You could call Podkus' farm many things, isolated, dangerous, and maybe even a little neglected in some aspects. But never boring.

The celebration was vibrant and loud. Laughter and conversation mingled into a sound that drowned one's thoughts, making one give up and move with the energy of the place. Drinks and food were aplenty, being devoured and drank as fast as they were brought.

The thing most sought after in the chaos was Podkus Pour, a unique drink whose recipe was known only to Podkus. One thing that anyone drinking knew was a key ingredient was honey, a fact given when the drink left its barrel in a thick golden syrup. The taste was a complex blend of smoky sweetness rather than pure honey. There were two versions of the drink: one for adults, which contained alcohol, and a sweeter, non-alcoholic version for children.

The adults dominated the center table while the children enjoyed their meals near the door or outside. The kids turned fetching more food into a competition, seeing who could navigate the crowded space the fastest. Mara and a bugbear named Rinn were neck and neck, both holding a record of forty seconds for their speedy round trips.

After having their fill, the kids' fun was taken outside, turning the sprawling fields and surrounding forest into their play area. The fields were filled with laughter as games of Tag, Hide-and-Seek, Kill the Goblin, and Young Wyvern were played.

When fatigue set in and the sun's intensity became overwhelming, the children withdrew from their outdoor games. Their return coincided with the adults emerging from the house, their lively spirits dimmed by tiredness.

One by one, everyone ambled off to find comfortable spots to rest.

Seeing the day's activities drawing to a close, Mara let out a small sigh. Knowing that this signaled the end of their time there. Come on, Mara, you can do this; Mom promised to bring you here every other month from now on.

Going through the motions of the footwork taught by her mother, Mara waited near the cart for a few minutes. "What's taking her so long?" She murmured, sheathing her dagger at her hip. Curious about her mother's unusual tardiness, she stepped back into the house, finding her mother lying near the table, softly snoring amidst the hay with a dopey smile.

Mara paused to take in the scene momentarily before her gaze shifted to Podkus, who watched with a gentle smile. "Yer mom's plum tuckered out. She had a bit too much to drink. She'll be snoozin' for a few hours."

Excitement ignited within Mara and wasting no time, she dashed outside to find Jr., eager to share the good news and squeeze in more adventures before the day ended. Jr. was found at the forest's edge, lounging in the shade and munching on berries.

"Jr.! Good news, I'll be staying a few more hours!" she exclaimed, her enthusiasm momentarily making her forget the sweltering midday heat.

Jr. looked up, his hands still full of berries and his lips stained purple from their juice. "Great! What's the plan?" His interest was immediately piqued as he tossed aside the remaining berries, trotting out from the bushes to join her.

That gave Mara a pause. They were tired from the day's activities, and she wasn't keen on a lengthy trek through the forest. "I don't know, maybe hunting or…" she trailed off as the memory of cold waters hit her. "The waterhole!" she shouted, the thought igniting her excitement anew.

Jr.'s face mirrored Mara's excitement. "Yes!" he agreed enthusiastically. Just as he turned to head back into the forest, he paused, a sudden thought halting his steps. "Speakin' o' huntin', I gotta grab my bow and fetch yers too."

"Right! I didn't even get to shoot your bow yet! You still owe me those shots," Mara exclaimed.

Jr. quickly placed a hand over her mouth, hushing her with a finger to the lips. "Shh! Keep it down, will ya? And no, I don't owe ya nothin'. Ya couldn't even draw it without hurtin' yerself," he whispered, trying to keep their conversation a secret.

"You said you'd let me have a few shots. Just get me a proper glove, and I can do it. " Mara replied, beginning to pout slightly.

"I didn't promise nothin', but I'll let ya try. Besides, I bet ya'll forget all 'bout my bow once ya see the one I got for ya!" Jr. replied with a teasing smile. "Wait for me!" he called, running back towards the house, eager to fetch the surprise.

A mischievous idea formed in Mara's mind, and she brimmed with her own brand of excitement, "I'll wait." But as soon as Jr. was out of sight, she bolted in the opposite direction. I'll wait at the waterhole.

