Selkie Cove: early Monday morning

[idontlooktired.livejournal.com]

There was a break in the rain this morning, and it had left the air cool, the wind whipping off the ocean crisp and clean, as it the salt washed it free of any taint.

Harriet tipped her head back and closed her eyes, just for a moment, before looking down at the young girl holding her hand. "What do you say, Lauren? Does this look like a good spot?"

Lauren was already pulling off her shoes, and Harriet turned to glance at the third member of this very strange trio. "And you, Sarah?" And my, it was hard to remember not to address her by rank. "Does this suit you?"

Comments

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

"It's a beach," Kerrigan replied, an old hint of stoic wryness to her tone. "I'll live."

[idontlooktired.livejournal.com]

Her lips pursed in amusement, Harriet crouched to help Lauren with her shoes. "Well, quite. It is acceptable to have a preference, though."

[mymumkicksass.livejournal.com]

"There's a crab," Lauren pointed out, and her eyes were big and watchful as she traced grains of sand with her gaze. "And pointy bits over there. We can build walls and hide."

She was grinning broadly, though-- exploring was fun, and she let go of Harriet's hand to throw herself knees-first onto the sand.

[idontlooktired.livejournal.com]

"If you sneak up on the crab just remember it can give you a nasty pinch," she warned, standing up with a wince for old knees.

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

"Yeah."

Kerrigan stopped, pressing almost-idly, almost relaxed into the sand with her feet, but the lines of her muscles were straight and ready, just-in-case.

"Major tactical issue. You have to hate those things."

[mymumkicksass.livejournal.com]

"I know tactics," Lauren said, and with her hands now firmly against the sand, too, she started sneaking. Sneaky-sneaky-sneaky... "It won't pinch me. I'm sneaky and avoidy!"

[idontlooktired.livejournal.com]

"You have to take into account how they move, as well." She sank down to sit on a nearby rock. "Sideways, not straight ahead, and account for that. Change your tactics in response to the enemy."

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

"Remember your objective!" Kerrigan called, still upright, far enough that she had to yell to make herself heard.

[mymumkicksass.livejournal.com]

"I know," Lauren mumbled, notlikemomknows. She scuttled across the sand, moving a little sideways. And then the crab moved, too, so she moved with it. "I'm sorry, crab," she whispered, "it's just pinchies."

[idontlooktired.livejournal.com]

"And what is the objective?" she called after Kerrigan, not too loudly, knowing she'd pick it up, keeping her eyes on Lauren. Temporary daughter she might be, but Harriet would rather she didn't get pinched.

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

"Get in, take a look, get out alive." Kerrigan's feet were now making little crunching noises against the sand as she moved a few feet closer, hesitating only the slightest bit as she came up on the girl.

[idontlooktired.livejournal.com]

Harriet nodded. "Recon." The word felt odd in her mouth, but she had been the head of Her Majesty's Armed Forces; it wasn't as if the concepts were unfamiliar.

[mymumkicksass.livejournal.com]

"Recon," Lauren whispered, reverently. She leaned a little closer... just a little closer... her finger was ready-- she was still, so very still--

And the crab scuttled away. "Awwww!"

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

"Yeah," Kerrigan commented, and she finally allowed herself to sit down, sand or no sand, one leg propped a little upright. "Sometimes, they do that."

[idontlooktired.livejournal.com]

"But you met the objectives. Get in, look, and the crab took care of the getting out part for you," she pointed out and smiled. "So I think that counts as a success."

[mymumkicksass.livejournal.com]

If mum said it was a success... Lauren sat up a little, leaning back on her knees. "Does that mean I've got to give a report, now? It was a little scaly."

[idontlooktired.livejournal.com]

"It does indeed. And seeing as I heard the last one," Harriet nodded at Kerrigan, "your mom should hear this one."

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

Kerrigan glanced over at Harriet from the corner of her eye-- a very demonstrative glance-- before she settled back on Lauren, managing somewhat of a smile. "Over here and talk, soldier," she said, and it was obvious she had trouble masking some odd sense of amusement over all of this.

[mymumkicksass.livejournal.com]

Lauren, for her bit, just crawled happily across the sand, settling just in front of Kerrigan's legs. "It was scaly and a little snappy and it walks really fast," she said, earnestly, "I think we could catch it but only if you run, mom."

[idontlooktired.livejournal.com]

"Though she be but little, she is fierce," Harriet murmured, very amused by Kerrigan's look, then more loudly, "I am not cooking crab for dinner, not even if you catch it."

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

"Probably wouldn't taste good, anyway."

Not that Kerrigan was an expert on food. "Unless you're desperate. I think my fridge hasn't run away, yet."

[idontlooktired.livejournal.com]

"I do hope that wasn't a challenge," Harriet replied, not even trying to hide her amusement now. "I think tonight someone else can cook. There's a few perfectly acceptable places we could go to eat."

[mymumkicksass.livejournal.com]

"Crab would be icky anyway," Lauren said, making a face, "Scaly and scuttly and squishy on the inside."

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

After a moment's hesitation, Kerrigan reached over-- tentatively, tentatively-- taking Lauren's chin between her fingers, tilting her head. "You eat what you can get," she said, tone serious, although there wasn't the slightest real admonishment in it.

She held it, for a minute. Then she relaxed, leaning backwards on her forearms, and added, "Which is why we're abusing the restaurant principle today."