Wheeling Gull Isle I dreamt about flying the other night.
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All Welcome 
In the weeks since her first (failed) attempt at venturing from the whelping den with all those strangers waiting to see, Luli's confidence had not come on in leaps and bounds as her mother might've hoped. She enjoyed those long mornings of lazing beyond the threshold in the sun before the harsh midday heat forced her to seek shade, and loved Daiyu's lessons on the world around them. Her life was a beautiful one, in a beautiful place, yet still her fear of everything unfamiliar remained.

She would hide away if an unknown wolf passed by, or if a sibling looked at her in a funny way. That was what she did then and there: she disappeared into her family's hollow with her tail tucked, the moment she spotted the shadow of a seagull sweep over her. Trembling, Luli lifted her rosy ears and peeked out into the clearing to observe with wide, fearful eyes as the bird settled on the ground where she'd been resting just moments prior.

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As Luli skittered back into the den, Huā looked up with concern, noticing the tucked tail and nervous steps. The rosebud turned to gaze out the entrance, and Huā came forward to peek overhead her, to see what might cause her fear.

A flapping of wings, and then a foolish gull settled itself in the clearing before them. Huā was not sure whether she felt comfortable slaughtering things that might struggle and squawk in front of her children yet... she did not even wish Luli to see blood drawn by her mother, as silly as it seemed, though fish were a different story, and she might bring them tidbit samples to taste every few days... And in time the girl would have to learn to hunt, but luckily for the gull, Huā would not kill it as long as her daughter was watching. So the siren let her gaze drift back down to little Luli, speaking whether or not she understood the words, voice gentle: 你无需担心。是一个鸟,我们吃那个,露莉。 A sigh then, she did not wish to encourage recklessness amongst then either. 可是,因为你很小心,妈妈很高兴。
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The bird canted its pale head to better peer down at the dappled wolf cub who stared fearfully back. She didn't like the way it looked at her, the suggestive glint in its wicked yellow eye made her ivory hind limbs tremble. Tail still snug against her rear, Luli smoothed her ears back and crouched closer to the ground in an attempt to better feel more secure.

From behind her, mother's spoke up - tried to soothe her timid baby. The koi whined softly, afraid to let her gaze stray from the gull who glared her way from beyond the burrow, so waited until the hooded adult had ventured close enough to be in a position to protect her if need be. 

"比我大," Luli observed, still shaking, "它吃?"
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A gentle whine from the sea dragon, and then blue gaze found Huā. It was big, Luli pointed out, and Huā nodded. She knew her daughter would grow in time, but sometimes the process seemed slow, and she wished that there would not be so many things to serve as a danger. And then, it eat?, a question which seemed slightly unfinished, though she supposed it made sense still if taken literally. Of course it ate. But was Luli worried about being eaten? But the girl had not asked specifically about this sort of fear, and if she was not thinking of it, Huā did not wish to plant unnecessary distress or nightmares by even bringing it up. 

是,是很大。可是在未来,你比他很多大。他吃小小的东西- 小鱼,小鸟,和小虫子。 Here she paused to lap delicately at the crown of Luli's head between her ears as she had many times before, hoping to ease her nervous shaking. 他也将被吃掉。我们去猎杀他。 在其他时候,我们尊重他的和平。 She added, not wishing her daughter to end up like that loner on the beach- causing distress and worry for the sea lions without making any real pursuit. Seaglass eyes flitted up again to watch the bird carefully, which only seemed to be looking for something on the ground as it pecked it way slowly across the grasses.
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You do not need to be afraid.

Luli held onto her mother's comment, despite her obvious uncertainty. She continued to tremble still, gaze unwilling to tear away from the feathered beast even as he turned his fierce stare away and moved off, uninterested. It had to be a trap, the koi was certain, some sly attempt at luring her into a false sense of security so he could gobble her up.

If I am not afraid, what am I?

Fear came so naturally to Luli, like breathing. From before she could remember, it had woven it's way firmly into her being and made itself part of who she was.

Huā sought to comfort her, as always, and delivered gentle kisses between the rosy cub's velvet ears. She tilted her head back to look for her with wide, bright eyes, and made a poor attempt at a smile - just for her.

"妈妈不好意思."

I'll try harder.
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Even as the bird turned away, Luli still trembled. She turned her little face back up to mother, an awkward smile painting her lips for a moment. An apology. No, that wasn't right- she didn't want to make Luli feel as if she had done something wrong. Eyebrows lifted themselves into a slight worry, 没关系,露莉。你不应该说'对不起'。 Huā cooed, leaning towards her daughter again. 你没做错任何事。 Although Huā might wish to see her daughter flourish as a confident girl- even if she remained shy, it was okay. All she wanted to see was Luli happy... though she was unsure, how happy the seadragon could be if in some constant state of fear. Shy versus fearful were two very different things.
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Huā did her best to comfort Luli, who smiled sweetly up into her mother's dark features. So small in such a big world, she found herself longing for a time that she might grow to be as strong and as beautiful as her dam. The koi gave a nervous little wiggle of her tail, then turned her gaze toward the hollow's entrance to check in on the watchful gull.

Much to her surprise, the pale beast stretched out his wings and took flight. The rosy babe leaned forward to watch as he called out to his friends, who were swift to join him in the sky. 

Maybe her mother was right, she mused. He wasn't so scary after all.

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Huā watched as the gull spread its wings, taking off into flight, and a smile covered her maw as she glanced down to her young daughter again, who watched on in sonething like awe. 很漂亮,对? Huā laughed, and imagined what it might be like if wolves could fly so gracefully, too. 你有一个动物你非常喜欢? Huā wondered. Besides wolves, that is. The mother was curious whether Luli might be interested in being a naturalist like herself, or if she would have to keep searching for a path that suit her better.
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"没错妈妈," the koi answered obediently, though her gaze remained locked to the display before them. She watched, cautiously mesmerized, as the birds swooped and soared through the sky.

She listened to their cries and soon, the flock were reduced to nothing but little specks among a vast heaven. Luli looked up into her dam's dark features when she piped up in question, and she hummed thoughtfully. 

"我认为..." Luli turned her face away, studied the immediate area for any suggestion that there may be a right answer rather than simply her opinion, but she could think only of one creature: "蝴蝶?"

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wrapping since this is old! just message me if you want me to unarchive  : )
 

Huā listened with perked ears as her daughter thought about the question, looking away as she did so. Huā did not think there was a 'right answer'- even she herself, had no chosen favorite- but was eager to hear Luli share. To the answer, Huā smiled softly, 蝴蝶。。。这適合你。你们都很小,很漂亮。 The siren cooed, gently nuzzling her daughter before falling silent once more, happy to watch the birds soar until they both grew tired.