Four years old now, and with a family, the brute padded through the trees of his home and out towards the salty breeze of the ocean. The air was warm, the sun shining; Summer was truly here. For a Hunter like himself, this was a blessing, a promise given by the forest that good hunting was to come. His two pups had survived the Spring and were thriving with the help of him bringing them plenty of food to aid them in growing big, strong and healthy. Creek was doing a remarkable job in caring for them and teaching them, and Ayden seemed to be taking an interest in healing. Maia was a bit more of an unusual sort, and hadn't spoken much of her aspirations. She reminded Eclipse of his sister when she was that age. Most likely she would become a warrior, and a fine one at that. He didn't doubt she'd be a better fighter than himself. The male grinned to himself at the prospects of his both his pups futures, feeling joy at the wonderful offspring he had and what greatness they could become. After all, the next generation was meant to better the previous one, so he was not ashamed if his pups became something greater than himself. Rather, he would be immensely proud.

Eclipse's pelt merged in perfectly with the shadows of the woods, but as soon as he stepped onto the pale sand he was revealed, easy to spot like a crow amongst a flock of doves. He trotted swiftly over the hot sand and towards the shade cast down by the tall white cliffs. Once there he flopped down onto his side and tucked his sensitive pads away from the heated sand, not caring for the many grains that scrambled into his fur. The purpose of his journey had been to get away and think. Think about everything that had happened. First there was the happiness of becoming Creek's mate and then the pleasure of their pups being born. But then he had heard news that one of his old friends, Aurora, and her pups had left. She was a dear friend and the first wolf he had spoken to in a long time when she accepted him at the border. The pure white fae had assisted him in times of need and he was very grateful to her. It saddened him, not because she had left, but that he hadn't been able to say thank you and goodbye. He could understand that she would move on, though she seemed so happy with her mate, the Elite. Word had spread that Kenai had departed too, but in a different way and to a very different place. Eclipse sighed and flattened his ears to his head, watching the waves roll up the beach and then pull away again. They were like his thoughts, flooding in, threatening to tear away and cause chaos but then finally withdrawing back into the water.

Whilst he scanned around the area his mind was cast back to the last time he had visited the cove. It had been the very first time he had seen the ocean and the sand had scared him with its unusual texture. He had attempted to take a drink of the seawater and learnt a lesson from that, that it was salty and not suitable to drink unless you wanted to throw up all your stomach contents. Also, it had been the time he had met his mate, the lively little cream fae, and they had raced along the beach. Recalling this, a small smile quirked the side of his maw. He had been a year younger and new to Helidos, much freer of responsibilities as he was just a Hunter at the time. Maybe those were the good times that he would wish he could go back to. However, as he rolled onto his back and watched the azure sky, his grin widened. It took the bad times to make you really appreciate the good, and when he encountered a negative period in his life or depressing thoughts he would look back to the glorious days and remember that life is just a load of experiences that must be accepted for what they teach you.

Crystal was awoken by the warm sunlight, streaming across her face as she slept inside the caretaker's den near the entrance. She blinked a few times in the dazzling light and rising to her feet, she padded out into the warm sunshine and stretched. Looking around her, Crystal decided to go for a stroll to sort her thoughts on a recent event which had left her feeling saddened. Thinking for a moment, she decided to head towards the coast. Stretching once more, she turned round and headed off into the woods.

As she padded along through the woods, Crystal reflected on all that had happened since she had arrived on Helidos's borders. Accepted by the then Delta Aurora, whom she quickly became very close to, she was made caretaker and was now under the guidance of lead caretaker Alanoth. Three litters had been born so far, during her time in Helidos, first which she had assisted in, was the now Elite Aurora and Elite Kenai's litter, the second was Guardian Fel and Lead Caretaker Alanoth's litter and the third was Healer Creek and Lead Hunter Eclipse's litter. Crystal had seen Aurora be promoted to Elite and had been delighted for the wolf who had considered her as an adopted daughter, and who Crystal considered an adopted mother in return. She had been even more delighted when Aurora had told her that she was to have pups and had asked Crystal to be midwife and caretaker to her and the pups.

