The Rattling Pod

A persistent clacking caught my attention from the edge of the shallow current. Creeping low along the smooth river stones, I let a sharp click rattle in my throat while fixing my gaze on a dried, hard-shelled seed pod lodged between two rocks. The rushing water made it vibrate and twitch against the stones. I stalked closer, planting my heavy forelimbs firmly into the damp silt. In one sudden lunge, I brought both front claws down, pinning the bobbing shell against the rock bed. Relentlessly pressing my weight until the stubborn husk cracked cleanly down the middle, I pried it open with my snout to inspect the dark, empty hollow inside.