Saira tilted her head with awed amazement, jade eyes scanning over the strange water-creature's form. She swam a bit to his side, looking curiously at his tail - that was why she'd assumed it was a fish even despite it- his, paws. It was large and equally striped as the rest of him and reminded her of the cat-fish that used to live in her mother's territory. He'd even burrowed into the earth in much the same way. She wondered if she could manipulate her form to mimic that - she'd never tried, just shifting between her usual self and her dragon self. She made a mental note to test it at some point - it would be incredibly convenient if she could adopt a better swimming form. And the sail-fins on the salt-water fish she'd been sparingly introduced to had been beautiful. Saira thinks she'd look equally striking with a flowing set of fins of her own.
"I am a cat - a tiger," Saira agreed, almost disbelieving but the proof was in the paws and the familiar nose. She stretched out her neck, almost close enough to brush noses with this other cat, River Delta. Wasn't that a landmark? She almost wanted to call that a strange name except the only other tiger she'd met in her life was named 'Summit' after the mountain she (the other tiger) was raised near so maybe landmark references were normal and names like hers were more characteristic of her own, noble heritage as a dragon? She pondered it for a moment before dismissing the thought and rumbled pleasantly, "You're a cat too? But you swim! I haven't met many other cats who swim..."
In fact, usually when Saira tried to coax another feline to swim with her, all but the jaguars have looked at her like she was completely insane. The tigeress didn't really understand the aversion - the water was often refreshingly cool and filled with delicious fish and the mediocre flesh of crocodile if you swam well enough. A perfect combination for her.
"May I see your proper form?" Saira asked, praising herself for asking instead of demanding. It seemed her mother's lessons were working. She'd only seen a few sea-dragons in her life and almost none of them had allowed her to see their land-shapes. Was this why? Did they not have proper land-shapes? That would make sense she supposes - Saira was a land-dragon and so, she had a shape suited for more than just flying, she had one for stalking, for pouncing and power. Maybe sea-dragons had forms meant for swimming and diving. "I'll show mine too, it's only fair."