Stellaluna

Waters

I opened my eyes and found a very concerned Ryder so close to my face that we nearly brushed noses. I scrambled back, a bit freaked out and sat up.

"What's going on?" I looked around, noting that the crowd had disappeared and was replaced by Hypatia, Selene and of course, Ryder.

"The thought of joining my pack was so abhorrent that you fainted," Ryder teased, but hurt flickered briefly over his face before he covered it with his easy going smile.

"Nonsense. I'm afraid I may have overloaded you. I haven't had a pupil for quite a while," Hypatia said, sounding the tiniest bit regretful before clearing her throat. "Selene informed me that you aren't used to.. studying.. quite as often as we are now." She eyed Ryder. Selene just rolled her eyes and helped me to my feet.

"I'm sorry I've been so preoccupied, dear. Donovan wouldn't want me to mope about, and I promised to watch over you. It's time I make good on that." She smiled. Though it didn't quite meet her eyes, she almost looked like the Selene I'd known all these years. Ryder, sensing he was third-wheeling on a sentimental moment, excused himself.

"Well if you're okay then I suppose I'll take my leave." He gave me a sweet smile and touched my arm, and walked back to the castle. I turned back to find Hypatia and Selene looking at each other and back at me, smiling like cheshire cats.

"What?" I asked, suddenly annoyed. They only giggled, and I knew they were talking about me silently. "I cannot deal with you two right now," I whined, and walked away. They just laughed and fell in step with me, looping arms and guiding me away from the castle.

"You won't feel better in there, little one. Come, we have a theory to test." Hypatia hummed, as we walked towards the lake.

"Do I have to go through more tests tonight?" I eyed Hypatia. She laughed, her melodic voice floating through the air.

"No child. I believe you have an affinity for water, from everything we've learned so far, so I want to see if it will help you," she said as we arrived at the lake. I looked between them nervously, as I had not done it in front of anyone before. At least not on purpose. I glanced at Selene and she smiled supportively.

"I don't know about this.." I rubbed my arms against the chill in the night air.

"We will be here, do not fret, little one. You mustn't let your fear control your powers, or they will control you." Hypatia said gently. I sighed pulled my hair into a bun and pulled off my shoes and pants, facing the lake in only my black underwear and tank top.

"I don't know about it helping me, but I do constantly feel a pull to explore it here. The moon, now that is comforting, it's light soothes me. But water? Water drowns you, pulls you under and sometimes it feels as though you can't escape." I explained, gazing at the shimmering surface of the lake, gentle waves brushing up against the crystalline shore. I could feel it's pull even now, and drew closer without noticing.

"L'appel du vide," Selene murmured, looking at Hypatia, who gave a small nod of her head.

"Heed the call, child. Trust yourself, for you will not drown or wash away." Hypatia's musical voice danced around the air, and it was like I was in a trance. I looked up at the moon, nearly full, and felt it's familiar soothing touch across my face, neck, arms and legs. Every inch of exposed skin.

I heard Selene muffle a small gasp, but my focus was on the lake. The waves had stilled, and the moon was reflected perfectly on its mirrored surface. It was as if the moon, sensing my hesitancy, was giving me an invitation and telling me everything would be alright. I took my first step and as the water rippled, announcing my long awaited arrival, my fears melted away. I walked slowly, my eyes trained on the moon in the middle of the lake, and heard the whispers start. Flashes of light and shadow curiously danced their way around me as I neared the moon. It's reflection.. didn't seem to move away as I neared it. Yet I knew it was my destination. The whispers grew into loud chattering, happy, sad, angry. The shadows fighting the sparks of light, all swirling around me. But as I stepped into the nearly perfect circle of the moon, it all exploded.

I felt time stop. I could see it. Everything that had happened, everything yet to come. I slowly spun in a circle, water that had erupted from around me hung in the air like tiny drops of sparkling stars in the sky. I saw thousands of faces surrounding the lake, and floating underneath its dark surface. I saw Hypatia and Selene on the shore, Selene frozen, mid step with her hand extended towards me. And Hypatia a grim look of understanding on her now ancient looking face.