But now Aurora and her pups were gone and Kenai had departed beyond the world of the living. Crystal had been deeply upset when she had discovered that Aurora had gone and Kenai had left the land of the living. She missed Aurora desperately, her first friend in the pack and the only wolf, she had really ever had a lengthy conversation with. Arriving at the beach, she was so wrapped up in her thoughts, that she failed to notice the black wolf nearby as she padded on the sand and sat down, staring out to sea.

Nnlya lay in the meadow. The meadow that was hers and Eclipse's. Theirs alone. She winced as another throb of pain sent itself into her paws. Her body was still in pretty bad shape after the incident. But she had to get out. It was driving her mad being cooped up int hat den all day. She was a Delta, a warrior and Hunter at heart. She needed to move, be out and about in the world. She needed to be doing things. The world looked so beautiful that morning she just simply had to go out and see the world. The long climb up to the meadow had set her calves burning and her lungs searching for air. She could feel her paws beginning to crack. They weren't fully healed. And the fresh air was certainly helping the persistent cough. Her eyes gazed out over the horizon, spotting the vast expanse of ever shifting blue. The ocean, Eclipse had called it. He had once suggested she would enjoy a visit there, though she had never found the time. But with her injuries as they were she stood little chance of doing much else that day, so she finally decided she would make the journey. It would be long, well into neutral territory. But she figured it would be worth while.

Nnlya rose very carefully, wincing at the pain. She began the long journey, keeping a relatively straight line on her way to the coast. As she travelled she allowed her mind to wander. Thoughts of the recently lost came to her. Word had reached her of Aurora's desertion. She had never thought the fae capable of such a thing, and yet it had happened. And she had taken her young with her. So sad, really. She had only met the Elite on one occasion, but the Delta had really taken a liking to her. And as she was meant to be training under the white fae, she saw it as a good sign. What's worse though, was the fate of her mate, Kenai. Rumours of his death had been confirmed, though she was still sketchy on the details. What she did know was that the brute had died protecting the Alphas brood. A truly honourable death. But a tragedy. An entire family gone. And the Alphas son had not been seen since the event. It was said that he fled in fear. But she supposed only he would know. But she worried for her Alpha, having lost his own son. She would never wish that fate on any parent, having been the lost child herself, it was difficult to understand how a parent would feel. But she could understand Lucas' fear and hoped he would return.

She found herself suddenly at the treeline, the dirt and grass quickly giving way to sand. The odd, course texture beneath her sensitive paws frightened her. Although, with a few moments she became accustomed to the feel and slowly made her way to the waters edge. She breathed deeply the salty air and it helped to clear her lungs and her mind. The fae exhaled softly and allowed her paws to step into the shallow water. The waves lapped at her fur and receded, only to return. They continued in a slow cycle she found dizzying. Nnlya thought perhaps a drink would steady her. She dipped her muzzle, lapping up the funny smelling water, but as it entered her system it felt all wrong and tasted worse. She coughed up the liquid, shaking herself trying to rid her mouth of the taste. She bolted further up onto the sand, noticing for the first time a sable fae. She recalled her as the caretaker Crystal. Loping over, the Delta stood above her, grinning down at the fae. Hello there Crystal. I do believe we have met before. I'm Delta Nnlya, of course. Would you mind if I joined you? Her throat was still a little raw and her voice came out fairly rough. She hoped that this intoxicating sea air would help that.

The small black fae, dark as night, padded along after the Lead Hunter as he made his way through the forest. Her grey blue orbs watched him, curious that he always seemed so distracted when he was moving through the territory. What he would ponder whilst he trotted along she could not be certain, perhaps where he would hunt next or where he could get his next drink of water. She was aware that there were matters that saddened him, having lost a friend and pack members. She did not know he was thinking about her and her brother at that very moment, and how proud he was of his children. Although her paws fell fairly silent on the soil she did not place them so for the purpose of him not detecting her, but still he didn't notice her. She wished for her father to greet her in his normal cheerful way, and to travel alongside him reassured that he would not speak of meaningless things. Sometimes he would test her understanding with random questions, which she knew he found her responses amusing. Her parents and brother were the emblem of safety and trust in the big world where many things were new and scary and could not always be trusted. In times where others changed towards each other they remained the same, always there to reassure and speak the truth. 

