Perhaps for someone who isn’t looking for a dragon, they might be confused or surprised to see a young man soaking wet. But not Nagare. He feels in his gut that this ethereal young man is exactly the creature he’s searching for.

Though Nagare is dressed as one of the local fishermen, it’s very clear that he isn’t a local once he speaks. Though he knows the native language of this place, he speaks it with a pronounced accent. He stoops into a low bow, then steps out of the water before gathering up the net. Enough time hasn’t passed for anything to be caught, likely a blessing in the face of this dragon.

“I’m so sorry,” he utters quietly. “I didn’t realize fishing was forbidden here.”

He pauses briefly, glancing toward the basket of food he brought along with him.

“Are you… the river’s guardian?”