Call Wolf

Chapter Three

CurrentS

Maria moved her fingers. She felt the chilly currents dance around them and tried to not think about the dark void beneath her back. Her lungs tried to get used to the cold water appearing and dissipating across her chest but it was hard and at times she felt her legs sink into the lake's depth.
Charles sat on the shoreline, watching her as well as their surroundings. It wasn't sirene; somewhere, Buck and Neal could be hiding, waiting for him to lower his guard.
He wouldn't.
"You've been in there a while."
Maria drew a deep breath. "I have. Are you sure you don't want to get in? I can keep watch just as well as you."
"I highly doubt that."
The otherwise still water bubbled and moved as Maria switched her position. Now, the only part of her not submerged was her head while she paddled to keep herself afloat. She gave a small smile. "There are some rules in life, Charles."
Before he could stop himself he raised an eyebrow, giving her everything she needed to continue.
"For example, one does not pass on the opportunity to bathe in a lake as perfect as this one."
"I'm good."
"Look!" Seemingly ignoring his answer, Maria drew a deep breath, readying herself for what ever act. Her eyes went into the water with concentration making Charles involved. He hesitantly put a hand to the sand, not sure that she would be able to do too much in her current state.
She disappeared, leaving nothing but a few bubbles behind - those soon dissapeared as well.
"Maria," Charles barked, scanning the water for any sign of her head breaking through the surface. "Maria? Dammit!"

Without much to it, Charles stood up and dove into the water. He let his hands lead the way, searching the bottom as well as the water while on his way up. He broke through the surface with an uncomfortable feeling nipping at his gut.
"Aha!"
Maria drew some exhasparated breaths as she appeared just left of Charles. She removed some hair glued to her forehead and grinned through the water dripping down her lips.
She met his disapproving gaze with her own sprite one, still breathing heavily.
"I got you," she said. "But I have to be honest, I was beginning to get scared too."
"That was unwise. And I wasn't scared."
Charles glowered into the water, wondering what he was doing. Had she really been in trouble, what was it to him? She was human, and quite an aggravating one.
Maria splashed some water in his face, not furthering her case, but as Charles looked up she wasn't smiling anymore - she seemed ashamed, almost.
"I'm sorry for ruining your spiritual journey."
Despite his best efforts, Charles enjoyed the cool water. He laid his head back and, for the first time in too long, let the sweat and dirt wash off. "Mhm."
But he still felt Maria's curious gaze on him.
"What kind of journey is it?" she asked finally, gathering some water in her hands and pouring it over her head. "What's the purpose?"
"To get stronger."
"Really?"
Maybe it was the unfamiliar sense of calm that made Charles so compliant because he nodded. "Mentally. It's a rite of passage. My father did it before me and his father before him. I won't be whole until I complete it."
"So what are you, some kind of monk?"
"I agreed to let your secrets rest. Perhaps you could grant me the same favor."
Maria nodded, gave him an odd look, and then dipped her head once again, massaging her scalp. Meanwhile, Charles finally rose his head from the water. He shook his hair somewhat dry and drew a deep breath that filled his nose with a stinging stench.
Filth.

Charles lowered himself back down, leaving only his eyes visible, narrowed and scouting. As Maria emerged from the depths he quickly made sure she also remained as submerged as possible. He held a hand to her shoulder, nodded once to the shoreline where loud voices were disturbing the cicadas.
"The bridge," he said shortly, pushing her in the direction of the broken, run-down wooden contraption that once must have belonged to some nearby cottage, now most likely long gone. A small boat was attached to it, joyfully swaying on the water's surface. Other than that it was long forgotten.
As quiet as possible, Maria hurried towards it.

"She couldn't have made it this far, I'm telling you!" a familiar, rodent-like voice exclaimed. Two seconds later, Buck appeared on the shore, his boots trampling the stray grass emerging from the sand. He looked around him as if the entire forest disgusted him. "She was too hurt..."
"Well, then she must have been with that guy," someone, most likely Neal, responded from within the trees.
"What guy?"
"The guy in the cabin, he must've lied."
Buck hummed thoughtfully but continued towards the water nonetheless. Charles realized he would soon be spotted and decided to take off. His eyes went to the bridge and he was relieved to see Maria perched underneath it, hiding behind some of the more rotten planks half-way devoured by the water. She met his gaze and it was clear she could hear them just as well as him.
By the time Buck's boots sunk into the soil, Charles had made it beside Maria.
"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I thought they were gone."
"No, they're not leaving without you, I suspect."
Unbeknownst to herself, she touched two fingers to a particularly deep cut on her right cheekbone.
Neal joined Buck by the water.
"Maria, where have you gone..."
They watched the lake as if she would suddenly sprout from the calm surface.
A few metres away, Maria pulled away from Charles. She hid her face behind a curtain of wet hair and tried to calm her breathing. A familiar metallic taste spread throughout her mouth, made it feel as if though melted copper was running through her veins.
Not now.
She pressed her nails into her palms, bit down on her tongue - anything to keep her from screaming in pain. Just below her chin, a lone tadpool wiggled its way through the water and she targeted it with obsessive concentration.
Someone grabbed her shoulder, making her cry out.
"Maria," Charles said severely, removing his hand. "They're gone."
She looked up to see that he was right, and that he'd noticed her episode, but thankfully wasn't subjected to any questioning.
"Thank god. Truly, Charles, I didn't know they would come. If I did then--"
"We have to go. They might come back."
She wasn't sure whether he was angry or simply wanted to spare her pride; was she supposed to feel hurt or grateful?
"Y-yeah, let's go."

Charles was swift. With little effort he'd exited the bridge's rotten base and was heading for the shore. Maria was left behind, struggling a little more to maneuver around the boards. As she was about to head out into open water, she braved to turn around, look after the tadpool. It took a second but she found it quite easily, floating about.
She clenched her fists, looked to make sure Charles was far away, and then quickly shoveled some water onto it to make it disappear.
It had been burnt to a crisp.

A/n
I'm gonna enter into the Wattys, y'all. Hence the spamming