Seeing the dark brute smile at his thoughts really heightened her curiosity, wanting to know what he could possibly grin about. However, the curiosity was soon overthrown by fear, as the male accelerated through the trees and she failed to keep her gaze on his figure as it rapidly submerged within the shadows of the forest. Maia trotted faster on her little onyx paws, even transitioning into a lope, but still she lost him. Wrought with worry for being alone in the neutral territory, she continued at a fast pace for a few minutes until she found herself panting heavily. Now walking, she managed to find a Helidos wolf's trail and she followed it, her muzzle hovering over the ground at a level slightly lower than how she already naturally held her head. The scent was familiar, a caretaker she believed, and since she knew a caretaker would at least be able to take her back to the Caretaker's Den she continued to pursue it to the edge of the beach. 

That was where she lost the scent, her chocolate colored nose not being able to trace it over the grains of sand. Hesitantly, she took a step onto the pale sand, eyes widening as her paw disappeared beneath it. She quickly withdrew the paw, peering down at it with raised furry brows as it was completely unchanged. "Hmm..." Blinking twice, she looked up and trotted out calmly over the beach, scanning around for any wolf of her pack and any dangers. Soon she spotted the two wolves, one who's voice she recognised from the short distance. It was Delta Nnlya, her father's closest friend and one of the few Maia quite liked and trusted, calling her an aunt by her request. The other female she could see now was Caretaker Crystal. Feeling as though she was potentially in danger, knowing that her black pelt was a stark contrast to the white sand, she sprinted until she stood before them, panting from the adrenaline rush and the heat from the summer sun making her small body hotter than the larger wolves. Once she was sure she wasn't interrupting either of them speaking, Maia raised her voice, a feat she didn't often venture to do. "Have you seen my father?", she questioned quietly, her eyes glancing between each wolf's face briefly before they flickered over to the ocean, watching the waves that crashed and glistened under the bright sky.

Absorbed in his artificial happiness, the brute did not direct any attention to his surroundings, his golden orbs keenly observing the ghostlike clouds that drifted over him high up above in the atmosphere. The epiphany that had occurred to him so suddenly and had brought a rush of joy was beginning to fade, the realisation coming to him that things were absent from the pack. Both Elite positions were unfulfilled, and the ranks were important to be occupied. A mother and father were without their pup, and the Alpha had lost his most trusted advisor. Everything would be made right eventually. There was balance to everything; for every hare he killed there would be more born. Eclipse was aware that Helidos was sure to go through periods of time where there would be loss, just as it had only previously experienced new life. Two remaining mated pairs still had their litters alive and well, including the Lead Hunter's own. The anguish and grief would have to be overcome so that the young could be cared for and raised, they were the priority and the future of the pack. Any loss that the wolves had experienced would be evident for a short while, the lives and memories of those that had parted would be appreciated, but then the existing members and the living would have to continue with their duties. None would be forgotten, still lingering in the minds of those whom knew and cherished them. But the way of life: the forest and the pack, was that obstacles had to be overcome and weakness could not be tolerated for too long. Where there is weakness there is only pain, and ultimately, failure and death.

A cough, such a trivial noise, interrupted the wolf's thoughts. Another was present with him in the cove. Still positioned on his back, he turned only his face to where the sea bordered the sand. There his eyes were captivated by the fae, one he instantly recognised as his best friend, Nnlya. Ears perked with interest, he watched her shake and splutter, trying to rid her mouth of the foul sea water. Eclipse chuckled, knowing he had done the same during his initial visit to the area, although he felt slightly guilty, wishing he had warned her before she had tested the water. He had suggested one time back in their meadow that she might enjoy a trip to the beach, he could have warned her then. Or if he had been more alert to what was around him he would have noticed her approach the sea and ventured over to tell her not to drink from it. However it mattered little now, it was too late, so he quietly watched her flee from the ocean and up the beach, glad that she was not affected much by her slight mishap.

