Adam listened to her as she spoke, and nodded his head in approval.<br/><br/>Of all the options available, swimming upriver as salmon had the fewest question marks for safety.  The body of a salmon was well suited for traveling upriver for long distances, with the native fish being accustomed to much swifter and rougher waters than this.<br/><br/>Granted the prospect of being a big easy prey fish such as a sockeye salmon was not without its dangers.  There would be hungry bears along the river, as well as the occasional eagle…<br/><br/>The good news was that Adam knew this river fairly well, having walked, swam, and kayaked up and down its length many times.  It ran fairly deep, and so if they stayed in the deeper waters they wouldn’t have any trouble from bears or raptors.   The occasional beaver or river otter may try to harass them, But it wouldn’t be a problem as Adam would still be able to use his magic to ward them off.<br/><br/>The sensory experience would likely be something much different than what Ylva was used to.  The wizard surmised that she was familiar with the form of a wolf, which Adam had taken numerous times himself.  He decided that would be a good basis to start from.<br/><br/>“This will be different I think…”  Adam murmured to her,  “…As a wolf, you are used to taking in scents with your nose, and sounds from your ears to navigate, and tell the location of other creatures in your immediate vicinity…”  He began.  “ As a fish, your eyes will become a little different.  You will still be able to see, but you wont be able to see color per se.  Everything will be a series of greys, blacks, and whites.”<br/><br/>Adam then sketched out a crude drawing of a fish on the cave floor<br/><br/>“Fish likewise don’t have ears, but are able to “feel” sounds in the water.  Sound carries much further in water than in air.  You will be able to tell where other creatures are in the water relative to your position, up to a considerable distance.  You will likewise feel the urge to go and eat smaller fish to keep up your strength.  This is fine, but you might have a bad aftertaste later when we shift back,” He chuckled to her.<br/><br/>“The plan is to stay in deeper water to stay away from eagles, bears, and other predators as we make our way upstream.  While we will be able to tell where everything in under the surface of the water, we will be effectively blind to whats happening aboveground.  You will stay in the deeper water, while I swim to the surface periodically to see what is happening on the surface.”<br/><br/>He then looked to her  “When I transform, this oilskin bag and anything in it will absorb into my form, I can carry up to two hundred pounds of gear in this way with no ill effects.”  Adam murmured.  “To communicate, I will listen to your thoughts, as well as sending mine to your mind, as I did earlier…”<br/><br/><br/><br/>Adam then gathered up his things, and placed one of the scales under Ylva’s tongue, which would dissolve as his magic was cast.  He then used his magic to gently coax her mortal body to that of a great fish.  The process itself would not be painful for her, if anything it would feel like stretching after waking up from a long nap.  It would be a little disorienting at first for her, but not impossible.<br/><br/>A few moments later, he was holding a lovely large female sockeye salmon.   Adam carefully lowered her into the icy waters, and moved her tail back and forth to start cycling water over her gills.  “Open and close your mouth…”  He thought to her gently.  “This is how you will breathe in this form, flushing water over your gils while you are at rest.   When you swim, just keep your mouth open a little.”<br/><br/><br/><br/>The wizard then stood up, “Just a moment, I will be with you shortly.”  He thought to her.<br/><br/>He likewise put one of the fish scales into his mouth, and holding the oilskin rag containing their clothes to his abdomen, jumped upwards, morphing his form into that of a slightly smaller male salmon, but with sharper fins…   The great fish that he was then plunged into the frigid depths…<br/><br/><br/><br/>The cold water did not bother him, as fish sense hot and cold a little differently than humans…<br/><br/>The morning sun could be seen as scattered rays down here in the clear water, as he gulped large torrents of water to oxygenate his salmon blood.<br/><br/>Adam then took a moment to orient his streamlined body to face upriver, and swam forward just enough to remain in the same place relative to the slow flow of the river around him.  He then felt the area around him.  There were a few slow motions ahead upstream, followed by a large cloud of movement behind him, likely a group of perch.  The slow motions ahead were likely trout making their morning movements.  All appeared to be normal.<br/><br/>“We have about two or three miles to cover before we get to my camp…”  Adam thought to Ylva…”  We are looking for a bed of obsidian on the river floor.  You will notice it immediately, as a two pronged protrusion in the middle of the river bed underwater.  That will mark where we need to surface…”<br/><br/><br/><br/>And with that, the wizard started to swim forward at a leisurely pace.  Conservation of energy as a fish would be important…  Perhaps he would find the corpse of another water animal on the way.  Something a little more formidable than a salmon…<br/><br/>Despite the nature of their situation, Adam found the sights and feelings of the river to be starkly beautiful and relaxing, putting his otherwise troubled mind at ease.  His alpha male drive was strong, and he desired to protect this female at any cost.<br/><br/>The four wolves wouldn’t know what happened until it was too late…