Blackwater Islands devour us

tag for reference ( but ofc, always welcome to join if you want to )! <3

the afternoon is sun is chased away by the thick scattering of the clouds; the sky painted a somber grey. ingram paces the shore, ears keen for any call of @The Listener, giving her some time alone with her children. they are growing quickly, sprouting like weeds, shaping into the wolves they would be in the future.

the keeper watches their progress with a soft paternal spark, despite that he is aware that is not the role he is to play in their lives.

presently, he sifts thru seaweed and froth covered jetsam and flotsam for trinkets to take back to them, to teach them how to use them how he communes with the spirits of commanders past — a bleed of his own culture; hoping that perhaps it might help them connect to the unnamed god.

He may have been giving the listener time alone with them, but Morgra was much too curious to stay anywhere for too long.

She had meandered around for a bit until she saw Ingram. The spiderling was fond of him; he brought them food and toys and kept them safe. She thought of him as equal to the listener in her life.

Morgra trotted over to his side, her gaze searching the water for whatever he was doing. Play? she asked. She jumped forward and slammed her paws against the water to make the splashing sound she loved, her gaze traveling up to Ingram to see what he thought.

the young morgra is the one to greet the keeper; her presence brings with it soft surprise; swallowing any paternal desire he might have to chide her for sneaking out. she is young and curious and so long as she was in his presence: she would be safe. despite his slight reservations, ingram relaxes, greeting her with a soft chuff of affection, bowing his head down to her level to observe her.

play?

he watches as she makes a big splash in the water. be mindful of the stronger tide, morgra, comes his soft warning. though he could swim well enough, it makes him nervous having her so close to the greedy grasp of the sea. so long as she stayed up of him: where the licking strength of the waves receeded: he would not worry so much.

another wave rolls in and though ingram had never been a very playful child — a lack of playfulness he attributed solely to the spirit of wanlida — he entertains morgra now by making his own splash in the wave.

She understood some of what he said, but it was the gentle warning in his tone that had her stepping back some, her tail wagging slowly at her hocks. The Listener had warned her about the water too, but because she was a child, she forgot things a lot, especially when she was excited. 

But Ingram obliged, much to her delight. Morgra laughed when he made a splash and then jumped towards him to slap her tiny paws on the water. Her splash was much smaller but she had just as much fun making it. Splash! she said between giggles.

the girl, morgra, appears to be joyed by his, admittedly rare, playful streak. but ingram recognizes she is but a child: innocent in the ways of the world and play was enriching for her. too soon, she would cease playing as her childhood melted away with the turning of the seasons. he moves to another puddle, making a smaller splash in it, seaglass gaze trailing to morgra to watch what she might do next.

Ingram went along with their game, moving to another puddle to splash the water there. Morgra watched and then pushed herself forward to repeat his move. Only, she misjudged the distance and ended up jumping right into the water. 

She was stunned for a moment, looking up at Ingram with wide eyes. But her surprise didn't last long; she was soon giggling again, jumping up and down to make more splashes now that she had learned she could make bigger ones if she used her whole body.

the moment that morgra's full body hit the water, ingram pauses; body tensing, ceases breathing even. he expects waterworks, a trantrum. his seaglass gaze focuses solely on her, furiously studying the small planes of her face as he awaits her reaction; eyes wide to match her own wild surprise.

a breath; a heartbeat —

the child erupts into a giggle fit and begins to jump up and down in earnest; big splashes of water rising with each rise and fall of her little body. relief washes over the keeper then. he lets out the breath he was holding in a soft smile; followed by a soft, affectionate smile as he pounds his paws in the water, making smaller splashes.

the pair play for a bit longer before the listener calls morgra back to her. ingram encourages it with a soft bark and watches her head back before continuing on his way.