⚘ Lake ⚘

@☾ Key ☾ I squinted as the creature barreled skyward, then switch to my 'fairy specs' to see if I could identify the thing. The silhouette that glowed a bright blue was in the shape of a large water serpant. I felt no danger, since if this beast truly craved a meal he would have snatched us up instead of making a mighty to-do. I held my breath as he pelted back down into the water, possibly in pain from the way he writhed in his descent. I met the gaze of Key and closed my eyes before nodding.

Oberon wagged his tail giddily and chuffed-- his way of laughing. I smiled and patted Ariel's flank before nodding to Key. "All is well," I cooed. "He or she is merely a hybrid of some other creature an a human." Yes, the tell-tale aura of a human was faintly glimmering within the form. "Don't worry," I called as I led Ariel closer. "Does Makeo need a lift into town?" I tilted my head as Ariel spoke to me "Ah, but the lake is safe. You should tend to his ailments."

@☙Ren❧ [T.T]

@✻ Tablo ✻ "What the ?!" I exclaimed, jumping at the sound of water erupting some length away and twirling on my heel to watch as the serpent crashed back down into the water.

My eyes flashed yellow and I felt the hair on my arms stand when the great beast started towards us. If I'd been a new wolf, I'd be half turned by now. But I kept my form even as Makeo let out a deep growl.

I looked towards Ren to see of he'd noticed, a snarl still on my face.

@☾ Key ☾ @☙Ren❧ [I'mma just...]

I was in the deeps of the lake, where normal people would be crushed by the pressure. The only light was the occasional blinking of a bioluminescent something, but I ignored all those flashes. Instead, I lay perfectly still so that not even my breathing stirred the water around me. I could hear a gentle wooshing sound that suggested there was life down here somewhere, struggling like everything else to find food. My hearing in the water was phenomenal. It had to be. Afterall, the creature I'd been cursed into becoming depended entirely on its ability to hear its next meal.

I heard clearly as somebody splashed into the shallows and I strained my hearing to better make out what they were doing. But they didn't linger in the water. I opened my eyes, which glowed a frosty blue in the black of the water and reared my head up slowly. Although I couldn't tell what creature had entered the lake, there was a possibility that it had been human. If it was human, he had a chance to change back into his normal form. His much more familiar form.

With that thought firmly in mind, I shot upwards towards the surface. My body writhed violently and gills flaired. Oxygen flooded my body and I slid through the water alarmingly fast. A sense of power flooded through each scale of my body and if I could have roared under water, I would have.

Soon, I burst through the surface of the lake head first. I was still going full speed, and so I came up with far too much momentum. I flew out of the water vertically, the air ripping violently at my gills and making me choke for breath. I quickly angled my nose down to dive back into the water. I had the foolish idea that I would simply stop moving and float up with grace. Physics, however, had other ideas.

I'd created a small vortex underneath me and it me back down with force. I thanked whatever God may be for gills as the water thrashed me around violently for a few seconds. I really was not used to the amount of sheer brute force my serpent had.

I resurfaced slowly only after the water had calmed and immediately began to listen. It sounded as if I was in the middle of the lake. I could just see the shore and two blurry figures and began to swim slowly towards them.

I had no idea of I could talk as a serpent, but I was fairly confident in my ability to get them to see me as harmless. I hoped silently they hadn't seen my great up.

@☾ Key ☾ [ I tend to be very forgetful and blind ._. ]

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Key," he said with a bow. "And to you too, Makeo." He dared to take a few steps closer with Ariel. "This is Ariel, my companion. She's a certain... Special... Creature." He knew that if he tried to explain what a companion or a chosen was, the other might just run away. "And this is Oberon, my hound. He can't speak well to others, but I taught him English and now- well..." He laughed a little. "I can't get him to shut up."

He glanced down at Makeo again. "Is there anything I can to do help?"

@☙Ren❧ ((It's okay! I do that all the time haha))

"You can call me Key," I said and then gestured to the dog in front of me. "This is Makeo. He's old. He has arthritis and the cold water of this lake helps him with the pain." I explained passively, not mentioning the fact that he was also suffering from an aggressive form of cancer.

I looked to the mans beasts and cocked my head in question. "Who are these beautiful creatures?" I looked to the companion and gave it a smile. I had no knowledge of these beasts and so it was much more difficult for me to send them mental messages, so I didn't try talking to them anymore.

