#odyssey

The Chieftess nods, and gestures- volunteers come forward. Aoife and Seamus, their earlier escort standing alongside Art and Thistle.

The elderly man, who introduces himself as Vittorio, gestures for Gladiola to join him in the surf.

Aoife and Seamus dive into the surf, and two sleek seals appear where they were, each wearing a strap around their slender, smooth necks. Not a harness, each seal could easily slip free if they wished with only a shrug, but it seems that sharing swims with human shapes is not unusual here.

Art removes his shoes and shirt, and folds up the cuffs of his slacks before wading out to join Seamus.

Thistle's eyes sparkle. "Magic still is furkin' amazing."

Boots off!

Gwen has stripped down to a still modest minimum, and joins Vittorio in the surf

The corners of the elder’s eyes crinkle as he looks her over. Tall once, he is now slightly stooped and has to look up at her, like so many others. “The boy told me about you. Knight of Silverwolf, is it? He has big ballocks, he do. So do you, fighting on our home ground.

But that Omario, he don't speak for all of us. Way he made it sound, he rescue ti bebe. Folk starting to wonder now.”

"I try not to speak ill of relations to those who have been kind to me, honored elder, but the baby was going into the arms of a mother and father who loved her very much before she was not rescued, but torn away by deceit and left only grief behind. I thank you for giving me a chance to champion my friend and the child, and a mother wronged."

“Eh, you thank your Thistle, what chose you as champion, or your boy, he convinced me to help.” He smiles, and claps his hands.

“Okay, we do this, dame Silverwolf. You make sho’ you get in de deep wata soon as you feel it.”

He starts working a cantrip, a song sung under his breath, reggae tone in rhythm with the pulse of the water splashing against her legs, the lake that should not, yet does, have ripples and tides.

Citrine is distracted by the shimmer of sunlight on the water, something new to dance and play with! (Chime!)

Gladiola starts to feel… odd. She has always been herself, Troll and Human, but something new is happening here. She may expect to shrink, condense, feel sleek fur.

She does not.

She grows.

Art swallows, watching, an expectant and excited look.

Thistle says something in awe, which would make a sailor blush. A seal? Perhaps not.

Art gives Thistle a glance, a grin fighting against a serious expression.

Gwen takes it with calm, almost passsive dignity. Inside she may or may not be freaking out but none will know it

She grows, and grows some more. Her arms slide out into flippers. Her head grows wide, and mouth splits into an even wider gap, filled with sharp teeth.

Gladiola falls forward, legs melding into a powerful tail, and a tickle on her back as a long fin sprouts there. Her last glance of herself before she can no longer turn her neck that way, is an expanse of smooth, sleek blue-black and white skin.

Vittorio backs away from Gladiola- troll no more, but a massive Killer Whale- an Orca.

“G’wan, Sea Wolf. Go get at ‘em.”

Seamus and Aoife back away rapidly, and Thistle and Art are dragged along as they start out to the middle of the lake. Art calls to Thistle, “Fins!!”

"Damn smart, Art! C'MON SHAMU!!!"

Someone tries to make me balance a ball on my nose like this, and I'm going to bite them She slaps her tail against the water, and moves to ready for the battle to be called officially. She will do this by the rules so there is no question or lawyering to get out of it

He has to call over the splashing as they are hauled out, “seemed fair! She's a TROLL!”

Before the change, Gwen was already a good swimmer, but she realizes how clumsy in water she's been all her life now. She practices a bit, a flick of fin can change everything, and the tail so much more powerful than puny legs kicking

Gladiorca feels STRONG. She's always strong, but now her entire body is sleek muscle, aerodynamic, cutting through the water. A sense of joy and freedom, she is built for this world, unlike the mortal lands where everything is too small, too fragile.

Nearing the middle of the lake, a circle has formed- Seal Selkies floating at the surface, small boats bobbing with human kin, and some divers alongside companions or even alone.

The seal Kin have all fled.

A large male seal with numerous impressive scars swims circles in the middle- Omario waits.

Chieftess Saoirse is on a boat in human form, and calls out. “First blood or surrender! Fight fair. Fight well!”

That sounds like the start of the challenge to Gladiola, she circles the circle, going counter to the way Omario takes. She wants to pursue, to hunt him down, but that's not what this is. It is a fight. he must come to her, eventually. And she hopes her plan to plant a false weakness of her moves in his mind has made it easier to take him still. He has experience even if they both now wear forms of the fine, but she has lacross training and strange as that sounds, that means she knows how to pace her rival before moving.

She finds herself looking for her pack- but she is alone. No orcas join her hunt, no dogs or warriors run alongside. Very well- She can be a lone wolf.

Omario darts through the water as she approaches, swift and sure. He is faster than she, and can turn on his tail on a dime. But she knows she is larger, far stronger, and suspects that she had staying power. It's not unlike fights she knows well!

Yes, if he were allowed to just flee, he can get away.. but he can't, she suspects, not without yielding. Let him burn energy. She has an idea if he tries to taunt her

He darts in and away, trying to get behind her. Her arms- er, flippers, seem to be a target.

There, he's aiming for her right flipper!

She makes it look like an evasion but then twists and tries to hit him with a tail strike, a stunning blow if she can do it.

Her tail lashes out, but he manages to evade being smashed. The force of the water being moved pushes him back, and he uses that momentum to speed away- away and down, down deep.

A few Selkies follow, braving the depths to keep an eye on the battle as it goes down into the dark waters.

Thistle mutters and squints! "Knew I needed some damn scuba gear..."

Gwen swims about as if confused, but Gwen knows animals, Dogs best, but she likes the critters, and there's one thing everyone knows about whales.... reaching in the back of her throat, she sendss out a series of clicks and thrums....

She catches a glimpse on him- a picture forms in her minds eye of his shape, made of sound!

But then… there are other shapes, too. He darts in and out, around the watching Selkie- though they try to remain out of the way, with his turns and circles, she can't tell the shapes apart easily. She THINKS that one is him… is it? Dare she risk a mistake?

No one else was allowed THIS close to the fight were they?

in the battle ring itself?

The observers stayed in the outskirts, but now that they are deep under water, the lines blur, and yes, he swims in and out of safety zone… which was clear, yet… unofficial.

Frustration, Fucking Coward not for stealth, she can respect that even if she's not a fan. But for darting itno the ringside seats as it were

Her clicks and whistles throw back shapes- too long- too small- THERE! Now that she's seen him, she can follow!

(Pause)

On the surface, Art sputters as he is dipped and surfaces again. “Where did they go?!”

She follows him, closing, and tries to get his scent while he's at it

Realizing that his ploy is blown, Omario books it towards the surface!

If she's above him following over he'll have to shoot past her, that might give her a chance to bite.

She chomps down, but with a flash of glamour, she just barely misses. She swears there is a scrap of fur in her mouth, but some trick of the light - rather, Trick of the Light, and she hit where she thought the seal was, not where he is. Chicanery! But he's heading back up to the surface, light filtering through silhouettes his form.

As she gets up closer to the surface once more, she can here the distorted, muted sound of yells. Cheering - for her?

At least, she thinks she hears Art!

She decides to reverse the game plan on him, she moves up , not at him but to break the surface herself. Oh he'll make it before she does, but that's fine as long as he's close. While he's in a spot where it is JUST the two of them, this might work. She Breaches, a fresh intake of air, and SLAMS down with her whole body to create a swarm or air bubbles to blind HIM..while she has her echolotation and scent at close range