Walk | Talk | Think Ever since the presence of the islands around Alacritia had become known to the somewhat adventurous female, Tahlia had felt a strange desire to leave the quiet familiarity of the Seracian kingdom to investigate. Always the shorelines and beaches of their wide island home had drawn her to them, curiosity as well as fascination pulling her back time and again despite the unexpected company who would occasionally join her there that was not always welcome. Perhaps it was memories from another life or a calling that she had never given thought to having grown up inland and with such a rigidly structured pack system, but she felt comfortable there upon the beaches, in the shallow waves, among the tide pools, and just knowing that more stretches of land lay within reach of the very edges of the world she knew she felt a driving curiosity to try and reach them. She had traveled perhaps a little further than she typically did when venturing outside of the bounds of her home, seeking the easiest and safest means to get where she wished to go. Though she prided herself greatly on her swimming abilities, the rough, choppy waters of the ocean were nothing in comparison to the relatively still and calm lakes and rivers that she was most used to. She would just as likely be swept out to sea as she would be to reach her destination even in the best of conditions. But this knowledge did not deter her; it only made her cautious. Her cautious explorations eventually had paid off, too. At one side of the shoreline she had spotted what appeared to be a sandbar, reaching out across the waters toward an island that sat very close to the mainland. It was perfect. Wasting no time, Tahlia had quickly crossed and covered the stretch of land swiftly, not knowing how long the waters that surrounded her on both sides would let it remain, and with a sighing laugh she stopped upon the very edge of the island to admire what it had to offer. Mountainous terrain was surrounded by a dense forest constructed of tall stretching trees, the sounds of its inhabitants greeting her there as she stood within the relentless summer sunshine on the shore. The sights, the smells, that is had to offer were all foreign to her, and immediately she felt the itch to venture forth and explore further, to become familiar with it. It hardly seemed as many others had traversed the beach - the only footprints that she could see were those of native birds who had picked the shoreline clean - though perhaps the swift sea breezes had moved those scents on if they had ever been there. Whatever the case, Tahlia was alone there now, with a whole day ahead of her for exploration before she would need to return to Seracia come nightfall. With a grin about her face, dark golden eyes alight with intrigue, the she-wolf padded leisurely along the shore, staring into the trees and searching for a path or opening that might prove most fruitful for her wanderings.

Paws touched down on the shore line. He hadn't yet belonged to the pack where Aeil resided, but instead wanted to see the sights a little more and have one more adventure with Aeil before committing to the pack. Not that he was afraid of commitment, he just wanted to have some more time with her before pack duties got in the way. The breeze blew through his fur, ears perked towards the shore line on the other side. Some movement had caught his eye, a figure racing towards the other side on a small strip of land barely visible. He wondered how long that strip would be uncovered for, and if they didn't make it in time then they would simply have to swim across. Dragon was one of the most powerful swimmers around, and he would risk his life for Aeil.

He looked to his grey companion, the question in his eyes. Then looked towards the strip ahead. He knew he didn't need to wait for an answer, she would follow him wherever he chose to go and he would always do the same for her. Even though he had yet to confess his feelings for her, but somehow he just knew. His paws flew across the ground, tail flagging behind him as the damp sand flew out from the ground behind him. Now was the time for exploration, to discover uncharted territory where none had gone before. And with Aeil by his side, and new discoveries to be made, he was unstoppable!





