It was hot here, or at least to Echo it was hot. In truth, the early-spring afternoon was tepid and balmy to most who lived here. But to Echo, who had been raised in the frozen tundras of land much harsher than this one, the high sun was blistering. In fact, she didn't think there was this much green in the whole world - the inner canopies of the lush island were even more alive than the brief summers in which the flowers of her home would bloom. Even more interesting than the dense vegetation was the ocean. She crossed it behind her family to get here but had not taken the time then to stop and enjoy the endless waves that lapped at her toes (truth is, it was rather nerve-wracking crossing the border).

Careful paws step across the sands with slow steps. The sand is warm beneath her paws, perhaps a feeling she would enjoy if the sun did not also bear down directly on her fur. The shade of a rocky outcropping carved by years of tides offers her shelter and Echo slips underneath, tucking her toes into the line of shade cast by the rock before she splays her body out across the much cooler sands beneath its yawning precipice.

Soon, she notices that there are strange rocks under here. Carefully, she digs one from the sand and turns it over in her paws as she lays beneath the rock, holding it belly up with her arms stretched above her chest and the shell grasped between her claws. She marveled at the rather delicate-looking curves that spiraled into a fierce tip. Like a weaponized snail shell.

table by koi

This content might touch on topics that are sensitive or triggering for some readers. Trigger Warning for mentions of Violent thoughts and actions, bullying, foul language and general nastiness.

All the most powerful emotions come from chaos -fear,anger,love- especially love. Love is chaos itself. Think about it! Love makes no sense. It shakes you up and spins you around. And then, eventually , it falls apart.

<sup>-Trade XP: (B) +5 Tell a lie without being caught, (B) +5 Exercise to gain strength, (O) +5 Practice speed or strength
- Petals: +20 Thread with a new person, +10 Explore a new territory, +10 Complete a trade-related thread, +20 Meet a new character</sup>

I still didn't know what to think about that massive lady from the tunnels. Not that it mattered really, there were probably a lot of strange looking creatures on this island. Truth be told, I was far more interested in the unique color of the sand beneath my feet anyway. Most of my paws blended in with it, save for my stark white toes which I wriggled curiously. I had seen the ocean before, but this, this was new. Pacing in place, I amused myself by making the sand move beneath me. I liked the way it looked like I walked on oblivion, as if there were no ground beneath my feet.

It was a nice feeling too, soft granules of sand instead of the rough stone that the tunnels had offered. This would be a good place to run laps, to stretch the muscles that had been used when scaling the cliffs before. A quick stretch and then I was off, running the length of the shoreline and then turning back, one time... two times... three times.

Wait, what was that? Movement caught my eye and I slowed my pace, peering at the shadowy area beneath the overhang that ran along the beach. There was something under there... and so I moved closer, my green eyes scanning for the source of the distraction. I was met with the sight of a girl about my age, laying on her pack and playing with a shell like a child. Resisting the urge to roll my eyes at her, I forced a velvety soft tone into my voice. Perhaps I could find a way to amuse myself with this girl.

"Whatcha got there?"

code by corvus

He couldn't remember if he'd ever explored the Shore as a child. There were many places he'd found simply by slipping away from Caladan and taking off with unbridled curiosity. It were how he'd found so many different shells and feathers, as well as coming across bizarre looking creatures, but never had he come across a beach that had sand as dark as his fur. It intrigued him, causing for blue eyes to stare in amazement, standing in place as ebony toes seemed to disappear underneath the warm sand.

His mind will become unfocused, diving back into his own thoughts, gaze falling to stare down at his paws. Keir had been away for quite some time, and he knew it was a terrible thing to just go and not tell mother where he'd gone, but something called out to him... Wanting him to explore the Great Beyond.

And so he went.

