Samanayrs

((Please do NOT respond to this post until August 1st PST.))

Rules & Info

- Items given out will be based on effort, creativity, and a little randomness. No one will go home with an empty basket! The area(s) you search may affect the prizes available.
- Please remember that you will not know what your Sam has found until I have written a response to your RP post and given out items. If you found them in an earlier round and aren't careful, they may be lost in a later round's misstep! (This will be a random roll for everyone each round.)
- Please include which location your Samanayr is searching in your post. Please note you may only go to ONE location in a single post, though you can move to another area in a later post if you wish.
- If you post your response before I make my second post (probably at least 48 hours), you will have an opportunity to do twice the searching. (And if everyone responds to both posts before the week is up, there may just be a third round!)

Here are the people signed up to participate in this Expedition. If you don't get a chance to post for the first round, then you can certainly still post for the second. If you have any questions about the setting, please feel free to shoot me a PM.

Please include the thumbnail of your Sam at the top of each RP post.

* Seren -- Essence
* amazondreamer -- Acrobat
* Orasteele -- Fathom
* oakleafwolf -- Mystic
* LvSoulFriend -- Aurora
* Bluestarwolf12 -- Hunter
* Kagari -- Glaze
* Pristine -- Flair
* Janalee -- Joy
* Nova Night -- Fever
* Stormelle -- Etching
* Yildun -- Guardian


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After suffering through months of an unusually oppressive summer, the Sharians have decided to take their annual expedition party northward in search of a cooler climate... a much cooler climate!

Travel goes quickly over the salty waters of a large sea. Event participants soon find themselves in the territory bordered by both Aquatic and Northern Aquatic Songs. The water temperature would be considered biting but bearable for standard Aquatics and extremely temperate for their thick-skinned Northern cousins.

They dock on a small, rocky island that appears barren at first glance. Northern sea birds call out all around them and several seals move away from the beach in agitation. The beach contains rocks from pebbles to boulders, and there are several clearly-marked paths through the rock indicated by the Sharians for their small travel companions.

Special water-resistant leather bags are fitted to marine participants while the rest are equipped with standard padded gear that can still survive a dip just fine. Sharp winds whip at their fur and gray clouds obscure the sunlight that had graced their voyage up to that point.


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The island’s barren appearance is deceptive. Once past the initial rocky shore, a patchy expanse of hardy northern grasses cling stubbornly to establish a foothold in the crags between stones. A mostly-flat expanse is littered with rocks and pools of water. It would be nearly impossible to pass through this area without getting wet hooves, and possibly more depending on how deep the pools run. Stones are slick and, along the western side of the island, a rogue wave will occasionally sweep its way inland, catching the unwary in a sudden rush of shallow but swift-moving water. They face no danger of being swept out to sea, but it would be dangerously easy to slip and injure themselves on the cold rocks. (Non-aquatic only.)

Up past the beach, a slope covered by unstable scree leads up to a steep wall of craggy cliffs. Rocks litter the ground and make navigation tricky, since one loose stone could send them sliding back several feet. Once searchers reach the cliffs themselves, extremely narrow paths wend their way up the face, broken by the occasional gap where rock has fallen to the ground below. There could easily be valuable items tucked away inside crevices and hidden among the rocks, but the journey will be hazardous and some nesting birds might be displeased by their progress. At the top of the cliffs is a plateau covered by shallow, icy pools and dotted with the reddish ground cover of northern blueberry plants. (Non-aquatic only.)

The rocky beaches themselves offer a wealth of unexplored nooks and crannies. The water is only a handful of feet deep for several yards out in most places and unpolluted, though constantly churned by tidal activity. The tide looks low and there are many invertibrates littering the area's tidepools. The beach rings the entirety of the island with the exception of the northern cliff face that drops from a high plateau above. Waters to the north and west are the most active on the island, with strong waves rolling in. The ship initially docked on the calmer southern tip. (Non-aquatic and aquatic.)

For those swimmers ready to brave the chill, there is an underwater kelp forest a ways off the coast of the island. While the tops of the gigantic kelp plants reach the water’s surface, they descend into a partially shaded middle region and a darkened seafloor. Many fish and other marine wildlife make their homes in this area, and various marine mammals skirt the edges to feed on resident smaller organisms. The leafy plants could obscure all sorts of unknown treasures! (Aquatic only.)

Etching shivered, though she was unconscious of this fact due to how long she'd been doing it and how excited she was at the prospect of getting a chance to go exploring. She couldn't help it, despite usually being a mild mannered and quiet mare, as soon as they'd docked she spread her double wings and took flight, not wanting to wait her turn to walk down the plank to the path below. She landed gracefully not too many feet away though, such exploring wouldn't be nearly fun by herself, nope. She flicked her tail and glanced behind, checking to see who was following. Or, rather, hoping someone was following.

She shifts her attention for the time being, the process of unloading seems to be slow for those who've not been as impatient as her, her eyes fall to the northern grasses before her, blue eyes watching them curiously for a moment, So different! she thought, though a smile graced her mouth as she began to move toward the grasses, admiring their stubbornness to grow in such an area as she noticed the many small pools before her. Her long her fall back slightly as she halts her advance, glancing behind once more, as she debates weather to move past the pool via flight or peak in them as she so desires to do.


((OOC: I don't really know what I'm doing aside from exploring sooo...Forgive me. ><; I'm just excited to play Etching so I wanted to get a post in before I head to bed. I'll be back in about 8-10 hours. *waves*))

The entire trip up to their arrival at this rocky island had been, in one word, miserable.

The mere fact that Hunter had bothered to leave his nice, happy, barren tundra of a home had been a wonder in and of itself, but leaving there for an Expedition, involving other Sams, and a trip to the hot, dry, highly populated South? The yearling had almost turned back in distaste the moment he realized the snow patches were dwindling.

But that nomad dude had been really, really convincing.

So Hunter of the Frigid Tundra had continued determinedly on into the not-at-all-frigid, not-at-all-tundra of "where the Sharians are". And, despite his intense hesitation about getting on a boat to go out into the middle of the ocean, there was absolutely no way he was going to turn back at that point. All or nothing, baby.

His scowl slowly turned into a snide grin, however, as they travelled farther North and he noticed a couple of the other Sams beginning to shiver. Wimps. It wasn't even cold yet! How could they already be shivering? Were Southern Sams really that unaccustomed to the cold? Granted, several of the other fluffier Expedition members looked just fine, just still! It was clear that Hunter would have an edge here.

Or, at least, he would if there were any non-wet places for him to search. He wasn't sure quite how great an edge he would have in swimming.

Or really being wet, period.

Hunter was out of the boat almost the moment they'd made landfall, clawed paws carrying him quickly up the stony beach. His lungs greedily inhaled the chill air, glad to once more be breathing in air of the proper temperature. The Yearling surveyed his options as he stretched himself out from the boat ride. Grassy area, wet, bluh. Beach area, really wet, super bluh. Ocean, ahahahahahahaha, not a chance. But those craggy cliffs certainly looked promising... They reminded him of some of the cliffs he had back in his snowy home, just with less snow; a fact that would surely make them easier to climb safely. What's more, the Yearling was far smaller than any of the other Sams on the trip. If anyone stood a chance of climbing them, it was him.

So Hunter fearlessly started his trek up the cliff, tiny paws allowing him to pick effortlessly between the rocks, cliff-scaling experience and size making it fairly easy to avoid loose stones. He kept his eyes peeled as he went for anything that might be of value to the Sharians amongst the dull grey and brown rock. Little showed itself, however. At least until he reached a huge break in the path.

He could see something differently-colored wedged in between a couple of rocks on the other side. Hunter had reached other path breaks already, and had cleared them with relative ease, but this one was much wider than the others.

He could probably make it.

Probably.

The Yearling took several steps back, lowering himself into a crouch as he eyed the break. He took in a long, deep breath, muscles tensing and relaxing as he shifted himself into something resembling a hunting crouch, rear end wiggling in the air a bit.

Three... Two... One... Go!

Hunter pushed himself forward, short, powerful legs giving him as much speed as they could before he hurtled himself off the edge, air rushing through his fur as he soared over the gap.

Alas, he did not make it all the way over.

The Yearling's claws scrabbled desperately for a foothold on the other side. He had been getting so close to the top, too! He couldn't lose all that progress now, could he?! And when he'd just seen a potentially Sharian-valued object on the other side...

With a last determined effort, Hunter attempted to haul himself up to the other side, claws digging into the ground as his predator's muscles worked to pull his weight up.

Were the cliff more solid, he'd have definately made it up. But... would the rocks remain stable long enough?

Bound as he was to follow his Sharian master, Flair was oblivious to the destination of the upcoming expedition until his primping was finished and he was carried off the boat and set down on a weathered wooden dock, then pointed in the direction of a stony island. The biting breeze clawed at his outer layers of freshly-brushed hair, but only the barest cold penetrated, and it was sweet relief compared to the oppressive heat of the summer on the days he'd been walked recently.

