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Luckily, Third did not have to wait for Anemone's go-ahead because a feminine call of alarm drifted down towards them from farther up the beach. The first sound was fairly incoherent but the second time was a clear and worried and slightly panicked "Anemone!" Following hard on the name, a petite brunette woman in a bikini top and sarong appeared, jogging over the damp sand, searching. "Anemone! Young lady, where are you? If you don't surface this instant, I might just let your father pick your punishment!"

The woman spotted Third and Constant first and came up short, blinking. Then she saw her wayward child and lizard-thing and her face broke into a huge, relieved smile. "-Darling-," she cooed as she splashed into the water and crouched, mindless of her sarong hem. "Come here." She gathered Anemone into her arms and absently tilted her head up to share the smile with Third. "Hello, there. I'm sorry if she disrupted your," she glanced at the bucket and took a guess, "mission. She's a wriggly little worm."

Third smiled at Cressida, willing Constant to his side. His daemon wagged her tail and looked up with her "friendly play" expression that seemed to melt so many hearts. One of the advantages of having puppy dog eyes and the puppy dog face to go with it.

"No, it's fine," Third said. "It isn't every day we meet other Forgotten."

"Fsssss," said Annie, which could either also mean 'how do you do' or 'hail to the dark lord!'.

"Certainly," said Third, polite and diplomatic. Perhaps a tad on the formal side, but then dealing with strangers it was better to err on the side of good manners.

Pretending to check on the crab (he had to let the poor thing go, and fast -- it was terrified) Third glanced quickly over at Trion. The former mercenary was watching Third with a close eye. Third locked eyes just long enough to send the message that there was no perceived danger at the moment before smiling up at Cressida. Message received: Trion inclined his head but continued to watch. There was trust, and then there was caution. The two were best combined where children were concerned.

Gripping the bucket close to his chest, Third wordlessly discussed these new acquaintences with Constant, wondering what a family with not one but two Forgotten must be like.

The blonde man approached with long, limber strides; he also had a small body tucked at his hip, only a little bit awkwardly, with a little cub that Third could recognize to be a lion under the other arm. He put the lion cub down at his feet once he reached Cressida, looked rather relieved at Anemone's presence, and transferred the little boy to his other arm. The little boy had dark hair and a swishing horse tail: obviously a Forgotten.

"Good afternoon," said Leon, who rarely patronized anybody out of the womb. "Thanks for finding Anemone. She tends to, ... swim away."

"She seems very good at finding things." Cressida smiled and shifted the wriggling child in her arms for a moment. Then, with a laugh, she lowered Anemone back to the shallows. "There you go, darling. Just try not to splash Third's clothing too much."

"Neither have I," admitted Third. He reached down and waved his hand through the water, sending a spray of saltwater back to Anemone. Constant joined him as only a sopping wet wolf could: jumping in the waves and providing a hefty cover of salty droplets as she splashed back down.

Using the splashing as a distraction, Third "accidentally" tipped the bucket, allowing the crab to slide down the plastic sides and back into the ocean unnoticed. He hoped it would enjoy its freedom; he dared not check lest his ruse be uncovered. He only smiling at Anemone in daring invitation.