Prologue: Riding the Storm
"Nova! NOVA! Where ARE YOU?" howled the desperate shrieks of my family, buffeted by the roar of the rain.
Water splashed in my eyes, in my ears and muzzle, choking me while I fought the unforgiving flow of the river. I paddled as hard as I could but made no progress against the powerful current washing me downstream.
No — no, please! No . . .
Without any better ideas in sight, I flung my paws around the smooth surface of a log floating by me. My tears mingled with the rain and I hung there, letting it carry me along.
With the fading of my family's voices went the storm. Morosely, I rested my head on the wet wood while I bobbed along the lazy stream. There was no way I could find my way back home after exhausting myself.
I need to get . . . out . . . of here. Follow the stream up after . . . a rest. A yawn caught my mouth open, an unexpected spray of water causing me to reel backwards, gasping. It burned my throat. I felt like I was struggling all over again, fighting to no avail. It was a miracle I didn't drop off the log entirely. What the — what's WRONG with this place?
The calm was a lie. A LIE.
The morning sun blared into my eyes, bright as my heart felt dark. I squinted, glancing around. The harsh edges of the land seemed less steep now, more manageable if I had any energy . . . Maybe there was a familiar landmark? Unlikely, but . . .
To my right was a large forest, and on my left was the rocky beach, and past that I knew was the endless ocean. It was a good thing I wasn't lost in the ocean, at least. That. Now that. That would be awful.
But the current really was making me feel sick. Like, I just wanted to get free of the constant rocking and rolling of my unlucky ship. The soft push of the river became more of a shove. I guess it gave up acting friendly . . .
Oh.
OH NO IS THAT WHAT I THINK IT IS?
I blinked, but the white at the end of the line of green was not my imagination. And that sounded like a lot of water falling. And falling fast.
"T-that IS A WATERFALL oh my — AHH!"
Quickly, really super quickly, I let go of my log and used up the last of my energy to desperately reach for the rock-covered bank to my left. My claws tore through layers of slimy algae, slipping past it like . . . WELL WHO CARES WHAT IT'S LIKE? I'M SLIPPING!
Spinning rear-first, I lost all control of where I was facing, caught in a horrible dance with the swift water. The log decided to say its goodbyes by smacking me in the side three times before the breath was knocked out of my chest. It was a bad dance. I hated this dance.
I wildly flailed my limbs, but with no luck.
Stars, help me.
I plummeted down the falls.