As he was loaded up with some manner of padded gear - he fidgeted in appropriate annoyance - his skeptical eyes watched the irate-sounding seabirds above. If one of them so much as dared fly over him and let loose...

Suddenly, his Sharian master was urging him forward. He looked at the landscape, then curiously up at the Sharian. When he received no response but another shove forward, he... looked at the landscape, then gave his master the most pitiful look he could muster. His soulful, puppy-ish eyes must have been lost beneath his expertly-pinned-up hair, though, because all his master did was usher him forward again. Flair's head drooped and he shuffled forward resignedly.

As Flair passed the beach - not even giving it a moment's thought - and traveled up the island, he found he had the choice of scouting through some grass or approaching some rocky cliffs. Already scouring the grass was another Samanayr from the trip, Etching, whose blue and white stood out against the bleak gray-green grasses and deep umber dirt. She seemed to be enjoying herself. His eyes moved to the cliffs, where more seabirds circled and a daunting climb most certainly awaited.

Incontinent seabirds or another Samanayr. His gaze flickered between the two, as his nose climbed higher and higher into the air. Finally, he gave a disdainful sniffling snort in Etching's direction and headed toward the craggy cliffs.

As he reached the scree, it was clear his appraisal of the difficulty had been spot-on; he felt the rocks slipping around beneath him, threatening to topple him over. He was no stranger to fancy footwork, though, with the upbringing he had, and he was most certainly not about to get his hair dirty.

After several near-falls, he made it to the paths he'd seen jutting up through the cliff-face. His head bobbed as he tried to decide which steep, winding path to take, when suddenly a Yearling (Hunter) trotted up, looking full of determination and pluck, and immediately began picking his way upward. With a grumbling whuff, Flair decided the Yearling had made his choice for him; he chose a path completely separate from the youngster's, and pressed onward. Knowing that he was on an expedition, he kept his eyes peeled as he carefully made his way upward, trying to keep any bit of his hair from touching the visibly-dirty rockiness around him. He grimaced and stuck out his tongue as he came to an area with some small outcroppings, upon almost every one of which sat a nest with a sleeping bird inside.

He briefly wondered if he was expected to actually look in these birds' nests. He would just sneak past them, if he could... but at that moment, a stray sea-breeze chose to tickle his nostrils, and he let out a dainty, feminine 'choo!' Birds roused themselves almost immediately, and the look of horror in Flair's suddenly-wide eyes was masked by the opening and beating of dozens of startled wings as a raucous 'CAW' echoed up the cliffside.

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After some time, Flair found himself at the cliffs' apex, which flattened out into the expanse of a plateau. His weary eyes peered at the pools and blueberry bushes through the matted, white-flecked mass of his now-unkempt mane. He was driven forward by his irritation. There better be something good here; he kicked through the nearest puddle in agitation and disgust.

((OOC: My first RP expedition and I also don't know what I'm doing; not sure how far I was supposed to take him up the cliffs, I hope I haven't assumed too much. This was fun to write either way, though! XD

ETA: Haha, of course it took me so long to write there are appearing posts! *fixes hers* Hunter is so cute, Blue ))

The boat ride out had been rather tiring on Essence, feeling stuck on that ship, surrounded by Sharians and prattling Samanayrs. Bah. She had felt queasy, but she knew it wasn’t because of the rocking of the deck underfoot- it was that never-ending talk! It was too much for a Sam to take! She leapt down from the plank, looking about on the shores. It was one…. Bearable thing. That salty sea-breeze, the cooler air than the stinking sun of home, dratted summer. The mare could be perfectly… cheerful… but not when the air was muggy and bogging down.

She stood still for her bags, slightly annoyed that the bags were blocking some of the refreshing air from her eager body, but she remained quiet and steady, watching the others. Gah. She felt bogged in still, even if they were off the boat. She raised a chocolate-colored hoof thoughtfully, eyeing three Sams trotting off in a few directions. Two of them headed for the cliffs rising above the rocky beaches, two fluffy stallions- one with lustrous fur. Pah, her stallion Yearning had much prettier-colored fur. The colt reminded her briefly of her now-grown son- in colors that was. He was far too eager- but the Northern mare had to give him points for pushing past the fluffy-stallion. She had now raised her nose slightly, sniffing at the grasses past the docking place.

But the fine-limbed blue and white mare was headed that way, and it felt like those grasses would itch like the hot-air. Oh, how she missed her open chilly lands, where she and Yearning were free to be alone in content silence. She snorted and glanced back again along the docking-place, towards the expanse of beaches. Rocks rose along the sand, almost like the tundra in summer, rocky and brown. That was the place for her- she could not go into the cold waters unfortunately… that would chill her out quickly. But the beaches would work. Good enough.

The creamy and chocolate colored mare trotted off towards the rocky beaches, hurrying forward with a waving tail, feathers gleaming some as she felt the wet puddles form underhoof, turning to sloshing up to her hocks, enjoying the chill through her skin. A little snort that could almost be joyful came unbidden from her muzzle, as she skittered over a dark gray rock, stepping back into another tidal pool. Her dark blue eyes glanced over the shimmering water and the rock, idly searching, for something to possibly rise her low spirits.

((No offense to any other Sam owners! XD Essence doesn’t do well with others, she gets grumpy when she’s uncomfortable! XD))

Black eyes surveyed their surroundings calmly, while a green spotted nose breathed in the cool air deeply. Inside though, Aurora was bouncing up and down like a small foal. She hadn't been back to the northern areas since she first ventured out on her own, and cold breeze dancing around her neck and ruffling her fur was like an old friend welcoming her back home.

During the boat ride over, she had managed to secure a spot near the side of the ship, able to peek over the edge if she stretched onto her hind legs. Her long ears had kept track of the various conversations, though she had no clue what had been said, to be honest. Her eyes had been focused on the water and rolling waves. Not that she could swim, far from it! But she had been curious as to what song claimed this area as their own, or leaved nearby, at least. She knew she had some distant kin who were Northern Aquatics, but that was all she knew.

The docking of the ship roused her from her thoughts, and she managed to be one of the first ones off the ship. Stretching slightly, she waited until the Sharians had placed the bags across her back, tugging slightly at one strap that was rubbing her at her scales uncomfortably. Having completed that, she eyed the areas that had been indicated to them for searching.

The kelp forest was obviously out of her reach, as she was unable to swim, or hold her breath for the length of time that would be needed. The craggy cliffs she would avoid, at the moment. Antlers and narrow, rocky paths did not mix, she'd found out. That left the rocky beaches, and the grassy area above. Eying the amount of water on the beach, Aurora made the swift decision to search the northern grasses. Surely it would be a bit drier there!

To her disappointment, it was only marginally drier, with pools of water scattered every which way. Carefully picking her way along, she managed to avoid getting more than her hooves wet. At least until the wave caught her. Large hooves spread wide, grateful for the size of them for once, she managed to avoid being knocked over, although it also had the unhappy occurrence of getting water up her nose. Sputtering in dismay, she shook her head, and then her body, spraying water everywhere. Eyes narrowed in disgust, she glared at the ocean, waves rolling in to crash at the beach.

Turning her head around, she eyed her bags with annoyance. They were sure to be full of water now!


((Bwahaha XD Had too much fun with that! And couldn't resist making her a distant kin to my NA Bubbles! They look similar in coloring ))

Acrobat of the Leaping Waves was beside himself with excitement, thrilled beyond measure to be included in one of the famous Sharian expeditions. Visions of treasures, and the admiration of his two beloved mares danced through his head as the sleek stallion had swum south from his home territory to meet the Sharian-crewed boat. It had been a real treat for the daring young stallion to swim alongside the craft, breaching and diving through the ever-cresting wave rolling of the prow.

As they neared their destination, Acrobat had fallen back towards the stern of the vessel, cruising along in the wake and conserving his strength for the adventure to come. While the boat docked and the Sharians and Samanyr-kin disembarked, Acrobat hauled himself partway up the rock strewn beach to better hear the instructions of the Sharians. Water sheeted off his gray and black hide and Acrobat tossed his head, shaking his dripping mane out of his eyes.

Acrobat struggled to conceal his impatience as the Sharians begin distributing the packs, starting of course with those closest to the boat- the terrestrial Samanayrs. When at last a female Sharian approached the torpedo-shaped stallion Acrobat smiled and chirruped a greeting. It took some maneuvering and some adjustments to the packs to accommodate the extra pair of flippers sprouting from Acrobat’s shoulders but at last the waterproof packs were secured.

At the signal to begin, Acrobat turned and headed towards the water in the awkward shuffling, galumphing gait of a Northen Aquatic on land. Returning to the shoreline where the waves roiled and danced around his flippers, Acrobat gratefully dove into the breakers. Slicing through the crashing waves the stallion swam towards deeper water, aiming to get some distance between himself and the other participants.

