Where The Heart Is

Mending Bridges

Note: THIS PROMPT WAS GIVEN TO ME A YEAR AGO I am in the cone of shame: The Rise and Fall of Nickelodian page Admin: Callie, Mystery, Water Spirit: Callie makes amends with the Water Spirit from the previous Ghost Heist, Watermutt Fluff to show each are cured, Callie makes a friend with her own kind. Setting is after What Doesn't Kill Us.

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My paws knead the earth at the edge of the meadow. I crouch, tensed, at the very edge in between the trees. Wildflowers and the scent of honey from a hive at the far end of the field tickle my nostrils, but I mustn't start yet. It has to be fair. My tails swing wide behind me, startling a family of squirrels into the trees.

There. We have decided the start together, and it is now. My hindpaws sink deep into the soil, propelling me forward as my forepaws churn furrows into the ground. This time I will win. This time, I will reach the far side first.

A shadow passes over my head, but I do not need to look up. I can feel exactly where she is, her determination feeding mine as mine feeds hers. But only one of us is the swiftest, and I will prove it today.

Glory, the wind on my fur is a balm. I would circle the earth if it was only me. But it is not only me, and I will not leave Arthur for that long. For now it is only a meadow race.

I leap across the river, barely clearing its banks. My step falters a beat, but I catch myself and run on.

No, I do not. She has stopped at the riverbank, and her thoughts and feelings spread confusion in my mind. I sigh, turning to rest my hindquarters on the bank opposite Callie. "So, you forfeit then?" I try, wagging my tails.

She does not respond, her joy arrested by pensive thought as she scans the river. I am uneasy at the train of thought she is following. This is the river we rescued a small child from being drowned in. The river that damned Callie for being a dark spirit. I had caught sight of the spirit attached to these waters only once, the day it tried to play with Arthur. On sight of me, it screamed that I should never come back, and neither should Arthur if he was associated with me. No doubt it watched us even now.

"Callie, it was not very friendly once it realized Arthur was connected with you and myself," I warn.

"But things were different then," she responds, lowering herself to the bank, her eyes trained on the water. The tiny spark of hope in her is painful to me. What if she is rejected again? We have both been cleansed, but can this spirit tell the difference?

"Then I will be alright, Mystery." Her voice is a little older, a little heavier. "I do not need to prove myself here, I only hope to mend a bridge that burned."

It will hurt, it will sting, but we are her family now. I understand. We are the ones that matter. But she feels she must try.

She uncoils one hand, reaching gingerly to the surface of the river. Her hand hesitates an inch from the surface before slipping in. The hope burns brighter. No ice repels her touch this time. She glances to me and I sigh. This was not why we came to the meadow, but I touch my paw to the waters as well. The river is cool and crisp and clean, and assuredly not the ice that repelled me some weeks ago.

We are being watched. From the corner of my eye, I see the water spirit's head some ways upstream, just poking up out of the waters, eyes flicking back and forth between Callie and myself. I pretend not to notice, allowing Callie this information through our bond. Likely I had been deemed the greater threat during my darkness, and there is more of a chance that it will listen to one of its own kind anyway.

Callie lifts her head with a beatific smile. "The river is wonderful. I have not played in a body of water since England. Do you remember the river there? The fish were all silver-and-rainbow and it spilled over into a waterfall."

The water spirit's head lifts out a little more, exposing the long twisting arms coiled closer in caution.

"I only know your memories," I respond, nosing the water. "I was busy racing you home with Vivi and Lewis. But it was quite the river. This one is more calming. Peaceful."

"Wh-what do you want?" The spirit calls, sinking back in a few inches.

Callie turns, lifting her hands in greeting. "We wanted to visit and say hello."

"Hello," the spirit returns, as if hoping that is the end of it.

I sigh. "Much has changed since we were last here. You are aware of it or you would not have allowed us to touch the waters."

The spirit's face scrunches. They are such children, and the concept is difficult for it to grasp. "You're not dark," it says slowly, "but you were, but nobody can get rid of the dark, but you did."

"And you don't know what to do with us," I conclude, standing to my feet. "We are not here to harm you."

"We were hoping maybe to play," Callie pipes up. I glare sourly. It's bad enough my perpetual scent is now "wet dog." Must I really endure a double soaking?

"He doesn't look like he wants to play," the spirit mumbles.

"Mystery is cranky sometimes but catch him in the right mood and he enjoys it. You know what he likes?" She grins at me, and it's hard not to grin back. "He likes racing. I would have beat him if I hadn't stopped to say hi."

"You would not!" I protest.

"I could beat you both!" The spirit rises up, playfulness creeping into its voice. "My river's the fastest thing around here, there's no way either of you is faster!"

In spite of myself, my tails begin to wag. "Want to prove it?" I wheedle.

"Just say when!" The spirit dives below the surface of the river, waiting. Callie rises up into the air, and I stretch my legs, crouching at the side of the river.

"On my mark!" I bark.

"Get set!" Callie trumpets.

"Go!" we cry as one. Then it is a race on land, in air, and under water.

Perhaps mending bridges isn't so tiresome as I thought.

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Note: However, this does mark the end of me receiving prompts for this series right now, as I need to focus elsewhere. Thank you all for your contributions!