Neverwinter Forest Where we all cross the line

Y helo I would like the other kiddos? :P or some at least. @Xiaoqing @Luli @Haoming @Nǚwū. 
This should be backdated about 5 days if that's no prob?

Simmik was home, so was Miriam, and that made things almost better. Though Cupid wasn't back yet -- that still had Mal worried -- it was an issue that he'd have to sort out soon, but at least Cupid had planned to wander off, unlike the others. So, other topics for now. He hadn't run across the kids while he'd found Hua, so it made sense he'd go find them specifically not long after. It would be good to see them again a bit closer than in passing. So, let the hunt begin!

Of course, things were still pretty drippy out, but at least it wasn't too bad when under the trees than it would if they lived out on some big field. Still, he was getting a bit tired of it. Hopefully the weather would break soon, but he trusted that if Hua thought the weather was gonna stay foul, it was gonna stay foul. Would they want to hunt? Play? At least he'd be able to find out more about them too.

Still anxious of this unfamiliar forest that she was too fearful to properly explore, Luli was not for from her family's rendezvous. She spent the day mostly by herself, though an adult was never too far should she have need of them. Content for the time being, the ruby koi entertained herself by watching water droplets gather on the lower branches of evergreens - counting the seconds until they fell.

Alert at once on detecting tte sound of approaching paws, her wild eyes darted around the area to locate whatever stranger opted to catch her by surprise. Her pale tail disappeared beneath hind limbs, tucked in an immediate fear, and she ducked low in automatic submission when a large male stepped into view. LulI recognised him only as the wolf who'd granted access to the forest with Yuèlóng's appearance at its outskirts, and could not recall their first encounter when she'd been a mewling infant.

She watched him quietly as he moved, curious of the resemblance between his coat and that of her boldest sister.

And I'm cool with any others still joining if they want. :D

Well, at least right now he'd found the meeker girl, and it seemed like that aspect of her personality hadn't changed. So, he wasn't going to rush forward and be loud like he might have with the other children he had here. Mal gave her a smile, wagging his tail as he came closer. Hey Luli. Been a while. I hope you guys have been enjoying the forest -- it might not be your island, but it's got some good points. His smile had broadened into a bit of a grin. Out here doing anything fun? Which would be an easier thing to answer, he supposed.

Did she remember any of it? Maybe, maybe not. They were really young -- he wished things had allowed for him to come see them more. He'd definitely have to make sure he was present in their lives from now on, but this was as easy as it would get and he really wanted to make sure to close whatever metaphorical distance he could.

Haoming was a wanderer, through and through. Staying at the rendezvous was not something that was going to happen. But she hadn't gone too far today - close enough to hear when a strange man began talking, and to stomp her way over, attention boring into the man that she looked... uncomfortably similar to. He was talking to Luli, who was very small and who needed protection, and Haoming was going to do just that. Placing herself between the two, she squared up on the larger wolf. 

"Name?" she demanded of the male, not recognizing him from when they'd been young and she'd bit his foot. Her chin lifted and she huffed, multicolored eyes narrowed. She wasn't angry - not yet - but she did want to know who this stranger was, and why he thought he could look so much like her, and also why he thought he could just talk to Luli like that.

He smiled her way, wagged his tail, and after an awkward moment the koi encouraged each corner of her maw to turn upward slightly in response. Bashful, her blue-green stare were averted and she stared shyly down at the adult's mottled paws.

He spoke to her, and though she was too anxious to look at him as he did so, Luli listened quietly. It surprised her a little that this stranger knew her by name yet she was entirely unaware of his own, and it brought her no comfort. Fear tightened its hold on her and the rosy youngster inhaled deep, willing it away, and was glad for the distance that the Neverwinter leader had chose to keep.

She blinked up only when a question was sent her way, and her dappled ear twitched in recognition of it as she scrambled to conjure an answer. There was little time to do so, however, as Haoming came stomping onto the scene with a sharp and determined look about her. Luli shrunk away a little, swallowed the whine that threatened to rise in her throat as her sister barked demand, and remained silent.

Oh, an interruption! Another familiar face, and Mal would be glad to see her too, And there's Haoming. He glanced between them, kind of bemused, Guess you two don't remember me visiting you all when you were really little, huh? He looked to Haoming a playfully pointed glance, You bit me. Almost had to ask your mom to rescue me. And from the sound of it, he found the whole thing kind of amusing, not being serious at all. 

Anyway, with good cheer, back to the demand-question, My name's Mal. Has your mom mentioned me? He honestly wasn't sure what else he should say... Surely she had some other word for 'dad' so he didn't want to confuse them, but if she didn't say anything... Well that was a whole bunch of other questions he had for Hua later. Like um c'mon, y u no mention.

How in the heck did this guy know her name? Haoming's multicolored eyes narrowed into chips of red and gold as she looked up at the man. "I'll buh-bite again if you h... hurt Luli." It was a fully-intended threat. She didn't know this guy, only that her sister was tiny and fragile and scared of most things. So, naturally, Haoming (being slightly larger and less afraid) had the job of protector. 

Had her mom mentioned a Mal? Haoming couldn't recall. "No," she stated simply, perhaps just to take this stranger down half a peg. He was too friendly. "Wuh-why d'you look like m-me?" It was weird. Spotty and with hats and everything. She didn't know if she liked that or not.

Omg I delayed this so bad, I'm sorry! Going to withdraw Luli, feel free to carry on without her! @Mal @Haoming

All too suddenly, it all became too much for Luli. She flit her wide seaglass eyes between both her sister and the mottled adult, fear rising rapidly within her at Haoming's bold threat. Was she crazy!? The strange male was huge in comparison, and Luli shrunk away considerably as she imagined how successful he would be should he take offense to the girl's challenge.

Overwhelmed, trembling and with her pale tail tucked between her scrawny hind limbs, the koi's scrawny legs were suddenly carrying her away from the scene as swiftly as they could manage. 

Haoming being tough was pretty cute, honestly. It wasn't like she was a danger to him really at all, so that was probably part of it. He chuckled, Why would I do that? They were in basically negative danger here. He was their father, their protector. But apparently Hua hadn't said a damn thing (uhhh, Hua, whatchoo thinkin'?). Well, I--- but before he could say more, that was when Luli herself started skittering away. He called after her, but didn't chase, Luli..!

He was disappointed that they wouldn't have a chance to talk. Was her sister just making things too scary? He wasn't sure. Maybe. A sigh, he shook his head and looked back to Haoming, I wanted to be able to hang out with both of you -- maybe your other siblings too if they wandered by. I look like you, and I want to know all of you better because I'm your dad. He said that with a smile and a wag of his tail. It should be a good thing. Even if he had questions about Hua not telling them who Mal was.