His first inclination had been to head towards the deep waters and the kelp forest so similar to his own home. But as he scanned the rocky coastline Acrobat grew intrigued by the potential of the crumbling coastline and hollows carved from the pounding surf. Recalling the Sharian’s description of the island he aimed for the north-western shore where the relentless pounding surf would be wearing down the rocky beach, perhaps releasing its treasures into the ocean’s depths.

The stronger currents and larger waves would be more challenging to navigate of course, but what’s life without a little danger? Acrobat chuckled at his own cleverness, expelling a stream of bubbles in his wake and cruised around western coast, keeping his eyes peeled for interesting piles of rubble.

Acrobat passed a natural jetty and a chill ran coursed him as the stallion heard an eerie, keening whistle. Acrobat paused; bobbing in a vertical orientation in the water with his head held upright and scanned the shoreline. What could have caused such a sound? Was someone in trouble? Had one of the terrestrial Samanayrs stumbled and plummeted to the sea? But no, there it was again. The same whistle, over and over.

Then he spied it, a small sea cave had been scoured from the rocky face of the island and with each crashing wave air was forced through the small opening causing a breathy whistling noise. Intrigued, Acrobat swam towards the cave maw. It would be a tight fit for the plump stallion, but his curiosity had the better of him and he squeezed himself through the rocky fissure hoping fervently that the Sharian packs would not tear.

Overcast. Of course it was overcast!, Mystic thought irritably at the low-hanging grey skies. Grasses, beaches, waves… hardly anything to cast a shadow except the sky itself. He stood at the back of the gathering of Samanayrs, furrowing his brow in an attempt to silence the low-grade headache that had plagued him since waking. The others were so… excited. So LOUD. Ugh.

As the other Samanayrs cleared out one-by-one to their respective locations, Mystic slowly advanced through the line to receive his packs. His expression must have been as stormy as the skies, because when he finally reached the gear station the Sharians exchanged a significant look as they buckled the harness around his sinuous form. Bowing his head and murmuring a hasty “thanks” to the Sharians to make up for his unusually sensitive mood, Mystic moved off and examined his options.

He wasn’t really worried about getting wet—scales made him a bit more “wash and wear” than some of his fellow explorers—but he wasn’t a strong enough swimmer to brave anything at depth and he was feeling too out-of-sorts to deal with the unpredictable nature of the cliffs and grasses. By process of elimination, that sent him off in his unique slither-walk gait toward the rocky beaches.

As Mystic slid over a few larger rocks bordering the beach, he thought regrettably about what they would be like on a sunny day. The nice, dark stones would certainly hold the sun’s energy well and would probably even feel nice enough that he could just curl up on them and leave the exploring to more ambitious Sams. Ah well, he'd signed up with the romantic notion of an above-average amount of adventure and the world gave him exactly what he wanted, throbbing skull and all. In any case, the rocks certainly weren’t warm now, so he might as well keep going.

The beach wasn’t exactly sandy, per se, but rather littered with pebbles and cobbles worn smooth by the action of the waves. Interspersed between sections of rocks were large pools of varying depth, with the water’s edge out farther. He began exploring by poking his head down into some of the smaller, more shore-side pools. Scrabbling over the loose rocks, Mystic worked his way out toward the shallow water, slipping in and swimming sinuously parallel to the shore. Keeping his head underwater to observe the bottom (except when he needed to breathe, of course), Mystic kept a lookout for anything that looked interesting.

Pebbles, pebbles, pebbles, rocks and pebbles, pebbles… Mystic thought to himself. The search didn’t seem very promising and he was just about to give up and try up on the surface again when he noticed a roundish- squarish rock that seemed to be sort of flat lying in a small depression in the undulating surface of rocks. Swimming down to get a better look at it, Mystic anchored himself with his tail and began digging with his legs at the rock, hoping that something interesting might be buried beneath it…

Why he had decided to follow the Sharian boat North he honestly wasn't certain. There was something about the gathering that had made the elemental curious and as the boat moved Fathom had enjoyed the play of the water against his scales. Somehow, he figured that he must have given them the wrong impression as when he came to the surface he found himself with leather satchels being strapped on. Well....he could play along.

The large elemental did enjoy exploring new places and if he found something worth bringing back to their attention so be it! Rather than stick around as the assembled Samanayrs went off to explore the coastline, Fathom dove down to the Kelp Forest. Leaving the land of air and light behind the stallion dove into the thick darkness of the deep water. These were the places that not many would venture, and as his eyes adjusted to the growing depths he wished he has asked his mare DarkestDeeps~Pearl to come with him on the journey. Her bioluminescence would have been a welcome help. As it was he relied less on his eyes and more on the feel of the water around him as he had done in past deep dives.

Reaching with long almost claw like fins he moved through the thick bases of the kelp strands, pushing the dense foliage out of his way as he moved past. Here and there clump or bubble would catch his eye, but nothing to get excited over. Fathom came to the conclusion that even if he found nothing, just having the chance to enjoy such an unusual and magnificent place was well worth the swim North. So different from his more tropical home, he found it simply enchanting.

Guardian wiggled with excitement the entire trip, racing with a wobbling, landlubber gait all across the boat. She laughed and panted at the swaying waves. She chattered about what sort of fish might be in them, how one might catch them, if the aquatic Sams might be swimming nearby, and whether or not treasures were littering their path even now. She barked up at the squalling birds before asking if they lived nearby, what sort of birds they were, why they were all around them, if they could talk, and if they knew what the Sharians were looking for. She pranced around the Sharians and asked them what was valuable, if they had a name for the island, how many times they'd been there, and why was it so very cold. Then she shivered and curled up next to any Sam that would let her, once she'd worn herself out. Even then she continued asking the other Sams their names, whether they'd gone on an expedition before, how this was her first time, and how she hoped to make her Song proud. It didn't matter if she was ignored. She was just so thrilled to go on her first adventure!

The excitable, energetic mare would have run off without her packs if one of the Sharians hadn't forgone his dignity and tackled her to the ground with some care not to injure her. Of course she laughed and licked his face in apology, then settled down long enough for a few brief warnings, like no drowning, as the necessary equipment was slid over her withers and strapped on tight. The second the Sharians let go, however, she'd bounded off after some of the other Sams, hoping the endless exertion might keep her warm, never mind the chilling effect of any possible sweat. Her fur was relatively thick. She was cold but she'd make due.

Unfortunately for Essence and Mystic, Guardian decided to follow them to the rocky beaches, thinking they had been the most quiet and therefore needed the most conversation. She pranced across the pebbles, pausing to dig here and there, shoving her cold nose briefly into even colder pools, and breathing out a fine white mist as she went.

"Oh wow! I hope I know what I'm looking foyr when I see it. Do eitheyr of you know? Hey, this moved," Guardian said, "Hey, look!"

She watched, hypnotized, as a hardy claw rose up out of a pool in front of her and waved around under her very nose. Then she yelped, jumping back and splashing water, just as it tried to clamp down on her poor muzzle.

"Oh! That was so rude! Did you see that? Did you?" Guardian said to the Sams currently ignoring her, before turning back to the poor, defensive crab, "You'yre ruuude. Bad, whateveyr you ayre. Bad!"

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OOC: I hope I got her accent right. And I hope you two don't mind. Hah hah. I knew who to bother as soon as I read your posts. >;)

Oh and I just realized there is a third on the beaches (also didn't notice the crab in Joy's post. Guardian's can be the same one or a different one.) But yay! Guardian really wants other Sams to talk to.

