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If Siel were ever asked as to how his family got to Matori he couldn't say. The trip through Oba had been so rushed that he'd slept through most of it, but he did vaguely remember a lot of sand. Something about being there put his fathers' on edge, papa especially, so that part of their travels hadn't been very pleasant. Coming into Matori, however, seemed to bring a sense of relief across the little family. Papa was soooo much happier here, and thus, so was Siel! Not only was it nicer to see his fathers' in a better mood, but it was a lot easier to get by with his shenanigans when they weren't on edge.

For the time being the family had settled just outside of Sald. It was to the South, or so he'd been told, and it looked small. Papa said it was because of bad things that had happened long ago. A lot of people had been forced to leave home when they didn't want to by bad men, but now it was getting better. What folk that did still there catered to the influx of tourists with bright smiles and beckoning arms full of goodies for sale. Of course, Siel didn't have an ounce of coin on him, and any time he asked for some he was shot down. If he wanted something his fathers might get it for him, but that was if it made sense. He couldn't get anything he really wanted, like a sling shot or face paint, but so long as he was hungry he was fed.

Their camp for the time being was placed close enough to the beach that they had full access to it, under supervision, of course, but also far enough out that the tide wouldn't get them. Siel liked it here the best, even if it wasn't as flashy as the village. At least here he didn't have to wear a ribbon around his waist and Baba wasn't constantly telling him not to touch anything breakable or to stop staring at people with big moles. He could just breath out here.

And besides all that, it was the ocean! He'd never seen a body of water that big in his life! The water stretched on for years, all the way to the sun, and he couldn't think of anything prettier. "Come on, come on, I want to go swimming!"

Like his siblings, Morain was able to catch on to the fact that Oba apparently was so terrible a place that even their vagabond family resented being there. Which was a shame, because leaning out of the cart drawn along by their family's two quhar, he had ogled and stared at the bright colors and beautiful clothes he spotted on the people they passed. They only skimmed past the fringes of the cities, but just coming close was more than enough to take in how tall and massive the cities were, and how many people were there. Siel hadn't believed him when he told him how big and how many people - even when Lutana primly agreed.

Soon enough, though, the desserts fell from coarse to fine and almost silky, and when they stopped and set up their tents outside of the settlement, their fathers had seemed... happy. Definitely less stormy than they'd been before.

Still... there was something really scary about all that open water. Where was the other shore?

Belrea, the adults said. Weeks away, by a powerful ship that sails through the air. That was so far away! He couldn't even wrap his little mind around it!

Drawing a shawl he'd stolen from his papa further around his shoulders, Morain perked up at his sister's challenge, and even with that trepidation towards the water, he could hardly refuse a challenge! He gently set the cloth down, making sure to fold it with infinite care, then bolted along after her. Even if he caught up a bit, he was never able to overcome her - and both of them stumbled to a stop just at the water's edge, sending sprays of sand up around them. The sand was so wet his toes sank into it - which was startling enough, but then the water CAME towards him, and with a yelp Morain skittered backwards, bumping into Siel and quickly slinging his arms around his shoulders, peering over them at the water.

You see, lakes don't generally HAVE waves... and though they'd heard the soft sighs of the water since arriving, Morain hadn't quite NOTICED them yet. "The water's trying to steal us!" He complained, his tone close to a whine.

Even though it was their first meeting with such a large body of water Lutana immediately decided that she loved the ocean. It was the most water that she had ever seen in her life and she adored it. It was wild with the way that the waves raced back and forth from the shore and when the sunlight hit it the water looked like diamonds! What if it did steal them away? Would they just keep floating forever into the unknown? Her gaze gleamed with the possibilities before she glanced back towards Morain. It was one thing if she wanted to be swept away but she would never let the waters take her brother! Lutana nodded at the thought before taking a few steps backwards towards her siblings. "I would never let it." She replied, her lips pursed into a fierce frown.

Then Siel offered his advice and Lutana nodded in agreement. "I'm sure that's it, Morain!" She smiled, her fingers relaxing from their fists as she squatted along the sand to watch the waters slowly reaching out to them. "It feels funny." She giggled as she stretched out her fingers and watched as the very edges of the waves lapped at them. Surprise lit her expression as she found a small shell beneath the sands that was trying to skitter from her touch. "Oh?" Her head tilted as she held out the small creature towards her brothers. "I guess we aren't the only ones here."

Siel went calf deep into the water and crouched, allowing it to come right up to his bum when the waves lapped against the sand. He knew he was going to be soaked before the end of the day, but the child didn't seem to mind. He liked the feeling of foam against his skin and the almost salty smell of it. The urge to just lay down in the spray was strong, but Lutana caught his attention. When he gave a half turn to see what she'd found this time, Siel found himself flopping over into the wet sand and crawling over to check it out.

"Is it hurt?" Why else would it's eye just...do something like that. That wasn't normal. He curled his lip and pulled back to sit in the sand. "Maybe it got pecked by a bird."

(3/10)

Was it hurt? Did Lutie hurt it? Morain pouted and peeked intensely at the little creature, only to shriek when Lutana made a noise. "Did it bite you?!" He gasped, alarmed - skittering out of the way to once again hide behind Siel as she lowered it carefully to the sands.

What now indeed? The obvious answer was swim, but Morain was leery of the creatures that he only just realized must live within the water. Instead- he looked down at the sand where the ocean had smoothed down the sand he and his brother had kicked up - instead making a constrictive cocoon around his toes.

"Lets... bury Siel!" He yelled, pouncing on his brother until he was knocked onto his butt in the sand, shoveling tiny handfuls over his ankles with a wicked grin.

(4/10)

"It's okay." Lutana replied after she inspected her fingers closely, "There's no blood, it just stings a bit!" She knew that if there was blood that it was messy and then her papas would get worried. So she was thankful that it was more of a surprise pinch than anything. Lutana preferred to only use her tears when asking for things after all. A mischievous smile flickered across her features at the thought before she focused back on her brothers.

Bury Siel?

That sounded....fun! Lutana let out a giggle of delight as Siel agreed and started to push himself down. "Okay, okay! It'll be great fun!" She chirped as she sat in the sand without a second thought to her clothing and began digging a hole and tossing more sad around Siel.

Siel raised himself up just enough to start digging out the sand underneath him. He took his little hands like shovels and pushed handfuls away, pausing at brief intervals when he came across a shell. For those he set off to the side for later.

It didn't take long to get his lower body covered and for once Siel couldn't move his legs. He tried every once in a while to wiggle them, prompting even more sand to be packed around his toes, but once everything was solid he was truly trapped. And eventually his arms were packed in the sand as well leaving only his collar bones exposed as well as his head.

"Look, I'm a plant!"

(5/10)

A plant! Morain burst into giggles, crawling around on his hands and knees so he could scoop little hills for Lutana to put the shells on. It was so weird, to see his brother disappear - but it was also so funny. He paused and watched Lutana as she darted about for driftwood, but immediately recognized what she had built behind him. "Oh!! Oh, me first!" He bounced to his feet, scooping a handful of sand up, clearing his throat.

"Oh Siel, who now is a plant. Goodbye to his legs, that are buried. In the sand." he looked down where Lutana had circled around them in shells, careful not to step on his brother. "And uh-- I hope you make yummy fruit because ... they don't have those big ones we like here in Matori." He stepped forward and carefully trickled the sand over Siel's hair, his face composed and overly serious.