As everyone settled into their staterooms on the ship, Tyler headed up to the top deck. He needed to practice. The ocean breeze whipped through his fur, carrying the salty smell of the sea. They had just left the port of St. Monusea, and several hours stretched ahead before they would dock in St. George’s Bay.

The top deck offered a spacious air lounge, perched at the ship’s bow—a perfect spot for an impromptu concert.

“Ah… trust me, you’ll get used to it. This happens a lot,” 

Tyler said, chuckling nervously as he locked eyes with his sheep classmate.

“You must be Salem, right? If I remember correctly?”

“That’s correct. Sorry if this feels weird or anything, but how does your transformation even work? I don’t think I’ve seen you like this before.”

“Aye. I don’t fully know yet, but it has something to do with the Green Flash that can happen at sunset.”

He spoke with a hint of mystery. The moment he mentioned it, Salem’s curiosity sparked like a bright ember. She rummaged through her knapsack and pulled out a book.

“Hmm… let’s see… AH, yeah. Here it is.”

She flipped through the pages, her excitement palpable. 

“The Green Flash; Long considered a warning of impending doom, the green flash is a phenomenon that occurs when the sky and horizon are crystal clear. It’s commonly seen over the ocean, but tales say it happens over land too. Seafarers warn that the green flash can lead sailors to disaster.”

She paused, frowning slightly. 

“Doesn’t say anything about why it specifically affects canines though. It’s gotta be a recent finding or something.”

Tyler nodded, understanding her intrigued nature. “Yeah, most likely. I’ll turn back once the sun rises.”

Just then, two more of their classmates arrived on deck. Kira, a gold-furred Snow Leopard with bright eyes, and Lance, a Gentoo Penguin known for his sharp wit, shared the same wide-eyed reaction.

“...Hi Kira. Lance.” 

Tyler replies, waving as the two of them took in the strange scene before them—a werewolf perched in a seat with a guitar, surrounded by curious friends and the vast blue sea.

“Tyler? How did-”

Kira asks, only to be stopped mid sentence.

“Blah blah blah, Green Flash at Sunset causes this weird transformation, but I return to normal at sunrise.”

Tyler responds back.

Kira nodded his head, fully understanding.

“Ah.”

Lance looked over at Salem. 

“Oh! Salem, I actually came up here to tell you… I had that dream again.”

Salem turned her head. 

“You too, huh…”

The conversation sparked Tyler’s interest. 

“What dream, if I may ask?”

“Okay. So. Kira, Lance, and I have been having these weird dreams lately about our island guardians. Whether that’s Apollo, Artemis, Hubble, or Gemini. We don’t really know what it means.” Salem explained, glancing out at the vast sea shimmering under the stars. The skies above them felt alive, wrapped in its mysteries.

“Haha! Funny you should mention that… a while ago, Brian and I didn’t necessarily have a dream relating to that..but we wanted to find Apollo’s shrine ourselves.” 

Tyler replied, his eyes bright with memory. 

“We did end up finding it, but all we got was a pretty basic history ramble. Definitely helped with my journaling, though.”

“Hmmm.” Salem would mumble, pondering Tyler’s response, as the gentle breeze swayed through everyone’s fur. 

“I suppose that’s something, as well.”

Tyler shrugged. 

“Yeah. Maybe it’s a vision of sorts? I know something like that tends to predict the future.”

Salem nodded thoughtfully, tapping her chin. 

“I feel like you might have a point… but what would it even allude to? What would the guardians want with me, Kira, and Lance?”

Tyler gently patted her head with his giant werewolf paw. “The only thing I can really say is that time will tell—”

“Oh, your hair’s so soft…” 

Tyler softly laughed, gently brushing his fingers through her wool.

“Ty.” 

She shook her head in playful, mock disapproval. 

“Sorry, ADHD. But yeah! Only time will tell for you guys, I feel like. There’s definitely some reason behind it.”

Salem took his thoughts into consideration, while Kira and Lance looked at each other, their minds racing with possibilities. 

“Yeah. You’re right. The guardians wouldn’t have done that for no reason.”

The thoughtful silence hung between the four of them, filled with the sounds of nature. Kira soon broke it with uplifting thoughts. “Well… hey, at least, in the meantime, we got this trip! That’s a positive, at least!”

As the island’s night wrapped around them, a hint of adventure crackled in the air. They could feel it—something more awaited them beyond the waves..and more so as the next few hours would pass, the ship soon docking in the horseshoe-shaped harbor that the locals knew as St. George’s Bay.