      Her sources were clearly not as reliable as she would have hoped.
      Yes, they had been right about an aquatic expedition- the first she had ever heard of, so exciting!- but they had failed to mention the true location of it. If only she could have known for sure if she could meet the Expeditioners on their return trip! She could have comfortably gathered gossip from from them to bring back to her eager listeners instead. But, since she had promised stories and gifts...well, there was really nothing to do about it. If only the Sharians had thought to ask her where to have the Expedition though!
      Dreaming of all the remote atolls and reefs she could have suggested, she failed to notice that nearly all of the other Samanayrs had already lined up to receive their packs. Well, there were advantages to being in the back of the line anyway- all the better to survey the group at! With an eager smile she took her place, trying to take it all in- well, all except for one of them, whom she glanced over quickly as if willful ignorance could make him not be there at all. The Mystic and Elemental stallions were certainly handsome ones- she wondered idly if they had Songs already, or if she might entice them to settle down among her friends. Bringing another stallion back, what a perfect gift that would make! As her eyes continued down the line, she stopped on one of them in disbelief. A Kodyla? Really?!
      No. Way.
      So they really were just as fabulously exotic as she had heard! Oh, she'd have to try and have a few words with him! Brimming with questions, she willed the line to move faster or let her through, either being perfectly decent options. As it seemed to drag on now that her interest was piqued though, and especially as he was taking off, she switched to willing him to go along the rocky beaches where she might catch up with him instead- but, alas, that came to nothing either. She shook her head regretfully at the steep cliffs, before shrugging it off. They'd have to come back to the ship afterward anyway, she'd just talk to him then! And there were others to capture her attention now- maybe even more important ones!
      She nodded approvingly as the Mystic took off along the shoreline- who knows, maybe the Kodyla could find his way down there eventually as well, which would make things so much easier for her. Her approval instantaneously turned to dismay as the Elemental glided towards the deeper waters though. Stallions! There was no need to make things so difficult for her. Perhaps she should have tried to cut in line after all.
      After getting suited up and flashing the Sharians an engaging smile, she turned towards the deep water indecisively. She doubted her chances of being able to find a water Elemental if he had much of a head-start on her- unless he wanted to be found, which was possible. But, why had he chosen where it was sure to be colder!
      No, it was better to try her luck in the shallow waters of the rocky beaches, which stood some chance of being less miserable.
      Not one to dwell over a decision once it was made, she smiled as she flitted along the shoreline, trying to guess where the Mystic may have ended up going. It was a shame everyone seemed to be searching individually, instead of in pairs or groups...
      Searching! That's right, she was suppose to be doing that for more than other Expeditioners, wasn't she? See, it would have been so much easier to stay on task if they were in groups- she'd have to suggest that to the Sharians, along with her choices for future Expedition locations.
      Humming to herself, kept an eye out for any flashes of color that might mean a Samanayr or fish to follow- who knows which could lead her to some hidden treasure! A particularly hypnotic tube worm caught her attention first- and, what's this? It's moving across the ocean floor? She giggled to herself as she finally noticed that it was a crab shell the creature had built its home on. Poor crab! Well, except that it was certainly much more camouflaged now; maybe it worked out well for both of them. Still curious about the pair, and willing to take them as an omen of sorts, she followed them expectantly as they went closer and closer to the shoreline. Normally she wouldn't go quite so close to the rocks, especially since the waves seemed to be getting somewhat more wicked the further she got from the landing space- but they wouldn't lead her wrong, would they?

((Remember that you can either go to a new location or stay in the same location for the second round! Just specify where you'll be searching in bold again. Best of luck to everyone!))

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From her airborne vantage point, Etching could see the entire expanse of the grassy area as they tapered off into the eastern and western shores. A lack of sun meant that the water didn’t send a glare up at her, so why was she suddenly squinting at one of the pools?

Her curiosity eventually got the better of her and she swooped down, landing on one of the higher rocks to avoid the cold water. Even without bright sunlight, something in the pool winked up at her. Two somethings! A pair of Gleamstones sat wedged between two larger rocks. With a little bit of fancy footwork in the knee-deep water, she would be able to dislodge them. Sodden foot tufts would make flying a bit less graceful than before.

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The rock beneath Hunter’s claws held steady as he hauled himself onto the ledge, his back legs having to scrabble for any purchase they could find in the pitted stone. He had just taken a relieved breath when a sudden SOUND startled him into nearly skittering backwards!

That had been a bark. Two barks. A chorus of barks. And they were coming from somewhere above him.

He quickly collected the scrap of color he’d seen from the other side, a tattered old Rainbow Lamanayr Feather, and moved on up the path to investigate the curious barking noise. It hadn’t stopped! But it had... diminished?

He finally caught sight of a pair of blue eyes watching him from a higher point on the cliff, tiny tongue lolling in an equally tiny mouth. A flash of black and white disappeared out of sight just as he looked, possibly another one of the creatures. The one watching him intently had warm brown fur in stark contrast to its white socks and it barked once again, confirming that it was the source of the noise.

What was it even doing here? And why was it watching him so closely? He couldn’t detect any hostility in its stance, but it seemed very intent on his climb and barked every time he stopped.



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Cold wind on the cliffs made a valiant attempt at ruining Flair’s tightly-coiffed mane, but his Sharian obviously knew their stuff and had secured the fur well. And his travels had added a bit of extra... “cement”... to hold things in place. His luxurious foot-tufts were even less fortunate, likewise bound but capturing pebbles and bits of debris despite his best efforts so that they clattered a little with each step.

The sea birds were not best pleased by his intrusion on their primary nesting ground and they made it known with loud noises and intimidation tactics, a few even bold enough to buffet him with their wings. He wasn’t close enough for more violent action. All of the ruckus displaced a few rocks, however, and sent a spray rolling past him. He managed to catch sight of a Gleamstone as it rolled past and stop its downhill progress.

When he finally reached the top of the plateau after an extended climb, it seemed far less glamorous than it must have appeared from below. Gusts of winds continued to plague him and the first pool revealed nothing to his disgruntled gaze. One of the blueberry bushes, however, turned out to conceal berries that were decidedly not blue! Two sprigs of Tandil Berries had ripened in the northern summer, their roots entwined with the native berry plant.

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While her feathery legs picked up sea water, they also stirred the swirling currents in the side pools. A mild but reaching wave came up and swept against her side, dousing her pack briefly before it subsided. Good thing everything had been properly oiled to withstand rough treatment!

Dark mollusks dotted the pools in this area as she examined them hopefully. A few brighter creatures caught her attention, as did a sudden yellow gleam amongst the rocks. Hello, how did that get there? Several tiny fish were nibbling on a Sunsnap Flower, seeming so out of place. Amazing how magic could preserve certain species even in unlikely conditions. The cheery yellow flower was sure to boost her mood, an early success to pave the way for further expedition finds.

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Though the rogue wave left her sopping wet, it also left behind a little surprise for Aurora. A soggy Brown Lamanayr Feather drooped down in front of her dark eyes, jostled when she turned to look at her bags.

The leathers were heavier now and she would need to nose at them for a minute to empty the pockets of the worst water. No sense in weighing herself down before she needed to and the feather needed to find itself a safe new home. When she went to open the first pocket, another surprise greeted her in the form of a tiny little Gleamstone that had somehow managed to wedge itself into the bag. That had been a strong wave! Also an extremely lucky beginning to the expedition... besides the whole “soaked with water and very cold” bit.

A vigorous splashing noise suddenly caught her attention from several yards away. Had another explorer been less fortunate when that wave rolled in?

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The road – or rather, beach – less traveled led Acrobat a fair distance away from the rest of the searchers. He moved swiftly through the churning water, but not so fast that he missed the unmistakable heft of a large Gleamstone flashing in the dull light from above.

His packs held fast as he wriggled his way through the cave mouth, although his newly-acquired prize gave him some trouble as it scraped against the rock. Thankfully the Sharians sent them out with quality leather. It would take more than one rough patch to damage his gear. Getting out might be a trick, though, as the shape of the opening became jagged on the inside of the cave. He’d just been able to “slide” in, albeit with some difficulty.

As he entered the dark space, light became more scarce. And that keening noise – the one he’d attributed to the air moving in and out of the cave entrance? It seemed almost louder in here. Enhanced, somehow. It echoed strangely.

It almost did sound like another Samanayr... or perhaps the ghost of one... and the tunnel appeared to descend further into the cliffs, down deeper in the water. The sound seemed as though it came from under the water.

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Mystic’s instincts were right on target when he decided to investigate the large rock. It appeared after a more thorough investigation that the rock wasn’t covered with the same amount of debris as some of the surrounding stones. A more recent addition to the area? This large? Strange...

As though to prove the point, he finally gained a little leverage underneath and dug up an entirely squashed and dying Sweetscent Flower that had somehow managed to grow underwater. Even more weird! When he breached for air, he could smell remnants of its pleasant scent even sopping wet.

He went to tuck the item away in his pack and almost didn’t notice the addition to his scales – a wet Rainbow Lamanayr Feather had plastered itself to his side when he surfaced. It must have been floating on top of the water.

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So in-tune with the gently-moving water all around him, Fathom moved easily through the large stalks and into the heart of the giant kelp forest. Numerous fish swam all around him. Here and there, a mermaid’s purse dotted the stalks, swaying harmlessly in the current until their tiny shark contents hatched.

A school of sardines swam past at great speed, shining silver scales dulled by the low light. Nevertheless, something in their number dropped like a slow stone, detaching from the main group. Upon further investigation, it appeared to be a piece of Silver Bark that had somehow ended up “traveling” with the school.

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Guardian’s enthusiastic digging around on the beach ensured that she stumbled across a half-buried Gleamstone, which caught the meager light like a tiny beacon. There seemed to be a few of them hidden among the numerous rocks of the island, but few were readily visible. Perhaps the beaches had already been picked over by other creatures that appreciated shiny things?

The crab continued to menace her from its perch just below the surface of the water. Now that it was out in the open instead of safely camouflaged, it had to defend itself!

Too bad a hungry little dragonet had other ideas. A sudden flash of gunmetal gray swept down in front of the mare’s face, reaching around to snatch the crab with its back feet even as it moved to fling the creature away and against a larger rock! Then it landed on Guardian’s head and stared at her, entirely fearless.