@☾ Key ☾ [ I didn't see :O Sorry!!! ]

I watched the man frantically pull the hound out of the water and then tend to dressing himself. He pulled on his clothing with record speed, and I laughed to myself. He obviously didn't want me to see himself. The hound was standing calmly in before the man, but I knew that this was a protective beast. If I did anything stupid (which was not on the agenda) he would put me back in line. My own hound stared intensely at the man, obviously receiving or sending a mental message... but how? He wasn't a druid, but he could..?

"I'm Ren," he answered immediately. "Who are you?" He examined the other in the magical spectrum, and determined that he had no fay magics around him and was not a danger to him at all. He offered a visible smile and bowed a little. "Please, don't be alarmed. I just sensed that somebody needed help." He took a step forward to place his hand on Oberon's head. He spoke a few words to the great Irish Wolfhound, then ushered for him to go forth and greet the Newfoundland. "Is there something wrong with your hound?"

@☙Ren❧ /nudgnudge\

@☙Ren❧ I jumped as I heard an unexpected voice, instinctively pulling Makeo close to my chest and heading back to the edge of the lake.

I clambered out, hurrying to my dry and much warmer clothes and struggling into them before turning to face the stranger. Makeo stood in front of me, looking harmless but I knew he was ready to protect me the second anybody moved to hurt me.

I saw the hound and focused on sending him a simple message- just a simple hello- while I turned to face the man.

"Who are you?" I asked flatly in a much more hostile tone than I'd sent to the hound.

@☾ Key ☾ [ I hope you don't mind my strange response! ]

'Discord. Distress.' These words presented themselves as images and emotions within Atticus's chest and mind. It was so sudden that the elemental shot him the panicked message, that he was rocked back on his heels and left devoid of any air. His ears popped dramatically, leaving a ringing in his ears and a pressure on his temples so intense that his eyes began to water. This, of course, worried me and my hound beyond rationality. I demanded an explanation, and when he told me the elemental here sensed a distressed creature, I bolted. I would meet my companion at the stables, and Oberon would run beside us. It may seema long journey, but on the back of a companion, it took mere moments. And though I could shift to Tir na nOg, shift back and be there, I wouldn't be able to return safely or easily with a stranger if someone was in dire need. My companion would help me to rescue whoever was in trouble.

After a long sprint to the gates, a slower but more steadfast pace was maintained so that winding through the streets and cobblestone paths to get through the town and to the Black Lake would be more efficient. After parting the crowd and running directly toward the lake, it was mere moments before I could see in the magical spectrum that there were creatures ahead that required aid? Healing? What did they require? I pulled along the lake and instantly caught sight of the creature in question. A werewolf and a massive hound. My own hound whined at me to assure me that there was something wrong with the beast.

After dismounting my companion, Ariel, I sprinted to the lake's edge. "Heyla, I shouted. "Do you need assistance? Can I help you?"

[Open]

I glowered across the lake with a look of distaste, staggering as a brisk breeze from the surface of the water whooshed waterme. I tightened my jacket firmly around my shoulders and cursed under my breath at the glimmering blackness next to me.

My old Newfoundland lumbered behind me, his once soft black muzzle now littered with patches of grey. His tongue lolled to one side, and it was clear that his thick coat was doing it's job to protect him from the wind.

"Makeo," I said, turning to face the forlorn eyes of my 15 year companion. "We're here." Makeo wagged his tail meekly and sat down with a great sigh. He tilted his giant head to one side, and stopped panting as he always did when speaking directly into my mind.

"Rest? My bones ache," I nodded and sat with my back pressed against a nearby tree. Makeo lay his great head in my lap and rolled his belly up for a rub.

"I'm going to find a way," I whispered to him. "I'm not losing you. Not like this." The dog whined sadly, and nuzzled his snout into my arm.

"When I go-" He began but I shook my head.

"No. You're not going anywhere," I said firmly before standing. Makeo lifted snout to the air and sniffed in distaste.

"Are we done resting already," I only glowered in response and began to strip down to nothing. Goosebumps erupted up my arms and my package did it's best to crawl into my body but I kept all mumbling to a minimum as we hiked down to the water. I clung to Makeo's fur to support him as he floated into the dark water to soak his aching back.

I closed my eyes tight and tried to ignore the panic slowly clutching at my chest, refusing to let my hatred of water deter my friend from getting relief he so badly needed. Again.