Sea Lion Shores broken down i give into

Kerberos drew in a deep breath, savoring the salty tang of the ocean breeze as it tickled his olfactory sensory. It was home. Not home in the particular sense of shelter. The sea offered none of that, except upon her Bays, Coasts and Islands. It was home in the sense of the heart. Kerberos Aok adored the Sea, and the great bear Atka that she was connected with. Atka had guided the siren spawn thus far without fail, though her darker companion Sos also played his own part. Worshiping and seeing both bears was a rarity, a privilege granted to very few. It had been a long time since the last time Kerberos had stepped along the sands of the Sequoia Coast. He'd been younger, and struggling to find himself in the chaos of truth and the despair it inspired within him. Three years, nearing his fourth year mark he'd came to accept his parentage between the siren queen and the shaman. It wasn't as if he could change it, and fighting it at every twist and turn had become tedious.

Sorrow had filled the Aok when he'd heard of Jinx's passing; and though there was no true sorrow for the loss of Lecter, he respectfully mourned the shaman all the same. They had never had a tradition father and son relationship and even if the shaman would live still they would never have had. Too much contempt and disgust for one another had created a veil impossible to breach — not that Kerberos had ever truly sought to breach it. 

Perhaps it was the news of their deaths, old as it was, was what had lured the Aok back to these Wilds. Of course it had long since passed and there was nothing he could do, either way. Wanderlust hadn't ever been anything Kerberos had been found of, favoring a hermit-like status for most of his life. He had been a homebody, and perhaps he still was. Yet, he could not claim that Shearwater Bay was where his future resided anymore. He had felt this discontent for some time, yet out of respect and loyalty for Kaskae he had remained. It was not meant to last for here he was, yet again. 

It couldn't be claimed he was content with aimlessly wandering, either. The spawn desire only a home to stay, and perhaps the things he'd never truly allowed himself.

Vlad was on the prowl for just such a wolf.

He and @Rosalyn had travelled the length of the coast without much success, giving The Sentinels a wide berth on their journey west. Ocean-side living was not for everyone, and Vlad sounded rather proud of his reasoning when he announced to his pack-mate that they would be 'finding wolf vat is already liking salt water in es creck'. It was a strategy that - without knowing it - Vlad had employed from the start. Both Rosalyn and Njal came from the ocean, and the Rat would live in a volcano if it meant easy access to food.

"Hiding beauty eyes, Vlad skeel maybe burn," Vlad whispered to his comrade where they sheltered downwind, then stepped out into view. "'ey, sedd eye wolf!" he hollered in the loner's direction, tail beating the salt-stained air. Even from a distance, Kerberos looked brooding - a perfect target. "Ees sedd eye wolf looking for heving vinter frends?"

Shit Starr I forgot to tag you omg. xD I have kept the PP to an extreme minimum!

I love Vlad, just wanted to let you know. <3

Kerberos was drawn from his thoughts, consuming as they'd been when the sound of a voice called out to him across the distance, carrying over the gentle roar of the ocean as it lapped and collided against the shores. Fur frosted and dried with salt with tangled bits of seaweed caught within the longer tendrils of his fur whatever the handsome plains of his face might have told he probably looked like some sort of sea monster instead. Yet he always carried the Sea with him in this way — She was always apart of him even when he was nowhere near Her. He supposed this art of “fur decoration” probably came from the shaman's own once penchant for covering himself in blood. Well, they'd always claimed that the apple didn't fall from the tree though Kerberos had always felt more of a connection with the Siren's than he had Lecter. 

The loner's first words were lost upon him, but Kerberos assessed them both as he drew nearer, sea-green eyes taking them in with vague curiosity. Of course he was curious but just how much they didn't need to know yet. It was hard, at first, to discern the words the male spoke though only because his accent was not one that Kerberos had ever heard before. Still, the Aok thought he understood well enough. “Winter friends?” The Sea spawn inquired, encouraging the male to elaborate.

Hehe, thank you!

Starr - am PP-ing Rosalyn hanging back unless you join in! :D

"Winter friends?" the loner asked. Vlad spotted neither flattened ears nor raised hackles, and took this as a sign that stepping closer would not get him killed. Rosalyn hung back.

