[amanda784]

Sakana felt comfortable living by the falls. She could swim as she pleased, but also bask up on a warm stone if she desired too. Sakana easily caught fish to feed her and had plenty of the freshest drinking water around. Still, it was hard living without an income. Sure, all her needs were met, but sometimes she wanted more. She didn't wish to live an elegant life, but a luxurious item here or there would be nice. To obtain some of these finer things Sakana would need money. Sakana knew one good way to do that was to hunt. That is exactly what Sakana sat out to do.

[amanda784]

There was only one problem with that. Sakana had never hunted before. In fact, Sakana lived a life where she only took what she needed. It was true, that Sakana was skilled in fishing, but the fish she got were common. She would have to hunt for something more unique if she wanted to bring in any money. The falls were a wonderful place to do that. It allowed for Sakana to hunt both on land and in water. Sakana felt comfortable on both.

[amanda784]

Sakana had a plan. First, she would check the pool at the bottom of the falls. This was Sakana's favorite place to be. The water was deep enough for a good swim without being too deep. The pool had no real depths. Second, Sakana would check the surrounding areas. It was lightly wooded, but not too dense that one would get lost easily. Then, Sakana would make her way to the top. This held the best places to bask in sunlight. The water at the top was dangerous. It held strong currents, but Sakana had often swam there. She wasn't too concerned.

[amanda784]

Sakana dipped one long toe nail into the water. It was cold and fresh as always. The pool was a bit colder than the water on the top of the falls. More sunlight reached that water then the water at the pool below. Sakana did not mind the cold. She found it a refreshing start to her hunt. She jumped in head first pulling her legs in towards her body. This allowed for Sakana to dive deep. Sakana was thankful for the little sunlight that did filter through the water. It was just enough to let Sakana see with.

[amanda784]

It was a beautiful sight under the water. The force of the moving water had rubbed most the stones clean and smooth. Some even looked like jewels, but they were just common rocks. The water seemed to make everything a little bit more beautiful. Sakana herself felt her most beautiful when she was in the water. Sakana looked around, but found it hard to concentrate. Sakana grabbed small stones off the bottom of the pool floor and took them to the shore. They looked a lot more dull when they dried, but Sakana found magic in the stones anyway. She loved that just by adding a little bit of water you could make a stone shine. It's how Sakana felt about herself. If you add just a little water, she shone.

[amanda784]

Sakana had to make frequent trips above the water to get a breathe of air. She had trained herself to be able to hold her breath for a significantly long time. Still, as she looked around under the water she wished she could breathe underneath the surface. She wished she could live in the beautiful other world always. It's true that she would miss basking in the sunlight, but nothing compared to the beauty of being underwater. The fish in the pool were common enough, but still beautiful in their own way. Like the ordinary stones, they too became beautiful under the surface of the pool.

[amanda784]

Sakana had visited many lakes and rivers in her time. Lakes held barely moving water. This made for muck and murky water. Sakana preferred the rushing water of the rivers. They held bottoms made up primarily of stones and pebbles. Some didn't like the hard feeling upon their feet, but Sakana's were made for it. Besides, most stones had been worn smooth with time. Still, river currents were strong and sometimes not deep enough for Sakana's liking. That's why this pool was perfect for her. The pool had been carved deep over years of water falling. The current at the bottom of the falls was light and a pleasant pull.

[amanda784]

Sakana's pool held all the things she loved and she protected it well. Sakana made sure that the pool was not over fished. She protected it like it was her own. Still, she shared it with those who had good intentions. She didn't mean to keep this beauty from anyone else, but she did protect it from those who would try to steal it's beauty. Sakana held a deep respect for the nature here. She loved every piece of the area. She considered the wildlife her friends and the falls themselves her home. It was an easy place to live, providing everything she needed for her.

[amanda784]

Unfortunately, most people preferred the busy city life. In the summers, Sakana met all kinds of people who enjoyed the beauty of the falls. Even in the fall, people gathered to see the leaves change color over the water. In the winter, the ice skater would come out and skate over the pool. In the spring, painters and poets came to sit for long hours by the pool or up above the pool. The artists weren't much for talking, because they were busy concentrating. Still, Sakana easily made friends with all who stopped here. For the artist she would gather the best stones for them to use. They always left though. This was a vacation area for most.

[amanda784]

Sakana wasn't often lonely. Usually there was a hiker or someone on vacation to talk to. When the weather turned sour few people made the journey. It was on those nights that Sakana felt lonely. The rain only cemented those feelings. Rain made Sakana think of tears and sadness. On those nights, Sakana would dive under the surface of the pool for as long as she could bare. She took deep breathes of air before holding her breathe under the water as long as she could. The rain was always colder than the water in the pool. It was harsh and relentless, unlike the calm fresh water of the pool.

[amanda784]

An hour passed of Sakana swimming under the surface of the pool without a sense of purpose. It was true that she had a mission, but she didn't focus. Now, she was ready to actually search. The usual common fish swam around her. They were clearly afraid of her, but Sakana was fast enough to dart in and out of the schools of fish before they could swim away. Sakana was disappointed not to find any rare animals in the pool, but not surprised. Rare animals were rare. This place was well traveled. It was unlikely Sakana would find anything within the pool.

[amanda784]

Sakana shook herself as she exited the pool. It wouldn't take long for her scales to dry. Sakana always felt like the air was a little more difficult to breathe once she was dry. She felt far more comfortable in the water than she did on land. She did have a lot of practice being on land. Very little happened underwater and being above water was required in every day life. An abundance of oxygen for example, was one benefit of being above water that Sakana could not live without. She would have to bare through it in order to hunt.

[amanda784]

Perhaps if this hunt went well Sakana could hunt somewhere with endless water next time. Sakana could float herself to sleep. Some potions offered a limited amount of time of breathing underwater. That would allow her to hunt deep under the water. Sakana felt as though she was built for being under the water. She was just missing gills. How she longed for the ability to be under the water all the time. Perhaps, she could find someone that could make her dream come true. Still, she would need something to trade. She hoped her hunts would prove valuable enough.

[amanda784]

Sakana walked through the trees. The dirt felt foreign underneath her. Her legs felt uneasy. She often stumbled over the roots among the leaves. It would not be hard for others to avoid the small roots, but Sakana had become more accustomed to be in the water wear roots did not grab at her ankles. She cursed under her breath as she lost her footing again, almost losing her balance. This was not the life she wanted, but it was the life she would have to live for now.

[amanda784]

It only took a quarter of an hour for Sakana to orient herself to walking on land again. She smiled at herself as she dodged roots and branches. She paused often to stop and listen for movement, but heard only the beat of her heart. Was it always this lonely among the trees? Sakana longed to be among the fish. There was no noise of movement of boots from hikers or shuffle of leaves from small animals. She would have to look elsewhere for animals to hunt. She could think of no better place than in the water.