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

CH•08 - "Papa Crocodoodle"

The sun... is... so... hot! Is it summer in these parts or is this just the daily life here? How could anyone not stand being out of the water under this heat? At least these fish are smart to stay under the water. But, not smart enough to swim blindly near my mouth. Now time for lunch. I wonder how Tiny's doing with the girl. Maybe I should bring some fish for them too.

I gather a mouthful of fish and head to shore. They're not really far from the river, just that... I think it's best to keep the girl a distance away from me. For her sake, that is. I'm surprised I'm not feeling the same urge to wish for her death like those other humans I saw at the waterfall. Maybe it's because I'm having a good supply of food at the moment, or maybe the beast inside me is sleeping. If there's even a beast inside me at all.

Arriving near the tree where Tiny is looking after the girl, I find them snuggling next to one another. Well, we did wake up really early in the morning, so it makes sense that you're tired. But, I was the one who dragged her all the way here, I'm tired too you know.

I drop the mouthful of fish beside them. Would the girl even eat raw fish covered in my slobber? I don't really know how to start a fire... maybe Tiny can do something about it. Let's wake him up.

Stepping one foot closer, Tiny jumped up in surprise. Wait, I hardly made any sound, don't tell me that one soft step was louder than the pile of fish I dropped right next you?

Tiny flies in frantic as if he's panicking over something. What's making him go crazy this time? The girl wakes up from all the noise Tiny is making. See what you did? Now she's gonna freeze in fear at me again... or, so I thought, but instead, she's just staring at Tiny like she doesn't even notice me.

Tiny finally stops flying in circles and drops down on my head dead tired. What was all that about? Did you have a nightmare or something? The girl isn't staring at Tiny anymore, but she's looking at me now. She doesn't appear to be shaking at the sight of me. Maybe seeing Tiny land on me and the sight that I didn't eat him reassured her a little. But, I shouldn't try to get close to her yet, she might think otherwise.

Tiny gets up again and appears to have just noticed the sight of fish next to the girl. He doesn't hesitate to fly down from me and begins thrusting his beak on their scaly corpses. Hey, what about the girl? At least make some fire and fry some fish for her with your talons. Oh, if only you can read my mind. Scratch that thought, don't read my mind.

Tiny looks at me clueless. Okay, so how do I go about explaining to a bird how to make fire? Can this little girl even know how to make fire? Okay, think. What are other ways to eat fish without fire... While I think of that, the girl gets up and walks to a nearby bush and picks up some berries. Oh, why didn't I think of that? Guess this pile of fish can be just for me and Tiny. But, she can't just eat berries and fruits the whole time. She needs meat too. For protein. Or, maybe there are other food to give her protein. But, what? I didn't even study Culinary Arts because I was expecting I'd have a competent wife who'd do all the cooking for me.

After dining in a couple of fishes, Tiny flies over me to another tree. He flies inside the bundles of leaves, out of my sight. Where's he going? Seconds later, he flies down and drops some kinds of fruit on the girl. Great. More fruit. Well, she can just make do with fruits and berries until we figure something out on how to get her home. Then again, I could just leave her alone and wait till she dies of starvation or something and make a meal out of her then. Though, I wouldn't want her to be someone else's meal. Wait, what am I saying? I'm doing it again! I seriously need to stop wishing for other people to become my breakfast.

While thinking to myself, I notice something mushy and wet stroking on my scales behind me. I try to turn around to see what it is and I see the girl rubbing the fruit on my hind legs. Hey, what are you doing? Don't you doodle on me! I shake her off and head towards the river, but when I arrived, I saw the paint she did on me. It was me. Well, it sort of looks like me. And, she was riding on top of me. On the same spot where Tiny perched on my head. I... I'm having mixed feelings about this now.

The girl peeks at me from behind a tree. Hmm...... I guess I can let bygones be bygones. But, just this once. If you're going to paint on anything, paint it on a rock so the sun can dry it. And, from your painting... don't tell me you actually want to ride me? Well, if I'm going to be looking for a way to get you home, then I'll need the practice. Hopefully, you won't weigh that much.

I walk towards her slowly and flop on the ground in front of her. She looks at me wondering. Well? Aren't you getting on? I thought you wanted a ride. Maybe I should go to the water first then she'll ride me there. I walk back to the water and stop not too far from the shore. Tiny swoops in and flies downstream. Where's he going now? Even the little girl went after him. But... I thought you wanted a ride... Guess I better go after them. I followed them in the water since I move faster when swimming.

We reached the end of the delta and arrived at the sea. But, Tiny didn't stop there. He went further along the shorelines just a bit past a large rock with two peaks. When we went around the rock, The girl must've seen something since she sped up and ran towards it. It wasn't something unexpected, but still shocking, and mostly... unfortunate.

They were shipwrecked. Were they caught in the storm from last time? It's already been a few days since then. Is there no one else other than this girl who survived? Did they at least send a distress call before they crashed? Is help coming? Or....

I heard a scream. The girl is running this way. And, something's chasing her. Are those... a pack of wolves? And, she's leading them straight at me?! I'm in the sea! Do you even know how to swim, child? Then, she tripped. Seriously? Your baby legs are not suited for this! This is bad. They're getting closer. Grrr.. I can't take this.

I lunge out of the water, right over the girl. I locked my jaw to a wolf's neck. The other wolves jump to the sides, but since I'm still partly in the air, before I land, I tilt my body sideways and fall on top of two other wolves. I roll my way out of the struggle and try to crawl back into the sea.

Still biting the wolf's neck with my jaw, I drag the wolf to the sea with me. I thought the other wolves would come and attack me when I show my back to them, but it seems like my surprise attack scared the hell out of them and they're running with their tails between their legs, leaving one of their pack behind to be my early dinner. Make that two of them. One of the wolves that I pinned down appears to be limping and isn't moving as fast. In my eyes, it's just a moving corpse. Thank you for the food.

While I was happily enjoying my fill of meat and red, Tiny pecked me on the head, and I almost made a meal out of him. Sorry, sorry. I'm still in adrenaline rush from what happened before. Meanwhile, I didn't even notice the girl sleeping right beside me. Is she drooling on my scales?! First the doodles, now drools? She wakes up and jumps at the sight of me. *sigh* Guess we still have a long way to go before trust. On the upside, you won't be riding me any time soon.