"Yes! You looking much sedd end lone, no frend, so cold - maybe theenking you soon dead! I geev vinter deal," Vlad offered, stopping at a safe distance and cocking his head, watching the stranger's face for understanding. "Heving gud peck on beach, many strong wulf. You vant heving vinter home?" Saltwinter's head recruitment officer took one step closer, leering as he indicated at the striking wolf in the background. "Heving also many beauty lady!"

There was not much wait for the explanation to come, the other male appeared to be all too eager to launch into his elaboration. It was almost unnerving Kerberos noted how easily this stranger seemed to be able to read him. He'd thought he'd grown out of his brooding, angst teenager stage. It was true that he wasn't as sullen as he'd been as an awkward kid, but thinking about the passing of Jinx did fill him with a sorrow that had, more than likely he admitted, taken to showing upon his expression. Jinx had been his sister, and though he would not claim they'd been particularly close growing up they'd had their moments; and he'd served under her as Beta Male for a short amount of time when Bon Dye had been around. It was even strange to think that Lecter was no longer living, either. Kerberos had been sure the Shaman would have lived forever just to spite the Aok.

“I'm not dead yet,” Kerberos remarked, with amusement, when the other male attempted to sell his pitch, in a way that might have been comic (if Kerberos was in a comical mood) especially in the regards to “thinking he'd soon be dead”. Yet, it sounded tempting — if for the part of living on a beach alone. If he accepted it would mean that he would be close to the Sea. That was one of the things he desired the most. Being close to the Mother Sea. She called to him, as she called to all Siren's and (presumably) the Consorts — which was what he would be at three years of age. Not a spawn but a consort. As the other male gestured to the woman that lingered in the back for now, using the lure of beautiful women, Kerberos couldn't help the raise of his eyes in her direction. “I can see that,” He offered after a moment before he looked back to the male. 

It sounded like it was only a thing to survive the winter, yet that was when he would need a pack the very most. The idea of having to find another place to live once winter was over wasn't particularly appealing but Kerberos doubted that joining could possibly get any easier than this. “Yes, I will join your pack.” The Aok spoke with conviction and without a moment's hesitation.

Vlad could not believe his luck. He turned his head to look at Rosalyn, grinning so wide that he ran out of gum. In a universe with less rules, he would have morphed into a hairy thumbs up emoticon and bounced the new recruit all the way back to Saltwinter - instead, he howled his joy into the wind and slobbered a bit. "Velcoming Sedd-Eye Wulf to Salty Vinter peck!" Blackface, Sad Eye, Standards, Limpy Man, and the Rat versus winter - hopefully, it would be a story of triumph. "Come come come," the Russian urged. "You make hiello to Stenderds, then we taking Sed Eye to meeting Bleckface." If Rosalyn had told him her real name, Vlad did not recall - and Caiaphas was too difficult to pronounce. "Peck ees leev in beeg cave. You liking?"

Kerberos' acceptance of the offer was met with a joyous howl ...and a bit of slobber that made the Aok recoil ever so slightly. He had not expected that his agreement was such a joyous occasion to inspire the enthusiasm within the other male — whose name he still didn't know. Though to be fair, the pair didn't know his name either. There hadn't been much time for introductions, and Kerberos wasn't so sure he wanted to be called “sad eyes” for the rest of the winter — though it sort of appeared as if he would not get much choice in the matter. “My name is Kerberos.” The Mighty Hellhound; though why the Sea had chosen that name he had yet to discern in his three (almost four) years of life. 

It was kind of hard for Kerberos to keep up with the stranger's words though there was definitely something about meeting whom the Aok assumed to be wolves. Other wolves of this Saltwinter pack. “Sounds perfect.” As long as it was close to the Sea never would Kerberos speak in complaint. It was a shelter. It was a home, however temporarily.

Rosalyn took point, leading the trio back east. She kept her distance, presumably trusting Vlad to shake down their new recruit and make sure he wasn't some kind of sneak. So far, Kerberos was proving to be very agreeable fellow.

"I Vlad," the Russian returned, instantly forgetting his new pack-mate's true name. Kerberos was Caiaphas levels of difficult. Why wasn't there a rule to enforce single-syllable names?