Navigating the forest relatively quickly, Mara was a blur of orange, her hair whipping behind her as she dashed through the path of beaten dirt. This was a game they played many times before, a game that Mara had never won; until now.

Five minutes, Jr. Just give me five. Mara pleaded in her mind as she raced towards the slope where the waterhole stood.

Reaching the base of the hill made Mara's legs tremble from the effort and each breath scorchingly hot. Despite the fatigue, she pressed on, knowing from past experience that Jr. would likely catch up to her in half the time it took her to reach this point.

Using the trees as support, Mara forced herself to keep running even as her legs shook and threatened to give out under her. She had to win. She had to rub her first victory in Jr.'s face. A quick glance behind revealed a blur of light-brown darting through the forest — Jr. was charging toward her as if trying to outrun a wildfire.

A rush of adrenaline surged through Mara, driving the exhaustion and pain to the back of her mind. The forest seemed to conspire against her. With every step, her feet caught on roots camouflaged in the underbrush, her clothes clung to clawing branches, and her hair seemed to catch on every bush and branch in her path. Reaching the midpoint of the slope, her chest heaved with each scorchingly hot breath, her legs ached, and sweat ran like an open faucet down her face.

Despite knowing she needed to focus entirely on her path, curiosity got the better of her, and she risked a glance back.

Jr. was like a force of nature as he effortlessly navigated the terrain that had stalled her. He leaped over the roots that had tripped her, avoided the holes that had entrapped her, and dashed toward her almost in a straight line, his face set in fierce concentration. He carried two bows, one in each hand and a quiver on his back.

"Come back! I told ya to wait!" Jr.'s voice echoed through the trees, tinged with breathlessness from his relentless pursuit.

"You didn't tell me where to wait!" Mara screamed back, her breath coming in quick gasps as she used the surrounding trees to propel herself further up the slope.

You can do it, Mara! Then you can rub it in his face for the rest of his life. Mara encouraged herself and pushed herself to her limits.

The higher Mara went on the slope, the more prominent the signs of the waterhole became. Atop the tree roots were crystalline flowers that shimmered like pure crystals, becoming more abundant the more she ascended, and then the tang of salt hit her senses. She was tantalizingly close.

But when victory neared, Jr.'s presence loomed louder behind her, his determined sprint gaining on her. Doubt crept into Mara's mind; she knew this chance would never show itself again, and Jr. would be the one rubbing it in her face.

Mara could swear she felt Jr.'s heavy breaths on her neck when she finally saw the edge of the clearing, and in a final burst of strength, Mara leaped toward the top of the slope. She was airborne for less than a breath before Jr.'s momentum hit her with the strength of a charging boar, propelling her upwards and forwards, out of the tree line, and into the clearing.

Earth was thrown up and flowers were trampled as she rolled to a painful stop amid the field of crystalline flowers, most clear as glass, but some, like the one inches from her face, glowed with a vibrant hue. Still lying on the ground, trying to make sense of the world around her, a heavy weight suddenly pressed down on her back, forcing the air out of her lungs.

"Cheater! Thief!" Jr.'s voice was breathless and pitched with playful accusation as he pinned her to the ground.

"I didn't cheat! You just said to wait…" Mara struggled to speak under Jr.'s weight, her ribs screaming in protest as she felt herself bruising from his charge. "You never said where."

"Ya lil' trickster, ya knew exactly what I meant when I said to wait," Jr. replied, his tone teasing. He shifted slightly, mindful of his greater weight.

"I won fair..." Each word strained her body, leaving her breathless, "and square," Mara managed to wheeze out.

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Jr. maintained his position, holding her down while she gasped for air, her fingers clawing at the ground in a futile attempt to free herself. "Admit yer a cheater, and I'll let ya go."

Despite growing red in the face, Mara continued her desperate efforts to escape. "Ne-N-Never…" she gasped out, her movements slowing the harder it became to breathe.

Jr. studied her for a few more moments, finding no signs of her giving up. "Alright, ya won," he conceded, standing up and releasing her.

Mara inhaled deeply, savoring the rush of salty air filling her lungs. Jr. tried to keep a playful expression, but there was no hiding his more forceful steps as he trampled flowers and left some very deep furrows in the ground.

