I mentioned how something kept destroying Tora’Sor’s fish traps four or five months ago, and Hibimage immediately decided he knew what it was. We walked down to the shore of the river, and he pointed out several logs floating in the water along the far shore. We’ve seen many such logs over the past few months, and never paid much attention to them. However, as we watched, one of them suddenly turned. They aren’t logs at all, but large reptiles that spend most of their time in the water.
The people of Habbar called them hungry trees, but Hibimage remembered Niahla’Sen’s mother once calling them gokdoks. He said she once saw similar river beasts while traveling through a strange land on the other side of the world, but managed to confirm that these large beasts were somewhat different. None of the rest of us has heard of a gokdok before, so they must be from a strange land indeed. We now wonder if these beasts are only in this river, or if we’ve unknowingly passed them in other places during our travels. Fortunately, the beasts are smaller the farther they live from the equator. Hibimage said they try to avoid people, but I think we’ll still avoid unnecessarily wading in the river from now on.
I overheard Kellon telling Hibimage the Council of Adaptive Writing and Publishing could make the story of his time as a captive in this isolated land into a book. He added that book sales would make Hibimage a rich man in his old age, and support all his needs. Hibimage didn’t turn him down, but he didn’t agree to anything either. Niahla’Sen was away from the camp at the time, so I’m somewhat curious what she’ll say whens she learns of the offer. I might consider telling Hibimage he should ask her opinion since she once worked with Kellon years ago.