First Feast

The river pressed against the shore, a constant, murmuring presence. Claire shivered, even though the sun was climbing higher, painting the water with streaks of gold. The air held the damp scent of earth and something sweeter, a floral perfume she couldn’t quite place. She wriggled her toes experimentally, the webbed skin between them still a novelty. A tremor of anxiety, sharp and unexpected, darted through her. This was her new reality.

Pip, the tiny sprite, hovered nearby, its wings shimmering like captured rainbows. “Ready for your second lesson, Riverborne Cook?” The sprite’s voice, though high-pitched, carried with surprising clarity. Claire swallowed, her throat feeling tight. She nodded, trying to appear confident, though her insides were a jumble of confusion and lingering panic. She glanced back at the makeshift shelter she’d created, a woven collection of reeds and broad leaves, the remnants of her first meal - the delicious Shimmersnaps.

“Today, Sunstone Soup!” Pip chirped, already flitting towards a cluster of large, flat stones that jutted out from the riverbank. Claire followed, her otter-like form surprisingly agile. The change, the transformation, still felt…unreal. She touched her fur, soft and warm against her fingers, a reminder of the strange magic that had altered her.

“The soup will grant you agility, young cook. You'll need it.” Pip gestured with a tiny hand towards a shimmering patch of reeds. “The recipe requires sunstones, naturally, and…sunweed. Find them, please.”

Claire took a deep breath. This felt…different. The Shimmersnaps had been simple, a direct following of instructions. This felt like a real task, a hunt. She scanned the area, remembering the words from the book. Sunstones, smooth and warm, nestled near sunlight. Sunweed, long and slender, growing in the shadow of larger plants.

The stones were easy. Dotted around the riverbank, the sunstones seemed to absorb the morning's glow, radiating a subtle heat. She picked up a few, pleased with her progress. But the sunweed proved trickier. The first few attempts ended with her accidentally pulling up the wrong plants.

After an hour of searching and a few frustrated sighs, she located a patch of sunweed. Its leaves felt cool and waxy to the touch, just as the book had described. Her fingers fumbled as she carefully snipped them with a small stone. She gathered a good handful, feeling a swell of accomplishment.

“Excellent!” Pip approved, now perched atop one of the flat stones, the cooking station. "Now, to find your next ingredient, the Sunstones!”

Claire moved to the stones she had selected, carefully placing them on the flattest one. Pip then indicated that the stones had to be heated, using the same technique as the earlier Shimmersnaps. Claire gathered some dry twigs and, with great effort, coaxed a small flame to life. She had to blow and blow, the smoke stinging her eyes, but eventually a small fire crackled around the stones.

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As the sunstones heated, a low, rumbling sound began to emanate from the river. Claire paused, listening. The sound grew louder, a guttural rasp that sent a shiver down her spine.

“What’s that?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

Pip, its usually cheerful face now pinched with concern, pointed towards the water. A massive, mud-caked crab emerged from the depths, its claws snapping menacingly. It was easily twice her size, its eyes glinting with cold fury. The river crab.

Claire's heart hammered against her ribs. This wasn’t in the Riverborne Recipes. She wasn't ready for a fight.

The crab advanced slowly, its legs scuttling over the stones. It stopped a few feet away, its claws raised, a clear threat. The scent of the river, now mixed with something akin to burnt seaweed, filled the air.

"It’s guarding its territory," Pip said, its voice strained. "It won't let you cook here."

Panic clawed at Claire’s throat. She was trapped. She could run into the woods, but the recipe... the agility… she wanted to prove herself. She took a shaky breath.

“What do I do?” she asked, her voice cracking slightly.

“You must…distract it!” Pip chirped. "Think! The Shimmersnaps! What made the beetles retreat?"

The shimmer berries. Of course. She darted to the pile of remaining shimmer berries she'd carefully stored by her shelter. Grabbing a handful, she flung them at the crab. The berries exploded in a burst of golden light, momentarily blinding the creature. The crab paused, claws twitching, momentarily stunned.

Claire saw her chance. She had to act quickly. She quickly scooped up the sunweed, now withered and wilted from the heat of the sunstones. The recipe said to put the sunweed inside the stones. She quickly did that.

The smell of the soup changed the moment she put the sunstones inside. The earlier scent, like that of burnt seaweed, vanished. Now, a delicious aroma, warm and inviting, filled the air. Claire didn’t have much time. The crab was shaking its head, regaining its senses.

She looked at the simmering stones. Pip was right. She was a Riverborne Cook. This was what she had to do. She focused on the image in the recipe book, remembering its words. Infuse the stone…with the essence of agility. She closed her eyes, pictured herself – running, leaping, moving with speed – and poured the soup into the water. The water bubbled with a bright glow.

Claire swallowed hard and stepped toward the crab. She had to make a move. She had to try.

The crab, finally recovering, lunged towards her, claws outstretched. Claire leaped, her muscles suddenly buzzing with a strange, unfamiliar energy. She felt lighter, faster, her movements smoother, almost effortless. She dodged the snapping claws, the soup's magic already working.

She scrambled back, gathering herself. She couldn’t fight it. She had to get out.

The crab, enraged, continued its attack. Claire dodged and weaved, her newfound agility allowing her to evade its blows. The water felt almost alive around her, supportive, pushing her forward.

She had an idea. Remembering the recipe's emphasis on leaping, she launched herself towards a nearby tree, a large willow that draped its branches towards the water. With a burst of speed she didn’t know she possessed, she leaped, catching hold of a low-hanging branch. She pulled herself up, scrambling into the tree, away from the crab's reach.

From her vantage point, she saw the crab still snapping its claws, searching for her. The creature, unable to climb, eventually retreated back into the river, its fury slowly fading.

Exhausted but exhilarated, Claire slid down the tree trunk and collapsed on the riverbank, gasping for air. She looked back at the cooking station, at the remaining soup in the stones. It was beautiful, and warm and shining.

She had done it. She had fought back. She glanced at Pip.

Pip, now perched on the stones, bowed its head. "Well done, Riverborne Cook. You have earned your agility.” Pip then pointed with a tiny finger, and said, “Now…eat the soup!”