How odd, I said, but no words came out of my mouth. I brought my hand up and touched one of the sparkling drops of water, and it melted in my touch. A woman appeared before me, crying, her blue eyes strangely familiar. Instinct took hold and brought my hand out to her, my movement making the drops in the air swirl out of the way. I walked up to her crying form, and it was as if she broke free from whatever spell held her.

"Noooo! Please no!" She cried out, clutching her chest, tears of blood streaming from her face. She let out a guttural, heart wrenching scream and threw herself into the lake, swiftly sinking into its dark depths.

Marina, Marina, poor Marinaa, the voices of the water whispered. Abandoned, forgotten, forsaken...

I held out my hand and another droplet came to melt onto my palm, this time appearing two young children playing in the shallows. I walked over and again, their spectral images suddenly came to life. It was two little, brown haired boys, both with honeyed hazel eyes and freckles covering their small laughing faces.

Poor boys, stop them! the voices whispered around me in despair. Stop them from what? I looked around and only saw them, when suddenly one of the boys jerked, and fell into the water. His blood spread around him as he bobbed, an arrow sticking out of his side. His brother cried and was yanked from the lake, disappearing as he left the water. Poor poor boys, the voices sighed. They always leave, they always forget...

Why are you showing me this? I asked, my heart hurting from all the pain captured in these silent waters. I spun around looking for an answer, my hand hitting another droplet. This time a woman appeared, heavily pregnant and crying for help, lying in the shallow water. I ran to her and crouched down, looking for wounds. She was in labor, I realized. I held her hand and tried to comfort her. You're okay, you'll be okay, I told her. But she couldn't hear me. She gave a loud scream and I gasped as she gave birth. I grabbed the baby and brought it to the surface, the woman cried and hugged her child to her chest, fading from my view. The voices sighed and cooed, blessed child, precious baby.

I still wasn't sure exactly what this was, but I sensed the spirits were showing me that it was not just death, but life captured in the water.

Hypatia was right, I couldn't let fear hold me back. They weren't here to hurt me. It was just like the small pond on the mountain side. They just wanted to be seen, to be heard and not forgotten. The voices swirled around me once again, murmuring excited agreement. Alright then. I would see them and listen to them. I raised my hand and all the water rushed to me at once. The moon looked down at me and I saw it all as I sank below the surface. I saw Alphas of the past, members of the pack, lovers, mates, werewolves, humans, witches, children and the elderly. Every face, every voice, every death and every life. Water was history captured forever, the good and the bad. I had always been fascinated by it. I felt comforted as a child who had nobody, as the people in the water didn't either. The dead often stayed, forgotten, in hopes to see their loved ones again. Only able to look on longingly from beneath the surface. Their joy and relief flowed through me as I witnessed their lives.

Soon, I felt their hands pull me up, and as I broke through the surface I knew I was reborn. Wherever I touched, the water glowed a faint pale purple. I had passed it's test. I just needed to open myself to them and see like I used to. I only needed to remember.

Should you have need, call and we will be there. Their voices rang in my ears and my heart. I would be there for them too. The dead whispered messages to pass on to their loved ones, as I took each step. Out on the shore Selene had called for help, and several people searched the waters from the shore and the woods nearby. She screamed as she saw me rise from the waters, and ran to me. Hypatia stopped her just before she stepped into the shallows where I now stood, the water swirling around my feet.

"E- Evangeline?" She asked, before she was pulled behind Hypatia. Hypatia..I tilted my head, looking at her. I had seen her in the waters too, many times over.

Someone called out that I was found and those within earshot began running up to me. All stopping short when they saw me. The dead whispered, and I saw shock in the faces of everyone ashore. Ryder ran up, froze, looking from me, to behind my right shoulder.

"Evangeline, center yourself." Hypatia commanded, drawing my attention back to her.

I am, I blinked at her, but my words were silent and she shook her head.

"Come Evangeline," she said softly, holding out her hand. I took a step, one foot on the shore and felt the water grip the foot still in the shallows. I turned, and saw the woman who died of grief, the twin boy, holding her hand, and all the others who did not make it out of the lake. Please, don't forget us, the little boy begged, and looked longingly at someone on land.

I could never, I promised him, I'll be back. He nodded his small, sad face, and they released me, allowing me to rejoin the living.

I looked back up at the moon and was surprised to see it was now full.