Blackwater Islands Borrow a cup of sugar, my a**

@Graeae @Julep (@Moorhen and any other Tempestad members are also welcome) :) leggo!

Their travels led them west, skirting around the borders of a pack established along the cliffs. Though the sandbar that linked coast and islands went unseen at first, the bridge was impossible to bypass as they came upon its sandy edge. 

The Marinus tribe preferred isles above any other for their homebase - they were surrounded by the ocean her family so revered and respected, the food was plentiful thanks to the sea's many species, and they were easily defended terrain. 

The fawn seawolf shared a glance with her daughter, brows raised as if to imply that the distant cluster of small islands could be a promising place for their relatives to take up residency. 

With Graeae in tow, the Marinus began the trek across the sandbar - noting warily that if any were in the area she would be unable to detect them until reaching the islets, thanks to the sea's salt washing away any trace of scent. 

As could only be expected, Graeae was glued to Naiad's hip. Every turn made by the latter, the former followed dutifully behind. It was still unclear to the girl what exactly they were doing, but the expectant gaze of her mother gave her a hint. She nodded and gave a sheepish smile, wondering what was next. 

The two of them began their trek over the sandbar, Graeae reluctantly staying silent. The passage seemed dangerous, like something that she would despise having to take consistently, but it was what Naiad seemed to want. Only a few steps late, she lowered herself into submission, should anyone catch wind of their approach.

For the past few days Julep had started wondering whether the Cliffs were the right place to settle. Yeah, there was a reason to want the territory covered, but being right in the turf of Rusalka didn't seem like a comfortable position, even if it was under an alliance. Trouble was sure to arise sooner or later, and Julep didn't want to give Caiaphas a reason to bring an army down to her.

So she drifted in a different direction. At first she didn't know what she was looking for, but at least she knew she would surely stick to the coastlands. Then everything changed when she saw the islands that she'd somehow been ignoring all this time. The very same islands that had sheltered her once, under the leadership of a kick ass sea warrior queen. Heck yeah, that achievement was something to strive for.

She had settled up camp at the main island already, and for days she'd kept herself busy looking for any reason not to stay. She couldn't find any. The islands were perfect for her plans, close enough to Rusalka to still honor their alliance, yet conveniently isolated enough to not overlap with its sister pack. There was enough to prey on in the waters all around it and despite the colony of black bears that roamed the southern islands the territory was easily defendible.

And she was about to find her very first chance to demonstrate the latter.

A couple of wolves materialized in the distance, walking over the sand bridge right towards the island. Julep had been feeding on a crab at the southern shores not too far away, and saw them come in way before they reached firm ground. So she stationed herself at the connection between the bridge and the main island, ready to defend her new home if it got to that. Or perhaps she'd get her first chance at recruiting newcomers.

She hovered protectively at the front, coral optics scanning the nearing island and latching onto a distant figure. 

As they neared the edge of the sandbar she halted, the scent of the woman before her overlapping the sand and shale with a strength that only spoke of a claim.

"Fair tidings to you," Naiad called in greeting, grinning faintly at the appropriateness of such a hale. "We were coming to investigate the possibility of making this our home but I see it already has residents."

Immediately, as if on cue, Graeae cowered begins Naiad, hoping that her mother would take the lead. The woman who approached didn’t give off the most welcoming vibe, but our wolf dog had never been the best at reading energies, which meant that her assumptions likely didn’t matter. She waited for Naiad to finish speaking to creep back out into plain sight.

The maiden was fair and gentle with her words, but Julep knew better than to allow herself to be fooled by kindness. The outspoken one was bulkier than Julep, and though she was taller and possibly nimbler, she wasn't eager to give away a chance to be taken by surprise. But her eyes drifted away towards her companion for a moment, noticing the signals of mixed blood in her appearance. Was this the other one's child? She seemed too young to even be much older than her first heat.

Julep's ears pricked forward when the maiden claimed her intent was to settle down in the islands. That was simply not an option, for Julep had just done that herself and was pretty determined to stake a claim regardless of cost. But for that she needed allies.

The islands are my home, she said, not in a standoffish way but rather with a warm tone to her voice. But it can be yours too, if you help me guard it, she offered. Yes, she needed able bodies to make her dream come true, and Naiad was served on a silver platter.