It was sheer luck that Colibri had stumbled in the direction of the river rather than further up the banks; had her panicked instincts chosen otherwise, the encounter would have had a very different conclusion. As things were, Coli found that her skinny Optime height was what saved her after all. The water was frigid against her legs, lapping at her waist, rising to meet her ribcage as she backed away from the black beast that had frightened her so. She clutched at the pouches around her throat, seconds away from flinging them down her assailant's maw in a last-ditch effort.
She almost couldn't register her surprise when instead she saw the heavy female break away from her pursuit and paddle back to the shore, dark fur hanging in thick waterlogged ropes. She... was safe? This time, it was simple water that had rescued her. The halfling did not want to fight the current. The desire to gloat or needle her antagonist had been effectively quashed, though, and without waiting for any parting remarks, Colibri turned tail on the pack borders and splashed upstream as quickly as the river would allow her. Whatever this pack was, she would not be approaching it again for a long time.