Sea Lion Shores it's not a real party until someone's smallclothes are pinned to a chantry board

She was definitely not in the right place. The journey had been too lonely for her taste, and she had maybe gotten turned around a couple times already— that wasn't the point, anyway. Branwen glanced to her left, irritated suddenly by the persistent barking of sea lions. Of course she had to run into those along the way. The ghost of a snarl tugged at her lips, but she turned away before she could get herself too worked up. Being lost really did things to a girl.
Drageda didn't seem to be anywhere near here, and while she didn't really mind traveling, she was kind of sick of the search already. And she couldn't think with those— ugh! Branwen snorted and put more distance between herself and the noisy beasts, tail lashing. Maybe if she just kept on for awhile, she'd find what she was looking for— or someone who knew where to find it, if she was lucky. She turned to scan the area one last time, as if hoping her wishes materialized right then.

The barking of sea lions was booming; Smokestep had climbed up over a small hill that overlooked the shore and he peered at the creatures with a gleeful light in his mismatched gaze. From his high perch, the young marauder caught sight of a stray wolf who had meandered near to the barking beasts. With some amusement, he followed her figure as she bristled and moved around the sea creatures. The girl seemed as though she had a good enough mind about her to not challenge the sea lion on her own, and she pointed herself in a fixed direction before she glanced about her, searching.
 
Curiosity was enough to drive the long-legged yearling down from his hill and into the sands. He trekked forward on stretching legs and when he had drawn himself close enough that he could offer some sort of greeting, the young pirate released a gruff sort of bark to announce his presence. “Ahoy there, lass,” he called to her with a swift wave of his tail.

this would have come sooner if I had gotten the notification  

Perhaps by some will of the gods, a wolf appeared. Branwen became aware of his presence immediately as he drew nearer to her, for a moment turning only her head to look. He was cloaked in silver, stark against the coastal setting— striking mismatched eyes drew her attention briefly, but the self-assurance in them drove her own gaze downward. Her confidence had not followed her on this journey; she had not expected it would.
Her own tail swayed sociably behind her as she turned fully to greet him. The stranger's way of speaking was rough and unfamiliar to her; timid as the girl had become when faced with strangers, fascination was a powerful pull, and it had been too long since she had properly spoken with another. Hello, Branwen offered as she drew nearer, still keeping a small distance between them. He smelled of pack, and of the ocean; for a few beats, she envied the former, and was reminded of her destination. It's beautiful here, isn't it? If you ignore those awful cr— the sea lions.

For all the confidence she may have lacked, Smokestep had loads to share. His interest in her alone should have bolstered some confidence, for he was not drawn to everyone, and he had a way of driving others off who were not receptive to his quick tongue and fiery spirit. She turned her gaze from him for a moment, and the length of his long limbs slowed so that she would be afforded some peace of mind. The pirate wasn’t there to cause her strife, only for some inquisitive conversation and the companionship of a pretty young girl.
 
There was a breath of relief when she returned his greeting. Then, she made mention of how pretty their surroundings were. Smokestep cracked a wide and crooked grin that crinkled the right half of his face. He cast his mismatched gaze out to the waters and nodded his head somewhat solemnly for the expression that had been offered. “Aye, there’s nothin’ better than the touch o’ the sea, if yer askin’ me,” he agreed with her. “An’ them sea lions ain’t much trouble. Ye can scare ‘em back in the water if yer quick about it.” With a wink, the long-legged pirate took off at a sprint in the direction of one of the blubber beasts and released a deep-throated bark that seemed to echo in the sand beneath his feet. The sea lion jumped and flopped heavily back toward the rolling waves, barking madly before it disappeared into the swell. Smokestep turned to the female, tongue hanging from the side of his mouth.

The stark male's strange, easy charm was difficult to resist; almost without realizing it, Branwen relaxed. She offered a smile of her own in return, softening further with his agreement. Few things fascinated her as the ocean did. If not for the sea lions, she might have been in it now. Branwen paused when the stranger spoke of them— and, before she could say a word, winked at her and was off towards one of the creatures. She was amused and charmed despite herself, watching his demonstration with wide eyes.
She couldn't help but giggle softly when he turned back, eyes sparkling. The girl was only still for a moment; in the next, she decided to try it out herself. Branwen darted toward the silver-furred stranger, changing course when she came within two yards of him. She chose her own target along the shoreline, barking twice at the bloated creature and watching with satisfaction as it fled noisily. It was a small pleasure, but nonetheless lifted her mood; feeling playful now, she circled back towards the argent male at a trot, tail waving in invitation.

Ah, she had been won for the moment. Smokestep beamed at her with his open-mouthed, tongue-lolling, foolish grin that cast wrinkles against the sides of his cheeks. It was well worth the effort, though. The unnamed female had watched him for a moment before she had taken it upon herself to jet across the beige shores and bark hauntingly at the nearest sea lion to her. Smokestep lowered his head somewhat to follow the fatty creature’s line of sight and he yapped excitedly when she had herded it back into the murky waters.
 
“Thar ye go, lass!” he barked in an encouraging tone. Always the rabble rouser, Smokestep was eager to see if she would join him in a sprint on the – now open – stretch of beach. She sauntered in his direction with a flagging tail. The pirate lowered his torso to the damp earth and swung his rear back and forth. Once she had drawn somewhat closer, he lifted his front half up and pranced around her in a half circle. “Fun, innit?”