The girl thought she smelled water nearby, but after searching, she only found a few puddles scattered about. Had it rained recently? Hani debated on searching for more water- the water she thought she smelled- but instead she plopped down and drank slowly, enjoying she kind-of cool water on her lips. It wasn't like she was dying or anything, but it was still pretty hot. Even with her coat all thinned out, it was hot. She lay lapping at the water and, after a while, a few birds began to land in the puddles a distance away. Hani took to watching them, her ears pricked forward.

The birds would land near puddles and drink from the edges for a bit. Then, slowly, they would hop in, lower themselves in the water, and give their little bodies a shake. Several other birds did this and they came out of the puddle all cool and clean. Hani had done this in a lake, but she didn't know she could do it in a puddle. An idea started to form in Hani's mind. If she couldn't find this water she thought she smelled, she could probably just find a puddle to lower herself in and shake about a bit. Then she would be clean and cool like the birds were right? Heck, she might even sprout wings!

No, that's just silly, silly. You can't grow wings, but you can definitely get water from a puddle. Just gotta find one big enough...

Hani hauled herself up and began looking for a good sized puddle, forgetting all about the water she had smelled earlier. It took some time, but she found it; a puddle nearly a wolf wide. She went to the edge and drank some, "Were the birds testing it or just drinking cause they were thirsty?" she pondered, "Tastes good enough... This will do!" The girl lowered herself to her chest in the water slowly and centered herself up, "Alright, good. Good... Shake, I think..." Hani gave herself a thorough shaking, the coolness of the water spreading throughout her coat and flying everywhere. She did feel cooler! The birds were onto something! Hani quickly found another puddle and repeated the process, then another, and another. She felt a ton cooler, though she was panting from running, she felt the water dripping through her coat and the grit in her teeth. Wait... grit? "Water sometimes has grit- ah, nope not that much. Nope, this is mud, you're rolling in mud, Hani." The girl quickly spat out the extra grit and ran to look at herself in a puddle, "Ohh geez... Is the water brown or am I brown? Probably both- gosh DARN IT, Hani! You have white fur what were you thinking? Look at this, you're a mess! Okay, okay, play it cool, haha, cool like the water that was mud. Ironyyy- Oh, geez get yourself together, you're a respectable fae, a little mud isn't that bad. This is more than a little mud. Well, at least no one's around, and if they were, maybe they'd be muddy too. Haha, that'd be cool. Hah! Cool."


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Neika enjoyed the sounds of the willow leaves rustling in the breeze and if she was lucky enough sometimes they'd shower her with perspiration. There was an admittance of it being warm, perhaps a bit too warm for even her likings which drove her senseless to find some sort of replenishment,something cool, something refreshing to the pelt.Despite the myth of keeping cool in lighter colors, it was also easier to get burned if she stayed out in the open summer sun for too long. She longed to feel the snow once more against her paws, the feeling of ice inhaling through her nose.She supposed every season had its advantages and this one was no different, offering substances for Neika to play in that her beloved snow couldn't.

Neika was sploshing around in the mud chasing a hapless dragon fly, maybe it was her way of trying to keep her mind off the senseless heat, a moment of entertainment that was suddenly paused when the gangly wolf smelt another. It piqued her attention so much that her body riveted in mud stood motionless, listening intently for anything that might be out of the ordinary.Though, everything was out of the ordinary lately, she still had to be vigilant.

Neikas turquoise gaze gravitated to another...white muddy...wolf. Intrigued Neika remained unobtrusive for now only observing the other wolf before deciding to make a move.

Maybe she was playing too? That's what Neika had hoped for.

Ate the bread that once was stone Fell from a cliff, never broke a bone Tearing at his fur, the brute pulled wads of the stuff from his pelt and flung them into the wind, leaving a trail of tufts behind him. Every couple of steps he'd pause and yank a mouthful free, and spend the next couple of steps trying to get the fur out of his mouth before repeating the process. Really, he looked mangy. Why his coat was choosing now instead of spring to rid itself of the extra insulation was beyond him, but it made him itchy. He did not like the taste of his own fur. The sun beat down on him mercilessly and only served to increase his frantic plucking. Honestly, it was like he was pulling the feathers off a bird, only with much less reward. Pausing with his mouth full of hair, the brute's head lifted as the scent of another reached his dry, fur-crusted nose. He spit the mass out, and, having made up his mind, headed for the rogue. The sight that greeted him made Sucre pause. Two white wolves, some distance apart, were flecked with mud and standing in puddles. For a moment he wondered if he was seeing a reflection, but the silly notion was quickly abandoned as differences began to stand out. Still, he couldn't help but feel like an odd duck. "What is this? Some kind of exclusive puddle jumping club?" Bowed down to get the kings overthrownSucre

Hani heard another splash in the distance and looked up. Before her there was another wolf much alike herself, white and covered with mud. The girl let out a few breathy laughs, glancing between her rippling reflection and the other girl. She opened her mouth to speak, not sure whether she should be embarrassed or happy, but another wolf appeared and quickly asked if there was a puddle jumping club.

