'm assuming it's back that way. Is it just you and her?

Fennec rose when Caracal came, but before she could greet him, he released a torrent of updates for both of them. Something told her the majority of it was for Killdeer’s sake, and she just waited with a small smile while the two of them caught up. She’d let him respond for the both of them.

She had nothing against her brother; she just didn’t know him and wasn’t really even sure where they stood. Just like the rest of them - Meerkat included. And she wasn’t sure whose fault that was.

She’d follow at a slight distance and allow them some time.

feel free to skip me! Busy week/weekend/time in general

Caracal beamed at Killdeer’s felicitations, huffing a laugh at his pal’s comment. He’d known Heda for a while now and they’d been living on this island for months, though it was true he’d only just told Killer about him at their last rendezvous. And of course they’d never really talked about kids much, too busy being kids!

Sure, we keep a sort of… nest, Caracal said, at the top of The Greenhills. He pointed at them as he spoke. It’s nothing fancy, though I suppose we’ll find some proper shelter… he thought out loud, laughing and shaking his head. Come on, I’ll show you. I’ll give you a grand tour and everything if you like.

He bounded eagerly ahead, then remembered that Fennec was blind and might need extra guidance. Caracal slowed, throwing her a sheepish look she of course wouldn’t catch, and pondered at his sister’s silence. He couldn’t help but think briefly of the last time they’d really spoken. He was just glad she hadn’t disappeared for good, especially for Killer’s sake.

So, did you two officially leave Mereo? he wondered, now thinking about what Killdeer had said during their last conversation. You guys are always welcome to stay here as long as you like, Caracal reminded them.

They were coming up on the lavender fields and he said, This is Heda’s favorite place. It doesn’t look like much now but I guess it’ll bloom later in spring.

He paused to give his guests a moment to explore the area. Meanwhile, he glanced off toward the cave where he knew Heda hunkered, the corners of his mouth twitching. Hopefully God was there, keeping her company.

Here’s a handy map for reference. :)

He was happy to take the tour, moving along with Caracal while keeping close to Fennec as they moved into the trees. He gave his mother a rueful look she wouldn't see when Cal mentioned Mereo and nodded, scoffing a bit.

Yeah, Germanicus split, he explained briefly. Went off with his lover, and disbanded the pack. So now we're looking for something better.

Killdeer noticed how his friend stared off at the mention of Heda, and guilt purled in his chest.

You should get back to her, he said, smiling. We'll take it from here. Thanks, dude.

He stepped forward and butted his head against Caracal's wiry shoulder, eyes closed in gratitude. When he moved back to Fennec, he stood near but not cloyingly so, allowing her to move about at will.

He knew he shouldn’t feel glad to hear they’d officially left Mereo, though Caracal felt a little bubble of hope in his chest. He turned and began leading them toward the smattering of pine trees growing at the foot of The Greenhills. Heda was still tucked away, so it would be safe to show Killdeer and Fennec their sleeping arrangements.

But before they really began to climb, Killdeer announced that Caracal should get back to his mate, that he and Fen could give themselves a tour. Caracal’s mouth opened to protest, though he thought of his wife huddling in The Lion’s Den and couldn’t bring himself to argue.

Alright, he replied, grinning at the head butt and reaching out to ruffle the fur on top of his nephew’s head. Feel free to call for me anytime, okay? I’m sure we’ll catch up more soon enough. Enjoy the island! Caracal concluded, raising his voice so Fennec could hear from where she was lurking in the backdrop.

With a final fond smile, Caracal turned and swept to fetch his wife and tell her the good news. Perhaps they might loiter in The Lion’s Den a few moments, even christen it, if that wasn’t sacrilege…

Wrapping for us! :)