Mara wore a victorious grin that was broken when something fell on her forehead and landed on her chest —a short bow. "That's yer surprise. Happy Birthday," Jr. announced, attempting a cheerful tone, but a trace of bitterness lingered in his voice.

Sitting up, Mara curiously examined the bow in her hands. It was crafted from reddish-brown wood that seemed to strain against the red string to maintain its bow shape. The bow's surface was uneven, with small bumps and dips along its length. On the inner side facing the archer, there was a crudely carved smiling face with tusks.

"It's ugly," Mara commented bluntly.

Jr. huffed in indignation, turning and starting to walk toward the clearing's center. "Yer ugly!" he shot back.

Mara remained seated a moment longer, catching her breath and gently plucking a red crystalline flower from the ground. Despite looking like clear glass, the flower was as flexible as any regular flower. She then walked over to join Jr., taking in the full view of the waterhole.

The waterhole was a hub of life spanning about forty meters in diameter. Colorful fish swam in the crystal-clear waters while a tapestry of vibrant plant life weaved through every available space along the walls. Some fish were bold enough to nibble at Jr.'s submerged hand. The waterhole's actual depth was impossible to know, it led to a seemingly endless abyss, with the plants born where the light failed to pierce reached towards the sunlit surface like eldritch tendrils.

Sitting by Jr's side, Mara dipped her feet into the cool water. Almost immediately, a swarm of fish gathered around her, their gentle nibbles and tickles creating a peculiar but not unpleasant sensation as they cleaned away dead skin, clinging plants, and mud.

Jr. sat silent, fixated on the fish nibbling at one of his hands while his other hand absentmindedly plucked at the plants, letting them float and be devoured. He was obviously upset, but Mara wasn't sure what to say. She remained beside him, feeling the sun prickle her skin.

"Flower?" She offered the red crystal flower to Jr.

Jr. gave the flower a fleeting glance. "Red's not my color."

"Your loss." With those words, she carefully nestled the flower in her hair. She quite liked her new ornament.

Mara and Jr. sat in silence, letting the fish continue their gentle nibbling as they soaked in the sunlight, which felt almost too intense. Jr. was still visibly upset, and Mara struggled to find the right words. "I'm… Sorry?" she ventured tentatively.

Jr. kept his gaze fixed on the fish. "Fer what?" he asked, his voice flat.

"For…" Mara paused, searching for the right words. "Cheating?" she said hesitantly, her voice rising at the end as if questioning her own statement.

Jr.'s expression remained unchanged as he idly moved his hands through the water. "Ya won, fair 'nough. I'd have done the same," he admitted.

Mara studied his face, searching for some clues. "Then why are you upset?" She asked earnestly.

Jr. sighed deeply, shifting to lay his upper body on the grass, accommodating his centaur form as best he could. "Why didn't ya come here fer yer Birthday? It's a special day, ain't it?"

Mara froze, not expecting his question. "It's far, and all my friends are back home." Her reply was quiet, a hint of shame leaking in her voice.

"Then bring 'em here. We've got plenty of food, feedin' a whole bunch of families every day!" Jr. suggested earnestly, pushing his arms against the ground to lift his torso.

Mara shook her head gently. "It's too far… We started traveling before the sun was up and still didn't get here 'til it was time to eat. None of them would come all this way."

"But ya always been comin' here since ya were only this tall." Jr. gestured with his hand, lowering it close to the grass.

"Now you're just lying. I was never that small!" A smile crept onto Mara's face.

Jr. insisted, "Ya were, I swear it. Saw it with my own two eyes." He knew just what to say to push her buttons.

Mara's laughter rang out as she playfully accused Jr. of lying before scooping water in her hands and splashing it at him, prompting him to return the favor. Both shivered when the cool water splashed on their sun-warmed skin.

The playful skirmish continued until suddenly, Mara took a deep breath and jumped headfirst into the waterhole. She felt a shock run through her body, and her body instinctively gasped. When she resurfaced, she coughed some water.

"Ya 'right?" Jr. asked, worried as he approached her while staying out of the water.