Eventually he yearned to be back in Amaryllis, wanting to see familiar faces and especially mother. He just needed an extra day or two before he could muster up the courage and swallow down the nervousness... Ears would flick forward as they caught some commotion - words, to be exact. The ebony yearling would be brought back to reality, eyes now searching where the voice had come from. It wouldn't be not but a few meters ahead of him that he noticed two felines, both of equal and interesting coloring and features, would catch his gaze. With a curious look would he venture forward with a casual gait, tail swishing to the side. Only once he drew closer would he let out several low sounding chuffs, telling the duo that they were no longer alone.

@Echo @Kolju

irish

It is just when she starts to grow bored with the odd thing she had found that another approaches her. This girl - close to her in age by the looks of it - was flamboyantly colored in bright ivories contrasted with delicate markings of black. Whereas Echo was cloaked in earth tones head to toe (as was most of her family), @Kolju was adorned in something wholely exotic by comparison.

Brown eyes flick from her new guest to the shell she held in her paws and she shrugs. Unceremoniously, she discards it to the side with a gently thump into the sand and stands up to shake all the loose sand from her fur. "Dunno, some kind of snail shell I think." Or maybe a rock?

Ears swivel at the chuffs off to her side. It's another lion their age - a boy this time from the looks of his mane that had begun to grow in earnest. He is dark all over, much more subtle than the first to join them. Echo smiles at both of them as @Keir approaches, but cannot help but feel a pit of anxiety bunch together in her gut. They didn't seem unfriendly, but Echo was distinctly uncomfortable with the sudden appearance of two strangers. She does her best to hide it behind a polite facade. To a Bezra, there is safety in numbers and right now she was the only Bezra around.

"Are you guys new here too?" She fills her discomfort with words and a casual sway of her tail, hoping the two won't notice.

table by koi

This content might touch on topics that are sensitive or triggering for some readers. Trigger Warning for mentions of Violent thoughts and actions, bullying, foul language and general nastiness.

All the most powerful emotions come from chaos -fear,anger,love- especially love. Love is chaos itself. Think about it! Love makes no sense. It shakes you up and spins you around. And then, eventually , it falls apart.

She was a rather bland looking girl, the color of dirt. Even her eyes looked muddy as she looked me over curiously, suddenly bored with her find. I felt a brow raise as she spoke, the shift in her attention span notable. She seemed to have a short attention span, a note I probably would have said out loud if it were not for the sudden noise coming from behind me. I pinned my ears to my head in annoyance at not having noticed the male before he had gotten as close as he was.

I look him over without any attempt to hide it. He was a dark ebony in color, completely overcome with pigment. I doubted he had a single spot on his body that was not dipped in ink. A momentarily distracting thought. Luckily, the brown lioness spoke, pulling me from my thoughts. "Are you guys new here too?" A question that annoys me more than it should. As if the three of us were even remotely the same in any way. "Been here all my life." I lie, for no reason really other than the fact that I can. If this girl was new herself, she would have no way of knowing whether or not I was telling the truth. There was of course the off chance that the male was from here and could call me on it... but that sort of added to the thrill of the lie.

code by corvus

They'd both acknowledge his presence, his unwavering gaze continuing to both watch and observe all the while. He could feel the way the white and black lioness was staring at him and if he didn't know any better he would've probably mentioned it in a backhanded comment, but for now Keir kept his lips pulled tight. The other yearling would then ask a rather easy question, wondering if they were also new to Amaryllis. With a shake of his head, Keir's maw opened to speak but he would allow for it to close as the other lioness started to talk. She mentioned being here her whole life and this would cause for a brow to rise. Even though Keir wasn't born here he did come to these lands at a relatively young age, seeing many faces during his time here before deciding to go off and explore on his own.

"I arrived here when i was about six months old with mother and my siblings. I left when I turned a year and just came back." A brief but adequate response, giving just enough information but not spilling out every little detail. Attention would flicker toward the white and black yearling, a curious expression upon his face. "I've never seen you around." And for a moment he wondered if she were lying. But Keir never adventured to every nook and cranny so perhaps she had been here her whole life?

@Echo @Kolju

irish

Oh, so she was the new kid. Much like a schoolgirl in the cafeteria of her new school Echo feels distinctly out of place as the two other teens begin to interact. @Keir having never met this other girl didn't surprise Echo at all - after all she hadn't met everyone that lived in her old home despite having lived there her whole life; nor did she suspect Kolju would have any reason to lie about such a thing.