The two males fell into step within view of Rosalyn's wriggling red-brown rear, which flashed in and out of sight as she tracked a path between the rocks. Vlad eyed her hungrily. "Why you smelling like vater doge?" he asked, breaking the spell with a shake of his head. A quick sideways look revealed that Sad-Eye revealed that his coat played host to scraps of dried and blackened sea stuff. Vlad frowned, looking the other male up and down as they walked. "'ey brat, you heving meny salty vaters gress on fur. You try make hiding?" It was the only explanation that made sense - Kerberos was being stalked, and he was masking his scent. Smart!

“It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Vlad.” Kerberos spoke to the Russian when he gave his name in return. He cast a curious glance to their female companion whom had taken the lead back to this Saltwinter pack that Vlad had recruited him to with ease. Kerberos had been sold the moment he'd mentioned beach. Kerberos understood that 'water dog' probably wasn't meant to be a good thing but he shrugged. “I was born by the Sea. I carry Her around with me by making Her scent mine.” The Siren's worshiped Her and She was also an embodiment of Atka. Unifying them as one for the Aok. The consort let out a soft chuckle of mirth when Vlad went on to inform him that there were bits of dried seaweed tangled in the tendrils of his fur. 

“Ah, no,” Kerberos offered in an almost sheepish manner. “It's a way of saying that I am a wolf of the Sea, that I am Her loyal servant.” A consort. Same thing. To Vlad it was probably strange but to Kerberos it was his way of life, and he was just happy to be answering the Mother Sea's call home having been away from Her for far too long. “What is our companion's name?” Kerberos inquired gesturing to the female in their little group with a movement of his muzzle in her direction.

Vlad made no effort to hide what he thought. He laughed heartily and with great volume, shaking his head at the freshly recruited wolf's explanation. "I liking you, Sedd-Eye. You ees wulf, but ees vanting be salty vater!" he exclaimed, and paused to laugh some more. What a great find - a wolf that seemed to think the ocean was his mother! It would crush him given half the chance, Vlad thought, but did not hold Kerberos' fantasies against him. After all, his weirdness was probably to thank for why he was still alone - and ripe for picking. "I theenk Bleckface also liking," the Russian added with a firm nod. "Maybe Stenderds also - you many popular! Thett Stenderds - I forgetting true name," He indicated at Rosalyn with a nod of his head. "Ees.. Rosy-bum? I theenk yes, thees her true name. I call Stenderds."

The Russian let out a hearty laugh and approved of Kerberos verbally but added that he was wolf but wanted to be the Sea. It wasn't quite what Kerberos had meant. He didn't want to be the Sea for no one could be Her but Herself but he thought explaining it might confuse Vlad. So simply, Kerberos let it go, allowing Vlad to take his words for what he would. A glance was given towards the woman Vlad was pretty sure her real name was Rosy-bum. Somehow Kerberos doubted that was her name, but then again perhaps it was possible that it could have very well been; and really, who was he to judge? “You like nicknames, don't you?” Kerberos inquired, amused. “Sad eyes” wasn't his favorite per say but it was his, given to him by his new potential pack mate and that probably meant something. A sort of acceptance. Or maybe it just meant Vlad was bad with names and remembered names he gave them better. Either way, he wasn't going to raise a fuss. Perhaps “sad eyes” fit him better than he realized. 

It certainly would have as a child.

“How far are we from Saltwinter?” Kerberos inquired with soft curiosity, sea-green gaze falling back upon Vlad.

Vlad had no explanation for the nicknames. It broke the ice and offered the challenge of distilling a wolf down to their bare essentials. If you were unfortunate enough to have a gummy eye on the day that you were introduced to Vlad, you would be 'Gross-Eye' or 'Sticky' until he chose to rename you. He shrugged and nodded at the question, but didn't answer in words. To the second, his response was vague.

"Saam time walking." Truthfully, Vlad was not certain - time had flown by in Rosalyn's company. His ears flapped and swivelled as he considered it. "You waiting see beeg forest - ees Salty vinter peck. Ooorrrrrr, you racing me! Time go menny kveek!" They had emerged onto sand by this point - Rosalyn had disappeared into the vegetation that fringed the beach. Vlad bounced ahead, barking at Kerberos to follow. "COME COME, MAKE RAANNING!"