Coconut Grove if nautical nonsense be something you wish

*goes mad with power play* Just tap me if I need to change anything, my loves. :)

Day broke and Bat shook @Breccan awake, giving him a few minutes before beginning the trek back home to the grove. En route, they didn't talk too much; it was early still and the silence felt comfortable and companionable. Every so often, she glanced sideways at her cohort, shooting him a grin if she happened to catch his eye.

As soon as they approached the grove, Bat told him, "I'll go get @Tristan. Why don't you have a look around, then we'll come find you?" And just in case there was any hesitation, she coaxed, "Go on, knock yourself out."

They parted ways and it didn't take long for Bat to track down her friend. "I found Breccan! I told him to have a look around, figured we'd catch up with him eventually and you can finish off the sales pitch." She grinned, then assumed a slightly more serious expression as she added, "Before we do that, though, I have a really random question for you..."

now, no. tristan had not forgotten about their conversation the other day and... no, nor did he try. in fact, he went back and forth on the hour on whether or not he made the right call. i mean, yeah, he totally didn't want to be tied down so he probably did... but the idea of bat being banged out by some other dude was definitely bugging him. and it wasn't even a real problem!! just like!! the idea of it! 

ugh. anyway. he's being too stupid to even write about rn. 

so when bat found him, tristan pushed aside a round of awkwardness -- because typically that kind of stuff didn't effect him, and why should it start now? but when she mentioned breccan... OOOOooooOoOoOo. he got a little fired up. damn it! he should've never offered that guy a place to stay in the first place. his ears pricked. oh, dope, he said, still appearing pleasant as ever, shooting her a broad smile. but... then... she seemed to have a question. his ear flicked. what's up, pup? he asked her.

Cameo for now, feel free to tag if you want me to jump back in with him later!

He slept like a rock, which was surprising to him because he kind of thought the sound of the waves would keep him awake. But it had had the opposite effect, and had lulled him to sleep almost immediately. He was sleeping so soundly that Bat had to wake him, and when she did, he blinked up blearily at her in the early morning sunlight. His senses stirred slowly, and with a yawn he pushed himself to his feet and began following her along the strand towards Coconut Grove.

Upon their arrival, Bat told Breccan to look around on his own for a few minutes, and he nodded his agreement. "Cool," he said, then turned away from her and began to explore. Obviously, the coconut trees caught his attention pretty quickly, and he spent some time studying their curious bark and the actual coconuts themselves. The clusters were too high for him to reach, but he was sure that once Bat was done talking with Tristan, she would probably be more than willing to help him knock a few down.

Totally oblivious to Tristan's misgivings about Breccan, Bat wasted no time in bringing up what was on her own mind. "I've been wondering if I should go back and visit the Firebirds sometime," she admitted. "My mom's gone, I know, and Kiwi and Seq aren't there either... but I have a little brother and sister there." And his own family was there too, though Bat thought better of mentioning them directly. "They're really the only family I have left, apart from you." 'Cause that went without saying.

She paused, prepared to let him respond, then remembered something else she wanted to add. "I know this probably isn't the best time, so I wouldn't have to go right away or anything... but I wanted to see what you thought of the idea in general?" And if he did want to pass along any messages to his relatives, Bat was of course willing to do that for him.

though the idea brought a sinking feeling into his heart -- why wasn't here enough? why'd she care so much about some damn kids that she didn't even know? tristan couldn't even remember the names of his newest round of baby sibs... actually! you know what, that thought sucked dick. damn. ouch, son. 

anyway. despite the lingering abandonment issues tristan had, he merely shrugged. for sure, i mean, try not to leave me high and dry but i'm not gonna stop you from visiting your family, bat, he said with a warm smile, his tail swaying at his hocks. he hesitated, briefly, before adding, could you... check on my mom, though? let her know where i am, maybe? felt right.

Bat grinned and let out a breath she hadn't known she was holding. "I won't go until after Margaritaville is properly up and running," she swore, "and I'll be gone for a week, two tops." Although it was none of her business, she secretly approved of Tristan leaving word with his family. "And of course! I'd be happy to pass along any messages you like."