"Is he serious? Is that a thing wolves do here? No, he might be joking, but what if he isn't? I mean, mud is normal, but we're kind of filthy, that's bad right? Aren't girls supposed to be clean and, I dunno, not muddy?" Hani glanced at the brute, "Ahh, no, nothing like that," she started wearily, her voice kind of squeaking as she thought, "I mean- you can join if you want to, I was just cooling off. It's hot, I mean like GEEZ it's hot, so I was just cooling off and, um, probably her too, right?" Right? Hani emphasized her point by shaking out her fur, "Haven't you seen birds do it?" They did normally do that, right? Hani tried to laugh her embarrassment off while her mind worked, "I think the real question is why are you NOT in a puddle? It's hot out here!" Was she rambling? Yes, but she hoped it didn't matter and that maybe both of these new wolves were good, unlike the snow king.

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Nei saved herself from all the embarrassment by being a bit indifferent to the fact that she was now completely dripping from head to tail in stagnated mossy mud. Slowly her foot steps led her into the direction of the other female hoping to introduce herself, and in mid stride there was another wolf who made an appearance. Nei's ears flicked down and then up at the males sarcasm and Nei retorted "yes ...why are you not in a puddle? Surely it's warm , being in all that black fur and all" . Pivoting from the male, Nei casually went over to the other female with a slight wag to her sopping wet tail " My name is Nei, I thought I was the only one out here...I was wrong.It's nice to know that I'm not the only wolf who enjoys romping about in the brown squishy stuff." Looking over her shoulder Nie's eyes twinkled a little dangerously at the male " well at least some of us do", maybe to egg him on.

Oh Neika didn't care one way or another, slowly she went on her belly to then roll on her back to give a few writhing rolls with her paws up until she lulled on her side . A pesky dragon fly decided to try and land on her pelt and she wasn't going to allow it, snapping her canines in its direction; Nie watched it flutter away to safer passage." ughh I hope the weather will change soon"

Ate the bread that once was stone Fell from a cliff, never broke a bone Dragging a paw through one of the murkier puddles as he listened, Sucre found the beginnings of a smile creeping up on his lips. "I have seen them, yes." It just never occurred to him to copy them, since puddles were so small and he was so big. If he laid down in one all the water would probably get sucked up into his coat and there'd be nothing to lay in, although being a wolfy sponge might benefit him just as well. They shared a good point, why wasn't he in a puddle? He could argue that he didn't want to get dirty, but he was already pretty mangy looking. "I can't," his eyes drifted between the two, "That would be giving into peer pressure." "...at least some of us do." Sucre's eyes widened and he blinked rapidly in feinted shock. Oh, ho, ho, what was this? Cattiness? She even made eyes at him. That meant only one thing: it was time to turn on the charm. Obviously, if she made a point to snark at him, it meant she was flirting. At least that was how it worked in his head and he wad more than happy to oblige. He moved closer to the pair, splashing through the puddles as he did so and even going so far as to drag his paws because the muddy water did feel good. Entirely too confident and comfortable with the situation, Sucre seated himself within speaking distance. He wasn't as wet or muddy as the two faes, but little rivulets of water snaked through his coat and more than a few strands were ornamented with droplets. By now he was all smiles, grinning from ear to ear like a little boy. "As long as we're introducing ourselves: Sucre the magnificent," he said, and dipped his head grandly, an action that might have appeared more noble had he not been smiling like an idiot, "At your service." Bowed down to get the kings overthrownSucre

Hani felt relief as the brute mentioned that he had seen the birds, "Thank GOD. Gods? Dead relatives? Whatever works." She blinked a few times suddenly as everyone seemed to get all comfortable with each other. Was she missing something? The other fae, Nei plopped down completely and the brute, after some comments about peer pressure, made his way through the mud to the pair and offered a name Sucre with a kind of goofy smile that somehow brought one to Hani's maw as well, "Okay, so the mud is normal, good, you don't stand out, you're normal. Well, you ARE normal, but like normal-looking. Nei, Sucre- Ah! Your name! Give your name!" Hani realized she was still standing. Quickly she sat, forgetting completely that she was in a puddle and earning a nice splash of mud and water that may have splashed the others. She eyed the others quickly and debated on whether she should get up quickly or pretend like it was on purpose. She gave in and let a loose smile hang on her maw while she continued to lower herself in the mud like she did before, but instead of shaking she rolled over, setting her head on the edge, nearly of the puddle, "Nei, Sucre, I'm Hani." She offered a few tail plops in the puddle before the ripples caused the water to drip in her ear. With quick expression of distaste, Hani righted herself before she could think and gave a violent shake, freeing her coat and ear of both water and mud while flinging it into the air and onto anyone in range.

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