some beach, somewhere

Claire couldn't remember getting in the water.  She couldn't remember falling asleep, or what had come before.  She couldn't remember any of it.  All of it felt so far away... yet here she was.  Here she was, the far away sound of waves on sand.  It was a nice sound, actually.  Lovely.  Maybe she should lay here and listen a while longer.  Her entire body still felt heavy.  Maybe it was because she was soaking wet, soggy, soaked to the bone with sea water.  Maybe... maybe there were other reasons.  Claire's eyes only remained closed moments longer, though.  Breaking through the blissful unawareness came only sundering cold.  

Cold.  Freezing cold, icy fingers that gripped her and wouldn't let go.  Though the day was perfectly mild, there was no sun to keep the chill off her fragile bones.  Silky pelt hanging sodden and sticking close to her body, it wouldn't do Claire any good here.  It wouldn't keep her warm.  The shivering began, system desperately going into overdrive.  Trying to prevent her from freezing.  Claire whimpered, climbing weakly to her feet.  Only able to drag herself from the surf before collapsing once more, this time in dry sand.  A heap.  A mess of a girl.  It was okay that she struggled, Claire decided.  She hadn't stopped yet.

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Despite its proximity to the Saltwoods, Velyre avoided this beach. It was sticky and hot and sandy—all things that she hated with a burning passion. Worst of all, it was sunny. It didn’t burn her skin like it used to, thanks to her fluffy pelt. Nonetheless, she disliked it on principle.

Still, this beach was the best for finding sand-living organisms. After her encounter with the jellyfish, Vel had tasked herself with cataloguing all the creatures of these waters. Of course, she had no way to store this information besides in her mind. And by bringing back shells and bones.

She was presently investigating a broken crab shell, carefully turning it over with her teeth. That was when she heard a whimper close by. Vel perked up.

A wolf, alone and shivering on the beach. Vel didn’t recognize her; either a loner, or another one of the Other Pack. She frowned, trotting towards her.

Normally, Vel would ask permission before broaching personal space. But she didn’t have much time. Velyre crouched by the hypothermic stranger, trying to get the smaller wolf to lean on her.

“Stay out of the water,” Velyre commanded, slowly guiding the wolf with her steps towards the sun-baked sands. “Come on, it’s not far.”

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Claire shuddered.  She shivered.  She stumbled as she hauled herself back to her feet again and again, trying to keep herself upright.  A tiny, terrible looking thing, but fierce.  Yes, there's something fierce in her.  She didn't want to give up here, on this strange beach, chilled to the bone and without anyone in the world to see her.  Claire fights, dragging herself farther up the beach.  She... she wasn't alone?  She wasn't alone any longer, her brow furrowing deeply.  There's a voice drawing her forward.  Pulling her... a voice that's all too real to be part of the terrible dream.  Her gaze flickers, up and around and-- oh.  There.  Closer, and then upon her.  Well, not upon her.

Nearly at once, Claire recognizes that the stranger isn't a threat.  She leaned on the woman.  Taller, though a similar, light build.  Fluffy.  Very fluffy, what a comfort that was.  The girl can't help but rest her cheek heavily on the stranger's shoulder.  A stranger... an angel.  Was this what an angel was?  Claire thought that could be the case.  As the sun began to warm their backs, the girl would sap any allowed body heat from her savior.  Oh was it impolite to cling?  That didn't seem to matter, not in this moment.  Now partially on her own feet, partially on that of the pale woman, Claire could feel the water begging to escape from her lungs.  She pauses for a moment, giving a great, hacking cough.  It shakes her bones and rattles her teeth, all of it near hard enough to knock her from her feet.  The water that comes up is... murky, at best.  Claire feels murky at best.

With the stranger's help, she stumbles farther up the beach.  Through it, the pale girl still feels like she's being tossed about by the waves.  What a strange, sickening feeling it was.  "Who-- what--?"  Claire tries to speak, but the words turn to dust in her mouth.  There were too many questions, and the sandpaper feeling in her throat was too much for the moment.  Hopefully her one woman rescue team would understand her confusion.

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Mercifully, the little wolf did not argue with her or shy away. Instead, she tucked her face into her fluff. Whether it was by instinct or choice didn’t matter for the moment. She had to stick close if she was going to live, and Velyre did not like watching people die, surprisingly enough.

Then she started coughing. Good, Vel thought. Her lungs were functioning well. Carefully, Vel brought her to a warm patch of sand, curling her body around the smaller wolf. She tried to say something, but Velyre shook her head.

“Stay close until you stop shivering,” Vel told her. “And don’t close your eyes. You have to stay awake. I know it’s hard.”

She looked up, grimacing a little at the mud and sand that was now sticking to her own fur. At least it wasn’t as bad as the time she’d buried a body.

“I’m Velyre. Of the Saltwoods,” she said. Trying to think of anything the shivering wolf could focus on—to keep her from drifting off. “This is Mojito Beach. You’re lucky it’s warm here.”

How long had she spent in the water? Where had she even come from? Velyre frowned. For the moment, though, she suppressed her questions. She set to work squeezing as much water as she could out of the other wolf’s neck-fur, using her teeth to gently wring out her drenched coat.

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