The Little Waterbender (unedited)

The Savior

Whether this beast understands me or not, I may never know. I thought this to myself as the wolf stared at me from the over the edge. I had been calling for what felt like hours. My tail was dry, my arms were getting weak, and my body felt like it was being torn apart piece by piece. And yet somehow, I found it in me to call one more time.

That's when he came. I had heard him previously wandering around, but I thought it was a person. So I had prayed he would hear me. And, at first, I didn't think he did. But he came. Not a knight in shining armor by all means, but still. It was something.

When I had pleaded with him again, he seemed to look at me with uncertainty. I didn't blame him. I had heard stories humans had told of us. About what evil creatures we were. They thought we were evil, cunning creatures whose only thought was to lure people to their death in the waters.

Finally, he turned away from me. I heard him pad away and desperation took hold. If he is here, someone has to be caring for him, right? It was only logical.

"Hello?!" I called out, praying that my voice would carry on the wind. "Please! If there's anyone out there! I need help!"

Then I heard it. It was soft, like a ripping sound. Maybe I'm actually hallucinating now?

The wolf was back. He peeked his head over the railing and in his mouth, he had a ripped curtain with a loop.

I cocked my head to the side, curious as to what he was planning.

The curtain was slowly lowered over the side until it reached about halfway down my tail. I considered trying to lift it, but I couldn't. I was too weak.

The beast growled in frustration or annoyance. He disappeared again and another ripping sound greeted my ears. This time, the curtain reached just under my fins.

How he did it, I may never know. But the wolf managed to loop the end around my tail and slide it up to my abdomen, just below my arms. This may yet work. But how was I to know?

I decided then that I would try to assist him, using what was left of my strength to pull myself up. The wolf looked at me in a disapproving way and gave a low growl in my direction. Skeptical, I let my weight fall back into the loop.

With a grunt, the wolf widened his stance. Then, slowly, I began to feel myself being pulled upwards.

In my excitement, I must have squirmed slightly, as out of nowhere the curtain slid. Now, I could no longer reach the ledge. The wolf looked down at me, straining against my weight.

And the next sound that greeted my ears would give me nightmares for many months to come.

From where his teeth gripped the curtain came the light sound of ripping. My eyes widened and I reached up to grip the curtain, clinging for dear life.

I heard a deepened growl of determination, and the wolf turned his body so the curtain was resting against the balcony railing. Rather than pulling me straight up, he began pulling me sideways, using the strength of the railing to keep the fabric from tearing more and to allow himself more leverage to pull.

Finally, I felt myself being pulled upward. Once my hands were far enough from the railing, I used the last of my strength to reach up and pull myself over the rails. However, once reaching the floor on the other side, my vision began to swim.

I was dried out and tired, and I could no longer feel my fins. This was it. All of that hard work was for nothing.

The last thing I saw before darkness overcame me, was the shadow of a man walking towards me. As he leaned down towards my face, I could faintly see a scar running across the left side of his face.