Answer:
My first is a creature whose breeding is unclear. My second, a price you must pay. My whole can be found in the river of Time and refers to events of today.
Give it food and it will live, give it water and it will die.
Salty water everywhere but not sea in sight.
A beacon from home to guide your way. It can be a lifesaver on a stormy day. What is it?
What do you throw out to use and take in when you're done?
A leathery snake, with a stinging bite. I'll stay coiled up, unless I must fight.