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Though it may not have been exactly what she was looking for, Joy’s eye did catch on something colorful – a flash of bright red! Sitting right next to a bloated, nasty fish carcass. Eww. Why hadn’t the thing been eaten yet? And what was the red all about? Surely it wasn’t blood.

A closer investigation revealed that the fish most likely died from ingesting some Tandil Berries that had ended up on the beach and been washed out a few feet. That might also explain why the body hadn’t been instantly devoured by opportunistic scavengers.

Oh well. Berries were berries!

Guardian watched in awe as her little savior set upon the poor crab. She didn't even consider that it might be trying to crack open the crustacean's hard shell for a quick meal. No, clearly she had made a new friend. Oh, lucky day!

Then she nearly went cross-eyed as she tried to stare in awe at the dragonet perched on top of her head. Before the determined dragonet moved to pursue the crab further, Guardian was already slowly sinking down across the damp rocks and resting her chin on her fully tufted front feet. Even a small weight could become oppressive over time but Guardian was hoping not to disturb the marvelous little creature while making herself more comfortable. What lovely wings! What beautiful eyes! What elegant claws!

Of course, the moment Guardian properly noticed the faint glimmer that she had unearthed, just before initially disturbing the crab's hiding place, she lurched up and pounced on the gleamstone, all while giving the distressed crab a wide berth.

"Look, look! Theyre is something heyre," she said.

Shiny had to be valuable, right? It certainly didn't look like the other pebbles! The color, texture, and degree of shininess was distinct. She set to work uncovering the gleamstone fully and admired her treasure by tilting her head at all sorts of angles, then nudged it around with her nose, and began admiring it all over again. This would do nicely. Carefully, she picked it up in her teeth, grimacing a little at the taste of the grit lacing it's surface, and turned to shove it into a handy saddle bag. Then Guardian puffed out her chest and stood tall as she addressed the dragonet in as regal a manner as she could muster.

"You should come along and keep all these nasty rude things away while I dig up more treasuyres! I bet theyre ayre moyre all ayround us."

Guardian took the time to critically assess the truth in her own statement. There was a wide expanse of pebbles and pools to explore, held together by rough sand, coarse strands of grass, bits of driftwood, and broken sea shells, with only the cry of the gulls overhead to disturb her. She was... alone. Guardian flinched for a moment and stood rigid. Now, now. Not alone, she told herself. The island had Sams all over it. There were Sharians waiting by the boat and a lively female dragonet by her side. She relaxed but decided this simply wouldn't do.

Gauging the direction she remembered the others going in, Guardian trotted off, skimming closer to the presently small, salt-spray waves that slithered up the shore as she went looking for the nearest Sam along the rocky beach, eager to show off her findings. Yes, that was it. Loping along, Guardian paused to dig a little more, whenever a collection of pebbles and debris seemed promising, and would often glance up to see if the dragonet had followed her. After all, it should be there as she recounted the tale of its bravery! Better still if it was willing to come home with her. Surely Leaf, Sunshine, and Flurry would be happy to make the dragonet's acquaintance!

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OOC: I suppose I could have had her react to the barking but not yet. I'm going to assume she wasn't near that area of the cliff when Hunter found the construct. Open to running into any and all other Sams though. XD

Essence didn't notice the underhanded movement of the sea before it shoved her, dousing her with a bitterly cold wave that soaked through her fur, leaving her lovely fluffy tail, her one vanity, dripping wet, limp-looking. She looked bedraggled and miserable, sopping wet and so much skinnier-seeming without her thick creamy coat.

She never felt better. The cold water was like a slap into reality, a hard judgment from the world. Tough luck, fillies and colts, it's a big wide world, you're small and insignificant, what are you going to do about it? Oh, Essence was loving this, this was fantastic. She was colder than she'd been in so long. And it was invigorating, better than a huge banquet of every lichen and moss of the tundras. She whinnied, loud and ringing, brimming with excitement, an oddly cheery sound for such a grumpy-seeming mare. It was a call, a victory cry, a challenge, all in one, and boy was she happy.

That was before she even glanced down and found the delightfully yellow color. Normally she'd frown at such a bright bloom, but the cold and the amazing feeling of the salt water's slap allowed her to feel such joy at discovering the sunsnap flower, as she gripped the slightly salt-tinted flower in her teeth, nosing it into her gleaming oiled bags. The little fish darted away, skirting to and fro among the pebbles and foaming shallows.

Now where? Glancing over her shoulder, there were quite a few other Samanayrs scattered around the rocky beaches. They didn't irk her as much as before, but she still didn't want to go back and have to pass them. North, then. Along these rocky beaches.

Towards the crashing waves and colder air, causing her heart to rise as she galloped, her feather swinging in the wind. Her hooves rooted up spray, before a sudden drop-off appeared in her path, causing her to plunge chin-deep in the water with a large splash. She sucked in a cold seaspray-laden breath, and paddled through the deeper tidal wash, the little channel that caused her to have to paddle.
She headed up the channel, trudging mostly, only having to paddle when a wave rolled in, eyeing the rocks rising along and under her. She halted as the channel rose abruptly, eyeing the hodge-podge of boulders leaning against one another, forming a little 'cave', in which a bit of water could seep in.

She didn't like confined spaces, but she felt good- why not check it out? She slowly slid forward, tail low to the ground from the weight of the damp fur, peering into the darkness, as she walked in further. She hummed a soft tune, oddly gentle, something she would hum to her young colt when he was dozing off at night. It was soothing and sweet, to keep her calm, as well as fill the dark silence except for the swooshing of the waves against the rocky shores.

((I hope this is okay Jenn! If it isn't shoot me a PM or say on the thread! Loving this so far- those pets are SO CUTE))

Flair was a complete stranger to being uncomfortable... something about that made him even more uncomfortable, somehow. The sand and pebbles clinging to his lengthy hoof-tufts itched. A stray strand or five from his magnificent coiffure dangled, bedragled, in his vision. His hooves ached from dodging gulls and the tiny landslides that had gotten between him and the plateau, and even though his stomach grumbled like a quake in the pit of his being, he simply couldn't lower himself to picking wild berries from the bushes.

He desperately hoped his Sharian master would at least like the bunches of Tandil Berries and Gleamstone he had found on the way. They were hard-won, to say the least; he gave a grumpy glance in the direction of some of the hovering seabirds, who seemed to be enjoying the lift of air given off by the clifftops but whose cacophonous caws he cynically imagined to be laughter at his state.

Distantly he heard a barking noise. The only other Samanayr he'd seen on his same path up the cliffs had been the Yearling; did it bark? What sort of strange Samanayr..?! The barks sent a slight shudder through his spine. He turned to look back down the path he'd taken up, to see if maybe the Yearling had crossed it and was on his way up, too.

He hadn't realized, before then, that he actually had a fear of heights.

His eyes bugged and his hooves almost involuntarily scrabbled him back along the plateau, far from the edge of the cliffs. He looked back over his shoulder at the icy pools and bramble of blueberry plants, panting heavily, trying to keep himself from hyperventilating.

The Sharians hadn't called the Samanayr searchers back down yet, and Flair certainly wasn't leaving until he absolutely had to... probably with his eyes squeezed shut for as much of the descent as possible. For now, though, there was plenty of the craggy cliffs' plateau still to explore. He turned in a half-circle, his spirit of exploration suddenly renewed as fear-borne adrenaline pumped through him.

He began to peer into the small icy pools, one by one. None he had come across so far really seemed deep enough to contain anything, but perhaps one would surprise him; the ones further away from him reflected the gray skies above and shone like darkened mirrors, not revealing how deep they were 'til he'd almost stuck his nose in them. He brushed through the outer edges of the blueberry shrubs a bit when he came across them, rustling them somewhat, but not wanting to delve too deep into their innards for fear of his mounds of hair becoming permanently tangled in their branches and stems.

Eyes nearly crossing, she carefully reached up, and pulled the brown feather off of it's perch. Must have gotten caught up in her antlers and horn! What a lucky find! Holding it awkwardly between her hooves, she carefully grabbed it with her mouth then, and set about squishing the bags upward to empty the water our of them. She could understand the caution in having flaps on them, but they were a bother to get open when wet!

Her patience in opening them was rewarded when she spotted something shining in the bottom of the first pocket, a gleamstone! Fantastic! Aurora carefully nose the water out of that pocket, before tucking the brown feather in with it. She then firmly tied that pocket shut, and moved onto the next one. Sadly, there were no more treasures lurking hidden, but two on her first try!

Making sure that the first pocket was securely shut, she carefully shook again, ridding herself of a bit more of the cold water lodged in her fur. Oh well, exploring more would warm her up!

A loud splashing sound had her jerking her head up, kirin senses reaching out. She'd shielded herself on the boat over, with the noise the other Sam-kin had been making, and had forgotten to relax her shields once out on land. Now, she carefully picked her way closer to the splashing noises, long ears twitching to catch the sounds, and one eye firmly on the ocean, prodding and then nosing at likely looking clumps of northern grasses as she went.

