Waiting for her! Liss was too busy planning her ambush to answer, but she did feel a twinge. If they were waiting anywhere, they had to be waiting here. It was the only thing that made sense.

She'd stayed in Vale, even when all the others left. Her brothers. Her mentor. The regent, a mighty warrior from the Dark Ages who promised to protect the Vale while Mam and Papa were gone, but then traveled South with a great host of Vale's strength for new lands, in fear of winter's fury, never to return to the place they had once fought and died for so proudly. Even Charlie, who had first stayed where their roots grew strongest with Liss, had gone after a while in search of the others... and then... Well. She wasn't in the Vale, anymore. And hadn't been for a long time.

But the land had always been sacred to Liss, and she'd stayed, through all of it. And she'd... she'd waited. But it got fuzzy after that. Her brain itched.

It didn't matter, because she was here, now, and she'd either find her kin or find her way home again. For now, she would enjoy the adventure for what it was!

With a gleeful cackle at Stardust's willingness to play, Liss squinted against the spray of water and then darted to the side, upchurned water drenching her in the excitement nearly as much as Stardust's well aimed wave. Liss returned another of her own, Not if I get you first!

She didn't know what Alondra, meant, if it was a name or a foreign word of just jibberish because Stardust was surprised. She would have to ask, later, if she remembered after she beat her new friend at Splashing.