Rolling to his stomach, he relaxed in the shade of the cliff, his oversized ears swatting away a few persistent flies that buzzed about him. Through half closed eyes, his glance tracked the Delta with mild interest as she ran. She came to a halt suddenly, causing him to pick his head up off his dark brown paws to see why she did so. Another fae was sat there, looking to the ocean. Fur bristling, he prepared to intervene should the wolf be a hostile Erenyx inhabitant or loner, but all was peaceful and the two seemed to be familiar. False alert, it was a Helidos. Calmly he settled his chin on his forearm, yawning slightly as he considered taking a nap. Until a small black form hurried across the sand, his daughter. Maia seemed in a rush but not flustered so he was not concerned, for he knew she had enough brains to know what she needed to do and how to get herself there. Still he was curious why she had gone so far out from home territory without her brother, so he picked himself up and trotted towards the trio of females.

Crystal was jerked from her thoughts by a slightly rough voice next to her. Looking round, she saw that it was Delta Nnlya who she had met recently whilst sat with Aurora and her pups. "Hello Nnlya, no I don't mind if you join me. You are more than welcome to. How are you?" she said, glad of a distraction from her thoughts. Crystal felt quite relaxed around Nnlya and hoped to get to know her a bit more.

Suddenly she spotted a small black wolf coming towards her and Nnyla. Crystal's muscles tensed, but then relaxed as the wolf got closer and she recognised the wolf as Apprentice Maia, Lead hunter Eclipse's daughter. "Hello Maia." Crystal said softly to her. When Maia asked had they seen her father, Crystal shook her head. Then she spotted a wolf coming towards the three of them out the corner of her eye. "Hey I think this might be him coming now." she said to Maia, continuing to watch the wolf come closer.

Nnlya would drop to rest lazily in the sand, laying heavily to one side as she conversed with the Caretaker. I have been better, my dear. But I am alive and well and that is all I can ask. Her voice came through as somewhat hoarse, but indeed the salty sea air was rejuvenating her. The moisture in the atmosphere soothing her throat. She opened her maw to ask how the other was faring when a little black ball of fluff came trotting over, asking of her father. But the caretaker was first to answer. When the others voice rose on the wind her head snapped up looking around to find her surrogate brother.

When she found him she grinned from ear to ear and wished wholeheartedly that she might run over and embrace him as siblings would. But in her still recovering condition, it did not seem wise. She settled for turning to the pup and inviting her over. Hello there Maia. Won't you join us? There is plenty of room on the beach. She opened her posture, allowing the pup to lie with her surrogate aunt if she so wished. Her head dropped into the sand and she closed her eyes and soaked up the warm sun, countered by the cool ocean breeze. It was heavenly. The male approached and she gave a blind smile. Hello Eclipse. Lovely to see you. She couldn't help but giggle softly at the irony. She stretched her legs, tensing and releasing them all at once. The toes of her paws she flexed, ignoring the cracking it caused in her pads. But luckily the wounds would not open.

Maia quickly looked away from the ocean and back to the caretaker, her head lowered slightly lower than usual in respect to the older fae who had verbally greeted her. She blinked when the grey wolf shook her head in response to the question she had asked, not showing the disappointment in her expression. It was nice to know she was safe with Crystal and Nnlya but she did want to know where her father had gone. Would she possibly get into trouble for wandering out alone? Almost sighing, she flattened her ears slightly but soon perked them up when the female noted another wolf approaching. The young female followed her gaze to the direction of the cliffs and made out a dark form nearing them. For a brief moment she was unsure, but as the male got closer she knew it was definitely her father. Her raven head nodded to approve the wolf's guess that it was Eclipse who was trotting towards them, while the tip of her tail flicked ever so slightly as she was glad to see him.

Satisfied that she had not missed out on accompanying her father on an interesting journey, she relaxed and glanced to the delta whom her father insisted his pups called their aunt. The female was laid comfortably on the sand and was clearly happy to see Eclipse, which Maia understood to be because their friendship was so close that they considered themselves siblings, like herself and Ayden. She understood the feeling of seeing her brother, it was a sense of security and home. The Lead Hunter had told his offspring the tale of how he had met Nnlya when she first had joined the pack, and how he had become possibly her very first friend in Helidos and showed her how nice the wolves here were. Remembering all of this, Maia trusted Nnlya and obliged to the fae's invitation to rest with them, padding over to her charcoal tinted side and dropping carefully to lay on the sand. "Thank you, Aunt Nnlya", she spoke quietly but with appreciation and nestled close to her, attempting to keep cool in the shade she provided. Normally she wouldn't stay so intimately beside another, but with the wolf's eyes being closed and paying little attention to her she felt comfortable doing so. As a refreshing sea breeze washed over them she relaxed and remained still, glancing to her father as she anticipated he would soon greet her and then looked curiously over to the water as she wondered how deep it was and why it spilled up onto the beach and then slipped away again. Something was dumped by the wave as it fled back into the sea, it looked like a shiny pebble. Somehow she would need to get closer to investigate.

