As a boy, Hiril went along with his clan's merchants as they traveled along the river Nlok in their barges, stopping at points to take wagons and trade with clans a little further into the jungle. Hiril was not supposed to leave the barge. But he'd always lived underwater. He wanted to see the jungle, so he snuck off the boats.

The jungle was very exciting to him. The trees towered above him, and there were tons of different weird bushes and flowers and thorns. It was also crazy loud compared to the reefs back home. Were those birds?

Some thing was following him. He could hear it, but he had no idea where it was. He lost his nerve and ran, and he could hear it crashing through the bushes behind him. Where could he even go? He didn't know anything here!

He could hear the river ahead. That was where he'd go. Hopefully he'd see the boats, and the guards would help him. But he did not see the boats. The river here was angry, running fast and chaotic. But he was a dragon of the sea! The rapids didn't scare him quite as much as whatever creature was behind him. He dove, and he could only hope the thing wouldn't follow.