Wheeling Gull Isle seaside, sandy shores, surprise

Just visiting! ...Probably? :3

Never before had Oleander seen a thing like it. The earth had turned into fine sand beneath his paws and the air seemed to sting his senses. Not to mention the figure of land out in the vast water. It had taken him some time to actually figure out how to get to it.

Eventually he was there on the sandy edges of the island. Awkwardly walking with the odd sensation of the wet, moving earth beneath him. He found himself far too focused on that instead of how the island might look and if anyone might be here.

ooh hehe hi!!

Huā trod on what was likely one of her last border patrols before she would be bedridden with puppy pains. Her heavy stomach swung when she walked quickly which made her feel ashamed, and so her steps were careful and guided. It was during this patrol that she caught the sight of a stone-and-earth man who hung rather casually on the edge of the island, pacing in a way that seemed aimless. Seaglass eyes clutched him, she was curious, and protective of her people- and so she approached, halting just a couple yards off to call out to him, tone somewhat friendly. Greetings. You, um, near territory of Yuèlóng. Something I can help you with, or...?

hello!! 0:

He just narrowly managed to hear her over the crush of waves and the seabreeze that swept through. However what he did hear sounded friendly! A turn of his head to catch sight of who it was revealed a woman. A woman who was...

Well, she was kind of round wasn't she?

Oh, I'm sorry! He blurted out to her. Half for his intrusion into someone's home and half for his own thought about her form. I've never seen anything like this place. Offered as his tail hesitantly swayed low by his ankles.

While there was a wildness about the side of the island that faced the ocean, Thresher most often enjoyed her time on the Eastern side, where the sand was lovely and soft, and she could see the shore of the mainland and the lands beyone the horizon, where she knew her family dwelled. She knew every inlet and cape, though the restless ocean waters had, understandably, worn away at the island over the year during her absence and had sculpted it into a new masterpiece. She adored getting to know her island all over again. 

And when she spotted an unfamiliar figure on the shoreline, she wasn't bothered. He was accompanied by Huā, who she of course trusted. She still had yet to meet the majority of her packmates, so she felt no immediate alarm to see a stranger on the shorem though from what she could tell of their postures, this wasn't someone that Huā knew. Regardless of the fact that he was, in fact, not a packmate of hers- her default greeting was innately friendly so she approached with her tufted ears pricked, and her tail wriggling excitedly at her feathered hocks. She'd noticed, of course, that he seemed to be fairly preocccupied by the sand at his feet and looking down, as a wave pulled away, she thought she understood why. She moved to Huā's flank, and affectionately gave her leader a calm smile, before she looked back down at the sand, where the male had been gazing before. 

"Oh!" She exclaimed happily, when her realization hit her. "Is clams," She informed him, with a cheery nod. She gestured at the sand again, toward his feet, hoping he would notice- that when the waves pulled back, little holes would open up in the sand, which would emit small bubbles when the wave came back in. It was a sign that there, beneath a few layers of sand, a clam had buried itself. That was what she'd assumed he'd been staring at.

both of em so cute X)

It was a good thing Huā could not read minds, otherwise she might've been deeply hurt... despite the fact that it was wholly true. She was used to being a skinny and petite little thing, and so it was hard to adjust to feeling like a balloon on sausage legs. At his apology, she wagged her tail slightly, shaking her head. Do not worry. There are many who curious about island. I not surprised to meet another. She offered with a smile, and it was then, that her attention was interrupted by Thresher. The girl slid up beside Huā, tail wagging, and the empress returned the smile to the wolfdog before gaze moved back to Oleander. Oh! Is clams. And Huā's gaze shifted to Oleander's feet, where waves brought up lots of the little things. Huā let out a little laugh, coming closer then to the boy with some confidence. You know what these are? She questioned in reference to the clams. She figured he wouldn't- if he was intrigued by an island, surely this might be new as well.

He would have focused on the round hooded woman had another not showed up. Another strange looking stranger! Wispy and built in an unusual fashion. Oleander wondered if he was dreaming all of this. Never before had he seen such things as he had in this very moment.

Then she said something that caught him off guard. Clams. What even?

A paw would raise and he'd lower his head to peer at the sand. Beneath him was a small hole that seemed to bubble. As if the sandy earth was not odd enough by itself!

No. Chirped with a soft shake of his head. Do you two live here? With these...clams and things? Owlish peridot eyes blinked as he looked back to them. Clearly confused and bewildered by it all.

Like her packmate, Thresher was delighted to see surprise on the male's face. She giggled softly, and nodded. The island offered a host of advantages to the wolves who lived there- many different forms of food, which could be found by scavenging and hunting at the beach and at tide pools, so she did not have to fear injury or strain caused by hunting larger prey such as bison or elk. Thresher's diet, on the island, consisted mainly of food she found at the sea's edge. So when he expressed his interest in island life, she decided to show him a little bit of what it was about. 

