"I can't believe it is really here." Peter whispered excitedly to his sister Sophie.
"Listen up my children!" barked the wise old matriarch Muriel.
"Let's get lined up ready for the day to begin!" she carried on, smiling excitedly as she inspected her extended family.
This year they had some of the Farne family from Inner Farne staying with them to celebrate today's events, and Muriel was determined to put on a great show which would get reported back to the Powers in charge!
The sun's rays glistened and bounced gently over the small rolling blue waves.
Oh shoot she thought as she saw Finn in the distance. He was such a rascal yet such a charming pup, it really was impossible to get mad at him!
Muriel knew the Seafield seals had the perfect colony location on Seafield beach in the Kingdom of Fife in Scotland. She was proud of what she had built and today was the day to show it all off.
Even formidable frumpy Freida head of the English Farne family of seals had begrudgingly admitted the Seafield colony had one of the best locations in the UK.
It doesn't take a human to know it is all about location, location, location!
Today though was a special day in Seal world, the 8th of August every year happens to be ISMD.
For years there had been different SMD's all over the world with each seal federation setting their date for when SMD would be.
However, since the creation of the USF or United Seals Federation, new regulations and standardizations had been drawn up and put in place. This led to a massive world wide seal vote with democracy prevailing and August 8th had been chosen as ISMD or International Seal Magic Day.
Yes the seals were living in harmony now, and looked on with disapproval at how humans were not only killing themselves but also killing the planet they share with so many species, seals included.
They will get their comeuppance thought Muriel. One day they will go too fluffing far and the animal kingdom will expel humans to Mars or some other place far from here. Let's see how they like that she snorted!
Simply because it was the first ever ISMD Muriel had invited frumpy Freida and her flock upto Seafield to explore the other side of the beach. Something she was beginning to regret.
This was an annual occurrence when some of the seals would walk yes walk across the rocky beach and up the grassy hill and upto into ruins of Seafield castle.
It truly was a majestic site seeing these blubbered blobs upended and actually walking over rocks and grass and not looking like fishes out of water!
Of course nothing could be done without magic, and that is why it could only be done on SMD or now ISMD.
"Hey Frumpy! I mean Frieda are y'all ready?" screeched Muriel.
"Hey, who the fluff are you calling Frumpy" answered Freda while lazily lifting her head.
"Let's fluffing go!" barked Muriel with the authority of a drill sergeant!
One by one the seals slipped gracefully off the rocks and into the water, effortlessly gliding through the water like knives through melted butter.
Finn ever the playful pup had splashed his siblings Sammy and Sophie and chortled while backflipping away and closer to the shoreline.
Before they even knew it, the two seal families led by Muriel and Freda hauled themselves onto the rocky beach.
With a swish of her left flipper, Muriel flipped the great Seal of Magic into her right flipper and uttered the magic words....
"Landward bound, our flippers strong,
By the power of Seal, let's belong."
Her great grandchildren, the adventurous Finn, the playful Peter, and the shy Sophie, tumbled over each other in their excitement to be the first to walk today.
"Look, great grandma!" Dora squealed, pointing towards a crumbling stone structure perched on a grassy outcrop. It was an ancient castle, its walls scarred by time and weather. Freda's whiskers twitched with curiosity. This was no ordinary day at the beach.
"Maybe, just maybe Muriel had outdone herself" Freda muttered to nobody in particular.
"Let’s explore," Finn suggested while he clasped hold of his third cousin once removed Dora's fin. Their eyes sparkling in anticipation. Muriel and Freda both nodded, and Dora's heart filled with a mix of excitement and caution. The castle was a tantalizing mystery, but the ocean was their home.
With careful flippers, they ascended the steep slope leading to the castle. The air was thick with the scent of salt and seaweed.
Inside, the seals moved with surprising agility, their sleek bodies navigating the uneven stone floors.
Finn, the most adventurous of the group, darted into a shadowy corridor. He emerged moments later, his eyes wide with delight and grabbed his cousin Dora. “Look, a secret room!” he exclaimed.
Once inside, they could see their home in the sea.
Dora was amazed, no wonder her elder brother David loved coming up to Scotland to visit the Seafield seals on SMD.
Peter meanwhile, had discovered a narrow passage leading to the castle’s highest point. With a determined grunt, he hauled himself up the crumbling steps, emerging onto the battlements.
The view was breathtaking. The endless expanse of the ocean stretched out before him, and the rocky beach looked like a miniature world.
Muriel and Ferda joined their great grandchildren, their hearts swelling with pride. They really were a family of explorers, venturing into the unknown. As the sun began its descent, casting the castle in a golden glow, the matriarchs decided it was time to return to the sea.
They slid down the castle walls, their bodies gleaming in the fading light. The water was cool and refreshing and washed away the day's adventures. As they swam towards the horizon, Muriel looked back at the castle. It was a place of magic and mystery, a secret kingdom she had discovered long ago. And she knew that next Seal Magic Day they would all return.
As they swam back, Muriel noticed Freda reach out and feel her flipper.
Yes thought Muriel, Freda is going to give glowing reports on her beach adventure!
This story is written for the Scholar and Scribe and Dreemport collaboration event The Late Days of Summer and this is for the Week 1 event Beach Adventure
Catch the Scholar and Scribe and Dreemport event announcement posts.
Thanks for visiting. I hope you enjoyed the adventures of Muriel, Freda and their great grandchildren!
All the photographs are taken by the author and they are of Seafield beach and Seafield Tower in Kirkcaldy in the Kingdom of Fife in Scotland and are the places mentioned in the story, as are the seals of Seafield seal colony.
Wishing you a wonderful remainder of your week ahead!
All images and ramblings are from me, the mad Scotsman TengoLoTodo. Photos taken with my smartphone.
DO WHAT YOU LOVE AND DO IT OFTEN
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