Totoka River aniruk ✿

Tohka bounded lightly towards the river with a spring in her step. She was drawn not only by the sound of the river, but by the smell of the sea, and she was eager to check out the coast. It would be her first time seeing the ocean since leaving home. When she left, she had gone inland towards the mountains knowing that her pesky brother would quickly find her if she went along the coast as she would have preferred.

She stopped at the river’s edge for a quick drink before gazing into the water, hoping to find some fish for a quick meal. She gazed intently into the water, studying it, but didn’t see anything worth catching. She knew that smaller fish could attract bigger fish, and it was usually just a matter of watching and waiting, and she was about to wade into the cold water when something else caught her attention- a faint voice that sounded like singing. She turned towards the sound, and it seemed to be coming from a mound of earth, and she wondered who or what the voice belonged to. Perhaps a siren? Maybe such a creature swam upriver from the sea and had gotten stuck in the shallow waters?

She didn’t want to invade anyone’s territory, but her curiosity got the best of her, and she cautiously approached the mound to investigate. “Someone there?” she called out. Her voice was loud enough to be heard over the river and the singing of the other, but still soft enough to be non-threatening. She faced the mound with her ears perked in curiosity and her tail hanging loosely behind her. She was relaxed, but always ready to run, just in case it was necessary.