The muddy swamps squelched underfoot as a small group of whelps ran about the reeds and grasses of the Fungal Forest. The group of young Saltwater Tsabhua had permission to wander off and play from the main convey from Or'sol, a colony which resided on the far side of Mireh. The group stood out from the fungus adorned landscape by their various white and silver coats - or at least they would if they were not covered so well in mud.

"Rita!" Torook snapped as he stopped mid run, rubbing the mud from his eyes "You kicked up mud into my face! Stop it!"
Rita rolled her eyes and smirked with Nepeta "She did not!" Nepeta chimed in, teasing the other whelp "Maybe you were so clumsy you got yourself in the face."
Rita and Nepeta snickered together before running off a short ways ahead. Lantana frowned with concern, approaching the silvery whelp.
"Are you alright?" she asked, standing close to her friend. However she did not get a verbal answer as Torook continued to rub his eyes as he attempted to hide the tears escaping down his face. "Those two are trouble. I am sorry they are picking on you." Lantana reached out to rest a hand on Torooks shoulder as a means of consoling him, which caused Torook to snap.
"Just leave me alone!"
Lantana blinked in surprise, and hurt, at Torook's harsh words. "Okay..." she replied as she walked off in the direction Rita and Nepeta took - an obvious trail of mud and prints showing where they had gone.
As Lantana left, Torook just sat down in the muddy swamp and sighed. Why did he snap at her? She was only trying to help, he thought.

"Well that was a bit harsh." and unfamiliar voice cut through his thoughts, causing him to look up and around wildly with panic and surprise.
"Who said that? Who is there?"
A gruff grunt from the reeds caught Torook's attention and a rather large adult Saltwater Tsabhua rose up slightly and slid their body forward over the mud. "Not a very observant lot, you are." his striking amber eyes were striking set among his green coat. Torook could not help but stare - he had never seen anyone so head to tail green before. The stares eanred him another gruff grunt. "I am Dylidae. I live here in this swamp and you lot interrupted my rest."
"I-I am so sorry sir" Torook stammered out the words, somehow unable to move. "I am called Torook."
"Hmmm Torook you say? Strong name. A leaders name indeed."
Before Torook could ask what the stranger meant, the sound of the other whelps calling for him echoing around the thick myceilium trunks of the forest. Before he could even respond, Rita and Nepeta appeared quickly followed by Lantana who looked still quite dejected and did not make eye contact with Torook.
"There you are! Still here? Come on, your parents would kill us if they-" they all stopped in shock when they noticed the large green head of Dylidae move to regard them with contempt.
"Ah yes, the little troublemakers return. At least you came back for Torook here." he scoffed.

Dylidae waited with what seemed like unlimited patience and limitless time as the whelps stood with mouths agape and utterly shocked at his presence. He did not move, did not speak, until one of the whelps finally asked.
"A-are you... are you like us?" Rita choked out, seemingly unable to blink as she openly stared.
Her words somehow cut deep into Dylidae's heart, and he softened his expression a tad as he replied "What do you mean, little one? Have you not seen another of your kind before?"
Lantana and Rita both shook their heads, Nepeta unmoving and Torook also beginning to feel awed at the adult before them. "No, never." Torook replied.
Dylidae looked back at Torook, an almost sadness washing over him as he sighed deeply. "What of your parents?"
"My parents are like all the other Tsabhua, so are theirs" he nodded at both Rita and Lantana.
Finally looking down and away, Nepeta chimed in faintly "I do not know my parents." this caused Rita to hug her friend tightly.

Dylidae's brow furrowed as he thought that odd - the whelps having not seen others of their kind before seemed deeply disturbing to him. "Well, to answer your question. Yes, I am like you. I am much much older than you though. I would like to meet your tribe, if that is alright by you?"
Spurred on, the whelps seemed to regain their energy and excitedly agreed to lead Dylidae back to their convoy.
"Please tell us more about.. well.. us" Nepeta prompted. "Our clan knows not much about why we are the way we are."
Dylidae finally stood up, slowly, towering over the whelps as he stretched his tired legs and dried mud peeled off of him. "Of course. Climb on up and I will carry you as you lead. I will answer any of your questions." Dylidae smiled down at them all before twisting and turning around slowly - his thick tail dragging and squelching in the mud. The whelps excitedly clambered atop the wide back of Dylidae, getting comfortable and steady so he may move with ease.
"Now, I can only speak from my personal experience. But after I converse with your tribe- er, I mean clan, I would be more than happy to introduce you to others like us."
"There is MORE?!" Rita blurted out loudly.
"Of course, lots more." Dylidae looked back over his shoulder, throwing a wink at the whelps. The news sent them all squealing with excitement.
Lantana, sitting away from Torook, peered at the slowly moving ground below them as she asked her question "Why have we not seen adults like us before? Why are we so different?" the question got Nepeta and Rita letting out sounds in solidarity, also having had similar questions.
"Honestly, I do not know." Dylidae answered "We are numerous, but maybe more solitary than our taller counterparts."