Water

Wave Twenty

The water in her room tasted stale and the orbs floating beside her were barely glowing. Her head felt much clearer. When she tried to reach out to connect to the Herd, Leira could almost touch them, almost hear them. She darted in circles round her prison, determined to regain her strength.

        Sensing movement in the entranceway, Leira dashed behind the mattress. A trickle of rocks began to stream into the room. The trickle turned into a river of debris. The huge rock blocking her room crumbled, letting a surge of fresh water flow in. Leira gulped in deep breaths, relishing the sensation of the renewed water flowing between her gills. Torrents of light pushed into the room, overwhelming her eyes. She gasped and shielded her face, viewing the scene through the transparent webbing between her fingers. A figure appeared in the entrance, silhouetted against the blast of light. It moved toward her, reaching out. She dug her nails into the ground to pull herself away from it.

            (Leira?) After being disconnected for so long, the thought was invasive. Relief coursed through Leira as she realised who the strange figure was. She rushed to him, folding herself into his arms.
(Eli,) she breathed. Leira nestled into her father and drank in the familiar scent of him. They stayed clinging together for several moments. The fresh water and bright light seeped into the small space, illuminating the pair. Eventually Leira withdrew from Eli’s embrace.
(Why can’t I connect?)
(You’re…out of range.)

          She knew something was wrong. He wouldn’t look her directly in the eyes. Leira swept her arms above her head and lowered them quickly to propel herself to his eye level.
(Out of range?)
His eyes finally met hers and Leira held his gaze, chin held high.
(Leira, after what happened they had to bring you here and…keep you calm. They had to investigate. They had to decide-)
(They?)
(The Council.)

        Leira swished her tail and moved away from her father in a fluid motion. The Council? Why had they been involved? She really had failed her Testing then. Distraught, Leira tried to remember what had happened. To fail to live up to your own clan was almost unheard of. They all had some sort of initiation: the Carvers, the Scouts, the Healers, the Arbitrators, and the rest. The Guardians had the most rigorous training and testing, of this Leira was certain. But the Guardians needed more numbers to protect the Herd – they needed her! And she’d failed them.