Coastal Retreat

Shukiern had caught scent of the gaunt and thin female before she had even wandered up and turned his head slowly to gaze at her. She looked like she had been through some seriously troubled times and with being so hungry and out here like this, he could only imagine what she had recently been through. A purr rumbled up from his chest in compassion for her. Wondering at the back of his mind if this is what darkness could do to a person, if so he wanted no part of it. Or maybe he did. Still the war raged on inside of him, even being surrounded by so many compassionate minds and hearts.

"Pardon my saying miss, but you look awful, is there anything else we can do to help you? Have you traveled far?"

He got up and wandered over to the Shinlai sitting close to her for warmth. Shukiern really didnt know what he was doing exactly. All he knew was that he was following some well of emotions that seemed to come out of no where for this wandering woman. He moved slowly around her, knowing what he had felt like after being off and alone for so long. Even just a few whiles ago he had been the one timidly wandering up to this group wondering if they would be kind to him. Now one of the women in the group was going off into the surf to find them all fish. Being a water Shinlai he was somewhat surprised to notice the colorful female Alkyone shiver as she stepped into the depths. How odd. Maybe he should... No, he would let her use her own water powers to catch fish. Besides, he was rather content to sit close to this new female and the small pup Reza who seemed rather excited to get her own fish.

((short post is short, sorry guys XD
In the mean time, Forrgoten GREAT POST :D and wonderful descriptions!))

Scylla smiled at Zeke. She couldn't believe how sweet he had been! "Sure, Zeke! I'd love to go with you to see the others!"
She started down the cliff happily.

"Sure, Zeke! I'd love to go with you to see the others!"

With hearing Scylla say this Zeke started along down the cliff behind her. Now next to her side he gave her a little nudge. Then asking "so do you know any of the other shinlai down there?"

Nill watched as the female trotted off into the sea, she let out a weak smile "thank you..." her mind drifted, but before she could close her eyes the little pup seemed to jump out of nowhere next to her.

“Hello, I’m Reza, what’s your name nice lady?”

Nill grinned, she couldn't avoid the young pup's curiosity "My name's Nill" she said softly "It's nice to meet you Reza" she gave Reza a playful nudge with her head, such a live and beautiful pup, she wondered who's it might be.

"Pardon my saying miss, but you look awful, is there anything else we can do to help you? Have you traveled far?"

The male's voice startled her, since her attention was all on the pup. Nill watched as the male approached her, a handsome rare shinlai with a scintillant mask.

"No that's fine, I-I'm alright, just need some rest I think " she smiled in his direction as he sat down next to her. She could feel his warmth and couldn't help but feel a slight bit antsy, she hadn't been near male shinlai in a while, but at the same time it felt so good. "I've been wondering for days...I escaped from my home in the west"

"I'm sorry to be troublesome...you really didn't have to..." Nill muttered at Alkyone, her head hung low in thanks. Being locked up all that time really took a toll on her social skills, she wasn't use to getting this much attention from fellow shinlai, and it was embarassing that they had to see her in the condition she was in.

"My name's Nill." She said softly to Reza. "It's nice to meet you Reza" she gave Reza a playful nudge with her head.

Reza grinned when she nudged her. “That’s a pretty name, Nill. Want to be friends?” Said Reza wile she sits closer to Nill, slowly laying right next to her with a deep friendly smile. Reza didn’t really realize that Nill was in a really bad shape, until she really looked at her. Reza isn’t used to seeing other Shinlai in poor conditions, she always see’s them vary lively. “Are you okay Nill, you don’t look so good.” Reza said wile rubbing her head on Nill’s neck.

Siren started to come closer to Nill when she herd what Nill said to the male. “Nill, you say you have been wandering for days from your home in the west? What happened?” Siren gave her a concerned look on her face.

Alkyone finally managed to get the small ice floe to the beach. She raised the ice with her power and floated it alongside her heading back to the small group. She could see Shukeirn sat by the new female, Reza on her other side and Siren looking worried. Alkyone’s expression changed from questioning to worry. Her stride lengthened until she was trotting.

“What is it, what’s wrong?” she said as she drew close. The ice thudded into the sand behind her as she lowered her head to look at the female. She turned around swiftly grabbing the biggest fish, and dropped it in front of her. “Eat.” She said taking a couple of steps back.

