» Together

the Rift

By the time the eldest matriarch of the Loricatrunc returned to the beach below the Rainforest Cliffs, most of the creatures of the deep had returned to their homes. She couldn't blame them. It must've been uncomfortable for them to lay upon the sands, baked by the relentless sun, with the waters never quite closing over their backs. A couple of kalofin and a naridon remained, and, of course, the baleano. It dwarfed the rest of them, its massive mouth closed and the long, serpentine body disappearing in the sea waters.

When she returned, it opened a bright, green eye. The corners of her mouth crinkled in a gentle smile. She had had very few dealings with the creatures of the deep, but she knew the baleano were a terror, beholden to no one. They were vicious and quick, and she doubted any baleano had ever been this close to other creatures without eating them.

And to think that this giant was not yet fully grown—either that, or the tales of their monstrous size were exaggerated.

Or perhaps, a little bit of both.

"You return," it stated, its voice strangely amplified by whatever magic allowed it speech above the surface, yet thin and hollow when snatched up by the air. She assumed she'd be blubbering if she were to speak in its domain, so she figured that was just how things went when one was out of their element. Still, the deep voice vibrated in her bones. "Alone," it added after a moment.

"Yes," she responded, stepping into the shallows to soothe her aching feet, "I ate them all."

The baleano narrowed its green eyes at her, and then made a sound like rumbling thunder and dry, windblown leaves. "You did not!" it finally said. The matriarch assumed it had got her joke, then, and one of her black, bright eyes winked at it. The baleano tipped a little sideways. She wondered if it had been lying here all the time, or if it had smelled her return and crawled back onto the beach for her. "No," she agreed warmly, "I did not."

And so, they settled in to wait, a few of the smaller creatures running around in playful chases, while the elderly Loricatrunc and the young baleano traded stories of their vastly different lives.

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This is the RETURN THREAD for the SWP task forces!
If you want to join the SWP but have been unsure of where to put your character, posting here is a great place to start! :D

* Each round is 48 hours (give or take), and has no posting order. If you miss a round, don't worry - just post when you have a chance to! The round is open until Rift Presence posts again.
* New characters are always welcome to join the plot
* If you find the pace too high, let us know, and we'll slow down!
* Posts are encouraged to be 400 words or less.