[Triteia (Trout)]

OOC: For Sinbad and Mako, but any of the Rabies kids are welcome to join! Takes place immediately after epilogue.

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Fortunately, when confronted with bloody waters and a disemboweled woman on a slow crawl towards death, the royal siblings didn't require any further persuasion. Triteia easily corralled them away from the scene and, making sure they didn't glance back to the bloodbath behind them, she shepherded the children into the depths of the rainforest. Concerning herself with the children's wellbeing provided a valuable distraction from the reality of what she had witnessed. Triteia had a sneaking suspicion that the memory of Eros's remains splattered across the beach would revisit her later that night, but for the time being, she tried to focus on her next course of action.

Triteia didn't know Eros, or what, exactly, the woman represented to Baal and Raikov. Triteia had assumed that Raikov was there acting as Captain, not mourning the loss of his surrogate parent. As for Baal, the self-aggrandizing bitch could never turn down the opportunity to grandstand in front of the entire pack by slaying a shark. She could add "Sharkslayer" next to her fancy Kraken title.

Triteia ventured an appraising look over her shoulder, and was satisfied that enough distance had been put between herself and the beach. She supposed it wasn't fair to leave the kids in suspense. Sinbad in particular was likely wracked with anxiety. She was equally concerned for the both of them, but Sinbad -- the boy was her doppelganger, in some ways. It wasn't his physical appearance - he was a far cry from the turquoise genes predominant in Triteia's family, his pelt a lush camouflage of jade brindle splashed with his dam's golden-brown - but what the two of them had been exposed to. He elicited a certain sympathy from her that felt like a cold blade between her ribs. Triteia took a deep breath and approached him first, giving the little brindle boy a once-over.

"Hey, did that shark get you anywhere? You don't look like yer hurt, but I just wanna make sure," Triteia said. "Y' hungry at all? I can get you somethin' ta eat or drink."

Then, a reassuring glance to Mako. She remembered the kid from their last meeting at her new home. "And yer... Mako, right? I remember you!" She grinned, toothily. Her smile had a certain roguish edge that had a habit of surfacing even when she was at peace. "You doin' okay?"

While Triteia didn't know anything about Raikov or Baal's relationship to Eros, she had inferred from Hebe's reaction that Eros was important to him. He would need some time alone, and then... her mind wandered to Aethon. Her childhood friend who had been reunited with his long-missing mother, only to watch her get snatched away by cruel fate. Triteia swallowed, trying to keep herself talking, so she could stop thinking. "Um -- it may be a while before either of yer dads show up, but they'll be here," Triteia said. "Anyway, Mako here already knows me, but I'm Triteia - you can call me Tri. I'm yer dad's--uh, Raikov's, sister." They had two dads, didn't they? Duh.

"I'll keep you safe while we're waitin' fer him," she declared, pressing a burn-mangled paw to her chest in a silent pledge. No shark, panther, or terrible sea creature was going to hurt them while she was around. That was a promise! "Now then, what's yer name?"

(Triteia knew from experience that there was no guaranteeing safety.
It didn't matter if your mother - or father - was the Captain, if you had been through enough, or if you loved them.
They didn't have to learn that, yet.)

[Makoshark]

Mako followed quietly, without thought or question on where they were headed. His body felt oddly numb, a side effect of auto pilot. It wasn't the shock of losing someone close, as Mako hardly knew his aunt, it was more the sight of it all that had caught him off guard. He was still just a pup afterall and although he had seen prey splayed open and bleeding, it felt different when the victim was one of his own kind... of his own blood. And there was blood... a lot of it.

The boy's good eye shifted to his brother, obviously shaken. For good reason. Mako realized then that he almost lost his brother and that hit his heart full force. He pressed against his brother as they walked, feeling a strange relief in the movement of Sinbad beside him. He was glad Trout was there. He'd only met her once, and he was smaller then, but they got on nicely. He knew who she was. He liked her. And her faux tail... but looking at it today brought him no joy.

"Hey, did that shark get you anywhere? You don't look like yer hurt, but I just wanna make sure, Y' hungry at all? I can get you somethin' ta eat or drink."

Mako's stomach turned at the thought of food. His mind went right back to their gutted aunt and he quickly shook his head no. Normally he would have a sarcastic come back, but he feared if he opened his mouth right now, he might lose his breakfast.

"And yer... Mako, right? I remember you! You doin' okay?"

Again the sacrasm wouldn't come. "Aye...." was all he could manage for now.

"Um -- it may be a while before either of yer dads show up, but they'll be here, Anyway, Mako here already knows me, but I'm Triteia - you can call me Tri. I'm yer dad's--uh, Raikov's, sister."

Mako plopped down, taking a deep breath to settle his nerves, and his stomach. Good for him, Trout was mostly addressing Sinbad. Maybe the talk would help his brother, but Mako was just glad to be keeping his trap shut for once.

"I'll keep you safe while we're waitin' fer him,Now then, what's yer name?"

[Atton]

Distressed yips and whines tore into the air from yelping throats.

Atton was herded easily by his Auntie, all trembling lips and wide eyes as they went. Eros' body had near enough been torn in half by the shark, the images flashing around his head despite desperate attempts to stop it. The curly prince had entered shortly after his siblings, the majority of the horrors he had missed, thankfully. Tail tucked between his legs, Atton scampered between Triteia's paws that led them further and further from the massacre. His nose pressed tightly to Sinbad and Mako's napes, fearful whines curling into soft fur.

"Hey, did that shark get you anywhere? You don't look like yer hurt, but I just wanna make sure, Y' hungry at all? I can get you somethin' ta eat or drink."

“Is that what a shark is? C-can it get us here?” He asked, shoulders hunched while he pressed his plump form into Mako's fur. Wide eyes practically drilled into Trietia's face, searching for answers that she might give. This was a reminder how harsh the sea was, the dwelling monsters that lurked just beneath the surface. He longed to find his golden father, to snuggle up against his belly and be soothed. They were still young, fat plump little bodies that were easily damaged.

Is Miss Eros okay?"