Dragoncrest Cliffs briz sèl

pup outing to the sea! aw, no posting order, optional <3 @Jadou @Shadess @Lucette @Lafayette

guided by several watchful members of sapphique, mireille's litter was taken from the tangle, across bluepeace meadow, through the tunnel, and out to the white-sand beach of siren's bay.
the day was brisk. she walked along the waveline, keeping herself between the ocean and the young ones. she pointed out shells, sand dollars, the tracks of sandpiper birds, and once, a jellyfish. 
tug-of-warring over a piece of driftwood, she paused to sweep the shore with her eyes, contented as the children experienced their sea heritage.

Lucette was familiar with the ocean by now, and bolder every day. She didn't often stray from her twin — but when she did, she could always be found stealing away to the beach.

Her boldness would cost her much one day. For today, at least, she was under her mother's watchful gaze. She crept over to the jellyfish, sniffing it with a telltale gleam of hunger in her eyes that could only mean she was seconds off from snatching it and bolting off into the distance. Lucette wasn't sure what it was, but she knew that she wanted it for her own.

so far in his life, he'd been riskaverse compared to his sibling. she'd ventured; he felt better closer to home, nearer to his mother's breast. his interest had been piqued upon first smelling the sea air and now—

now—

he dashed after lucette, glancing at the quarry she sought. interesting, but. . . his blue-green, quick-changing eyes fastened upon the sea's steady beat upon the shore,

in and out.

in and out.

he stood transfixed, but only for a few heartbeats. once those were up, his small legs were churning, pounding into the sand, and he was headed headlong into the water.

the first small wave hit lafayette's nostrils like a slap to the face.

the sea was wide and endless, impossibly large and impossibly intimidating, and jadou mirrors lafayette as he stands to watch the churn of waves. a pair of gulls pass over his head, and he breaks his stare momentarily to watch them.
once his attention is back on the sea, his brother is gone! jadou gasps in horror as he dives head-first into the treacherous water. frightened, he toddles back over to maman and tries to get her attention with tiny yips and whines.

Shadess had never been beyond the shadows and murk of the tangle. A place of obviously, twisted vine, root and branches. A place of much sjade and little sun. Filled with pokey and spikey things. A place fun to play hide and seek, to try to outwit any unfortunate pupsitter. Shadess did not know a world beyond this... until now. 

There was no fear in Shadess. Rarely ever there was and it was something in which she did not like to share with others on those few occasions. Not even with maman. After all, her mother was fearless, powerful, beautiful, as far as she was concerned and already Shadess wanted to be just like her. 

She followed at her mother's side with her head and tail high. Her pine-green eyes darting around in every which direction with all the new exciting sights that caught her attention. The blue meadow was stunning and so much room to run! Then there was a tunnel and at first Shadess thought this would be their new den, until it kept going and going and going...! 

And then there was a roaring (of waves), a sound which had her fur standing on end. There as a strong scent (of salt) that smelt far different then any dirt, rock or tangled branch she had ever put her nose to. Brightness was at the end and the 'den' opened up, sands and sea out before her.

Woah... 

She and her brothers were transfixed. Lucette seeking to snatch the jellyfish gone unnoticed. Maybe she would get stung. Now Jadou was running for maman and barking out as Lafayette was getting smacked right in the face by a wave. Shadess laughing is loud at her brother's expense and she runs quick to his side. Nooo, Lafah, like thi- Another wave came, hitting Shadess in the face now and she fell back straight on her ass and into the sand.

no posting order! <3

lucette grabbed for the jellyfish, and mireille lunged to intercept. "non! dat t'ing will hurt you, cherie!" the obsidian warned, though only moments would decide if lucette set upon the thing or swerved aside at the next moment.
lafayette raced into the waves, and she raised her head to watch proudly as the brave boy faced the salt.
jadou brought her away from lucette, and she rushed beside him to fish lafayette from the shallows.
her arm moved to cup shadess as the girl was buffeted back, and their mother's laughter blossomed over the bay.
"de sea is good, yes!" she shouted, encouraging them onward!

de sea is good. jadou is not sure whether to believe maman as she chants for them to touch the waves. he assumes he is meant to approach it in the way shadess did, but then she too is rolled over by the foul beast! he whimpers and moves to toddle over to her side, but his concern is quickly mitigated by the sound of laughter.
tentatively, the boy waddles to the furthest reach of the seafoam, refusing to get any closer. it is cold as it pulls away the sand that clings to his toes, leaving behind a layer of white bubbles. the sand is so smooth! he pokes at it with an extended nail, watching as another lap rolls in and smooths over the dent he created.

Shadess coughs. The salt burns her eyes, burns her nose, burns her throat! 

Her brother is quick to her side in worry. Her mother scoops her up, setting the little red devil straight once more. Laughter fills her, she encourages her young. 

Shadess did not know if the sea was good just yet and Jadou seemed even less convinced of the statement. However, it was strong! It was beautiful! The child was nearly convinced now that her mother had been born directly of it, coming straight out of the water at birth. Especially so with how effortlessly she danced along the sands and took the waves head on. 

Shadess stumbled, the Earth melting from under her feet as the sea water took it away and pulled Shadess into its direction, beckoning her to it. She is happy here, as she danced around her mother's ankles and brothers and sister. Even Lucette's usual stare of daggers could not hinder her now.

lafayette reeled back and sneezed, hard, sending salt and sea in the wake of his nostrils. shadess was brave enough to join him, and she was giggling.

stumbling back, he sputtered and sniffled, and looked around, trying to find souls other than his brave sister.

like the others, he noticed the sand shifting beneath his paws.

ever-changing.

sea is good, he echoed, remembering his mother's call. the surf shifted over his growing legs, and he craned his neck, looking for his twin in her search for her supposedly-dangerous prey.

"de sea gives. de sea takes," mireille added, not yet understanding what a foreshadow for her own self that would turn out to be.
the historical sound of a dusty tome opening to a dog-eared page;
in the surf they danced, they searched for shells, they laughed and played, tasting of the sea and experiencing the lap of the waves as eventually mireille and her brood retreated to the sand.