Speech, Thought, You

table by lu for use on alacritis

Swimming from Seracia to one of the many islands was a new experience for Aeil. She had only handled small bodies of water -- ponds, lakes, even some rivers that tested her ability as a swimmer -- so dealing with the ocean and its rougher currents was indeed a challenge she hadn't expected to face. After only admiring the large mass of water from the sandy shores of Alacritis, she would always wonder what it would be like to live among the fishes. Now, as she was paddling through the cold water with strong legs and paws, she knew that she didn't want to try it. After what felt like an eternity for the dark gray-pelted fae, Aeil's paws finally reached land. Her whole body was tired, legs feeling like jello with the shaky effects to prove it. She needed to get in better shape! Ever since she had joined Seracia, her hunting skills had become better, but she had been doing it less and less. Instead of fending for herself as a Rogue, Aeil had taken the time to get used to the other members she met. So, she planned ahead as she shook her fur free of whatever water tried to cling to her body. Her self mission would be to hunt and get in better shape, as well as keep up her social skills in meeting her fellow pack members. Once the gentle, hot breezes of the summer warmed up most of her body, Aeil was more cheerful and less worried about how she felt after the long swim. Her faith in her abilities was restored and her gaze followed Dragon's along the strip. With a quick glance to her newfound interest (if he felt the same way), her face broke out into a grin before she followed him along the sandy line. The island itself had new scents and sights that hadn't been seen yet. In her mind, she wondered if they would be able to scout the entire piece of land in one day. Probably not. After all, how much ground can two wolves cover? She then backtracked with that thought and another challenge made itself home in her mind. "Let us find and conquer, Dragon!" She said, a faux Spanish accent gracing her r's. Her pace increased, until she was trotting at a brisk pace beside the giant that was by her side. "Who knows what this island has in store for wolves like us?" "speeeeech"

ooc//Sorry for taking so long >.<

Excited laughing escaped her as she raced towards the ocean. She had left without saying anything specific, only that she was going to explore. She had been wanting to check out one of the islands that were just off the coast, and today was a good day as any other. The sun warmed her backside as she raced her shadow onto the sand, halting abruptly and sending sand flying all over. She shook off the collection of sand, panting with puppy excitement as she stared out at the island beyond the waters. She followed the shoreline, chasing the gulls as she went on her way. Oh what a beautiful day! She had left really early, only waking one of her siblings to tell them she was going to leave for a while, maybe the whole day to explore. And now here she was, bouncing away from the coming waves and side stepping the crabs that would sidle away or hide in the sand. She stopped after a few minutes of chasing, mingled scents catching her attention. She halted, ears perked with curiosity at who might have been here. The scents were unfamiliar, so she guessed that they belonged to those she had never met before. Gazing out at the open stretch of water, she looked for a way across. She wasn't the best swimmer, not yet anyway. Even with all her practice at the cove, the current there was nowhere close to the currents here. She decided to follow the scents, thinking perhaps they too decided to cross and explore. She raced again, drawing closer to the sand strip that slowly became less visible from the rising tides. Stopping before the strip, she looked across to estimate how long it would take if she ran full pelt. Brows furrowed, she sucked in a breath as her tail wagged madly with the thoughts of what might be on the other side. She figured it wouldn't be a good idea to go alone, but at the same time if she had asked her siblings to come they would just tell her that it wasn't a good idea or that it was too far and would want to go back. Sand flew as the multi-toned gal went from zero to however fast her paws would carry her. Racing across the strip that became a little soft underfoot. Every so often her paws would make a splash as water trickled over the bare land, threatening to spill over her feet soon. Her ears flicked nervously, tail flagged behind her and her tongue hung out as she pumped herself to go faster. She didn't even want to think about what would happen if she didn't make it. She was halfway there, when a sudden shock of cold overtook her. A wave had erupted out of her view, sweeping her paws out from under her and shoving her under the water. She barely made a gasp before the cold water sunk her, then moments later swirled her around until it pushed her up again. Paws flailed wildly as she looked for the sand strip, but it was now under water. She yelped in fear, puppy barks erupting loudly against the crash of the water. Sea water streamed across her eyes, blurring her vision. The water dragged at her, threatening to pull her in again. She kicked out, not really knowing which direction she was going in or how far away from land she was, until a wave pulled her under again. Water swirled around her, the dull noise surrounded her and fear settled into her system. Would she die today? Was she going to drown because of her decision to go exploring on her own? Was this her punishment? Thoughts rushed in her head, the time she felt she was under seemed to feel like forever. Time seemed to have disappeared, all sense of up and down gone. Just when she thought her life was going to end as her lungs took in big amounts of salt water, she felt her body hit a hard surface and her last remaining breath was driven out of her. The water ebbed away, leaving behind a bedraggled and water logged yearling in the shallows. She sputtered and coughed, trying to breath as she did so. She felt like her body was on fire as she struggled to breath. She slowly crawled her way farther from the water, her body shaking violently from the cold. She flopped down on dry sand, breathing heavily and feeling exhausted. Her eyes closed as her chest heaved as the sun began to quickly warm her up. She could feel some of the water gurgling in her lungs, and thought that she might die of something internal. Opening her eyes after a few long minutes, she raised her head and shook out her pelt. Glancing warily across the water, her ears immediately perked with what she realized. The mainland was in front of her, across the water. Turning around, she leaped up with renewed excitement. She had made it! And she was alive! Now after she finished resting up from her ordeal, she would explore this wondrous new island! "Speech"

