Ruthless Winds and Raging Seas

Chapter 48

Natsu was impressed by how well Mirajane could track. She was able to locate a trail of Gray's boot prints in seemingly no time at all. But unfortunately the trail ended by a raging river. 

"What happened here?" Natsu asked.

"Let me see." Mirajane said looking around. Not only were Gray's boot prints found here but so were the boot prints of some other people and a body print was there as well. Last thing she found were some marks in the dirt that could only be made by someone who had been dragged. "He wasn't the only one here."

"Was he attacked?"

"There was a confrontation here alright but I can't say for sure how it went down." She checked the boot prints left at the edge of the river again. "I'd say from the looks of it he jumped." 

"Jumped?" Natsu said unsure that he hehard right. "Gray jumped into the river? Into water?"

"Judging by the fact the his prints are faced forward and elevated a little yes."

"But that's not possible. Gray can't swim, he's afraid of the water. He wouldn't just jump."

"Pushed then perhaps but it would't explain the elevated part."

"Oh God." Natsu's face turned pale as he began to worry for the life of his longest friend who he also saw has as a brother. "What if he drowned? Can you tell?"

"No and if he is dead drowning wouldn't be the only possible cause for his death."

"What do you mean?"

"This is no ordinary river. There's a charybdis at the end of it."

"A what?" Laxus asked.

"A charybdis. They're large monsters who dwell in seas and rivers. When they hunger, they suck up a huge amount of water which drags down everything in it like whirlpool except once you reach the bottom of that whirlpool you're swallowed by the giant jaws of a beast."

"Gray was eaten?!" Natsu cried out in horror. 

"Possibly or possibly he managed to somehow escape the current before it was too late."

"He can't even dog paddle, how could he swim good enough to escape a strong current? He's gone. My best friend is gone. Oh God!" He said in sorrow. "Oh God please don't take him! He's too young and religious! He didn't deserve to go yet! I know I always said I didn't like him but I didn't mean it!" 

"Well don't be quick to draw up funeral plans yet." Laxus said. 

"Why?"

"Because I see smoke in the distance."

Laxus pointed toward the sky wear a stream of smoke was rising up from the trees. They followed the smoke and saw that the source of it was a leftouver camp fire that had gone out in the night. By lying across from the burned piles of logs was Gray, alive and fast asleep with his arm securely around the waist of a sleeping woman. He was shirtless and she only wore enough clothing to cover two parts of herself.

"Oh my." Mirajane said with blush.

"I guess this is what holy boy would call a divine reward from Christ." Laxus said. "Lucky bastard."

"Wake up!" Natsu said shaking Gray. 

"Huh? Wha...What's going on?" He said waking up. "Oh hey guys, when did you get here?"

"I oughta maroon you on this island!" Natsu shouted. "What are you trying to do? Give me a heart attack?!"

"What are you talking about?"