The colorful wolf had heard him, though quickly Delta's hesitant curiosity swung to regret as it began scouring the seafloor. Perhaps it wouldn't see him, perhaps it was friendly and wouldn't move to snap him up if he caught sight. Its body language seemed curious and much less predatory than when it had sprung after the seal, but Delta was far less experienced in reading canids. The little feline parted his jaws and tasted the water, but the stranger's scent alluded him as it pushed upwards and floated above in the higher currents.
The wolf's eyes widened, and it seemed then that Delta had been spotted. Unease prickled at his pelt as it sunk towards him, tilting its head sideways as its many fins bobbed and swayed with the gentle current. It was beautiful, almost like the little tropical fish he'd seen flashing in the deeper water, but Dela's claws curled into the soft sand in preparation to kick off and follow the seal's example. He opened his mouth again, and at this distance the wolf's scent wafted through the water to meet him. It seemed male, and behind the scents of many others clouded and clung to his fur.
He finally spoke, and a trickle of relief broke through the hard anxiety in his chest. Thank Tsillah he was not some mindless beast.
"I do," Delta said, tenseness easing from his claws. He didn't quite trust the wolf not eat him still, but his ability to speak had it seeming it was a much less likely outcome. He opened and shut his mouth, still unaccustomed to talking as a hesitant excitement began to rear at the back of his mind; it had been so long since he'd spoken to another creature such as himself, even if the stranger here was of considerable physical difference.
"I don't see--I have never seen a wolf Here. Only on land," and in groups. Delta flared his whiskers and felt the force of little fish against the currents. He hadn't seen anything besides him larger than the seal in the time he'd spent here, and the scent of wolf had only come apparent once he'd approached. If he lived with others, it seemed perhaps they weren't yet here. The same anxiety roiled in his chest at the thought, and his gaze flicked momentarily behind them to make sure nothing was stalking in the deeper waters.
The wolf's eyes widened, and it seemed then that Delta had been spotted. Unease prickled at his pelt as it sunk towards him, tilting its head sideways as its many fins bobbed and swayed with the gentle current. It was beautiful, almost like the little tropical fish he'd seen flashing in the deeper water, but Dela's claws curled into the soft sand in preparation to kick off and follow the seal's example. He opened his mouth again, and at this distance the wolf's scent wafted through the water to meet him. It seemed male, and behind the scents of many others clouded and clung to his fur.
He finally spoke, and a trickle of relief broke through the hard anxiety in his chest. Thank Tsillah he was not some mindless beast.
"I do," Delta said, tenseness easing from his claws. He didn't quite trust the wolf not eat him still, but his ability to speak had it seeming it was a much less likely outcome. He opened and shut his mouth, still unaccustomed to talking as a hesitant excitement began to rear at the back of his mind; it had been so long since he'd spoken to another creature such as himself, even if the stranger here was of considerable physical difference.
"I don't see--I have never seen a wolf Here. Only on land," and in groups. Delta flared his whiskers and felt the force of little fish against the currents. He hadn't seen anything besides him larger than the seal in the time he'd spent here, and the scent of wolf had only come apparent once he'd approached. If he lived with others, it seemed perhaps they weren't yet here. The same anxiety roiled in his chest at the thought, and his gaze flicked momentarily behind them to make sure nothing was stalking in the deeper waters.