I’m getting over protective again... She thought abruptly. She gave herself a slight shake before passing a fish to Reza. “You’ll feel better once you’ve eaten. And I can always get you some more if you wish.” She said sitting down, indicating they could take a fish if they wanted. The ice wasn’t going to melt anytime soon, thanks to her skills, so it would keep the fish cool enough to be eaten later. However, she personally couldn’t stand raw fish, she’d only eat it as a last resort.

After a moment she broke off a small chunk of ice and set about crafting something, she hadn’t tried it too often but none the less she gave it ago. Several minutes later she had manipulated the ice into the liking of her mate. She put it on top of the ice in amongst the rest of the fish, and watched it slide about slightly. Well I seem to be a little bored. She thought, raising a brow a to herself.

Rhin didn't hear Mel's short rant, as he already welcoming the newcomer.

The blue Shinlai replied calmly and iquisitively.

"I'm Shukiern, Water elementalist and world traveller. Now then, would you all please sit still for half a second so I can figure out all of your names?"

Rhin was about to open his mouth to tell him, when the nice lady introduced all of them. It was a good thing though since he knew he would have stuttured a bit. Social 'Lai interaction was not his 'thing'.

He kept quiet while listening the conversation that rolled in front of him. He found it interesting that a Shinlai would spend as much as 20 years travelling after something... not palpable. Rhin was not the religious type, although he believed that good actions lead to good accomplishments in the future.

It wasn't long before a malnourished female appeared on the beach, hardly being able to walk to where they stood. Rhin quickly turned his attention to her and calmly asked

"Are you alright? You seem dehidrated... Don't worry, Alkyone has already gone looking for some fish, I'll try and get you some fresh water."

He knew that more importantly than food, water was essential to keep her okay, so he turned to Shukiern and asked in a firm tone

"Please, could you get her some fresh water? She needs it in order to get better. Her condition isn't critical, but she'll do much better once she has a drink."

All of Rhin's requests almost sounded like orders, but his tone wasn't intentional. Living around human soldiers for so long made him that way.

Whenever he found anyone injured or sick, he just couldn't live that person, Shinlai or creature behind, it just wasn't his nature.


((quick post, I know, I'm sorry D: But I have so little time ahhhhh DX))

((......*preforms CPR* Live damn it!......))

"Are you alright? You seem dehidrated... Don't worry, Alkyone has already gone looking for some fish, I'll try and get you some fresh water."


Nill nodded her head in thanks towards him, but paused for a momment as he spoke with Shukiern "I know this pup.." she thought to herself and squinted her eyes trying to recall who he was.

“Eat.”

"Th-thank you...hum... Alkyone was it?" she smiled softly in Alk's direction and took the fish, she didnt even waste time picking out any bones and simply swallowed it whole. "They are deliscious!" she licked her muzzle clean, then stared back at the young male shinlai, finally it came to her, it was Rhin, her nephew, it just had to be.

"A-Ah!! R-Rhin is that you?!" she shout out at him

Mel sat where Alk dropped her and watched what happened around her, getting up to stand by her Rhin. She watched as he started to care for her and how all the others were helping, too; Alk with the fish, the blue Shukiern, and the nice pup. She wished she could do something to help the other female, the one she had said her name was Nill, sitting and thinking about it when Nill's cry of "A-Ah!! R-Rhin is that you?!" startled her. She looked at Rhin and Nill, wondering how they knew each other... Though she did notice something that might have been familiarity? She looked back at Rhin, confused, asking, "Rhin?" Her look hopefully asking him to explain if he knows how.

While talking to Shukiern, Rhin got interrupted by the loud cry of the pink female.

"A-Ah!! R-Rhin is that you?!"

Surprised that she knew his name, Rhin turned to face said female with a confused look on his face, rudely ignoring what Shukiern might have been saying at that very momment.

"Rhin?" Mel asked with the same confused look, looking for an answer from her mate. Rhin didn't seem to hear her.

"How.. Where do you know me from...?" Could it be that this Shinali was a familiar of his? It couldn't be his sister, she was older than him, could it be his aunt? His half sister fro ma past litter? His... mother? All this thoughts run through his mind in the quarter of a second before he asked "Please, if you do know me, tell me... are you a familiar of mine?"

Rhin's desperate search for his parents could be over soon. All those years living with humans haven't helped him improve his Shinlai social skills and have kept him wondering why he wasn't raised with his parents.


((I'm writting his Bio on DA soon so you can follow why he's like this and all that. He supposedly got lost from his parents when he was just a young pup, and got "adopted" by humans, so he doesn't really know who his parents are.))

