Moonshine

Chapter 17- Ikanótita

ικανότητα: ikanótita
Greek
ability
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Her powers had awoken.
The gift she had because of being Poseidon's descendant- they were back.
Or- perhaps they had never disappeared, just gone into hibernation, waiting for its wielder to will it back to consciousness.

Sanya drank thirstily, lapping like a dog at the water she had created. It wasn't much- there was only so much water her cupped hands would hold- but it was clean, and it was pure, and it was the sweetest thing she had tasted in thirteen hundred years.

As soon as her hands began to empty, she would close her eyes and will more water to fill it up again. Her stomach felt calm for the first time in so long, and the dryness in her mouth had abated. She ran her hands through her dirty, greasy hair, wetting it, washing it the best she could- and her mind felt cool enough to be calm, as her hair got more and more damp.

She wanted to strip her clothes off and heal the dry, cracked skin of her body- she wanted to create a pond, just large enough for her, to jump in and bathe and swim- she wanted to use her powers as much as she could, considering how long she had been without them.

But with the return of her abilities, came a renewed urge to end this. To finally finish her quest.

She had her powers back, the powers of a God- she was more Goddess than any other human ever had the capacity to be. She may not be a divine being, but she was empyrean all the same. Would that be enough?
Would she be able to get to the forest's end?

Laash had returned, without food, and he rested against a tree with pink leaves. He'd fallen asleep after he had drunk water from a puddle she had made, enough water to satiate the appetite of a hundred wolves, and his snores were more like growls than anything.

If Sanya had to leave him behind, she would miss him terribly- but he would be safe. After her, he was the deadliest creature in the forest.

"Maybe I should let you stay here and rest."
Why pull him into more danger? Why risk his life? Even if it meant she wouldn't see him again, at least he'd be safe.

His well-being was more important than being near to her.

"Goodbye." Sanya mumbled, bending down beside his sleeping form. If it was anyone else, he would've woken and his hackles would have raised- but even in the short while he had known her, she had become his person. He knew she wouldn't hurt him.
Maybe that knowledge was just because she had killed him, but it was what he knew. His killer, his person.
She kissed the top of his head, and breathed in his scent. It felt wondrously earthy- almost as good as petrichor, the smell of soil after rain. She missed that smell- she had always loved the rain.

Not meaning to, she slumped down, and half-lifted Laash into her lap. He still slept, but there was a soft whine as she wrapped her arms around him in a tight embrace.
"I don't know if dogs- well, wolves have dreams. I know a lot about you-" learning about canines had been so interesting to her childhood self, "but not that."
But she hoped he was dreaming a good dream.

Although Sanya would have contentedly stayed like that for eons, holding Laash in her arms like a child held a plush-toy and being soothed by his warmth- she knew she had to go.
She had to end this.
"Don't find me." She whispered, a hot tear escaping her eyes. He had to understand that- he couldn't look for her. He could not.
Either she would be dead, or she would be in another realm, and both would cause him heartbreak. Sanya had felt that, so many times- and she didn't want Laash to face that.
"Rule the forest, be the King here, gambol around as a happy doggie. Just don't look for me."