Dragoncrest Cliffs all right, mavericks!

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.