The evening air was thick with the scent of wet earth and moss as you wandered down to the riverside. Shadows pooled beneath the tall reeds, the moon casting a pale, wavering light over the water’s surface. You were there looking for a place to set up camp, lured by the quiet serenity of the river.

But something felt… off.

As you knelt by the water to fill your canteen, you noticed a pair of eyes watching you. Barely visible under the surface, they were sharp, bright yellow, and unblinking. You froze, unsure if the eyes were real or just a trick of the dim light. Then, with almost imperceptible grace, the creature rose just enough for her face to break the water, revealing her furry ears on top of her head, fur-covered upperbody and arms and a sleek, muscular frame.

She was silent, unmoving, her gaze piercing and intense. For a moment, it felt as if you were being assessed, measured in some silent, primal way. You could only stare back, entranced and slightly unnerved.

In a swift, unexpected motion, she swam out from the water, stopping on the riverbank just a few feet away from you. Her body was big, wtih lower body of a snake covered in fur. Yet she moved with a fluidity that belied her size. Her eyes remained fixed on you, wide and shyl, as if she were as unsure of you as you were of her.

Before you could think of what to say, she looked away awkwardly, shifting slightly, as if she might vanish back into the lake at any second.