Alkyone looked up sharply at Nill’s outcry. Her eyes flicked back and forth between Rhin and Nill. There was a certain resemblance between the two, the stripes, way the horns shaped, the eye colour... her thoughts dwindled off. There was a close resemblance, but not enough to be a direct relation. She quietly climbed to her and moved around to sit close to Mel. The answer to Rhin’s questions might affect Mel too...

“There is a semblance between the two.” She said quietly to Mel, she didn’t want to interrupt the possible family reunion. She lay down so she was a head height to Mel, making it easier to talk. She watched with clear interest, this was the kind of stuff that caught her attention. Gossip. If there was some to be found, she’d find it. It was something to tell Dagda at least.

Mel looked at Rhin when he asked Nill, "How.. Where do you know me from...? Please, if you do know me, tell me... are you a familiar of mine?" Mel knew how important it was for Rhin to find his parents, and she was glad that he had a chance of finding them... Even if a small one. "There is a semblance between the two.” Alkyone told her, she said as she lay down to look her face to face. "I hope she can help Rhin... It'd be nice for him to know some of his family..."

"Please, if you do know me, tell me... are you a familiar of mine?"


She watched as Rhin seemed eager and even desperate to know, Nill staggered to her feet and gazed at him head to toe "It-It really is you...Rhinonau" she took a step forward "I am your aunt" although she wanted to rush in and tackle him from they joy overflowing her body, she held still, she knew the pup had gone missing years ago, presumed dead by both his parents and her. News like that might come as a shock to him, Nill herself was in shock that he was alive.

Scylla grinned, her claws tapping on the porcelain-like stone. "Sure do! I know at least..." she counted in her head. "...Thr... four of them! I think there are some more down there, though, so I'm not sure who everyone is. How 'bout you?"

"How 'bout you?"

Looking down below at the group of many Shinlai he paused in his slight run saying "Well not many, but one who I actually just met."

Returning to a trot for they were getting closer to the beach, and he did not wanna stop now. For he was very interested to meet the group down there. Though he was good at starting conversations he rarely was out, so having others to learn to know was good he thought.

Walking off the grass onto the sand he shouted " Hello fellow Shinlai"

As fate would have it, Kohinoor was in the nearby area and upwind of the other Shinlai. Makat, her human friend, had asked her to help transport some things to a few villages several days ago. After notifying Nootau of her departure, Kohinoor had left with Makat. Already they had stopped at one village and were leisurely making their way to the next. Wind rustled the trees as the pair wandered through the forested area, carrying their scents towards the gathered Shinlai. From her vantage point on Kohinoor's back, Makat was constantly looking around as she sorted and resorted her supplies.

"Mak, if you keep that up, I'll begin to think something is wrong." Kohinoor remarked dryly to her companion. An indignant sniff was all she received as a response.

There was a small time of silence before Makat actually spoke. "I'm wondering what this next village will need. I don't want to deplete the supplies too fast."

"Knowing you, that will be hard to do." She lowered her nose discreetly to smell the scent trails left by several Shinlai. None registered as individuals to avoid so she approached a clearing...

As Reza lies next to Nill, Alkyone passed Reza a big juicy fish. Reza is so excited to eat it. “Thank you Alkyone.” Reza said wile starting to chow down on the fish. Then Reza started to feel Nill get up and slowly walk towards a young white male shinlai that she never met before. So Reza just lays there and watches. ‘I wonder what’s going on’ she thought.

Siren watches as a small family is getting back together. She smiles and started to head to the ocean with out saying a word. Siren slowly walks in and dives. She wanted to help catch some more fish for everyone. Siren is a vary good swimmer, she always catches fish for her little pup.

The female rose to her feet, trembling due to her fragile condition.

"It-It really is you...Rhinonau" the pink Shinlai said, before taking a step forward and stating "I am your aunt."


The words hit Rhin like a brick. He had a relative... a Shinlai relative! This was his aunt. Would it be his mother's sister? Or his father's? He wanted to ask so much... But he knew Nill needed to rest, and that they could talk later, no matter how thrilled he was to reunite with one of his blood. As quickly as excitement drove through his mind, confusion settled in.

He sat down with a flop, his head hanging low, staring at the sand covering Nill's feet. A few deep breaths later, he rose his head and stared at the female's eyes.

"My 'aunt'... you know... it's odd to look at you and call you my 'aunt'... and I don't mean to be rude or anything, lady, it's just that in 24 years I've had a human aunt and..." he chuckle nervously as his sentence remained unfinished. He didn't know what to say to regular Shinlai, let alone a relative of his. What was he suposed to say? What was he suposed to feel?