The closer he got the more he smiled, wanting like most did to seem happy and calm as was usually socially acceptable in greeting situations. To show any sign of his previous woe would be wrong, should it upset the wolves or bring any attention towards himself which he felt should not be necessary, they should be enjoying their time at the beach and having fun. Speaking of which, he would have to think of something to instigate some play with the faes and his daughter, laying around idly on the sand would prove to be quite boring. Nearing the small group, his face visibly brightened and his tail enthusiastically swung left to right and back again. In a respectful greeting to all the females he dipped his head low whilst still trotting forwards. Instinctively he looked to his daughter first, clearing his throat. "Where is Ayden?" He saw she was reasonably comfortably laid beside his 'sister' so mentally nodded to himself that she was indeed fine and looked to the one wolf of the group whose name he was unaware of but whom he had seen with his pups at the Caretaker Den. "Hello there, miss. Nice to see you. How is your day faring so far?". Coming to a walk now, he moved around to a position beside Nnlya and Maia but also so that he faced the caretaker so as to be polite for when she replied.

As Eclipse stood beside the two females he loved dearly he lowered his muzzle to lick the crown of the delta's head whilst she laid there, azure eyes closed and enjoying the sun. "It is most definitely lovely to see you too Lee. You finally made it out here then? Is it like you imagined it?" He determined by her relaxed posture that she was at peace here, but still he wished to know her opinion of the area. His meadow was a secret place that he adored for the simple fact that he could escape there, whereas the cove he cared for greatly as he had memories associated to this very beach; very important and fond memories. 

Looking again to his child, he observed the way she stared out at the sea: interested, curious and confused. He nuzzled his brown nose into her onyx cheek before straightening and looking at the ocean with his own golden hues. "That is the ocean Maia. It is a very large body of water and we don't know if there is anything on the other side. But the waves can be dangerous, so be careful if you go down to the shore" Watching the push and pull of the tide, he began to be lulled by the continuous movement and soft sound until he blinked. The surroundings were beautiful, the weather wonderfully fair, surely they could do more than sit around and talk. Serious matters of discussing what had happened in Helidos would wait until the pup wasn't able to listen, as he knew she would ask many questions and her imagination would get carried away with possibilities of what could have happened. In time, she would know, but there was no need to concern her on such a great day. He glanced slyly sideways over the gathering, a little smirk forming on his muzzle. Play, anyone? Lunging forwards, plummeting his chest into the sand and jutting his rear into the air, he barked loudly. "Last one to the water is a mangy coyote!" And with that, he rolled over onto his back then continued rolling until he was on his stomach and pushed himself up onto his paws, dashing towards the ocean.

Crystal grinned and flicked her ears as Nnlya spoke to her whilst lounging on the sand. Looking round again as the approaching wolf drew close, Crystal realised that it was indeed Lead hunter Eclipse who was coming towards them. "Hello Eclipse, nice to see you. My day is faring a lot better now that I have company." she said softly.

It was true, Crystal was feeling a lot better now she had company. She grinned further when Eclipse greeted Nnlya, from the way the two wolves acted, it was obvious that they were very close. A feeling of lonliness overwhelmed her briefly, Aurora really had been the only wolf in the pack that she was close to and now she was no longer near. Looking at the three wolves, Crystal hoped she could eventually become friends with Eclipse and Nnlya and spend more time with Maia, who was such a sweet wolf too. She was suddenly surprised when Eclipse went into a playful pose and raced into the water, barking that the last one would be a mangy coyote. An amused look replaced the surprise on her face and after shooting a friendly grin at Maia and Nnlya, she took off across the sand and into the water.