Taking a few more moments to compose herself, Mara remembered why she jumped in the water. Diving again, she let the salt water fill her mouth and when resurfacing, she sprayed Jr.

"Cheater! I can't do that," Jr. protested with a grin, trying to shield himself from the water spray.

"Just get in the water then!" Mara retorted while continuously filling her mouth and squirting water at him.

"I can't! Pops and I are goin' huntin' later; ya know how a wet centaur smells. Not easy to hide."

"Your loss," Mara called out as Jr. moved beyond her water-squirting reach.

"Yer gross," Jr. complained with a mock grimace. "I'm all covered in spit now."

"It's just water," Mara countered, unfazed.

"Nah, once it's been in yer mouth, it turns to spit. Can't argue with that, it's just how it is. Blame the gods, not me," Jr. said matter-of-factly, shrugging his shoulder and shaking himself like a wet dog, a comparison he would've hated if said out loud.

Mara responded by sticking her tongue out at him.

With Jr. out of reach, Mara spread her arms and leaned back, letting the water support her. The intricate plait in her hair, meticulously done earlier, had loosened during their chase and now came further undone due to the curious nibbles of the fish. She knew her mother would likely have a thing or two to say about the state of her hair later. Still, at this moment, she was too immersed in the tranquility of her surroundings to worry.

Mara felt the fish nibble all over her body. The sensation was a little unsettling but not unpleasant.

Meanwhile, Jr. finished shaking off the water, calling out to her from the edge of the clearing. "'Bout to go find some berries. Want some Fireberries?"

Mara responded with a simple affirmative sound. Jr. then disappeared back into the forested slope, foraging for snacks. Despite their hearty meal earlier, all their playing and running had rekindled her appetite, especially for something more tangy.

Her thoughts drifted briefly to the Podkus Pour they had enjoyed earlier, recalling how she had persuaded one of the bugbears to sneak her and a few others a cup. It was far from what Mara had expected but not unpleasant from the sickly sweet Podkus Pour given to the 'kids.'

I'm no kid. I'm already ten, that's what? Fourteen, maybe sixteen in human years? Mara eyed the blue skies and the drifting clouds. No ring today… What month is it again? Six months since my Birthday, so it should be... Change? The change of months was always great to look at, and she couldn't wait for that. They were going from Change to Crystal if she was right, so it should be a beautiful night.

Her thoughts were cut by a sudden tug on her hair, followed by a slimy sensation against her back. Startled, she quickly shifted from floating on her back to a more upright position in the water, turning sharply to face the source of her surprise.

What she saw was a long, sinuous creature. Its body resembled ancient bone, at least twice her height in length and about as wide as her two hands placed side by side. The creature's skin was adorned with petite, feeler-like tentacles extending only a few inches outward. More strikingly, it possessed four pairs of larger, dry-looking tentacles.

Where one might expect a face, there was only one large eye. It had a dull gray hue, almost lifeless in appearance, yet it was fixed in Mara with what seemed like a gentle gaze.

The creature, perhaps startled by her sudden movement, recoiled slightly. Yet, as it maneuvered its tentacles along the waterhole's wall, tearing away plants, it looked strangely meek and docile. Its large eye seemed almost soft as it fixated on her, maintaining a steady gaze.

Her curiosity demanded her to approach the creature, Cute. With cautious, gentle kicks of her feet, she floated closer, wanting a better look at this strange creature.

Mara grew bolder as she approached the creature, which now appeared utterly still. The tentacles, previously active in tearing at the plants, now hung passively beside its body.

Feeling a sense of safety from its docile demeanor, Mara extended her hand towards it, eager to make contact. I could tame it, make it bring trinkets, Mara thought. After all, who knew what was down there? If she tamed it, it might find a legendary sword or maybe a tome of a long-dead wizard.

Daytime dreams were interrupted when the creature burst into a frenzy of movement. Shrinking away from Mara's touch, it dove deeper into the water while its tentacles extended rapidly toward her. They wrapped themselves around her hair and, with alarming force, pulled her downwards.

Air became water, and up became down as the world flipped.

Water invaded her open mouth and nose like a parasite, expelling air from her lungs and taking the space for itself. Her eyes burned agonizingly as she couldn't close them in time.