Walk | Talk | Think She had taken her time wandering the shoreline of the island, still keeping to sandy parts rather than delve right into the dense-looking interior and whatever might be housed underneath the thick green canopy. It called to her, certainly, the shade inviting from the sunlight, but the cool marine breezes continued to take a majority of the heat from her and lessened her need to take shelter from it. The russet and black she-wolf traveled a ways down the shoreline before turning back, deciding in that moment to venture into the forest from a point she had located a distance back, a gap in the foliage she thought might serve to open up as a viable path to follow for as long as it held out. It was as she wandered back across the beach and toward the point where the sandbar stretched from the mainland to the island that she first spotted the others. The sight of the pair made her stop in her tracks, surprised beyond anything to see another there although it made sense. Of all the islands, this was probably the easiest to reach with the sandbar providing a clear place to run to it rather than braving the waters and swim. Though even she considered herself a rather adept swimmer, ocean waters were not her forte. Neither of the wolves were immediately recognizable, one sporting a feminine build draped in grey fur and the other larger and muscular with darker shades than his companion. Unable to recall the last time she had chanced upon enjoyable company outside of the borders of her home lands, Tahlia decided not to be a stranger and see what they were up to on the island. They seemed rather friendly from a distance anyway. A bark of greeting was issued from her muzzle as she proceeded to pad their way at a trot, tail granting a little wag as she moved. Dark golden eyes continued to pass between the pair as she drew her lips into a composed but personable smile, hurrying over to greet them. "Hello," she stated once she had neared them enough for them to hear her over the noises of the island, "I hope I am not intruding. I had thought I would not find any others here." Easing her steps into a halt, Tahlia stood before them with a polite expression, glancing between the male and female curiously. But before she could be given a chance of formally introducing herself, as was custom, she spotted something beyond them, a strange figure rolling along with an incoming wave off the waters. She peered past them distractedly, the polite look about her face slowly morphing into one of growing concern. As impolite as it was to interrupt someone, regardless of whether they were newly acquainted or not, the Seracian wolf could not stop herself from bringing what she saw to the notice of her company as well. "Excuse me, but is...is that..?" she questioned, still watching as what she had spotted rolled onto the shore and sat there sputtering and coughing up sea water and revealing itself to be a tussled up young wolf, still gangly with youth. "Oh," she breathed with surprise, taking two steps to the side to place herself within view of the youngster though she stood on the opposite side of Aeil and Dragon. "Are you alright?" she called out, noting how the youth seemed to be quite excited despite being unceremoniously dropped on the beach by the waters but concerned nonetheless. Likely somewhere there was a nervous mother wondering about the state of their pup and Tahlia could only imagine what she would think if she knew her child was chancing the ocean to visit an island alone. OOC: Finally responded. >.<; Sorry for the wait!