"Watch," She beckoned, as she found a hole that had sent up a couple bubbles during the last wave. She approached it gingerly, knowing that if she stepped too heavily on the ground near the tiny hole, it would squirt water up at her as a defense mechanism. She paused a moment, and then began to dig furiously, kicking back cakes of wet sand as soon as the wave began to pull back. She knew she only had until the wave returned to dig up the clam- and as the water rushed back toward her, she stuck her head in the hastily dug hole in the ground just as it filled up with sea water. She'd grabbed the clam with relative ease- but waited just for a moment, to add a bit of suspense. After all, they hadn't likely expected her to stick her head in a hole, just in time to have the water rush into it, and past her ankles. 

With a swift movement, she pulled her head out of the water, sending a spray of water droplets back over her haunches dramatically- and smiled, brandishing a long, slim razor clam shell in her mouth. She padded back over to the others, and set the clam down on the sand- making sure that neither of its ends pointed toward the other wolves. Perturbed, the peculiar creature stuck out a jelly-like appendage, and began to burrow its way back into the sand- shooting a stream of water and sand out its backside as it did so.

He eyed the sand before questioning the girls; Huā nodded alongside her subordinate. Yes. We call this place Yuèlóng, and I lead the people. Because it only seemed right to introduce herself as the leader if there was a stranger here, right? Then Huā watched the girl approvingly as she demonstrated to their guest, what exactly a clam was and where it came from. Quite the little show indeed, and Huā was seemingly entertained, a pleasant little smile resting on her face. The clam that Thresher placed before them did not seem happy with its fate, as it attempted a great escape- and Huā giggled with some girlish delight. Isn't that exciting? She prompted, gaze flickering back up to the boy with amusement, hoping his reaction would be something interesting.

He watched her wordlessly, mesmerized by the motions she went through. This place could not be real. Surely he was asleep and would wake soon. Which was a thought solidified by the time he witnessed what she had pulled from the grainy earth.

It was a horrific sight to him. An alien like creature on the ground between them. It was almost a squeal that escaped him and it died down into a shocked gasp.

You live with those?! Blurted like an immature child who had just learned something new. Horrified he watched as it would sputter and burrow. How do you do it? Is this place even real? He couldn't even pronounce the name the round woman had given to this place. He only knew that she led the wolves here, one who he suspected was the wispy alien finder.

All of it was deeply concerning and also wildly intriguing.

Confusion and wonder shone in the male's vitreous eyes as the clam laboriously dredged its way back into the sand, piping out the saline water as it did so until it left behind nothing but another small, dark hole in the ground, bubbling as it continued to burrow its way deeper and deeper. Thresher, like Huā, took a good deal of amusement in his reaction, though she did pity him some. He did seem a bit disgusted by the creature- and she had to admit that the fleshy, tongue-like appendage it used to dig was a bit repulsive. Regardless- the creature was out of sight, and hopefully out of mind, and their visitor hadn't run away screaming yet. 

He seemed to be alarmed by their home, though, and she glanced over her shoulder beyond where the long, whispy beach grasses writhed in the wind and into the darkness of the wooded interior of the island. She saw nothing that looked remarkable, in her opinion- but then again, this was her homeland. She had stood in awe of the massive cedars that grew on the mainland, and had hardly believed them real, as well. She was familiar with ridges and clearings, but the mountains and valleys across the straight had made her gawk, as well- so she could understand what he was feeling. 

"Is real," She said, with a friendly nod. "Is peaceful," She added, to calm him so that he didn't start believing that everything on the island was a strange and alien as the razor clam she'd shown him.

Another laugh from Huā- not mocking, just amused by his boyish reaction, by his wonder with the life that had become almost mundane to the wolves of the isle. Of course, it is real! And yes, very peaceful, away from chaos of mainland. Huā agrees with a firm nod. Though the wolfdog's intention was to calm the boy... Huā did not pick up on it well, and so another idea wormed its way into her brain. She cast a hesitant glance towards Thresher, wondering whether it was okay to share something that felt so... secret, before turning her gaze back to Oleander, unable to contain herself. There is even more interesting things. If you think that clams strange... wait till you see, la- um, labyrinth. She suggested with a grin. The cave system that ran beneath the island's surface was a most intriguing thing indeed; Thresher had shown her the place the other day and it had stoked a new wonder within her. Even Huā was so mesmerized, she imagined Oleander might feel the same... but was he willing to stick around for a tour? Or was the place too odd and whimsical for his tastes?

They assured him plenty. All real and peaceful! He was not sure if he could believe the peaceful part with his gawking around, but it must be real. He didn't wake and he could feel the way the seabreeze ruffled his fur or stung his lungs.

Then the proclaimed leader offered something that sprung more interest from him. You would show me that? A labyrinth? Something he was not entirely familiar with except for in passing stories. The wiggle of his tail picked up pace. Clam forgotten about for the moment. I could, um, repay you? Maybe I could do some stuff around here and you two could teach me about this place?

