Ankyra Sound I knew you were trouble when you walked in

for all his insistence on untethered independence, it pleased him his way of life appealed . come with me, sunshine-woman! walk the sand, bathe in salt! wear seashells and seagrass!

but then his eyes fell to the child, and he knew to set those daydreams aside.

"home? hm." slavuj sat, raising a paw to his beard, thinking. "there was ounce th' woodswoemen, aend th' wrae-iths, tchoo..." he gestured northwest beyond the cliffs, where he knew seven islands lay black and windswept. "bat first have gone, second don't howl anymoer."

"west," he twisted. "there is moanastery, on island. nun, her husband - children coming in sah-mmer. aend here," now he faced east, raising a paw to where the cliffs rose high, grinning. "sirens! alluring songs, bat aet their borders, sometimes," he leaned in to whisper. "yeau find blood."

"bat!" and his posture straightened. "ai aem coming fram sunrise laends. who know - maybe ai'll find new marks follow-eeng th' sun."