Acrobat squirmed and squeezed himself through the tight rocky cleft and found himself in… darkness. Great. Just great. Dark forms loomed around him, and in the dim light the rocky shapes appeared sinister and menacing. The stallion glanced over his shoulder, briefly contemplating retreat. But the sharp jutting rocks of the cave maw looked even rougher and smaller from this side. Not wishing to risk cuts or scratches Acrobat returned his gaze to the rest of the cave.

By this point his vision had adjusted to the darkness somewhat, and took the time to study his surroundings. The cave celling rose dramatically above the waterline, and if he squinted Acrobat could just barely make out a tiny lighter gray patch which must be the sky up above. Acrobat shook his head in dismissal, no way out up there for him. The strange whistling noise which had first drawn the stallion’s attention seemed to be louder and more resonant as it echoed off the stone walls. Now that he was within the cave it occurred to the young stallion that the sound didn’t seem to be generated by wind rushing through the opening. No the eerie sound appeared to be originating deeper within the recesses of the cave.

Unbidden, all the stories his mother had told him as a foal came rushing back. The ghosts of drowned Samanayrs, looking to lure away the unwary. Or monsters with glowing eyes, sharp claws and sharper teeth which had a taste for the flesh of naughty young foals. Acrobat snorted and tossed his head at his own foolishness. Those were just old mare’s tales, right? There is nothing to be afraid of. There must be another, perfectly reasonable source for the noise. Clearly this cave ran deep within the heart of the island. He must just be hearing the voices of the other searchers, distorted by reverberations. And if that were the case, then perhaps there would be another way out of this labyrinthine cave.

With that in mind, Acrobat resolved to explore deeper within the sea cave. The plump stallion swam slowly towards the rear of the cave. The further he got from the mouth of the cave the darker and darker it became until the gray stallion could barely see his own flippers in front of his face. The celling of the cave had begun to slope down towards the surface of the water and all too soon Acrobat’s flipper wings were brushing against the rough stone surface overhead.

The tunnel appeared to continue on, but submerged beneath the water. Diving alone in strange waters in near darkness was not a proposition to be undertaken lightly. As a northern aquatic Acrobat could hold his breath for much longer than his terrestrial cousin, but even so if he became lost or stuck or worse yet, panicked he would drown just as surely. But Acrobat was not an inexperienced diver, he knew his strengths and he knew his limitations and he judged himself to be up to the challenge. Inhaling deeply, Acrobat plunged beneath the dark water, leaving only tiny ripple to show his passage.

On and on the passage went, and Acrobat swam resolutely forward. He kept his right flippers always in contact with the rock face, so that he would be able to find his way back should he need to. His passage stirred up sediment from the bottom, making the already dark water murky and cloudy. The stallion’s lungs began to ache and burn and he knew he had just about reached the point of no return. If he didn’t find an air pocket to surface into soon Acrobat would be forced to retrace his path back to the original cave.


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OOC: Jenn, I didn’t know Acrobat would still be considered on the beach or… elsewhere at this point. So I just had him continue on exploring the cave, however that should be classified.

Rocks tumbled from the hill beneath the Yearling as he hauled himself up. He'd made it to the other side! Just barely, of course, but that made it exciting! Plus, Hunter'd never jumped such a huge gap before, which made it all the more awesome. He could have died but he didn't!

He paused mid-victory celebration as the bark that had helped encourage him not moments ago sounded again, forcing him to refocus on the task at hand. He did have something of a job after all, and his awesomeness was only proof that they needed him to proceed with it even more.

The little furry creature cheering, er, barking him on became more and more visible as he made his way up, its little tail seeming to wag even faster with every one of the Sam's steps. It looked... An awful lot like an Oquiesa pup. But, having spent most of his short life watching and learning from the northern Oquiesa packs from a nice, safe distance... This creature just didn't seem like one of them. Canine, sure, but just not quite build right.

As Hunter started getting near the top of the cliff, the barking seemed to grow more distant, and he couldn't see the little creature anymore. He could have sworn it had been standing right there, watching him with its little blue eyes, hadn't it? Surely it hadn't just vanished into thin air? Animals don't do that. Hunter knew animals didn't do that. Or, well, most animals. Minayrs didn't count because they were magic.

Not-actually-Oquiesa-puppies couldn't do that, which was all that mattered.

And in that case... where had the little creature gone?

Dismayed to have lost track of his tiny cheerleader, Hunter continued the search for items that interested the Sharians, boring as said task may have been in comparison to finding the puppy. The berries certainly looked tasty, er, like a good place for stuff to be hiding. Perhaps that would be a good spot?

The Yearling meandered over amongst the patches, clawed paws pulling twigs and branch-y things out of the way to reveal the ground beneath and, okay yeah, he may have moved a couple berries out of the way with his mouth. But who could blame him! They looked so tasty!

Deciding he wasn't going to find anything else up there, he pulled the branches away on what would have been the last searched bush...

Only to find himself pinned to the ground by his little brown and white scrap of fur, blue eyes wide and happy as it barked once more at his face, tongue lolling out and tail wagging furiously behind it.

"Cleveyr little cyritter, ayren't you?" he said before gently pushing it off of him. No Oquiesa he'd ever seen had had solid eyes like an Elemental, which meant that this little creature was not, in fact, one of them.

Which meant that it wasn't as super duper awesome.

But it still looked like one. And wasn't as likely to eat him while he slept.

He supposed that was awesome enough for him.

(OOC: He's stayin on the Craggy Cliffs in case it wasn't apparent. X3)

Fathom watched swam through the Kelp calmly, enjoying the trip as much as the hunt. Blue eyes watched as the school of sardines hurried past in a flash of silver. Watching their wake he spotted the shining piece of bark bob in the backflow of the school. That was a lucky find if ever he saw one. Snagging the bark he tucked it into one of the uncomfortable leather pouches tied to him. It didn't matter that they were meant to be water proof, so deep under and needing to get into it, the contents would be wet regardless.

Satisfied that the bark was secure within the pouch the Elemental continued his exploration of the kelp forest. Moving further into the thick foliage as it swayed with the tide, stopping whenever something or another gained his attention. He watched as crabs moved about the floor, and avoided the spikey sea urchines who's quills would hurt. It was so different from his tropical home that he couldn't help but stop now and again just to watch the sea life. Sometimes it was easy to get distracted.

      Oh, the things she did for a story!
      Joy cheerfully placed the Tandril Berries in her pack, imagining how much fun it would be to tell everyone about the perils she had to go through to get them- properly exaggerated, of course. A terrible, deathly guardian was no easy obstacle to get around, after all!
      Though, it did beg the question- what did the Sharians use the berries for, anyway? She'd have to add that to her list of questions to ask them too. Did they need to make something inedible for some reason? Maybe they covered their docks' pillars with them to keep the barnacles off, though why you'd bother keeping something so harmless away she couldn't guess. Now, if it kept the those large, dangerous sharks at bay, she could understand- but unless they were carelessly taking bites out of the dock, which she wouldn't entirely put past them, that wouldn't make much sense either. Well, unless the poisons could leak out into the water to keep them back too.
      Her last straying stopped her in her tracks- the berries couldn't really make the water toxic, could they? Furrowing her brow, she glanced back at the dead fish more nervously than when she'd actually been stealing its treasure from it. She didn't think it could be true, but her crabby guide did seem to be mysteriously absent now- and the more she thought and psychosomatically obsessed about it, the more it seemed like her left finned ear could be tingling ever so slightly. Maybe- maybe it was best to leave.
      She skirted back the way she'd come, feeling more and more chipper as she put the fish behind her, before striking off towards the kelp forest this time. It was a shame she hadn't seen that divine Mystic or Kodyla before she had left- she could have warned them of the danger, and no doubt they would have been so thankful! Hopefully they hadn't traveled to that spot at all though- and, who knows, the Mystic could be heading out towards the deeper ocean by now too! She'd still have to keep a hopeful eye out for him and the other water-bound Expeditioners.
      Reaching the edge of the kelp forest, she looked down into its darker depths a bit mistrustfully. It looked cold- even more ridiculously so than where she was now. An exploratory dip, quickly ended, confirmed her suspicions, and she shook her head at the darkness from her spot in the soft light. A pity, that- no doubt there could be hidden gems down there, which some Northern Aquatic would find instead. Well, let them have it- the currents could trap plenty of things in the kelp's upper reaches as well. Probably even more things, considering how many could have fallen from the sky! Plus, she had the pleasure of the relative warmth up here, which any reasonable Samanayr would want. If only the sun were shining a little more strongly for her though!
      Entering the forest proper, she absent-mindedly hooked one of the younger leaves with her fangs to move it from her path, still trying to figure out why anyone would really want to go this far north. Its crisp, fresh taste, somehow greener than at home, surprised her completely- against all odds, the kelp here was actually rather delicious. Ooh, what an exotic appetizer this would make if she could just bring some back in tact! She could even make a proper gala out of her Expedition story!
      She giggled to herself yet again as she swam upside-down beneath the thick tangle of leaves vying for space at the water's surface. Searching eagerly for any particularly delectable branches she might be able to take, along with anything that might be caught among them, she swore that last point wasn't entirely an afterthought this time- or for her whole Expedition experience, for that matter.

