Dragoncrest Cliffs count all the bees in the hive, chase all the clouds from the sky

She forgot all about her worries and her strife as she splashed about in the surf. The only thing that concerned Bat at present was the way the water stung her eyes. It eventually got so bad that she stopped sloshing and turned toward the adults now stationed just a few yards away, paws steady in the wet sand. "Why's it make my eyes hurt?" the Goufa wondered, wiping at one with a paw, which only made it worse.

"That's the salt," Tirgatao explained with a sympathetic grimace. "Come here. I'll help you clean them. Then you have to be careful not to let it get in your eyes again." She motioned Bat closer. Although the Goufa was reluctant to leave the water, she was more eager to rid herself of the burning sensation.

She plopped in the sand beside Tirgatao and let the woman gently bathe her face with her tongue, all under Artaax's stoic eye. All three of them paused and turned when a voice cried out and Dacio came dashing onto the scene. Eyes feeling a bit better, Bat grinned and jumped to her feet, eagerly wriggling toward her favorite cousin.

"Hi, Cousin Dacio!" she greeted. "Wanna play with me in the water?" she babbled excitedly. "Just don't let it get in your eyes; it stings!" the Goufa warned her playmate before diving back toward the roiling shallows.