The Lost Souls

Gabriel POV:

I watched the birds soar gracefully overhead.

The river's waters glisten like liquid sapphires, gently carrying the boat along a calm path. The landscape was of vibrant colors, with wildflowers painting the banks in shades of violet and crimson.

I felt the warmth of the sun's gentle caress on my skin, and the occasional cool kiss of a breeze on my face. The boat's soft rocking lulls me into a state of peaceful contemplation, where time seems to slow, and worries fade away.

The boat drifted slowly down the river. The river's dark waters flowed silently, mirroring the somber mood that enveloped us. I watched Luna gaze blankly beyond the horizon, I knew she was still in shock by the horror we witnessed earlier. She still feels guilty that what happened was her fault. I could feel the weight of her torment.

Her slender fingers traced the blade of her dagger wistfully. She had requested them earlier, she wanted to try her luck if any fragments of her memory would surface. I could tell by the frustration etched on her face she wasn't in luck.

I took a seat by her side at the edge of the boat and watched her toy with the dagger for a while.

The canoe man's stern voice interrupted our moment, "We are nearing treacherous waters. You both should stay away from the edge. We are entering a rocky terrain, the boat may shake violently"

"Yes I understand" I replied

"Did anything surface?" I asked Luna

She shook her head.

I sighed heavily.

"If I was in your shoes, I'd have a huge headache. I just can't imagine, not knowing where you've been, where you are from, and who you are. But then again, it's a lot, some things are better left forgotten. Look the wrong way and the season turns, our lives are short and sorrowful. So, we might as well focus on the good stuff."

"I don't have any good stuff to hold on to. Well...except you!"She said, her eyes locked on the dancing ripples.

I took her hands in mine and squeezed it softly, offering silent reassurance that I'd stand by her side through it all.

Suddenly, a violent jolt rocked our boat as it collided with an unseen rock. I held onto Luna to protect her from falling off.

"What is that" The man pointed.

Our heads snapped up in unison, and there, an ominous figure stood upon the rocky terrain. I strained my eyes to see a man in a cloak, I knew immediately he meant harm. He hurled a knife at Luna with deadly precision, I quickly pulled her out of the way as it missed her by a hairbreadth. The canoe man was not so fortunate, I watched the knife wheeze past and found its mark between his eyes. He stared at us both, his eyes begging for help before falling into the river.

The man's physique started to change right before my very eyes. My eyes widened in disbelief as I watched the man's grotesque transformation into a fearsome Wolf. A shiver ran down my spine, chilling me to my core. Throughout my life, I had hunted wolves, but I had never encountered anything like this. The very essence of reality seemed to warp before my eyes, and a flood of questions surged within me, each one demanding answers that eluded my grasp.

This newfound revelation shattered everything I thought I knew about existence itself. How could humans transform into such monstrous creatures? What dark secrets lay hidden and have eluded me my whole life?

The mystery of what was unfolding right before my very eyes bogged my mind but one thing was unmistakable, Luna and I were now in grave danger. Instinctively, I drew Luna closer, wrapping my arms around her like a protective embrace, and hid her behind me.

The Wolf leaped onto our already unsteady boat, the vessel trembled violently beneath its weight. My instincts kicked into overdrive, and I wasted no time engaging the creature, I swung at the beast, trying to fend it off. Its movements were lightning-quick, and its sheer power was overwhelming. I managed to keep up for a brief moment, but it became evident that the wolf held no interest in me.

Its focus shifted and lunged at Luna ferociously. I moved to strike, but the werewolf's strength was unimaginable. His blow sent me tumbling into the cold depths of the river.

The world suddenly turned black, the world beneath the water's surface was a surreal, muted world of shadows and frantic bubbles. Panic seized me as I fought my way back to the surface. Luna was alone with that monstrous creature. Gasping for air, I swam with all my might.

As my head broke through the surface, I scanned the boat, looking for any sign of Luna. My heart hammered in my chest when I saw neither Luna nor the wolf. I swam for the boat, concern gnawing at my heart. I pulled myself back into the boat and immediately sighted Luna.

She lay unconscious, with the wolf by her side. The sight of the wolf, now decapitated, sent shockwaves through my brain.

What just happened? Who killed the wolf? It couldn't have been Luna. Who else was here? I was barely under the water for 10 seconds, what could have happened with that span?

I rushed to Luna's side, nervous something had happened to her too. Relief washed over me, a the faint sound of her breath and the soft thump of her heart. But it was short-lived. Her color had become pale and her body was cold to the touch, an icy chill that was not encouraging. Herr skin was cold, and dangerously so. I realized her life was in danger once again.

"How could she be this cold" I asked confused. I took her hands in mine, trying to warm her up.

Her dry clothes told all I needed to know she didn't fall into the river. I was losing my head.

○●□♤♡◇♧♧♧□□♤♧

I carried Luna into the shelter of the small cave, gently laying her down on the cold, rocky ground. Her unconscious form seemed so fragile. I set out to make a fire, and with trembling hands, I gathered firewood and struck the flint, coaxing a flicker of flames into existence. I watched the fire dance, its feeble glow barely reaching Luna's icy form. The chill that clung to her was unrelenting, and the fire alone couldn't warm her up.

I wrapped my arms around Luna, pulling her close, to share my body heat with her. The contact brought a faint glimmer of warmth to her skin, a spark of hope in the encroaching cold. But as minutes turned into an eternity, I felt the bitter cold seeping into my bones. My entire body began to tremble. It grew worse and worse till I started to lose the feeling of my body. I couldn't feel my arms or limbs. My hands began to tingle with an icy numbness, as though they were slowly disconnecting from the rest of me. My fingers, which had clung desperately to Luna, lost their strength, and I could no longer feel her warmth, only the encroaching coldness.

It only grew worse, I started to lose sense of my environment. Everything was fading into a blur. I knew I was killing myself merely holding on to her body and I might die at this rate. Still, I held onto Luna, unwilling to let her face this icy abyss alone.

My senses dimmed, the world around me blurred, and my surroundings faded into obscurity as the cold encased me like a vice.

As the bitter cold continued to claim every inch of my being, I felt my consciousness slipping away, bit by bit. The relentless chill seemed to penetrate my very soul.

The flickering flames of the struggling fire danced before my fading vision, their feeble light casting eerie shadows on the cave walls.