Mudminnow River rock my world

At the river's edge, she poised.

Green eyes watched the dart of catfish beneath the surface as she crouched to drink, being careful to angle her shadow away from the water so as not to startle them. Her stomach growled - a pertinent reminder of her solitude. The lack of company did not bother Leifa, but the absence of her brothers and friends made hunting large game almost impossible. And so, she had resorted to fishing.

When one swam lazily too close to shore, she struck quickly, awkwardly - and missed. Spluttering and coughing to rid her throat of riverwater, the girl soon lost her footing on the slippery mud. Which way was up? She couldn't tell. In the confusion, her head sailed on a collision course for an ill-placed rock, movements almost in slow motion until her jaw met granite with a loud crack.

Her ears rang, vision blurred and swirled until all she could see was darkness.