A shift of her weight draws Echo's rear to the sand as she sits, tucking her paws neatly beneath her as her eyes shift from Kolju to Keir as each one speaks. @Kolju speaks with a tone tinged in pride, or perhaps indifference? Echo cannot quite get a read on her but finds her aloof mannerisms cool and just a bit intimidating. Keir struck her as unassuming, more open and perhaps easy to make friends with.

She thinks maybe it's her turn to say something, but nothing comes to mind. They already know she's new, and for now, she may prefer to see how their conversation plays out unless directly engaged. So for now, she just sits attentively, eyes drawing finally to Kolju to see what she will say in response to the ink-colored boy.

table by koi

This content might touch on topics that are sensitive or triggering for some readers. Trigger Warning for mentions of Violent thoughts and actions, bullying, foul language and general nastiness.

All the most powerful emotions come from chaos -fear,anger,love- especially love. Love is chaos itself. Think about it! Love makes no sense. It shakes you up and spins you around. And then, eventually , it falls apart.

Drat. I played the odds and bet on the wrong horse, a risk I had known I was taking. I was sure not to blink, because I hadn't lost yet. I flashed the dark male a flirty smile with a shrug. "I don't get out much I suppose. Maybe you'll have to show me around sometime." I turned my gaze back to the girl, who looked a bit left out. I could play into the situation, further alienate the girl and watch her grow uncomfortable. But to be honest, I am tired from my run and the energy it would take to toy with her just wasn't there. Instead, I had the urge to kill her with kindness. Something about the way she was looking at me, expectantly. I return her gaze, waiting for her to join the conversation that she herself started, sure to look very interested in what she had to say.

Until of course, it dawned on me that none of us had bothered to tell our names. "I am Kolju, what do they call you were you are from?" I make a point to say it in a way that emphasized the fact that she was from far away... as if I myself am not. To further drive home the point, I glance at the male and ask another perfectly worded question. "And you.. perhaps I have heard your name before?"

code by corvus

The brown spotted yearling would keep quiet, seeming to draw herself inward rather than continue to contribute to the conversation. Blue gaze would flicker to the other girl, ears catching her words but still feeling a bit suspicious. But Keir had no real good reason in doubting her other than him never seeing her around, but there was a good chance that many natives could've kept themselves hidden whilst the foreigners like himself continued to filter in."Yeah, maybe," would be his response to her suggestion showing her around Amaryllis. Something about the white yearling seemed to rub him the wrong way, but he couldn't place a claw as to why.

It didn't occur to the ebony male that they indeed haven't introduced themselves, so when the white lioness introduced herself he would stay quiet, attention flickering between the two before she asked of his name. "I'm Keir. I used to live in Caladan Cove." Where mother used to rule. It seemed so much had changed ever since he had left, that was for sure. His attention would land upon the brown mottled girl, waiting to see if she would oblige and tell them her name.

@Echo @Kolju

irish

Maybe it's just her own awkwardness, but there is a subtle tension between the yearlings. Echo's ears perk as she is asked for her name, allowing Kier to answer first before she does, she speaks up as his eyes land expectantly on her. "I'm Echo." She introduces. "Uh...my Dad used to be King where I lived, but we got flooded out. So now we're moving here, I guess. I just got here." Her words start uncertain, but she offers a smile at the two teens before her. It dawned on her then that Wolfgang really wouldn't be king anymore here, she wondered if he planned on forging new territory here or if they were to join an existing kingdom. She would have to ask him when she caught up to the rest of her family.

Now that she had already begun sharing, Echo feels a bit emboldened to share more. She doesn't want to miss the opportunity to learn from these two natives just because she is shy. "My old home was covered in snow and ice until it melted. What are your homes like?" She had never even dreamed of a place quite like this, so hot and sandy and green. Echo found it both beautiful and blisteringly hot by comparison to her old icy home.

table by koi