With that settled and not particularly pressing, she gestured. "So, wanna go catch up with Breccan? I think he's gonna hang around, though he'll need your official stamp of approval, boss." Bat cackled quietly.

tristan nodded, tail waving a bit. though... he didn't give any further word on what he was expecting out of his family. it would just be nice to hear about finely and elwood -- and for them to know he could actually take care of himself... even though it was fair to say he really couldn't, if you recalled homeboy was in nasty shape when he tumbled onto bat. cool, he said with a flick of his split ear, don't think twice on it, pup. this was tristan's way of saying 'don't worry about it', though it was wildly different than those words.

to breccan, tristan shrugged. i mean your stamp is my stamp, he told her brightly, clearing his throat, but yeah sure, we can go find him. he gave bat a smile, ears flicking again. he's nearby? he asked.

"He's not far," she replied with a bob of her head, breaking into a steady walk back toward where she'd left @Breccan. "He and I had a pretty epic battle with a sea gull yesterday, on the side of a cliff, no less," Bat shared conversationally as they walked along through the coconut grove. "That mother fucker gave us a run for our money," was all she really had time to say before she spotted Breccan in the distance and flagged him with a wave.

He was keeping an eye out for Bat and Tristan, so when he saw them approaching in his peripheral vision, he turned quickly to face them. He grinned and moved to close the gap between them, padding confidently across the sandy terrain. He was still getting used to the feel of the sand beneath his feet, but the constant shifting of the grains was becoming more familiar with each step.

"Hey!" he said as he neared, tail swinging in friendly greeting. "This place is pretty cool," he commented in the next breath, gesturing up at the coconut trees.

a seagull?? tristan had questioned with a quirk of a brow, no way you let a seagull give you a run for your money. tsk tsk, bat. 

anyway. there was breccan. yawn. but he was friendly enough, and tristan was good at remaining pleasant, so his swung and he gave a smile in return. yo, he chirped, giving a very basic looking nod of his very basic looking head, isn't it?? i think we definitely nabbed prime real estate. 

he glanced at bat sort of expectantly, like she had wanted there to be a specific interaction? or something? though... he probably shouldn't make it weird. how are you settling in? he asked, glancing back with a grin.

The three of them coalesced in the shade of a palm tree, Tristan offering up his usual casual pleasantries. Bat smiled at the presumption in his question, then wiggled her eyebrows at Breccan. She did hope he'd opt to stay here, though that was in his and Tristan's hands now.

"I'll leave you two to catch up," the yearling said, waving a paw at Breccan and nudging the sensitive spot where Tristan's neck and shoulder met. "Nature calls and all..." With a quiet laugh, she sashayed away to do her business elsewhere.

Tristan did a pretty good job of masking his inner emotions; Breccan had no idea that Bat's friend was feeling any uncertainty. He was surprised, though, when Bat excused herself after a few seconds of banter with Tristan, leaving the two boys alone. "See ya," he called after her as she departed, then focused his attention on Tristan.

The aspiring leader had asked how he was settling in, and Breccan offered a nod. "Good. Bat was telling me about your pack -- it sounds pretty chill," he replied with a glance in the direction that Bat had gone. "She said it might be cool with you if I stick with you guys," he added, brows raising slightly in question as his gaze shifted back to Tristan.

gross, called out tristan as bat turned to go, watching her for a second before glancing back at breccan with an amiable expression.

he listened, shocking, before nodding a few times. fo sho brotha -- we've got plenty of space! he told him, tail wagging behind him, you scout, right? anything else you're into? honestly, tristan didn't give a flying FUC k. but like, it felt like the thing he needed to do as the alpha... er, leader. and it was good conversation or whatever. besides, what if breccan said something really kinky? HAH. that'd be so funny. and weird! like, what! why would he even say that! ah, damn. what if he said bat? ope. should've stuck with thinking about a stranger saying something kinky. that would've been funnier.

He grinned at Tristan's affirmative response. When he had left his family a few weeks ago, he hadn't planned to settle down anytime soon -- but this offer had fallen right into his lap, and it seemed too good to be true. Bat herself was a scout -- and he thought she had mentioned that Tristan was, too -- and they both had a laid back demeanor that was completely different from his parents' philosophies on pack life. Besides, he knew that winter would arrive before long, so he would need a place to call home.

These inner musings weren't really all that important at the moment, though; Tristan had asked what else Breccan was interested in, after acknowledging that he was an outrider. "I'm not a bad hunter, and I was kind of training to be a mercenary before I left home," he replied with a casual shrug of one shoulder. Those were both useful skills, he knew, although Tristan didn't seem to be the type to enforce any strict rules or requirements of his future packmates.

With a little more conversation, it seemed to be official -- Breccan would join the ranks of Margaritaville.