The kids were at an age that if they wanted to really fuck off and never see Ash again, they could. Soon, their relationship would change from child-parent to adult-parent and Ash had to accept that there was only so long left he could fawn over them. Eventually, although he would always be their father, he hoped they would become shoulder-bumping in solidarity buddies rather than drifting apart.

To celebrate the fact that they were growing up, Ash had invited them on a little trip. It was about time they found something that they felt really helped to express them. Along the way, they found a hairless little dog using mud to protect his skin from the sun. Ash had a much more stylish and effective idea so he invited the dude along to swim to the island. Once they were there, he turned to the trio, "Alright my lil dudes, this is where I got my famous shirt. We got a whole island full of shirts and shit and accessories and other shit, so have at it! When you find something you like, meet back here!"

Sparrow was over a hundred times amped to be going on a cool journey with her family. It was rare they could all get together and do something so cool. Her father had said how he had gotten his shirt from a super cool place in the south. It had taken a while to get there and there was everything from walking to swimming to climbing to get there. Ok... the climbing wasn't required, but Sparrow did it anyway. When they came across the muddy little dog, Sparrow was happy to have him along. He was cool looking, and Sparrow wondered if he would make a good prate one day. She was starting to actively look for recruits, but she wasn't totally up front about it yet. Meeting strangers was still fairly new to her, so she was testing the waters, so to speak.

After they arrived, Ashmedai set them loose and Sparrow immediately launched herself into the ruins of the vacation spot. There were so many strange things here! So many colors and textures! Sparrow felt like there was no way she could ever choose just one item! "Talon, hurry up before I take all the good things!"

It had been kind of the older male to include him in the trip and Sunder was looking forward to getting his paws on the same kind of light fabric Ashmedai wore. It was early in the year but Sunder had already gotten his first sunburn and he loathed the idea of getting another. Back home he would have bought and used a skin protectant made of beeswax and oils, but the mainland canines, having no need for such a thing, had no idea what he was talking about when he asked after it. He'd resorted to doing what the poor folk did when they couldn't afford the sunscreen's price; Sunder had taken up rolling in pale mud. It worked, sure, but the coating was itchy and fragile, and flaked off with the slightest of movements.

Water ran from him in rivulets as he stepped out of the surf and made his way up the beach after Ashmedai. The water had washed all of the dried mud off the lower parts of his body leaving just his lower back, shoulders and head ashen. The rest of him was shiny black save for the scars on his legs which were a pale gray.

Sunder stopped beside Ashmedai as he gave instructions to the group. He then watched as the brown youth took off for the ruins but didn't move to follow or to blaze his own trail. Instead he investigated with his eyes. The ruins reminded him a great deal of his own island, but the rundown buildings of home had been picked clean and "remodeled" long before he'd been born. He had no idea where humans kept their things. After eying all of the buildings he turned to Ashmedai and asked, "Ya find da shirt where?"