The sun was high overhead now, a bright, golden eye, searing the white sand with its harsh stare. But Ferren's tempered feet did not mind the scorching sand. He was humming just beneath his breath with a cloth bag jingling pleasantly at his hip, hands resting behind his head, breathing in the salt air. Brook plodded along beside him, reveling in the heat of the sand, her eyes like glittering green stones, scanning the sand for treasures. She seemed to like this little game. Find something shiny and receive some good pats in return. To be fair, Farren would have pat her as much as she liked, but he had decided it was best to let her come to him for attention, rather than love on her whenever the inkling caught him.
The sailor had taken some time earlier that day, while Brook snoozed in the sand, to read over the research project he had chosen. There were four subjects they were seeking information on; Diet, Physical Quirks, Temperament, and Notable Behaviors. Earlier, he'd tried offering his Totodile some food from his breakfast, but she showed no interest. Maybe she just wasn't a morning person? He couldn't relate, he loved the early mornings, but he had respected that assumption and let her relax until nearly noon.
Diet... He would try that one again when they returned to the dorm, he thought, mentally going over the checklist as he watched his little reptile scurry along the shore on all fours. The physical characteristics option confused him. Nauwillan Totodiles were pretty obviously different than the Johtoan form, was there something not as obvious they were looking for? When he thought of a Totodile's temperament, Farren drew a blank. He had never met one before. They weren't native to his island home, to his knowledge. He was not someone who watched television, so his exposure to them was barely anything at all. And all of that made Notable Behaviors difficult as well. Maybe he would ask around about how to approach some of these topics.
He had just finished his mental checklist when suddenly Brook let out a chirrup and galloped off towards some large rocks.
"Hey! What'd you find, buddy?" He called, jogging after her.
And there she stood, tall and proud on the rock, clutching... Was that a skull!?
"Oh wow, nice find, Brook! I wonder which Pokemon that belonged to. Is it all in one--" He reached out to take the skull from her and was met with a low, guttural growl, "Oh, okay," He lifted his hands and took a step back, "Easy girl. Can I see it? I just want to--" Brook's eyes sharpened and she lunged threateningly at him, warning him to back off.
He chuckled nervously and lifted his hands again, stepping back a bit more, "Alright, alright. Message received. That one is all yours, promise." The sandy reptile snorted, content, and, after shifting the skull to a more comfortable position in her large jaws, returned to his side.
"A bit protective, don't you think? But what's yours is yours, I guess. Good find, girl," He chuckled, once he calmed down.
Huh, maybe that would count as a notable behavior? He made a mental note to jot that down when they got back; Nauwillan Totodile are extremely territorial, and even a good-natured one won't back down from protecting something that they think belongs to them.
