A Beast Down the Barandiun
The giant Cetus let out one more haggard cough, blowing the rest of the water from his gills before his body was able to re-expand his lungs and breathe the oxygen in the air rather than the water. The sharklike creature shook his body, sending droplets of river water flying off his soft-bramble skin in a misty shower.
The morning air had a nip to it, evident in the winds when they picked up their strength. The river Barandiun was getting shallower thanks to the recent lack of rainfall, and unless he transferred his respiratory system entirely to air sooner, Bruce would find himself forced onto a river bed downstream. Best to make the long transformation when he wasn’t in panic.
Bruce put one, massive taloned claw forward onto the slippery river rocks, forcing the rest of his enormous body out of the water. For a moment, he stayed there, letting the morning sun warm his body. Sure, his species was warmblooded, but the icy river and chilled morning air sent a shiver down his spine.
Until the river picked up its depth, Bruce would have to travel by land.
The twenty-foot long Cetus stumbled down the bank lethargically, almost bearlike in movement. It wasn’t until he had heard a twig snap that he realized another presence moved along the river. Bruce lay still, lowering his body; it was only luck if his slate-blue hide could blend in with the low rocks, but it was something worth trying.
With piercing blue eyes, he eyed the forest line warily.