It had been a while since Mayfal had been in Fornax.

They began to wonder how Kaimana might be doing. And they were craving a crunchy snack as well. Besides, they had to keep their word on coming back to visit.

They roughly knew the way by now. It was a long walk but it was nice to walk in silence for a while. When they felt the water lapping at their paws, they knew just where to go. They followed the shallower parts of the water along the Isles. This led them to Moon Island, where Kaimana lived. They didn't know the names, they just recognized the feel and smell of it all.

When they came to the shore of Moon Island, they called out, "Hello! Kaimana?" A smile was beginning to creep onto Mayfal's face against their will. But they couldn't help it! They had had a very good experience last time they were here.

They waited for a response.

@Kaimana @Comet

Comet

Arctic Wolf

Comet's paws worked hard to fight against the water. She had come to visit Kaimana, who had been her swimming instructor. She wanted to show them how much she had improved! Her legs were more used to the water now, and her motions were smoother. As she doggy paddled her way to Moon Island, she spotted someone that looked familiar. "Mayfal? Mayfal! How did you get here?" she exited the water and shook her fur.

@Mayfal

Uh oh. Mayfal knew that voice. They knew it very well. And that voice didn't seem too excited to see Mayfal here, alone, in an admittedly more dangerous cave. Mayfal froze when they heard it.

"Hi, Comet." They said sheepishly. "How did I get here? Oh, I don't know. I was just wandering!"

They couldn't let Comet know that they'd been here a few times before. Besides, it was a half truth anyway. They weren't exactly sure where they were going the first time they went wandering alone. They just tried to remember landmarks so they could find their way back. And then they were in the water!

If Comet knew that, it might just kill her. That's what Mayfal thought at least.

@Comet @Kaimana

Comet

Arctic Wolf

Comet could tell that Mayfal was hiding something. She realized how harsh her words sounded at first, she was just surprised was all, she couldn't believe she sounded so mean. "Sorry, Mayfal. I was just a bit surprised to see you here." she thought about if she should tell them or not. Yes she should! They were her best friend after all, no need to hide anything. "I was just here to meet with Kaimana. She was the one who gave me swimming lessons! Have you met her? She's really nice! Saved me from drowning one time actually."

@Mayfal

Comet didn't sound upset. That was good. Maybe she was being more lenient because she thought this was their first time here. Mayfal decided to keep up the ruse to avoid the consequences.

"K-Kaimana? W-who's that? I've never met a Kaimana before!"

Yeah, that would sell it. Mayfal just hoped Kaimana wouldn't recognize them immediately and buy them enough time to get away unscathed.

@Comet @Kaimana

Comet

Arctic Wolf

Comet could tell that Mayfal was hiding something, but she wasn't sure what. She knew them well enough to know when they were not telling the truth. She couldn't understand why, and didn't call them out on it. "Oh, you don't know her? That's okay! I can introduce you. She is so nice, wait till you meet her." Now she was thinking if she should out them. No, she would give them an option. "Hey, is something wrong?" She was getting worried.

@Mayfal

Kaimana didn't live here per say, no. She just dawdled around here often. Still looking, still waiting, still excited for what was to come.

She couldn't have seen this coming.

Just as she had reemerged from the water, having caught a single, scrawny fishling which she'd intended to be a pitiful excuse for a snack. But when she resurfaced, she saw two white fuzzy creatures that were familiar and she was so surprised, she slipped and fell on her face, the fish she'd been carrying flying right out of her jaws and, somehow, through the sheer magic of misfortune, onto her head.

She paused for a moment to catch her breath.

And once that was caught (much easier than her fish and been), she pushed her head up from the sand and gave a ditzy-looking grin. "Hello~!" Her voice, while raspy, had a sweet, singsong-ish quality to it. The fish fell from her head with a soft plop and a coming wave snatched it back up. Kaimana didn't even think to reach for the fish, now hidden back underneath the waters.

She'd have to take another moment to spit up some sand and water.

@Comet @Mayfal

There was a loud sound right as Comet was starting to grill Mayfal. They whipped their head towards the noise. It came with a smell: one of water and Kaimana. Oh no, Kaimana had made the loud sound!

"Ka-!" but they didn't know her. They had to keep up the act.

Kaimana seemed to be alright nevertheless. She was able to greet the two in a pleasant way. Before hacking something up that was stuck in her throat.

Mayfal would never understand they creature. "Is that Kaimana?" Obviously it was, but asking might make their lie seem more plausible.

@Kaimana @Comet

Comet

Arctic Wolf

Comet struggled to keep herself from laughing when Kaimana slipped and fell on their face. It was just so ridiculous. But she held it in, and focused on the current situation. "Yes, that's Kaimana. She is pretty big actually, and she's a jaguar." Comet walked over to the jaguar, "Kaimana, have you met Mayfal? She is a very good friend of mine."

@Kaimana

Once Kaimana felt properly recovered, she registered the words and faces of the pair she'd just intruded upon. Ah, yes! Comet! Mayfal! Friends! Just as she'd suspected. Interestingly enough, though, she'd only gotten a true greeting from one of the two of them. Mayfal had almost said her name there -- she could've sworn it! -- but seemed to take it back in favor of... pretending they didn't know who she was? How odd. Kaimana, for a moment, couldn't help but keep a questioning, confused gaze on Mayfal. Why was it lying...?

Comet's reaction to her mess of an entrance clued her in to the social situation. So Comet knew Mayfal? And Comet knew Kaimana. And Mayfal knew Kaimana! And Kaimana knew that Comet knew Mayfal and vice versa. And Mayfal knew Comet and Kaimana knew each other. But one link was missing...

Comet didn't know that Mayfal and Kaimana had met before!

And Mayfal intended to... keep it that way, it looked like? Peculiar. Although, now that Kaimana thought about it, was it really so peculiar for the child that had lied about its name at first? Mayfal seemed to have issues with trust, and looked for cover behind lies! That had been plain to see from their first interaction. Well, who was Kaimana to blow that cover away? If Mayfal wasn't feeling like Comet could be trusted with the information for whatever reason, then who was she to judge? Besides, playing along with this pretend first-meeting could be fun! It was like pretending that, in some alternate universe, they'd started off on the right paw instead of the wrong one. Kaimana didn't have a problem with imagining that.

Cheery and strikingly placid as ever, Kaimana responded to Comet's inquiry with: "Greetings Comet! No, I don't believe I have!" And with that, the jaguar would look Mayfal dead in the eyes, smile, and wink.

@Mayfal