Darkness was closing in, a warmth starting to flow to his limbs making his movements sluggish. How easy it would be to just give in, let it embrace him and forget...Hero's head broke from the churning waters, his body reflexively gasping in air and taking in big gulps of water at the same time. The buck struggled in the stream, rolling as it bent and turned. A knee hit a rock here, his skull hit that boulder at the other side. In the dull moonlight, Hero could see the shoreline. It called him, begging to return to the safety of dirt and vine. The buck thrashed, trying desperately to reach that side.
A hoof caught on something, Hero took a deep breath just before his head fell under again. It was a vine, looped between a couple of drowned logs. If he didn't get free soon, he would be joining this log in a watery grave. At least Adventure would have something to eat, then. The buck would have laughed if he wouldn't have gotten a lung-full of water. He kicked another time, still trying to dislodge the interloper. His foot caught something - one of the logs, and just his luck, a rock had somehow gotten in the rotted, hollow wood. Hero flinched, he could feel that one - probably broken. His fears were confirmed as the limb would not listen to his commands. His beaten body rolled in the water, the current was too strong. This was not how he thought his life would end.
His vision darkened from the sides again, and in that moment it was not his life that flashed before his eyes, but just the reason why he was here.
It had been a young acha filly. She must have spent more time in the desert or the border lands, because it was quite obvious that she did not understand the dangers of fast currents. From the snow melt and already beaten land, this usually calm stream had turning into a raging river. And like so many determined young ones, had tried to cross. It was he cries that had alerted him to her dilemna.
She had somehow managed to gotten to an exposed long. The current was eating away at her island, and it was obvious she was exhausted from the ordeal.
With little more than a glance to Adventure, Hero dove in and swam -with much struggle but determination- to her side. He made it look easy snagging the ragged creature and bringing her to the edge. Too bad that tree branch decided to come along.
Hero hadn't had time to react before it made contact with his forehead. Dizzy, he had drifted, struggling for air and desperate for any foot-hold.
This was it... the end.
Hero tried just once more, he kicked with his good hind-leg - only to notice that he was free. Adrenaline took over again, and with three good limbs, Hero someone managed to make it to the shore. His front hooves dug it, dragging him inch by pain-filled inch away from the waters. The buck hacked and coughed, blessed air relieving his hurting lungs.
Out of energy, the buck collapsed, his sides shuddering as he heaved for breath. He might have been out of the water, but his body was bruised and broken with blood pooling from many wounds and even his nostrils that flared with effort.
A scaled snout nudged his face... Adventure. It must have released him from that vine. He should thank it, if he could survive until the sun came up.
This time, when the darkness closed in for the third time, Hero offered his own welcome...anything to take the pain away.