Mara was forced to cruelly watch as the sky grew distant as she was mercilessly dragged towards the reaches that light couldn't pierce.

Frantically, she searched around, looking for anything that could save her. But all she found was despair. She was too far from the walls to reach them, her arms floundering ineffectually as they failed to grasp the tentacles dragging her down to a watery grave.

"Hel…" Her screams were drowned by the water that invaded her mouth and filled her lungs, blanketing her pleas and stealing her breath.

Bubbles surrounded her in a frenzied dance created by her kicking and flailing. Her mouth remained open in a silent scream; the sound never allowed to leave the depths.

Every inch of her body burned, arching and contorting with primitive ferocity in a desperate bid for freedom.

**

Jr. returned to the clearing with arms filled with berries, only to find it unsettlingly deserted.

The flowers swayed gently in the breeze, indifferent to the emptiness. Nearby, Mara's bow lay abandoned close to the waterhole. Jr.'s voice echoed with concern as he called for Mara, receiving only silence in reply.

**

As she struggled against the relentless pull of the creature, her flailing hand brushed against her side, where her dagger was still miraculously secured in its sheath. Hope fueled her limbs like a wild flame and reignited her dwindling strength.

I can do this!

Bubble rose to the surface, dragging Jr.'s attention. His heart sank, and the world seemed to stop. Dropping the berries, he ran towards the water, his hooves leaving deep groves in the dirt as his mind raced with dread.

"Please, no," he whispered, fearing the worst.

Mara's movements were instinctual and frenetic. Her dagger was held in a white-knuckled grip as she swung it at her hair and the creature's tentacles.

Without hesitation Jr. plunged into the water. His heart seized with fear as he saw Mara's frenzied struggle, eyes unfocused and purple-faced as blood rose around her. Her wild flailing found its way to her neck and head as much as it did her hair.

The water around Mara became a chaotic swirl of her hair and blood, blinding her to the fading skies and covering Jr.'s vision like a cruel auburn veil, leaving him no more than the sounds of his pounding heart and rushing blood.

Jr. fought against his own body as he swam downwards. His centaur anatomy was a hindrance in the water, naturally buoyant and resisting the dive. Each stroke and kick was a battle, pushing against his instincts to rise, all in a desperate effort to reach Mara.

Mara felt an oppressive weight bearing down on her as her strength ebbed away. Her water-filled lungs screamed for air, and her consciousness teetered on the edge of oblivion. It was as though she gazed through a tattered veil, her vision more consumed by encroaching darkness than color.

Tears, indistinguishable in the water, fell from Jr.'s eyes as he was afforded the barest glimpses of Mara, the realization dawning with devastating clarity.

I won't make it.

As both accepted the grim inevitability, a flicker of hope reignited in that moment of despair. With a last twitch, her dagger severed her hair like the chains of inevitability had been broken, saving her from oblivion.

Yes… ! Mara Thought triumphantly as her body surrendered to the cold embrace of numbness and her consciousness fought like embers in a thunderstorm.

A primitive fear and defiance filled Mara's vanishing thoughts. The feeling of her lungs on the brink of bursting with the saltiness of the watery grave dissipated, becoming an afterthought as her mind could barely register Jr.'s form. He looked like a divine pegasus and instead of swimming down, he was running from the heavens to save her.

So beautiful… Please… Help… Save me… These were Mara's last coherent thoughts, a silent plea thrown into turbulent waters before her mind was swept by the depths.

A prayer cast into the abyss soon found an answer.

Jr.'s heart surged with renewed hope as he saw Mara halt her descent. Her hair floated around her like an auburn halo. Strength flooded his limbs making him swim with twice as much vigor.

He longed to shout out to her, but his priority was not drowning himself.

Just as hope, like a scared critter, dared to poke its head. It was squished by a bone-white tentacle, snaring it like the chains of inexorable fate, and dragged it to the abyss.

In that moment, hope allowed Jr. only a fleeting breath of relief before Mara was dragged into the unfathomable depths.

In the impenetrable darkness, where the nightmares of the mind lay in wait, the prayer cast into turbulent waters would find its answer.