Part the Waters

N/A · 07-24-2013, 06:26 PM

Off again, always off and always wandering. Though lately it had been with a light heart and an easy smile. Since the last pack meeting and since asking Aislyn to be his mate the male had strengthened considerably, an easy pace carrying him along the higher edge of Valhalla. It had been raining like crazy lately but nothing too much to worry about in the males mind, nothing to cause concern or so he thought. But a distressed call caught his attention and gaze turned from the outside of the boarder towards the interior. What he saw made him freeze. He felt as though an icy hand had reached down his throat and tightened around his heart. A flood... It wasn't Friction's first flood but the devastation and distraction of the last one had left him scarred. It had been how his mate had died as well as his mother. But it wasn't the time to dwell on it, no, Liberty and Aislyn had been training all day and were in their den. Had they gotten out? He had to check. He was running before he could even think and then he was bounding, long legs propelling him through the slowly deepening waters. There was a group and he half swam and half leapt when he could to them, breath already coming in gasps to him when he reached them. "Liberty? Aislyn?" he half asked and half demanded, gaze frantic as he looked past the alpha and at the few wolves surrounding her and the wolves that were retreating. None of them were his mate or daughter. He didn't wait for an answer, instead turned towards the den and leapt into the waters. He had to swim there, it was too deep to get into the den though, he knew the exact location but by the time he got there the normally huge trees were half submerged. Where were they? Panic began to settle over him as he began to tread water, spinning in a circle and glancing around frantically. "LIBERTY! AISLYN!!" He shouted, eyes darting too and fro.

And then there it was, a tiny voice crying out over the downpour. Immediately he turned towards the sound, following the current until he finally found her. "Wheres your mother?!?" he asked though dread was already beginning to settle in even as he grabbed her by the scruff. Now was the struggle. He began to paddle back towards the area of their den, struggling against the current with Liberty in tow. He had to check the den but first he needed his daughter to be safe. Aislyn would never forgive him if he didn't put her first. He moved to a tree that had marked the entrance of their den, claws scrabbling at the submerged branches before his forelegs finally found a higher one and he lifted them slightly out of the water. Another heave and he would lift her out of the water about a foot, leaving himself in the water. "I need to find mommy, stay here until I return..." he said, trying not to let his voice shake as he rested for a moment, reaching out to clean the water from his daughters eyes. He steadied his breathing though he was still shaking before drawing a deep breath and submerging himself. His paws grabbed at the branches, dragging him down for what felt like forever. At least the further down he went the clearer it got. His lungs were already straining by the time he reached the bottom, ears ringing. It was stiller down here, the current not grabbing at him as much.. He pushed himself into the den, thankfully small enough that it was no time before his jaws clamped around Aislyn's ruff. He didn't wait to see if air bubbles were coming out, he simply pushed himself off and started the tedious climb back up the branches dragging the weight of his mate behind him. She had to be alive...

He broke the surface and gasped for air the best he could as he tried to hook his paws over the branch Liberty was still on and pull Aislyn up onto it with him. The feeling of dread felt like lead in his stomach now as he looked at her, unbreathing and motionless. She couldn't be dead... But now was not the time to weep... "We have to get her to dry land so we can see what we can do. Get on my back and keep your head above water" he instructed after a moment more of catching his breath. His legs were shaky and his vision was beginning to tunnel, there was no way he could swim all the way back to the others. No... He had to bring them elsewhere, follow the current until he could bring himself to dry land. As soon as Liberty had settled her weight he pushed his face into Aislyn's soaked ruff and willed the tears not to come. He knew in his heart that she was gone but he couldn't leave her. They had just settled everything, they had just finally found each other and now this. Why did god hate him so much? A shuddering breath was drawn in before he settled his grip high up on Aislyn's neck so he could tip her head back as they floated down. "We'll find the pack when we can..." he promised his daughter before he pushed off, legs moving enough to keep them all afloat but allowing the current to carry them. It felt surreal, like a flash back only he had never found his first mates body. At least Liberty was safe and well, he would swim until he died before he ever let anything happen to her.

He didn't know how long it was before the current seemed to slow, seemed to allow him the chance to begin moving towards the right and out of the valley. He could see high ground and he moved diagonally towards it, praying the current wouldn't carry them away before he could bring them there. Another lifetime seemed to pass before his paws finally scraped against ground. He was shaking as he heaved Aislyn towards the shore and then when it was shallow enough he lowered a forleg so Liberty could drop to the ground. He kept pulling until he brought Aislyn completely out of the water. But it was still raining and the waters were still rising. They were not yet safe. "We need to get to higher ground Liberty, scout the way and I will follow" he said as he gasped for air, the tears that were now flowing freely from his eyes masked by the water that streamed down his face. He turned his face towards his mate, her body still and her lungs no longer drawing air. There was nothing he could do for her other then to give her a proper burial when he could. And now was no the time to break down, the water was rising fast and they had to go.

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