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Most visitors, perhaps, but any could be quite a stretch when one considered who might come wandering by. Thom had noticed the river in passing a time or two, but had never actually taken the time to inspect it, prefering the beach as his choice body of water. However, the walk to the beach was a long one when one had only one leg, and the various red welts along his right hand and arm, remnents of his meeting a few days earlier with Taro, had begun to sting once more long before the sand came into sight.

With no medication on hand (meaning Thom had been too proud to ask the labs), water and mud soothed best, and the sound of moving water quickly attracted the cobra man. He reached the river in a short amount of time and, without a second thought, he discarded his crutch on the bank and slipped into the current, sighing in relief and sinking down in the shallows to let the water work its magic.

Something was lurking. The cobra knew it was there, hiding somewhere near by, but where exactly, he couldn't be sure. Thom glanced warily around the area, first the shore, than the water, but chose to stay in the river. Standing was still a hassle with the short leg, whereas his new, longer tail was quite capable in the water. Also, odds had it that whatever was watching him was on the shore, so more the better if he wasn't there as well.

But that nagging feeling...

And there it was, in the water of all places! Thom noticed the movement out of the corner of his eye and, out of instinct, whirled on the approaching creature, hood flaring in an effort to spook it away. That is, until he recognized the shark as Alec and relaxed somewhat, even chuckling softly as his own nervous reaction. Even though he and Alec hadn't parted on the best of terms, they weren't to the point of violence.

"You about gave me an 'eart attack there." He admitted, backing into shallower water to crouch in the current and tend to the welts on his arm. "What're y' doin' out 'ere?"

Thom quirked a brow when Alec first replied, utterly baffled. He had expected a jab, perhaps, or maybe a joke, but that quiet tone? Of course, it made sense once Alec explained his exile. Thom nodded slowly, remembering back a few days to the announcement. Moreau hadn't said who had attacked his fiancee, whatsername, Aubrey. But here was the culprit.

The reason why he had attempted it was fairly obvious as well. Though they had built up some animosity towards each other at the last meeting, now, Thom decided, was neither the time nor place for that. "Ahh.. So that was you, hmm..?" Hesitating, he sighed and shook his head. "Not t'rub it in, mind, but I warned you... If escape was possible, it would 'ave 'appened by now. We're stuck 'ere, Alec."

"'Ey now," Thom finally continued, picking up on a different note. Earlier arguement aside, it didn't seem right to leave the teen so upset. And really, there were much worse things that could have happened. Mind, Thom would cling to his duplex for as long as possible, but he had grown used to snatching naps on the beach or in the shade. Food would be the real problem, and even that shouldn't be -too- difficult. The labs weren't about to let their prized subjects die of hunger.

"Could be worse, right? Moreau's just made life a bit more difficult, not restrained it all together. Emelyn's managed perfectly fine without comin' near th' village for months. If she can manage, so can you."

At least Alec wasn't sulking anymore. Thom certainly didn't envy him his position, but, again, there were worse fates. He founds his thoughts going back to Emelyn, and how she had mentioned choosing to leave so Moreau would not have a hold on her anymore. In a way, leaving the village was almost a blessing. Short of waking up in the labs, you had control of your own life again. ...Oh course, Thom liked his bed.

"Well." Where to begin? "Chatted with Cassidy. Debatin' startin' to eat mice. Met some dragon man an' took 'is hat. Hooked up Natsumi an' Newt, watched a man sprout spines. And 'ere I am. Never a dull moment," he finished dryly, swimming over to join Alec at the bank.

"Fairly," he admitted, only then realizing it himself. But really, it sounded like much more than it was. Four of those encounters had taken place on the same day, and Cassidy had been a few short days before. There were plenty of days where he didn't see anyone at all. "Mm. Python, dragon, gecko, frog, an'... I'm honestly not sure what the last lad is. Bloody painful transformation, though. Little Japanese lad, 'e just 'ad bloody spines stickin' all out of 'im. Got me a good few times, too." He held up his right hand, his injured hand, where even after soaking a bit red welts could be seen.