The Heartsblood, other rivers that he might come across, and the lakes are all as unhealthy as the land. They feel like they're missing something essential.

Here's some hot fish goss: they're alarmed by their diminishing population. The female fish are worried about finding suitable mates to fertilize their eggs. All the fish are worried about safe places to spawn. The conversations are animal and basic at best, but he'll hear things like: "Spawn here? Good water, spawn here?" and a response of "No, no, this is not where we spawn, we spawn up river, we have to go up river." There's also a little, blue fish that just wants to keep swimming.