It was late summer into early autumn, and the Red-faced Salmon were in their spawning season in the heartland of Le'raana. Sundog enjoyed the lazy old stretch of river that took her to their stomping grounds, and it was always well worth the journey, when she could trade the massive fish she found here for a great many goods from the small villages and the orphanage. And it meant she would see old friends on the way - the way the sun-scaled Leviathinian saw it, there was no downside at all.
It was after a long day hunting those fat, lazy fish and trading them fresh down the river that she stopped on the banks, tied her craft in the lazy water of a deep lagoon, and sunned herself on the grass, her mane spilling long around her. Her soft, elastic scales glistened in the warm daylight, and she was... Not completely satisfied. There was a pang there, an emptiness... But she had traded for some good duck - a lot of it - so that was alright. But it wasn't just duck she longed for.
Deep sapphire pools twinkled a bit as she opened them to stare at the setting sun's panorama of golden clouds. The girl had married. Sundog thumped her forehead very gently to try and hake loose of the thought but it didn't work. Sameline had married that tailor, and didn't even want to see her when she came. That stung a little... Okay, maybe a lot. Sunny had desired her so, thought of nothing else all year, and now a ring tumbled at the bottom of the ancient river, frightening crayfish. The mental image made her smile a tiny bit, but...
Sunny had wanted to be hers.
She'd never have believed it, but there it was. 'Serves you right!' a bitter little part of her said scornfully 'how foolish she'd been to think a human would be faithful!' But that part of her she recognized as her mother's hateful and fearful upbringing, and soundly kicked its ass out of her mind. She'd met the tailor, Mr Janes. He was a wonderful man and he could provide her with all she so very much deserved. Sam deserved it - and what could Sunny offer anyway? A choice of fish, worldly knowledge and a skillful tongue? These things did not a good life provide, and Sundog left it at that.
"Here's to young Mrs. Janes" she whispered, and smiled at the sky. A questing hand found the cider she'd obtained and quietly, without getting up, toasted, taking a generous pull of the delicious apple-flavored amber liquid.
