Wheeling Gull Isle wanderer, what are you searching for?

he felt something warm and gentle against his cheek, and found that the dark female was laving the ocean grime from his face, like a mother bathing her pups after their journey out of the birth canal. seelie, she whispered. and then a word he did know--friend.

"see-lie," he tested the word on his tongue, daintily. friend. friend.

flailing legs punched the sea's rolling surface, a muzzle gasping desperately for air. he was too far away to reach, and every time he tried to swim closer. . .  "nando! swim to me! nando, mere dost--" the sodden black mass kept floating farther away from him, the salt-choked cries growing fainter. he had to save nando--

"nahin!" he gasped aloud, wrenching his head away from the she-wolf and rising to his feet, swaying like a drunkard. he looked at her, eyes still half-closed, licking his lips as he summoned enough saliva to speak properly. "nando kahaan hai? mere dost nando?"

it was now that aditya was remembering that his friend--his best friend--had been swept away by the storm as well. he was not here, now. and aditya had to find him. . .dead or alive.