Gleamstones, feathers, and bark, oh my!

A wistful, joyous smile appeared of the face of the small, shiny Samanayr as she idly floated in the water waiting to begin. Images of buried treasure and forgotten relics swam through her mind, a slight, burbling giggle managing to escape her without much notice. The thought of returning to the ship, hauling a bulging bag of gains and gifts made her feel giddy, more so than she had felt in a long time. Her friends back home would be proud of her, and the smiles on their faces as she gave them gifts were almost enough to cause her to do a barrel roll right where she waited. However, she (somehow) managed to outwardly keep her composure, since there were others around. Instead, she settled for another-- almost inaudible-- giggle.

Having been daydreaming about her potential gains, Glaze had, of course, missed the start of the exploration, so when she blinked, she found she was rather alone in the water. The slowing ripples nearby were more than enough to tell her she had better get a move on if she wanted to get anything at this point.

A momentary panic then ensued as she spun in the water, attempting to see where everyone had gone off to and find which area was closest. The beaches had been her first choice, but they were farther off than her other option-- the kelp forest. With her mind instantly made up, she took off towards the darkened center, swimming as fast as she could.

"Waiyt!!" she cried, though she doubted anyone would be responding to her.

Glaze couldn't help but chide herself for the delay that was caused by the sheer silliness of her imagination. Her renewed determination to make up for the previous error caused her to push forward in what she hoped was a faster pace. That moment seemed like the optimal time to do the roll, this time to help speed her up.

Water spun around her as she moved her body. The randomly numbered shiny scales she possessed glittered in the sunlight that managed to penetrate to those depths. Appearing like a pudgy, glittering torpedo, she shot towards the darkness, ignoring the increasing cold. Her determination had taken over by this point, and it would take a great distraction or a nasty collision to slow her down, if only because she wasn't quite sure how to stop from going so fast. That part would occur to her later, though.

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((ooc: I am so sorry about the delay, guys. RL took over, plus some car trouble and other stuff. It's better late than never, though! DX))

Mystic wiggled and squirmed his way deeper into the water, working to get leverage on the large rock at the bottom. Scritching and digging at it he slowly pulled one side of it up. The whole thing looked out of place in this section of the water, and had to be new or maybe it even came from somewhere else entirely! Now that he'd lifted one edge of the rock a bit, it seemed to lift much easier and in a matter of moments Mystic had the rock flipped over. Though he couldn't see much through the cloud of debris he'd created, an exploratory talon found something...squishy...?

By this point, the lungful of air Mystic had started with was rather completely depleted and he was forced to return to the surface without really seeing what he'd dug up yet. As he turned to rise, Mystic realized he'd gotten farther from shore than he'd meant to and was much deeper in the water than he'd calculated for. Panicked, he started to thrash and pull at the water, pulling to rise as quickly as possible. With his lungs on fire, he reached the surface with a great deal of spluttering and coughing. As he gulped in the brisk sea air he noticed a sort of sweet, cloying scent and only then thought to check what he'd discovered under the rock. Why, it was a rather sodden and bedraggled little flower... how strange!

Might as well stick the little thing in my packs and see what the Sharians think of it! Feeling a bit unbalanced by the cold and near-drowning, Mystic swam in a couple lazy circles before managing to flex enough to open his pack. He wasn't enjoying the surface of the sea very much; the little bits of foam and flotsam kept sticking to him uncomfortably and it was much chillier outside the water now that he was used to it. As he clutched at the clasp on his packs, he reached back to wipe off another bit of ocean debris from his scales when he noticed that the flotsam was much more colorful than usual. A feather! Now how did that get out here? Having experienced the crisp wind at the surface of the water, returning to land was out of the question. Brrr! Mystic decided he'd better stick to the rocky beaches some more and se what else could be dredged up... Although he'd try to stick in much shallower water this time.

Sticking close to the waterline, Mystic stayed in water just shallow enough to cover him, although he occasionally hit a small sandbar to wade over. The neatest thing about this area was that although there were plenty of water-smoothed stones just like the rest of the beach, the shallows and tide pools held lots of other small items like hollow crab shells and bits of driftwood. He was just stroking a small chunk of driftwood, thinking that it must miss the feeling of the sun on it's leaves as much as he missed basking himself, when he glanced up ahead and saw a towering... well, "driftwood" didn't seem to cover what was nearly the entire root-ball of some large tree washed up on shore. A drift...log? Drift-tree? All Mystic knew is that it looked enormous compared to his own diminutive form!

Swimming up to the big log, Mystic noticed that it seemed to have been hollowed out in a number of places. There was a large cavity in the center of the log, as well as a number of little pockets around in the roots. Unfortunately, nearly all the little hidey-holes were out of the water. With a big sigh and a longing thought of black rocks under a sunny day, Mystic hauled himself out of the water and clambered on the root system, poking inquisitive claws into the little spaces worn by water. Some still had sand and water, others were empty, but the whole surface of the log was worn smooth just like the stones littering the beach. Satisfied with his exploration of the roots, Mystic climbed over the top of the root-ball and down the partial-length of the trunk, headed for the large hollow in the center of the log. With a bit of wiggling, he should be able to squeeze into the space, and who knew what could be trapped in there?

As visions of wealth too large to carry away in his packs swam through Mystic's mind, he reached the edge of the large hollow and began squirming his way inside. It was a tight fit around his horns, but he could reach out with his two 'hands' and feel his way along the inside of the trunk. Sadly, his bulk blocked out most of what little weak light was coming down through the overcast skies, so he was finding his way along primarily by feel...

Stepping out into the cold of the north Fever looked around at the small island in front of her her as for once she felt cool after spending so much time in the warm south. It had been a long time since she had been this far north and it was quite a nice reminder. Jumping into the rocks in the low light of the north, she looked around at the others around the island looking, it seemed that she was late getting to the island and that the others had already found some times.

Turning her head towards the craggy cliffs she tucked in her wings and then measured her jumps as she made her way up towards cliffs the whole while being careful not to slip in their icy surface. Resting in a edge of a boulder she planting for breath as her legs ached. It had been quite a while since she had done this and it seemed she was a little more out of practice then she had thought as she watched the others while looking for cracks in the rocks that the others hadn't checked so far.

Seeing what seemed to be a small crack in the cliff off to the right of her she shock off the ache of her legs she opened up her wings as she backed up towards the cliff face. Stretching her wings to make sure everything was working she looked off toward the crack as she measure the wind with her wings, noted how the wind was moving and then ran off the boulder and into the air as she flow over towards the opening.

Twisting in the air as she reached the crack into between three boulders she hovered for a moment as she found hoof wholes in the stones before she started to search the spot.

(Random Happening Roll: 2 – Oops!)

Without seeming overly interested in dogging the mare's steps, the dragonet nevertheless remained close at hand while she continued to comb the beaches. The waves snaked their way up the rocks, swirling through tidal pools and rushing to fill previously unseen crevices before slowly creeping back to the sea.

Though she searched with no small amount of diligence, Guardian's search seemed futile. Nothing presented itself to her - no buried treasure, no hidden bounty - until at last... she dug her way down to a previously undisturbed cache of gleamstones! Dozens of the shiny things gleamed and glimmered up at her. The more she dug, the more obvious it became that they had rolled down the beach and been trapped by the steady pull of the waves.

Which swept in and, as quickly as she'd found them, disturbed her prize! A particularly strong and insistent wave carried all of the pebbles and debris she'd moved back to where it had first been settled. When she tried again, the same thing happened. And then she couldn't find them again! What was this?!

After a long time fighting the stubborn combination of rock and wave, Guardian had to eventually call it quits. It wasn't a total loss, though - her little dragonet friend had managed to catch one of the shiny little Gleamstones in its claws before the cache was buried for the second time.


Results: 2 Gleamstones, Dragonet

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(Random Happening Roll: 16 –Fine)

Soaked and dripping, Essence still cut a jaunty figure as she strolled into the small cave. Here and there, a dip appeared in the floor and water gleamed dully several feet down. From the frequency of these small, dipping paths, it seemed as though the island might just be riddled with small tunnels and caves like this one.

As she continued on, she caught a gleam of more yellow ahead. Here, as before, she could clearly witness magic in action. Two Sunsnap Flowers stood on either side of the cave, growing almost as a pair of sentries or low-lying lanterns in the darkness. Their light went with them into the bag, casting a faint glow until she firmly secured her pack against the elements.

