ORIGIN

This... was the most greenery he'd seen in his short life. That wasn't actually saying much though, considering the few places he was familiar with were either hidden beneath mist or so chilly that he often had odd, protective flare-ups of magic. However, putting aside his lack of experience, what he saw sprawled before him was near paradise. And he only considered it "near" because there wasn't a waterfall like his home of Pisces.

Regardless, Fahl certainly did not regret examining the mossy cavern entrance now. Fish never had quite the right taste, and although algae always managed to hit the spot, sometimes it was just a little too scarce for his ravenous appetite. This, though, he supposed he could work with.

Very much a growing boy, the marine iguana idly scraped his teeth along one of the green-smudged stones closest to him. Might as well see what the local plant life tasted sooner rather than later.

It was a passable alternative to algae but nothing amazing. Unlike the blandness pervasive in most fish he caught, a mild bitter taste crossed his tongue. As it wasn't anything to complain about, when his eyes lifted to whoever had interrupted him, he continued munching on whatever he'd stripped from the stone.

Peevish from being stared at like a curiosity, Fahl nearly snapped out. However, what seemed to be genuine interest stayed his irritation enough to temper his response into a noncommittal grunt. "It's..." He grappled for the proper word. "Sat... is. Fact... ory."

Unimpressed by his stilted delivery, he huffed and simplified. "Fine. Food's better in water." A protective crouch over the stones in front of him followed his statement, a contrast to his less than glowing review of the meal. No way was this fluffy creature taking what he found first. "Why you ask?"

Try? Well then, why bother asking such a ridiculous question. If he wanted a bite of something, he did. It'd be a waste of his time and anyone else's if he awkwardly padded around the concept of sampling something that could abate his hunger pangs. It was at that moment Fahl decided this other Gembound, although well-intentioned, was more than a little bit unusual.

Still, finders keepers. He'd seen these first, but she could just as well take a nibble from any of the other moss-laden stones lying about. His mouth opened, the suggestion resting on his tongue, when she spoke again. Jaws promptly shut. If scowling were something an iguana was capable of, he would have done so; instead he had to settle for a glare.

Find better food. What sort of logic was that?

Fahl straightened up from his crouch, then stretched his neck out to pluck a nearby stone just outside of his protection. With a toss of his head, he lobbed it in her general direction. If he was fortunate with his uncoordinated throw, it would not actually hit anyone but land gently amongst the vegetation.

"Have to try first. Then you know if it's act... ual... ly better."

At least she tried and now knew for certain, even if it was uncomfortable watching such a small amount of food wasted and retched into the water. And there was something amusing about seeing someone with a less resilient stomach than his own. He bit out a sharp, almost hacking laugh.

"To you it is."

The fish he eyed with heavy skepticism. Fahl considered informing her of his plentiful experience with fish and how their palates clearly disagreed on this matter. However, explanations took time and energy; his leaden tongue required far too much of both. Without giving an answer, he lunged forward and took a bite. It tasted similar to most other cave fish he consumed: almost flavorless. The morsel was easily swallowed.

"It's decent." His voice maintained its usual flatness, leaving it up to the listener to determine what sincerity existed in the two words. "Why you fish like that?"

The question was not intended to offend, though that might be hard to tell. Fishing with a paw went against any lessons familiar to him, so Fahl wished to understand this strange technique. Maybe he could even put it to the test against his own.

Maybe in another world where Fahl could actually speak with sufficient articulation, the conversation would have gone slightly different. Thoughts matching his words, he would have descended into an impassioned lecture on the wrongness of everything she said. Mouths could work perfectly for the task if one had speed and precision. Paws were too flimsy, too likely to let the catch slip by, unlike caging the catch inside strong jaws. And if she didn't believe him, he'd recommend an expert opinion on the matter; his teacher could bite fish from the water without even looking—because, well, he didn't have eyes.

But this wasn't that world, so he said, "Bites are better. You must not be quick enough." Challenge readily accepted, his chin lifted in a show of confidence. "Will show."

He ambled away from the rocks and down to the water's edge. Falling into routine, Fahl scanned the surface for ripples of activity. Despite the usual impatience urging him to fidget, he remained still, waiting. Eyes caught the darting of fins below. Weight shifted onto his back legs, and he sprang.

The hard part always was the sudden burst of pressure against his eyes when he dove. Adjusting took time, but he never waited for his vision to clear of bubbles. Fish had a familiar enough shape for him to recognize and snap out at. Little jagged teeth grasped it by the tailfin.

Fahl took a small victory lap before he hauled himself onto land, fish struggling to escape his grip. He spat it out and ended its life with a quick blow to the head. Stealing a line from a certain blind Gembound, an easy declaration fell past his tongue. "Master fisher."

Never mind that it was a little on the small side in comparison to the wolf's fish. Even though he was not present to witness it, the iguana felt he'd done someone proud.