"I'm sorry..." he said with a deep sigh as he got up and walked away from that spot. It was too much for him to handle at that very momment. He needed to stay alone for a while. Or maybe he only needed to talk to someone...

Alkyone watched as Siren headed down to the beach and dived into the waves. “Happy hunting.” She said quietly, she looked at Reza and scooted slightly closer. With all the other Shinlai around she didn’t want the little one getting lost or stood on. She looked up as Nill spoke again. Her jaw dropped briefly at her words but she quickly snapped her mouth shut. She watched concerned as Rhin seemed to have trouble processing this information. Her eyes grew worried as Rhin turned and walked away from them.

She gave Mel a gentle nudge on the shoulder. “Go to him, but give him space if he needs it.” She said encouragingly. She stood and moved to Nill. “Hey... Lie down and relax. He’ll come back he just needs a bit of time to work things out.” she said sitting down and gently making Nill sit too. She looked so fragile and nervous. She wrapped her tail around Nill and sat close sharing her body heat.

Mel watched as Rhin took all the information in. "My 'aunt'... you know... it's odd to look at you and call you my 'aunt'... and I don't mean to be rude or anything, lady, it's just that in 24 years I've had a human aunt and... I'm sorry..." she watched as he walked off, standing to follow when Alkyone nudged her and said, “Go to him, but give him space if he needs it.” Mel nodded and took off after Rhin. "Hey! Slow down! I don't have legs as long as yours!" she called after him, following him until he slowed. "Was it too much at once?" she asked, concerned.

"My 'aunt'... you know... it's odd to look at you and call you my 'aunt'... and I don't mean to be rude or anything, lady, it's just that in 24 years I've had a human aunt and..." he chuckled, he was obviously nervous and in shock
"I'm sorry..." Rhin apologize and walked off.

"R-Rhin--!" Nill was about to chase after him, but thought it was best to leave him be and let it sink in. Slowly Alkyone padded towards her and sat down. “Hey... Lie down and relax. He’ll come back he just needs a bit of time to work things out.” She nodded and sat down as well. Alk was so fluffy and warm, it made her feel like a pup again. Nill nuzzled against her fur and smiled softly, although deep down she felt bad for causing a commotion and for making Rhin feel constricted around her. "Thank you" she mumbled barely enough to be heard.

Rhin took large steps towards the forested area right next to the beach. Overwhelming thaughts took over his head making his senses shut down from his surroundings. He almost didn't hear his mate approach.

"Hey! Slow down! I don't have legs as long as yours!" the panting female said. Rhin slowed the pace, enabling her to get closer to him. He turned to her with a soft look on his face. He didn't want to trouble her anymore than she could be.

"Was it too much at once?" Mel asked softly.

Rhin nodded, directing his eyes to the ground. He sat down, head set low and sighed. He didn't know what to say. He might as well just tell her everything...

"You know... you know I was never too good with Shinlai right...? Well... there's a good reason for that." Rhin continued, telling her his life story from when he remembered, his years spent with humans, his lack of Shinlai contact, his parent's absence... Mel already knew that he spent much time travelling back and forth between human and Shinlai communities, but she never heard the reason of such actions.
He stopped for a brief while watching Mel's reaction.

"I hope this doesn't affect us..." he said meeting eyes with his mate.

The sound of rapidly approaching creatures sent Kohinoor into defensive mode as she lowered her head and body closer to the ground. As the steps slowed, the Fire Shinlai moved forward warily. She was doubtlessly good in a fight, able to create fire and manipulate it with ease, but her senses told her that there were two Shinlai about. A slight turn in direction brought the strangers into view, a male and female obviously having a heart to heart. Something about the male was familiar but hard to remember...

It isn't very nice to put the nice traveling shinlai on edge with all your noise." Kohinoor commented innocently as she walked closer to the two. On her back, Makat remained quiet and studied the others. Faint traces of an oh so familiar scent wafted towards her and the female peered curiously at the pair. "You haven't been around a small Shinlai named Nill lately, have you?" Why in the world two perfect strangers smell like her mate's sister... Odd.

Alkyone smiled as Nill burrowed into her long thick coat. My fur seems to have strange effects on other Shinlai. She mused to herself. Heh I’ll have to hug other Shinlai and see how they reacted...

She heard a mumble of ‘thank you’ from Nill. “Don’t worry about it dear.” She said, she hesitated briefly before asking. “So if your his aunt, then whom is his mum and dad?” she asked slowly. She wasn’t sure if Nill would tell her but she was curious.