Wheeling Gull Isle MMMbop!

Once a day, Towhee stood on the shore and scoured the mainland with her sharp orange eyes. Sometimes during low tide, she walked along the land bridge. Somehow, she never managed to catch a passerby. Today was no different. She stood halfway across the sandbar, a few inches of saltwater swirling around her ankles, and sighed.

She just wanted to send word to the copse by way of a messenger, so they wouldn’t worry. She would just make a quick trip herself—that had been the plan, originally—but she didn’t want to risk feelings of abandonment in Caracal’s children. Guilt sat in her gut like a stone.

A small school of fish flitted past, glittering in the shallows. Towhee’s eyes dropped to watch them before she sighed again and turned back toward the island. She’d nearly made landfall when she saw something strange out of the corner of her eye. Her head jerked to the right.

But the sea lion had already glided onto the sandbar directly behind her. Towhee started to turn, eyes flying wide. It was bigger than any canine adversary she’d ever faced, easily twice her size. Its neck straightened as it regarded her with a strangely placid expression. For a hot second, Towhee thought it might speak to her.

Its mouth did open, unleashing a roar Towhee couldn’t hear. But she saw the flash of yellowed canines as hot, fishy breath washed over her face. She backpedaled with haste. She shouted a warning meant for @Simeon, @Malakai, @Judah and @Dinah and pivoted haphazardly, adding a second yell as she felt teeth close on her tail.

There was a powerful tug and suddenly Towhee was underwater.