Wheeling Gull Isle mere haath mein

“Chikni raat.”

The tension melted away from Coelacanth in that instant, and a little shimmy danced down her spine as she shook herself vigorously and sneezed, yawning widely to let the nervous hummingbirds free. Tufted ears pinned back against her skull as she inclined her head, tilting it obliquely — she was asking his permission to approach — as one paw lifted in mute entreaty. She waggled the paw to answer his question — “well enough,” — and bunny-hopped a pace or two forward. Her hips canted toward him so that she approached him slightly sideways, answering the tension in his musculature. She wanted to ask about Catori, Winterbourne, Eventide, and Kasatka — how were they faring in the wake of Grayday’s death? — but things were still too tenuous and uncertain for polite conversation, even if it was family news she was after. Seelie wished that Chelan had come back with Komodo and Reigi to bring comfort to his littermate, but his duties had kept him tethered to the island.