It'd been a day or so since Abandon had arrived at the Cres with Brother Shark. He'd seen one of the buck's grown daughters, been introduced to Shark's Shuppy- a charming, if bizarre, creature with a penchant for biting. It hadn't hurt too much, with as much fur as Abandon had on his lower legs. It was, apparently, a native species to the area- one of the few that he had met that actually had any charm to him, personally, compared to the species of his native territory.

That night, he had been brought to a quiet den, and been permitted to stay there. For how long, Abandon hadn't asked. He wasn't planning to stay for more than a week, at most, but he was quite enamored with the cliffs, and the companionship of Brother Shark. The others in the Crescent, he was curious about, but not enough to speak to them plainly yet. He was content to watch them frolic in the water from the safety of the shore, though. And so, there he lay, lounging on the fur he'd been wearing to keep the sand from clinging too terribly much.

Beejoux wrote:

Bait was the one that found Abandons first that morning. The shuppy came tearing across the beach yipping and yapping in what was probably meant to be playful. Probably. Brother Shark followed at a much more sedate pace, a flicker of annoyance flashing across his toothy maw as the unruly cur bounded right up to the totoma and began nipping excitedly at thickly furred legs. "Apologies for him. He's a menace." A menace that seemed dead-set on staying with Shark.

It'd been a busy couple of days since he'd lead the other buck to the coast for a visit, and Shark himself had been only minimally available in that time. He'd sent Snap-trap to give Abandons a tour while he'd been...distracted with important matters.It was a toss up, though, if the doe had actually done it. "It's a bit chilly, this time of year," he remarked as he sank down to lay on the sand. It was winter, but the peculiar weather left the beach sun baked and warm. It felt nice.

"Did my daughter show you around?" One glowing eye cracked open to look up at him.

seru_ame wrote:

Abandon perked up at the fast little flurry of feet and flash of fangs. Abandon did not flinch, merely planting his hooves in the sand as he stood up, and peered down at the playful little shuppy. He smiled fondly, and then lifted his hoof, and gently nudged the little beast. It was a gentle kind of pushing-over. He leaned his head down, and huffed at it, rocking his ram horns. He was in a surprisingly good mood- the beach seemed to be good for his mood. "I do not mind teeth, especially when they do no harm."

He lifted his head, and peered at Brother Shark. "I also do not mind the cold overmuch." He had quite a thick coat, after all. The warmth was not too much, either, with the seabreeze coming in so nicely. "She tried to get me to spar with her. But, yes. She showed me... somewhat... around. I didn't get too far- I haven't gone into the water yet."

Beejoux wrote:

The smaller buck had rolled into his back, moist sand clinging to the black and teal of his flank as he kicked his legs up, back arching and shifting to push the sand beneath him into a more comfortable configuration. He laughed at the news that Snap had tried to challenge him. "Yeah, that sounds like her." Somewhat was better than not at all, he supposed. The doe was quite flighty. Easily distracted.

Bait flicked a glance at him, then resumed nipping and biting at the totoma, undeterred by the lack of response from the big buck. "If he's bothering you, you can kick him off you." The little beast was quite hardy.

Shark tipped his head to look out at the gentle rolling waves lapping at the beach. It was mild today, and the sun was out and warm. "Now wouldn't be a bad time to give it a go."

seru_ame wrote:

Abandon watched as Shark stretched. The way that kimeti were put together was, frankly, fascinating. Lean muscle, sleeker fur- shorter, too. And Shark was, by his measurer, well-put-together. Abandon flicked his ear, and peered down at the shuppy as he returned to 'mauling' his feathers. A rumble-laugh slipped out, and he shook his head. "No, he's fine." A welcome distraction, before he made a fool of himself by complimenting the buck.

And then- another potential distraction offered up. A lesson. Abandon's gold eyes were cast farther out to sea. There was something... unnerving about it. How solid is looked. He shifted his weight some, and then nodded. "Sure. I'll try most things twice."

Beejoux wrote:

The kimeti buck smirked at Abandon's agreement and rolled into his side to get his feet back under himself so he could stand. Sand clung to him, sprinkling away as the skin along his flank twitched. He cleared the most of it away with a flock of that long shining tail. Now Bait's attention settled on his master, and as Shark started walking along the beach, the shup raced on ahead to play in the surf.

Shark's peace was meandering, and he glanced back at the big totoma. "That thick fur is going to take forever to dry," he remarked. Or warned, perhaps. But it was quite nice out, despite the time of year.

He waded in, thick real floating ain't behind him. Stopping when the water head reached his knees to wait.

seru_ame wrote:

The shuppy at his feet left Abandon, and flitted off to the surf. The buck's eyes half-closed as he watched, crinkling with amusement. He plodded along after Bait and Shark. He shook the sand off himself, as well, but gave up the thought of completely freeing himself of it after a moment due to his thick wool. He left large hoofprints behind him as he stepped into the foam.

