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Summer’s approach had melted most of the snow from the little sanctuary nestled in a valley along the border of Tale and Sauti. It was so nice of a day that Azreal and the other two younglings had been urged outside to go and play around in the yard surrounding the great stone manor. In the distance roamed various creatures from all over Tendaji, their enclosures large enough to allow most creatures to have a couple of acres to roam across. Forest decorated the outer edges of the sanctuary with the mountains of Zena looming towards the north. Behind the manor was also a large building acting as shelter for several of the animals and even the abandoned forge, but Azreal wasn’t interested in any of that. He had a small wooden boat cradled in his hands and he was eager to try and see if they could actually play towards the nearby shallow stream that cut across part of his family’s lands. Of course he would have to see if he could get his brother to agree along with their other companion who had been left to play with them again.

It would be nice to be able to play in the shallow waters now that they weren’t frozen. Azreal just wanted to see how far his little boat could go outside of the confines of the bath. He just had to protect the thing from any sabotage. The child pursed his lips thoughtfully before holding his toy of choice closer. While they had a playroom inside with quite a few toys, a result of family members mainly his Aunty always bringing gifts, the boys were only allowed to bring out one or two sturdy ones at the most when it came to playing outside. He was curious about what the other two younglings would want to do. He had already raced outside and was now pacing across the fresh green grass, his sandals almost making a pattern in the ground as he circled impatiently.

Zakia wasn't all that sure she liked the sanctuary, to be honest.

Every year her mother brought her out in the warmer months to spend time with their friends, and that was the part she loved the most. Zakia was always so excited to see Azreal and Kuno; so much so that she would barely sleep through the entire journey because her adrenaline was so strong! Auntie Rho was just so nice and even Kian wasn't too bad, especially when he would show her some of his magic. It all seemed like a grand time, and would have been, if there were more trees.

After spending most of the year swamped in vegetation and humidity so high that one was almost forced to wear the bare minimum, being out here just made her feel so exposed. Zakia rarely went out by herself, despite the relative safety of the sanctuary, but thankfully she never really had to be alone. If the adults weren't around one of the boys were, which helped with her anxieties.

This morning, however, she'd slept in and was running late. By the time she'd made it outside the brothers were already moving away from the house and the little alk had to run just to catch up with them. Not that it was hard! Even though she was nearly two years younger than them Zakia was already starting to outgrow the two. Her hair was still down when she made it over towards them, and she haphazardly tied it back. "Did you guys see the stars last night? Mama and I watched them; we drew them in her journal if you want to see later!"

"I wasn't slow," he objected. "You're just early." He wasn't about to admit taking too long! Besides, at least he wasn't the last one to show up! Of course, it didn't take the third party long to catch up, and Kuno gave her a grin matching Azreal's. It was always so much fun when the three of them were able to play.

"The stars? I saw 'em out the window, but guess I didn't try lookin'," he replied with a curious expression. His own thoughts echoed his brother's, wondering what made last night's stars special compared to the other nights. Maybe it had something to do with all those trees Zakia had talked about being back home before. It would be neat to see them one day!

"Uh huh." Azreal just shook his head at both of them. If he wanted to slip away then he would. He wouldn't be that easy to track down! At least that was what he told himself. Zyphire had said that if they crossed the stream then it would wash away the scent....Azreal pursed his lips thoughtfully before listening to Zakia's description of the changing stars, "Then you'll have to show us tonight or somethin'." He finally replied with a firm nod, "Cause I've looked at the stars plenty 'fore and never saw any birds before."

As they got closer to the stream, the youngling glanced up towards the sky, "I can even pick out something in the clouds. Look! See it's a mamu." Shifting his toy ship so that it was more secured in one arm, Azreal pointed up with his free hand towards a rather large and lumpy cloud that could in a way look like a mamu with its trunk curved upwards. Now that made sense to him. He just didn't understand how Zakia thought that the stars looked like anything special. They were pretty sure but all they did was sparkle like little dots in the skies.

[3/10]

Zakia pursed her lips. Azreal could be a real butt when he wanted to be. You don't know everything, jerk. She'd show him! There were plenty of birds in the stars and lots of other things, too! "What do you mean, yet? By the time you do need 'em you'll be old and dumb." Her mama made it a point to show her every time they were outside the jungle just in case Zakia got lose. Learning about them in Jauhar was pointless; the dense jungle kept them from seeing the sky most of the time, but out here the possibilities were endless!

She paused to look up at the sky, seeing little more than, as Kuno said, a 'puffy cloud'. Tilting her head to the side, the little alkidike huffed and kept walking. "I've looked at clouds all the time but I've never seen any mamu there." She spat, tossing Azreal's words right back him. She pointedly walked past the earthling boy and got a little closer to the water.

Brow rising, he paused a moment before grinning smartly. "If we're old an' dumb by then, we aint gonna need 'em at all." Still... maybe it would be best to ask mama or Aunt Mnyiri to explain this whole star thing before long... He certainly didn't want to be old and dumb!

Walking a little closer to the ruffled pair, he peered at the stream before throwing his ball at it to cause a little splash. "Looks fine to me," he approved with a giggle, walking along the stream as his ball floated along with the gentle current.

Okay, it looked like the stream was good to go. Azreal watched as his brother's ball floated along the waters. So far nothing had jumped out to claim the toy so he felt more secure it placing his boat into the waters. "We would have to see." He replied as he glanced over at Zakia. Would Kuno agree though? Surely his boat would win....right?

Studying the wooden toy, Azreal finally lifted his fingers from its sides so that it would start bobbing up and down in the waters. "Kuno, catch your ball? I'll come down towards you guys with the ship." He called out as he started to follow along, his feet inching closer towards the shallow waters once he saw that Zakia was already wading along. If she could do it then surely he could brave the chilly waters as well!

[5/10]

With the water passing over her tinted skin Zakia could imagine it was a little deeper just because of the mixing colors. She wiggled her toes under the stones, mixing with the muck and mud, the chilling having dissipated. Rivers and streams were harder to come by in the jungle so seeing one out in the open was always an adventure for her.

"Alright!" Without complaint the little hybrid turned on her heel, nearly slipping once again, and waded further down the stream. She wasn't sure how far to go exactly, but she passed over a few 'obstacles' and a patch where the water got a little faster. There was a patch of raised rocks that might slow down either the boat or the ball, but that just made the race fun! When she was sure she'd found a good spot she turned. "Okay, get ready!"