(I Died and got Reincarnated) My New Life as a Saltwater Crocodile Begins

CH•05 - "Curiosity Gave Me A New Friend"

That was one long ride I just signed up for. I think I spent a night underwater. It honestly felt like a long time. I groggily crawl my way to shore. It's muddy, but oh well. I can just wash myself in the water later.

Haa~ I'm so tired... Still... it was my mistake for checking out what was under the whirlpool. I really thought I'd be fine since this crocodile tail helps me propel myself with a force that's strong enough to let me lunge up at the air and even catch a descending bird trying to haul fish, but I guess I was being overly confident in myself. I should know my own limits. That whirlpool was just too much for me.

Anyways, I better find out where I got washed away to. I stand up and walk back to the water.

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It... ignored me?

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Woah. I was right. That hole did lead all the way out to sea. I'm guessing this is where the other side of the river up the waterfall would've led to. That beats climbing up the waterfall then. I guess I should be grateful that I got sucked in by that whirlpool.

Well then. I have absolutely no clue what to do now. This second life adventure is leaving out some details. Why was I even reincarnated in the first place? What am I even here for? Does this happen to everyone? Does everyone reincarnate as something else when they die?

As I was thinking all that, my left eye caught something moving. It's under the mud. No... it's covered in mud. I turn around towards it. It... appears to be a bird. Why hasn't it flown away from me? It should see me as a predator, right? Is its wing too muddy for it to fly?

I slam my tail on the water diagonally. The little bird gets hit by the splash. That should wash away the mud. It can just shake off the water on its feathers and then it should be airborne in no time.

I walk back in the water. If someone saw me back there, they would really find me odd. I mean, a carnivorous creature like me ignoring what I should see as a food and just splashing it with water. I'd actually also find that as something not normal.

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Why didn't it eat me? Did it just... help me? But, why? Also... it just came out from under the river. What was it doing under there?

I didn't realize it myself, but I subconsciously went near the river.

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I-it's hopping closer to me. Isn't it afraid that I might gobble it up at any moment? I swear, little birdy, your curiosity will backfire at you someday. You shouldn't risk your life over your thirst of knowledge at such a young age. You have much to live for. Though, I have no idea what you birds do with your lives.

Oh, it stopped just a hop away from the water. Maybe this bird is a reincarnate like me. But, wait... even if it is a person inside that bird body, I'm pretty sure it would still run, or rather, fly away from something that poses a great danger such as myself. Or, maybe it's a curious human. No, wait... I'm deluding myself here. It may not even be a reincarnate. It could just be a curious bird for all I know. And, like all animals out there, this bird should know better than to go near a ferocious meat-eater like me.

With a quick turn, I bite the air in front of the bird. My bite force caused a short splash under my jaw and the little bird jumped in surprise. Now, it'll surely run away.

......... Uhh... It's still sticking around. What's the meaning of this? Why haven't you flown away? Are you too curious for your own good? The bird continues approaching closer. Then, it pecked my snout with its beak.

...... Does this little guy even know that I can easily snap his neck, or better yet, bite his whole head off at anytime? Oh, he stopped pecking me. And... now, he flew above me and perched on my head. What the heck?!

Umm... Mr. Bird, would you kindly get off of me, please. I won't be able to move freely with you on me. Wait a minute... why am I holding back over some tiny bird? I need to step up my game. I'm an apex predator, what the hell am I doing with my life? But, then again... this bird has been chirping non-stop on top of me. What's it trying to say? It sucks that even though I'm an animal now, I don't know animal talk.

Then, after constant chirping, it finally flew away. Phew, thank goodness. I thought he'd never leave. Just what was the deal with that bird anyway? It didn't even tremble before me. Maybe it really was just a curious bird, that's all. Right, I shouldn't overthink this.

And, just when I thought I was rid of the little critter, it comes back flying straight at me... while getting chased by two even larger birds. Hey, don't come here! Don't shove your problems at me! What? Are you expecting me to help you? Since when did we become best friends?!

But... "friend". This whole time, I never had a companion with me through this second life. Maybe destiny led me to you.

...... Or, maybe destiny is just playing with me since they're already getting closer as I think of nonsense stuff like these.

I whip my tail at the two large birds and lunge myself at the tiny one. With a snap, I ate the little bird.

The two large ones hover in the air for a while before flying off. Well, at least they didn't stick around much longer. Otherwise, tiny one wouldn't bear being inside my mouth that long. I immediately spit him out of me.

He's shivering. I don't know if it's because of my cold temperature or that he's finally grown afraid of me.

Then, the bird stood up from the drool-drenched soil and started poking at me again. Hey, you should be grateful for what I did. At least I didn't swallow you. But, then again... I guess I don't mind. I mean, it's not everyday I meet a bird friend who doesn't fly away from a single glance at me. Even if that same bird friend is poking at me in the snout right now. How is my future self handling this, I wonder.