He tried to stick a paw in the water, but he couldn't reach over the top of the pool.  He walked around to the other side of the pool and sniffed at something that turned out to be a leaf.

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Pace kept walking circles around the pool (remember how he got his name?) trying to see what was in it, when suddenly it shot to the surface and said in a low, slow drawl,
"Is there something I can do for you?"

Pace jumped back!  He was not expecting that, and all he could manage to stammer out was, "What...what...what are you?"