(sorry for delayed and shortish reply. I have been poorly)

Nnlya was glad when Maia accepted the offer to rest with her “Aunt”. She rather enjoyed the company of the little female and hoped to some day have a sweet little pup just like her. She felt the cold of her brother’s shadow across her ribs before it shifted around over her head. She grinned as he licked her forehead in a careful manner. It was sweet and intimate, loving even, but nothing that could ever make anyone consider anything more was between them. She opened her eyes, sitting up to answer his question.

”It is beautiful here. It’s so warm and the sand feels wonderful beneath my paws. Not to mention how clean my fur feels.” She twisted her head around to stare out at the ocean wistfully. ”But I’d love to be able to feel the water fully. She wouldn’t admit it, not even to her surrogate brother, but the ocean scared her. All that surging, moving water. The saltiness. She didn’t think she could survive long in it and that was a feeling she was unaccustomed to. She knew how to swim in lakes and ponds and rivers and streams. But they were fresh water, moving in a single direction or not really at all. The ocean was no different.

She could also translate this feeling to other aspects of her life. She could hunt and fight, but she had no idea how to manipulate plants and extract their healing properties. She could kill, but she couldn’t preserve life. Her time with Eclipse’s pup was in its own way teaching her how to care for pups, but still. Her thoughts turned to Drogo, who had been fairly absent since the incident. She worried about him and hoped he was faring well. Her feeling towards the brute were far more than that of a friend and different to that of a brother.

She couldn’t help but to smile as the father began to educate his daughter on the ways of the world. It was one thing she truly looked forward to with her own litter. But she sensed another thing troubling the sweet father. Though perhaps the subject was too sensitive for his daughter’s ears and they might discuss it when she was away. She made no attempt to convey she had picked up on Eclipse’s mood, resolving to ask at a more appropriate time. So it surprised her when he bowed playfully, taunting them with the idea of a race. Nnlya was fast but she felt it better to run at a leisurely pace today and not strain her injuries or her lungs. She hauled her body up, nudging the little pup with her nose. ”Come on Maia! You don’t want to be last do you?” She pushed the youngling forward, letting her run on her tiny little legs before taking off.

She remembered her conversation with Drogo that day. “The trick with pups is to always let them win.” At the time she knew Drogo wouldn’t understand, not until he someday had pups of his own. But her meaning was simple. If a pup could never win, they could never be willing to keep trying and eventually one could begin testing the pup and slowly increasing the pressure. Slowly the pup could begin to win on his or her own and their self-esteem would be boosted. She had figured all this out at an early age and quickly begun to understand the thought process of many adult wolves. And so she smiled and laughed as she chased Maia to the water, only passing the little pup when she had already set her paws in the water. She lunged fearlessly at Eclipse and tackled him into the salty sea.

[My apologies for the delay!]

The pup remained quiet, fairly content with resting in the delta's shadow and still focused on how she could get closer to the sea and investigate what the shiny pebble was. She considered moving silently away from the group as they talked and venturing down to the water alone, it seemed quite gentle and not so dangerous on this summer's day. However, she soon realised her father's attention was on her as he began speaking to her, asking her where her brother was. Maia flicked her gaze over to the brute and shrugged slightly, adding on with her little voice "I think he's with Mother". As the adults picked up conversation with one another, the small onyx fae glanced back to the water and planned her method of escape. Her body quivered slightly with anticipation of how to get there unnoticed. But surely Nnlya would feel her move away from her side if she moved whilst laying in this position. A determined scowl formed on her face as she pondered, her blueish grey eyes drifting away from the prize she hoped to capture and over to the surroundings. All around there were tall white cliffs and trees bordering the beach, making it seem separated and closed off from the pack and the main part of the forest. It was like a completely different world. She quickly shook her head and mentally shouted at herself for losing focus on the task. One ear was kept perked towards their conversation, though it was just meaningless chat, while she thought through how to get to the water. 

