Whitebark Stream Rough Waters

Tohka contentedly swished her tail a few more times as she continued to watch the quick-flowing water dance around her paws, then she was ready to move on. When she looked up, she spotted the other wolf, but she wasn’t concerned about his presence. She had no reason to suspect any unfriendliness, and once she reached the other bank, she would have the option of fleeing, though she hoped he would be friendly, or at least uninterested. She stepped forward, placing both of her front paws on the second stone and both of her hind paws on the first, then leaned back and jumped forward, making the short leap to the stone that jutted out from the surface of the water.

Her front feet landed on the stone first followed by her hind feet. Her landing was fine, but the stone turned out to be loose, and it suddenly rolled out from under her when she landed on it. She let out a surprised yelp as she fell into the ice-cold water that churned beneath her. Her feet made contact with the rocky stream-bed, but the current swept her away before she could get a good footing. Her body was carried down the rapids with all four feet flailing behind her. She hit her left flank on one rock and her head on another before she made it to the end of the rapids only to be pulled under the surface of a deep pool. Here, the current finally slowed down enough to allow her to regain control, and she swam back to the surface as quickly as she could. As soon as her head was above the water, she coughed and gasped for breath, then swam for the bank as soon as she recovered.