SEA, SWALLOW ME, remus lupin

naoi deug, silence over the loch

CHAPTER NINETEEN
silence over the loch

𖦹 ⋆｡˚⋆ฺ ⋆｡˚⋆ฺ˚⋆˚ 𖦹

  THE MOON CRESTS THE HORIZON, waning and gibbous in a cradle of foggy clouds that promise heavy rain, though admittedly the notion of thundershowers doesn't bother Cove all that much. An eldritch breeze tousles the tall reeds that gather in the shallows, their stems swathed in caliginous water the colour of fresh ink. Fir trees echo the sounds of the twilight creatures, jostling and creaking hazardously as Cove's premonition of bad weather comes to fruition, sparking storm clouds inching well past the horizon. There's a spectral sheen glazing across the still surface of the loch, milky moonlight pouring all over the tenebrous waters before it's swept away behind the building nimbuses.

  Cordelia wouldn't answer her tide-message. Either that or it was unable to reach her completely, which only instills Cove with unshakeable dread. There are so many things that could go wrong with her family back home, seeing as they're vulnerable to magical and natural dangers alike; there's the natural predators such as a killer whale that's strayed too close to their bay, or there's the Blue men of the Minch, who have always seemed to harbour resentment towards their selkie colony. Probably still wounded from ancient land (or sea, rather) disputes, but that's neither here nor there. The local kelpies don't usually give them any trouble but who's to say for certain? They're unpredictable creatures on the best of days and a lack of human prey in their rural community could spur them on to new targets. Cove puts this all down to her overthinking again and tries to convince herself that nothing bad has happened to them. It doesn't work extremely well.

  Silence falls over the loch as the birds cease their song, her sharp breathing being the only thing to really break it. She sighs, tucking her head into the crook of her arm and trying to set her thoughts straight.

  In the past few months alone, her life has become so complicated. She never thought that she'd find herself fancying a human in a million years, and when she's inadvertently allowing herself to be vulnerable to him, she's growing dangerously close to exposing herself. Not only would she reveal her own secret, but she'd be uncovering her entire colony back home. She's reached a fork in the crossroads, coming face to face with Janus and one of his paradoxical ultimatums.

A nightbird begins to cry, wailing and lamenting desperately to be heard by whoever's around to lend an ear. It composes a lullaby for the crepuscular creatures prowling around in the undergrowth, unseen and hungering for a multitude of things beyond belief.

Cove listens. She listens as the birds anguish, as they trade their ballads in the safety of their trees whilst their predators circle below. Understanding bubbles up inside her heart as the notes they sing wrap around her torments, constricting like a boa until the agony causes them to burst. After playing the role of nature's audience for a few minutes too long, Cove can't bear the sorrow and turns to her single solace: the icy water sprawling up the bank towards her.

She gets to her feet and inches forward, loosening the knot in her tie so that she can shrug off her shirt. As per usual, she leaves all of her belongings in a neat pile, concealed by a jagged rock to keep them safe. Her sealskin slips over her shoulders as smoothly as silk would, melding to her body in a warm embrace. However, she doesn't will it to transform her two legs into one just yet, staring out across the rippling surface as the wind begins to pick up. Her wavy hair is twisted and twirled by the zephyr, tied into knots by the flow of the swelling storm.

It feels as if she's being watched. Cove looks over her shoulder to quell her nerves, goosebumps rising over her exposed skin. She's completely on edge, wary of the insatiable Cù-Sìths and Nuckelavees her colony has always told her stories of, warning her that they infest the Forbidden Forest that borders her school. Her eyes narrow into slits, extending her vision to as far as the distant outline of the Whomping Willow, searching for whatever it is that has her hairs standing on end.

  The tree dances violently, her ears picking up on the faint noise of its branches swooping through the air. She can just about spot the outline of a boy against the constellations, tall enough to rival the tree and yet he curls in on himself to appear less intimidating, a victim to his own insecurities.

Her eyes latch onto his own from miles away. He doesn't make the connection of who she is because of the darkness and distance, but Cove could recognise him anywhere. Without thinking, she finds herself holding her breath, not moving a muscle to try and see what his next move would be.

Remus stares back contemplatively, trying to figure out why there would be a girl out by the lake past curfew, still as a statue under the pale moonlight. He had only come outside because he was having trouble sleeping and needed some peace of mind, his feet leading him to the place that tended to plague his nightmares — a constant reminder of his transformations.

Maybe he's seeing things again. Sleep deprivation usually gets the better of him.

  The two part in opposite directions, one diving under the protection of the Black Lake whilst the other ducks back into the warmth of the castle. Silence falls over the loch once more, succumbing to quietude for the rest of the night.

author's note!

filler chapter oops

this fic has now become my outlet to yap about random scottish mythical creatures and i'm living for it  🙈🙈 i've been waiting for this moment since my obsession w myths in primary 5