Otter Creek the cold will not take me

The cold water was not only a non-issue for Taki, it was a nice escape from reality to swim within its chilly depths. The waters here were never as cold as where she had grown up, but this was close enough. She had spent most of the morning wading slowly through the creek, trying to let the feel of the icy liquid soaking through her fur to chill her skin distract her from how worried she was that Taikon hadn't returned yet. She didn't like leaving Taktuq, but she was close enough to the woods to return quickly if needed.

Hours had passed before she finally decided to emerge from the creek. She stood on the edge of the water, her snowy coat dripping as she tried to shake out the excess water. Her fur was so thick, though, that it would take the rest of the day to dry if she stayed out of the water. 

She followed the creek towards the mountain with no real purpose other than a continued distraction; she stopped only when the stranger's scent came by on the breeze. It was then that she saw him reclined near the water. She followed his gaze to the otters then back to the water in front of him. There was a time when she would have harassed him for being too close to where she currently called home, but she didn't have the energy, nor did she want to get into a fight right now with her niece and Taikon depending on her.

She did move forward, eventually, stopping a respectful distance away as she released a soft chuff to get his attention.