The depths of the Ocean were a mystery to most, but Seafoam was curious. Snickerdoodle was also cautiously curious, but when Gerralt and even Ray said that they would come too, she nodded and gave in. If even a whelp would go along - despite the fact that e could breathe underwater - Snickerdoodle figured she could, too.

There were devices they and Gerralt could use to breathe underwater, as they didn't have gills like the aquatics. They covered their beaks, with an extra pair of goggles to goober their eyes so they could see.

Ray and Seafoam, having special nictating membranes that slid over their eyes to add clarity underwater, were already playing in the surf. Snickerdoodle hesitantly stepped into the salty water, glad that she and Gerralt had prevailed on the others to swim somewhere where the sea was temperate. Lacking the layer of blubber of the aquatics, they got colder much faster.

Gerralt seemed to have some trouble slithering through the surf, so Snickerdoodle helped him get through the roughest parts. Then the two shared a glance and ducked below the surface. Here in the surfline, the water was murky and sandy from the churned-up ocean floor, but as they got past it, the visibility opened up into something beautiful. The surface sparkled overhead like a web of gemstones, and the depths expanded in each direction. The seafloor was full of life, seaweed, and aquatic animals that flitted away at their approach.

Seafoam and Ray were weaving between the seaweed, at home in a way that they were not on land. Snickerdoodle felt some of what they must, walking on the surface, as their body tried to adjust to the pressure of the water and reduced gravity. She laughed at their shenanigans, and turned to Gerralt to say something funny, then realized that their voices wouldn't carry well through the water.

"CAN YOU HEAR ME?" she yelled into the breathing apparatus, but Gerralt only tilted his head at her, confused.

Seafoam sidled up, curious. She floated there, watching, then suddenly startled and pointed behind Gerralt and Snickerdoodle. The two took a second to understand, then whirled to see Ray swimming up to a strange aquatic.

Gerralt seemed to call out to the whelp warning them not to get too close, but the water muffled it and turned his words indistinct.

The stranger seemed to grasp the gist, though, and paused in their swimming, waving in a friendly manner. They then moved their hands in a certain way, seeming to imbue them with meaning. As everyone else stared at them blankly, they seemed to realize that the message wasn't getting through. Looking resigned, they tried a different tact.

They pointed at Snickerdoodle, Gerralt, and Seafoam in turn, though Ray tried to grab their hand, then mimed looking around and searching for something.

Seafoam was a little quicker on the uptake, and shook their head no. It seemed… they had been asking if they were lost. Snickerdoodle gave them a thumbs up, while Gerralt, handless, nodded his head at Seafoam and Snickerdoodle and pointed with his tail.

The stranger nodded agreeably, then went on their way, vanishing into the cerulean depths.

Ray half-tried to swim after them, but both Seafoam and Snickerdoodle grabbed their tail in protest. The whelp, in turn, protested their treatment, flailing, while Gerralt looked like he was about to laugh watching it all.

Feeling a little cranky at having an amused onlooker, Snickerdoodle made a mildly rude gesture, only to have Gerralt laugh inside his mask and mime being wounded, holding his tail over his heart.

Seafoam shook their head at the both of them, radiating mock disappointment while making sure Ray didn't chase after the stranger. Ray was giving them puppy-dog eyes, and Seafoam pointed at the surface and made a hand gesture for talking. They would explain on the surface.

In the meantime, Snickerdoodle saw a flash of something brightly colored, and pointed excitedly at a stunning iridescent fish the side of her arm. Gerralt indicated excitement by looping in the water, while Seafoam nodded and clapped, while Ray immediately tried to catch it. Gerrapt put his tail over his eyes in mock exasperation, while Seafoam turned over and pretended to be floating dead in the water from 'why is this kid my problem.'

This time, it was Snickerdoodle's turn to laugh.