This chapter is set during the time Itisha goes to Savitar's Island to process her emotions and such after Ash and Tory meet. At this point, Apollo is still harassing her so she is overwhelmed and on edge with worry and heart break.

Savitar would never openly admit it, but the little Whitefish was actually very good at surfing. Unlike some folks he met, she didn't complain about it. Hell she ran ahead of him as soon as the first waves started cresting.

It had been startling to first meet her. Emotion filled eyes had been a mercurial silver and between the white hair and skin she had nearly looked like a much scarier goddess. No, just one of her friends apparently. Not only her friend, but also Acheron's friend. Girlfriend to be exact. Well… ex girlfriend to be more exact.

What possessed her to come there was beyond him. He wasn't sure how she found the always relocating island. Just one day saw someone standing on the beach and talking to Takeshi. Girl ate dirt and was… happy for it. Strangest thing he had ever seen and he had seen some strange ass shit.

Somehow he had been convinced to let her stick around. Occasionally she vanished, but always came back. Then… one time she finished during a massive wave and he saw her blink out as the board wiped out. The little orange and red thing floated out a bit further into the ocean before suddenly she was back on it.

"The hell was that?" Savitar asked as she paddled the board back over, waiting for the next wave to roll through. He wasn't sure how she managed to pop right back onto the board. As far as he knew the board wasn't anything special Hell of an aim.

"The hell was what?" Itisha blinked a bit at him. It wasn't like she never vanished before, though not while actively surfing. Just had something nagging at her and popped into the house and checked on everyone before popping back.

"You. You were catching the wave perfectly and then just… poof."

Was that concern? Not that Savitar would ever admit it. Instead Itisha just shrugged a little, "Had an itch of worry and went to check on the kids. It's where I go so often. I've been trying to let them leave the house more often. It isn't healthy to be trapped by fear. Just I keep being afraid Apollo will use them to get to me."

Kids? Whitefish had kids? What the hell was she doing here? Then his brain processed the other bit. Trapped by fear, "Wouldn't have pegged you as the overprotective mom kind. Or a mom… wait they aren't all Grom's kids are they?"

"What? No. No. Just…" Itisha frowned. That was a whole different issue. A very new issue. A very new mark which was why she vanished. Thought something else happened and… "They aren't Ash's. But that is a different issue. I don't know if the Fate's only marked one of us or something but…"

"Marked. You are marked?" Savitar actually paddled over and pulled her hand over to look at it. Inside the palm was a sun and a dragon inside of it. A bright red that was just all too a passionate color. If Ash had a mark, he would have murdered someone by now. Maybe he was supposed to be, but the fates too afraid to do it.

"Anyway, that isn't why I left. Entirely. I… a while ago some demons attacked my home when I was gone. I…. some of my kids died from it." Itisha's voice went quiet. She drew her hand back to herself and cradled it to her chest. Her babies, "I have never had my own children. Figured no one would ever be bound to me. Didn't care. Just one day when I was pretending to be male, I saw this hurt and crying Apollite child and I took it home. I helped raised her. Fed her. I was there for her final breaths. During that time I started… saving a lot of children. Were children abandoned because of their bloodlines. Human children who had been the victim of their families dying from daimon attacks or some other horror. I just…. I gave them all a home. Some of them died before because of that shit so I had gotten a better house. Better help for baby sitting. I became known as a mom to others. I baby sit other kids from all of the animal clans. I baby sit for Apollites. I just… they are babies. They need somewhere safe to be. They are innocent." Her voice soft and throat suddenly felt thick.

"Anyway… I had to check on them. There… is an egg now. That child is mine. I thought… the mark was new and I had a tug in my chest. Was just the babies moving in the egg. They apparently have empathy too and got curious about their siblings."

Savitar stared at her, processing all of that, "You never applied for Sanctuary?" Then, "You have an egg. And a mark. Grom has an egg." Not a question but a statement. Holy shit. Those stupid trio of bitches went and… he rubbed at his face with his palm.

Itisha shook her head. Of course she did not know all the rules regarding it, "I did not want my kindness to be trampled on. I don't want something happening if I break the rules of Sanctuary. I am already watching children. Throwing adults into that could be dangerous and I can't… I don't want them getting hurt. They shouldn't be afraid of being home." Ah yeah… "Yes, I have an egg. From that short bit of time Ash and I had a thing. I… only came upon that adventure recently. As well as the mark. If he has one, he hasn't said anything. I don't want him to get one either, nor do I want it screwing up if he can be with Tory if I don't seal the deal as it were. They deserve to have kids together."

"Whitefish… You don't have to take in anyone if your rules state not to. You could make it Kids Only if you want to. It would be your sanctuary. So long as you don't break your own rules or use it as a place to make others get hurt, I don't give a shit. You are a shifter. You take care of kids and keep em safe. You are running it like a Sanctuary anyway." Not even remotely touching on the kid part. Except that when he touched her hand again, he looked at her, "Want me to remove this?"

She could have sanctuary? She could keep all the kids safe? Itisha stared at him in disbelief. "I… how do I apply? How long? I heard it takes forever…" Then a look at her hand, "No. Please… I… it is selfish, but I want to keep that little bit. I know I won't have a future with him. Just… if you make sure it isn't tied to him and he is not affected I would appreciate it." She felt a little hum of magic before he drew back.

"Now, about that application. Musta got lost due to a clerical error." Savitar didn't look at her, but instead snapped and they appeared in the council room. Both of them dressed. He was wearing his normal bermuda shorts and his flowery shirt. Itisha was wearing a red tank top and a summery golden skirt. Suddenly there were a bunch of people summoned there. Most of them looking really confused as they looked around and then at her. They started to get a bit loud in chatter until most saw the severe look in Savitar's eyes.

"Alright folks, this is Itisha. You all know her by now. Most of you use her as a babysitter. Her house? It is a Sanctuary now. A reminder to follow her rules. She decides who is protected under the house and who is not. Yada yada yada. Pain of death, yada. Alright, nice meeting. Bye." And they all vanished and suddenly the pair were back on the surf boards.

Itisha just stared, her silver swirling eyes wide as Savitar tried really hard not to look at her. Words choked her and she opened and closed her mouth several times.

"You won't have to worry about leaving the house at least. If anyone starts anything, I'll know and can take care of it if the legion of cranky gods you made friends with don't turn the person into pulp. Course I might unpulp them and repulp them for good measure." A pause and then, "Oh look, a wave is coming up. Come on, Whitefish. Lets-"

Itisha suddenly jumped from her board and hugged Savitar tightly. A kiss planted on his cheek before dropping into the water and swimming back to her board, "Thank you, Savitar. Truly." Her voice soft, "I'll work on the rules as soon as I can."

"Rule one, don't hug me like that again. Or kiss my cheek. I saw my life flash before my eyes."

Itisha laughed loudly and suddenly. It was a good sound. Savitar couldn't help but hide a smile as he rubbed his jaw a little. He watched her start paddling away towards the upcoming wave and he let himself smile a little bit more. Gah, she got under his skin. Still…could totally claim it was all to fuck over Apollo. Yup. Totally. Entirely.