While she had enjoyed teaching the male about the razor clams, and was glad that he was interested in the island- she sobered up quickly when Huā recommended that they could, perhaps, show him the labyrinth. As soon as it was mentioned, the breeze seemed to pull the smile from Thresher's lips, leaving her mouth in a straight, dark line. While she hadn't flattened her ears, she had turned them back, expressing her uncertainty. She looked at Huā, and wasn't sure, then, how glad she was that she was exposing Undersea's beloved treasures to new wolves. Not when their most coveted secrets were being handed out to even strangers who came to tour the island. 

For her, the labyrinth had been her home for the first month of her life- where it had been warm and dark and safe, where the screeching winds would not wake her in her sleep, or chill her tiny frame. It was almost a sacred place, for Thresher- but perhaps Huā simply did not understand that. Either way, Thresher was not willing to put their pack's secret hiding places on display, so she remained silent- and didn't answer. This was Huā's pack, after all; and if she felt like revealing the most safe and secure spot to an outsider, then that was her decision.

do you want him to stay a lone wolf guest or shall I rank him in YL? :>

She remained foolishly unaware of Thresher's dissatisfaction when the tour was proposed. The island meant something to Huā, yes, but she would never have the memories attached to it that the wolfdog did. But upon seeing Thresher's smile's disappearance, she wondered if perhaps, it was best to keep these things among Yuèlóng wolves. Why did the girl care so? She wasn't entirely sure, but Ruò had proven once, that the satisfaction of her subordinates was a great factor in keeping the pack alive. And so if Thresher was not happy with a stranger seeing their tunnels...

Maybe I show you, if you stay a little longer... you help us hunting, marking border, and you get to see whole island. She suggested with a playful grin. This was not how recruitment usually went... but perhaps she could draw the boy in with the mysteries of the place. It was enchanting to her, at least. His offer of a repayment sounded quite nice- Huā knew soon they would need all the helping hands they could get. She was bound to burst with children any day now, and when such happened, there would be new mouths to feed- with the leaders quite preoccupied with their new responsibilities. And if he joined, then there wouldn't be a big issue about showing him such things, right? Another little nervous glance back at Thresher to gauge her reaction, before eyes settled on the boy once again.

I think he could be labeled as YL seeing as he’ll hang around and help for the foreseeable future 0:

Had he overstepped some? It was not able to be undenied seeing as how the alien hunter’s mood dipped. Still it seemed there was some sort of deal to be struck! One which he was thrilled to be a part of. Especially since he had brought it up first.

Honestly he was just a little shocked they would consider such a thing. Not once had he ever been labeled a good negotiator.

Yes, yes! I can help with whatever you need. Even if he did not look like much, he was still capable of most tasks. Of course he was mainly skilled in the essentials that most learned through their upbringing. I’ll stay as long as it all takes. An honest promise as he offered them a wolfish smile.

Thresher kept her features as neutral as she could, though her expression brightened a little when Huā mentioned inviting the male to the pack. This she could accept. She felt it was good to have more members in their pack, and that he seemed to be quite willing to learn their ways even though he did  seem to think that some of their dietary habits might've been stranger. She was very willing to forgive that. So when he made his bid to join them, she dipped down into a playbow, and quietly boofed at him, puffing are through her lips the way a dog will when excited. 

"Welcome to...Yuèlóng," She said. She struggled with the pronunciation slightly, and did, still wish that she was saying "Undersea" instead, just for the sake of knowing it'd mean her family was here too. Nimbly she side-stepped toward him and gently bumped her nose against his cheek before she bounded off, tail whipping in circles. She knew that Huā, in her condition, would not be able to zip and zoom about as easily, so she circled back to her leader's side, but continued to bounce her front feet up and down. "Come see, island."

feel free to fade with your next post Oleander!! welcome to YL! :P

Though Thresher did not smile, she seemed to ease up some, even welcoming the boy very playfully as he agreed to help. Huā smiled, silently wishing she could skip and dance so... soon. Soon, after the kids were born, she'd back to her normal skinny little self- ready to scout and adventure again. But for now she watched on with envious seafoam gaze. 

Still, she chuckled warmly, inviting him to follow them to the interior of the place with a wide sweep of her tail. Yes, come see... and oh! I am Huā, this is Thresher... I not yet catch your name...?

He didn't stop himself from bounding after the alien hunter. His front end towards the earth as his own tail whipped behind him. This was certainly not the welcome he had expected! Truthfully, he had imagined some sort of disaster. The water getting him or everything being a lifeless wasteland. It looked less and less like that every moment.

Of course! He breathlessly huffed to the wispy woman. Oh! I'm Oleander. Served up with a toothy grin for good measure. Or Ollie, if that's easier. Whatever they wanted to call him, he'd answer to.

With introductions out of the way, and a new place discovered, he'd happily take off after them to see more.