Further exploration into the caves occupied the remainder of her journey, leading her on a path of winding spirals until it eventually broadened and opened up to the far side of the rocky cliff area. It would have been a steep descent if not for a small, narrow path cut into the rock. They looked well-worn by both wind and use. But what used them...?


Results: 3 Sunsnap Flowers

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(Random Happening Roll: 18 – Nice!)

Mirrors were something that Flair knew a great deal about, so when he finally reached one that shone like an actual mirror - without reflecting his lovely fur as it should have - he knew that he had come across something special. Valiantly braving the water of the shallow pool, he managed to scoot a wet scrap of Silver Bark to the surface.

And then he had to put it in his pack, where it landed with a slightly soggy noise. Good thing the sides of the pack were waterproof... eugh.

His investigation of the shrubs proved far less interesting... until the shrubs then decided to investigate him. Rather, a sharp and sudden barking noise not a foot from his face sent the stallion careening backwards as a small black-and-white head burst forth from the bushes.



Unfortunately for Flair, his descent would prove far more of a hassle than he anticipated, as the canine creature refused to stop barking until they reached the base of the cliffs. Even then, he didn't seem overly interested in being touched or handled, and generally avoided the milling crowds of Samanayrs returning from their respective adventures.


Results: 1 Gleamstone, 2 Tandil Berries, 1 Silver Bark, Mage Construct

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(Random Happening Roll: 9 – Fine)

The clumps of grasses were thick and stubborn, but parted grudgingly as Aurora gently pawed at them. Some were more waterlogged than others, their roots descending into a mess of pebbles and sparse soil. It was amazing that any sort of plant could survive in these conditions, and yet for all intents and purposes, the hearty grasses thrived.

A splash of color rewarded her patient searching as she uncovered what looked to be a small nest, ripped and torn from the actions of the water and long since abandoned by its former residents. Maybe these grasses were more habitable at other times of the year. Regardless, the Rainbow Lamanayr Feather was now hers to keep.

Her careful investigation revealed a small fish trapped on top of a rock, flapping desperately as it tried to return to the water and relative safety. Its sides were scored by what appeared to be tiny claws. Whatever had pulled this creature from the water seemed to have abandoned it for some reason. Strange...


Results: 1 Brown Lamanayr Feather, 1 Gleamstone, 1 Rainbow Lamanayr Feather

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(Random Happening Roll: 19 – Nice!)

Moments before Acrobat would feel the need to return to the safety of the caves above, the tunnel widened ahead of him and took a sharp curve upward. He could see... light? His head emerged into a small air pocket trapped inside the rock. But no, that wasn't right - there was light peeking through the rock above and he could hear the call of distant sea birds.

More immediately, he could hear the keening wail that had steadily lessened as he swam begin anew. The sound was frightened this time, though it quickly petered out and became words. And splashing. There was another Northern Aquatic in the cave trying to get his attention!



"Please help me," the mare pleaded. Her front flippers splash freely, but her mouth and nose were barely above the surface of the water and it seemed a struggle for her to speak without sputtering. Her lower half was stuck inside another tunnel, as Acrobat would find when he moved to assist.

She introduced herself to him as Trance of the Swaying Seaweed. She hadn't ventured through these tunnels since she was younger and had underestimated how tight some of the passages would be. She knew another way out, though, and was able to lead the pair of them back to the sea, a ways away from where Acrobat had begun his journey. It would be a long swim back to the Sharians.

When they were nearly back to the ship, Trance unwove a Sweetscent Flower from behind one of her horns and shyly gifted it to her rescuer.


Results: 1 Gleamstone, Trance of the Swaying Seaweed, 1 Sweetscent Flower

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(Random Happening Roll: 3 – Oops!)

Rooting around in the underbrush proved a fruitless pursuit for young Hunter – unless the fruit that made its way into his stomach was counted in that equation. The prancing creature in front of him seemed entirely dissuaded by his lack of success, her paws a constant ticking on the cool rock underfoot. She didn’t seem to understand what he was doing up here, but she was interested! Certainly interested enough to follow him.

On their way back down the treacherous path, she kept up with him pace-for-pace, often bounding ahead only to return to his side a moment later. She moved over the rocky scree with the ease of long practice and even ran off for a few minutes to rile the nesting birds! Not the wisest of moves, as it certainly ended their hunting for the day in a mad dash for safety.


Results: Mage Construct, 1 Rainbow Lamanayr Feather

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(Random Happening Roll: 7 – Fine)

Undisturbed by his presence, life in the kelp forest continued its slow meander onward. The crabs paid him no mind, engaged in their own private struggles, and fish occasionally darted past like swift-moving ghosts.

Color lost all meaning layer by layer the further down he traveled. Nevertheless, his patience and slow observation paid off when a scuttling creature unearthed what he could barely discern as a buried and ruined pair of feathers, held fast by a tangled snarl of debris that had sunk to the floor of the sea. When he eventually ascended the depths, they would regain the normal hue of two Brown Lamanayr Feathers.


Results: 1 Silver Bark, 2 Brown Lamanayr Feathers

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(Random Happening Roll: 5 – Fine)

The large kelp leaves cradled Joy as she slowly snaked her way through their branches. Here and there, a hardier piece of kelp seemed a likely candidate for her "table" and her pack quickly began to fill with snacks. The Tandil Berries were pushed this way and that, but eventually nestled safely near the bottom of her bag with a cushioning layer between them and the pack's lid flap.

All around her, vibrations could be felt in the water as life proceeded as normal. It seemed less hectic here, however - so different from the land and beaches above, where winds ripped at every living thing and life seemed a bleak struggle.

As time passed and her appetite diminished, the Aquatic finally located her prize of the day. She nosed aside a particularly stiff branch of kale and was startled to find an object that didn't in any way belong beneath the waves. It was, in fact, buried treasure! Buried in the folds of the plant and thoroughly tangled in itself, a Rarity Modiem had remained tucked away for who knew how many days... weeks... years! And yet the spell trapped within its tiny glass sphere still seemed as bright and potent as the day it had been cast.


Results: 1 Tandil Berries, 1 Rarity Modiem

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(Random Happening Roll: 11 – Fine)

Not long into her jet-like travel down into the kelp forest, several dark shapes appeared to flank her passage. If she bothered to notice, they seemed agitated and darted closer and closer to her in an attempt to stop her headlong dash. She finally collided with a large strand of kelp, effectively solving the problem and allowing her to see that the creatures paying attention to her were in fact sea otters.

They swam quickly upward once they noticed her paying attention back and a game of chase ensued, with Samanayr and otter swirling through the kelp forest. They led her back to a group of otters closer to the surface, larger than the adolescents she'd been playing with. Their elders seemed to be making short work of the delicious sea urchins hiding among the kelp.

After swirling around her and seeing who could dart the quickest to get her attention, they eventually began another race through the forest, showing off some of their favorite sights along the way. Here, a tiny, shiny Gleamstone embedded in the rock! There, a much larger and more interesting trio of Gleamstones winking dully from beneath the sediment! With a hunter's keen instincts and some serious determination, she was able to pry her shiny prizes from their stubborn resting spots - all save one, which taunted her with its presence. Even so, her new friends were very impressed!


Results: 3 Gleamstones

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(Random Happening Roll: 18 – Nice!)

A moderately successful poke around the root ball of the tree unearthed a captured Brown Lamanayr Feather and a shiny little Gleamstone. What Mystic eventually felt in his exploration of the hollowed out log, however, came as a bit of a surprise!

When his muzzle bumped into a small protrusion in the wood, the cacophony of sound that suddenly greeted his ears proved entirely too loud in the confined space! Combine that with sudden thrashing and a buffet of limbs against his unprotected face, and it was all the stallion could do to pry his body out of the tree fast enough.



A thoroughly displeased dragonet followed him out, wings spread in an effort to make it look larger as it hassled the Mystic away from its home. There was chirping, there was hissing, there was all sorts of noise!

Eventually, with a little time and patience, he managed to calm the creature down. A little more time and a lot more patience saw it sitting quietly a few feet away and chirping at him innocently. Only the stinging scratches across his face would even hint at what a fuss the creature had made during their brief, explosive introduction.


Results: 1 Sweetscent Flower, 1 Rainbow Lamanayr Feather, 1 Brown Lamanayr Feather, 1 Gleamstone, Dragonet

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(Random Happening Roll: 7 – Fine)

Fever's wings illuminated the fissure in the rock much more brightly than the meager daylight could hope to manage. Several pairs of beady eyes stared back at her in terror as a family of small rodents scrambled to escape the flaming terror hovering over their home.

In the wake of their debris and... well... "leavings", the mare was able to unearth a Rainbow Lamanayr Feather only slightly soiled by the whole experience. Surely the Sharians would be able to clean it up and make use of it. Even if it did smell kind of a lot like pee.


Results: 1 Rainbow Lamanayr Feather