Just as she began to make her move, trying to sneakily roll away from the delta female and make it look like she was simply readjusting into a more comfortable position, her father spoke to her once her again. Rolling her eyes, she remained still and listened as he explained the water to be the 'ocean'. She didn't believe that it could be dangerous, as it looked so safe and the water barely surged like it did in the rivers. All it did was move back and forth, but rivers were fast flowing. If she fell in, wouldn't it just pull her away and then throw her back onto the land again? So distracted by her thoughts, she was taken by surprise when Eclipse barked and initiated play. Her body lurched slightly as she jumped out of shock, shooting her gaze over just in time to see the male dash towards the sea and Crystal soon following suit. Maia understood it was a race, but she did not move at first for she was confused by what her father had said, that whoever was last would be a mangy coyote. That couldn't be true. If she came last would she suddenly turn into a mangy coyote? She blinked and tilted her head, wondering what that would be like, until Nnlya nudged her up to her paws and encouraged her to run with a push to get her moving. Sprinting away on her small raven paws, she kept the momentum from her Aunt's push and increased her speed even further with some effort from her own muscles. For her size, she was fairly fast, but she obviously could not cover as much ground as the full-grown wolves with their longer limbs. Still she tried her best to go faster as her aunt chased her, also knowing that the fae was probably going to let her win but still wanting to run fast as possible for the thrill of it.

Finally plunging into the sea, she hopped high above the water at first as it's cold temperature took her body by surprise after she had been bathing beneath the sun. Eventually she grew accustomed to the cooler temperature and enjoyed the feel of the shallow water flowing between her pads and teasing through her fur. Hearing a splash, she looked over quickly to catch Nnlya tackle the Lead Hunter into the water, and she couldn't help but grin as his dark figure flopped over and fell. Indeed, nobody had become a mangy coyote. It was just another of her father's playful persuasions. Her heart still pumped fast and she was happy, only just remembering about the shiny pebble she had wanted so badly before. Trotting through the low waves, she crept up behind the Caretaker and nipped her tail quickly before springing through the water and away towards where she knew the small round pebble should be.

((Sorry for the delay, been busy and forgot about this thread >.<))

Eclipse slowed to a prancing trot through the waves once he ploughed chest deep into the water and had sent spray surging up around him. He was truly happy at this moment in time, the sun on his back, his daughter and close friend bonding, and a new friend to make. A grin spread across his maw, his tail swishing slowly over the surface of the water. It was cold in the liquid, but refreshing all the same. His black pelt could get hot very easily, the dark pigment easily soaking up the light and heat of the sun, and so the cooler waters were a relief to his skin. Knowing that the three faes were enjoying themselves made him very glad, as all he strived for was his packmates and loved ones to be content. The happiness of others made his duties, and even his life, worth it. And it was moments like this that were treasured most, simple but happy moments. 

The lead hunter looked over as he felt ripples in the sea and Nnlya and Maia were moving through the water, Maia then pursuing after Crystal and nipping her tail and Nnlya came springing towards him. His eyes widened as he realised what was going to happen and suddenly she had leapt on him and he went tumbling backwards, his back landing in the sand and water lapping at his body. Eclipse laughed and looked up at the delta who pinned him, bubbles soon forming as his chuckling maw was swamped by the salty water. He rolled over quickly, getting his head out of the water and spewing out the disgusting fluid with a slight retch, unintentionally pinning the sister-like wolf under him briefly until he finally scrabbled to his paws. The brute stuck his tongue out at her playfully and nipped her nose gently with his teeth. "Take that!" He exclaimed with a silly grin before backing away from towering over her and taking a glimpse over to his daughter, but decided to leave her in peace with the company of the caretaker, perhaps allowing them to form a relationship. He couldn't help but be protective and keep checking on her, but he knew in his heart that she was safe with Crystal because her very job was to defend Helidos' offspring.

Glancing back to Nnlya he stood tall on his paws and shook his wet fur, his pelt rotating and twisting, droplets showering all around him as a result of his action. The atmosphere was relaxed and easy with the summer's warmth. His ears perked to the noise of gulls circling above and the soft breaking of waves, and his nose twitched with the many smells. "I'm glad you like this place as much as I do, Lee. This is actually where I met Creek. It's a happy place" A slight smile was fixed permanently on his black lips as his golden eyes scanned around until eventually fixating on the horizon, it only fading a little at his next words. "Elite Aurora was a close friend of mine. Have you heard of the incidents with Elite Kenai and Aurora?" Tail hovering over his back to remain out of reach of the water, he took a few shallow breaths as he pushed out his sorrow for Aurora's departure before he looked back at the fellow wolves on the beach, observing whatever they were doing.