#deepwood

Rowan ran through the rough woodland terrain as fast as his legs would allow him, leaping over gnarled roots and dodging low-hanging branches and vines. 

Whatever was happening, whatever it took, he had to stop this. He couldn't let them take him. 

The treeline broke and the land swooped gently to meet the lakeshore, the world still and cold in the moonlight. Rowan paused only a moment to get his bearings, skidding in the pebbles that bordered the waterline.

"Adric!!" He screamed as soon as he caught sight of what he was looking for. 

Adric made no indication he had heard his name called at all. His eyes fixed straight ahead, he walked slowly closer to the water's edge. 

Rowan ran. He had no idea what would happen when his brother reached the water. Would he vanish? Awaken some creature of the deeps that had put him into this vision? Maybe the cold lake water would snap him out of it. 

He continued to scream his brother's name as he ran, his lungs burning for air.

"Adric! Stop! Adric!! Don't go in there, come back!" 

Adric stepped into the water. The surface of the lake ripped, shattering the reflection of the moon into a thousand silver shards. They twinkled like tiny stars, swirling around his legs as he pushed forward through the water.

Rowan screamed again, stumbling over a piece of driftwood that cost him ten precious seconds. 

He hit the water at full speed, spraying water and pebbles across the serene surface as he charged further in. 

Adric was up to his knees, wading still further in, the hem of his nightshirt dragging in the water. His head was cocked slightly to the side as he stared intensely at something unseen in front of him. Rowan made it to him just as he reached out his hand to touch it.

Grabbing Adric's arm, he jerked him back from whatever it was that he could see but Rowan could not, both boars stumbling in the loose stones of the lake bed. 

Rowan shook his little brother gently by the shoulder. 

"Adric, Adric." 

Adric made no response. His eyes stayed fixed ahead at the surface of the water, a dazed, forlorn look on his face. Rowan could feel the fever without having to check his forehead. Tightening his grip on his brother's arm, he gently began pulling him back to shore. Adric put up little resistance, but never took his eyes off the surface of the water until it was finally blocked from sight by the forest.

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Lil bit of a scene from when they were boys. Suffice to say Rowan is not a fan of Water™

Their relationship is very important to me 😭