Here, Abandon hesitated as Shark pointed out that his wool would take long to dry. He did not mind, overmuch- perhaps time would find him regretting it later.

That thick tail, floating atop the water as Shark waded in- fascinating, how it did that. Like it was weightless, despite the bulk of fur. Abandon pressed on, wading in to mid chest. He wandered closer, let the tail flow around him as he stepped in.

beejoux wrote:

Shark didn't stop until he'd waded out to his neck, then paused to glance behind him. Bait had dove down to swim circles around their legs, nipping at both bucks' ankles before the flash of a fish caught his eye and sent him streaking off after it. Shark chuckled, giving a little snort that was amused and annoyed in kind, then looked up at Abandons as the bigger buck stopped behind him.

It was brisk, but tolerable for a brief dip, and perhaps even a little refreshing. Brother Shark dipped under, head popping up again to shake the water from his short hair and off his ears. "So what do you think?" He inquired, turning a toothy grin up to the totoma as he turned to face him, wading back a little closer.

seru_ame wrote:

Shark was far braver than Abandon in that moment. Or, perhaps, he supposed, it was that Shark was far more comfortable in the water, with his familiarity. The Woll on the totoma's chest and neck danced in the eddies of the brisk water, and, for once, he shivered at the sensation. Brother Shark dunked his own head beneath the water, and Abandon frowned. The buck resurfaced swiftly, tossed his head, got a few droplets on Abandon's face.

"I think... This shall feel unnatural for a time, to me. How do you not flinch when ducking your head beneath the waves? Does it not sting your eyes?" Abandon asked as he stepped closer, his voice low. As if the waves did not obscure it enough for his comfort.

Beejoux wrote:

Brother Shark watched thoughtful trepidation flicker across Adandon's face along with the slow run of droplets over thick fur. It made his smile shift, still amused but slightly softer. "I grew up around water. My eyes are used to the salt, and I've explored those waters extensively." There was a comfortable familiarity with this beach in particular. It's been his home for years now.

"I doubt I'd be half so at home on mountain peeks. Seems cold, up there," he mused, turning an eye out to the waves to look for the shuppy he knew was swimming around them. He didn't fancy a surprise nip to the flank.

seru_ame wrote:

"Your tail could keep you warm, if you curled up with it, but I think your hooves would almost be better suited than mine, with that split in them," Abandon mused softly, and then half-chuckled, a deep, amused rumble. "But I think you'd need another body to keep close to, when the wind howled, or during the winter proper." A tip of his head, and the buck hummed before dunking his own head, eyes closed, into the water. He resurfaced, tossed his head and snorted to clear his nostrils. "Maybe, if there is a way, I'll show you the mountains, as you've shown me the water. Some day. I'll even keep you warm." There, a hint of a smirk in his tone, something edging towards flirtation.

Beejoux wrote:

Shark flicked his tail through the water, the long hair moving heavy and sluggish in the swells. "You think so?" He chuckled. With the ache, he'd never considered traveling much beyond the swamp, but he'd heard rumblings that it was possible now, for short periods of time. It meant he could expand his trade routes and wanderings, bring home new and exciting things to the tribe. He wondered if his hooves did offer an advantage in rockier terrain.

His idle wondering slipped away as Fear mentioned needing another body to stay warm. Shark watched him dip his head beneath the waves and tilted his head thoughtfully. Water rained over him as the totoma shook his big head, maw drawing into a a bit of an unexpected smirk. Glowing eyes widened a touch in surprise, and then Shark was smirking as well, slipping in closer to bump the totoma's chin with the end of his snout. "Promise?"

seru_ame wrote:

"Of course," Abandon rumbled, tipping his head to let Shark in closer, to his throat. Intimate, uncharacteristic, for Abandon, and somewhat careless- no, not careless. A rare impulse, but he was considering, strongly, the buck. The way he seemed to chase thrill after thrill, a hedonist to the last. It was a peculiar trait, to the normally oh-so-serious totoma. Perhaps that was why he found himself musing on those eyes, that smile, when he was waiting to slip into his slumber as of late. "I'd be a poor host if I left you cold," he murmured, half-teasing.

Beejoux wrote:

It was a measure of trust, exposing his throat to those sharp teeth, and it made that toothy smile of his all the wider for it. Shark rumbled a pleased note and nipped, just a little before brushing his cheek cheek along the thick line of Fear's throat. He wondered if the bigger buck would have lifted his chin for him that first day at the Winter Market.

"Do you want to go back in?" It wasn't unbearably cold, but it was certainly chilly in the water, and talk of sharing warmth between bodies, well...

seru_ame wrote: