Rain

Biros gasped in pain as he dragged himself through the dark, endless night. The forest was dense and seemed to carry on longer than was possible, at a time where he desperately needed to see the end of them. If there was a moon, it was drowned by thick, tumultuous clouds that rumbled and sparked ominously.

Blood and rain poured down Biros's wounds and soaked into the earth as he limped along the rough terrain. Just a bit further, he tried to convince himself. In reality he had no idea how much longer he would have to trek. The rumored lake could be anywhere. His paws and hooves sank into the muck, making every step more laborious and draining him of his will to go on. He stumbled, falling gracelessly into the mud. He lay motionless for a moment, unsure if it was worth the effort to ever rise again. His massive effort, he brought his legs beneath him once again and rose to his feet to continue his trek.

He began to feel faint, and he could tell it was because he was losing blood. The attack was replaying in his head and he could hardly think of anything else. He was still in shock, trembling, eyes wide and blank. As long as I find the lake, he thought. Then everything will be okay.

The rain blinded him. 

His wounds were deep, possibly even fatally so. His tail and therefore his stinger had been completely severed in the attack. Deep slashes across his hindquarters made walking difficult, and his torn ear blurred his vision in red. If he was able to reach the fabled lake in time, perhaps his life could be spared. If the magic worked the way he had been promised. He was unsure how long he had droned on in such a state, but as the thunder rolled above, he found himself nearly hypnotized by its sound. Something in the sound, and the feeling of the rain washing over him, dulled his senses, his pain, and his fear. 

His paws touched water. He snapped back into reality and looked ahead of him. Though he could barely see in the darkness, he could see the shimmering surface of glassy water stretching out in front of him. The trees lined the edge of a crescent-moon shaped pool, bowing in as if shielding a precious treasure from the sky. He couldn't tell if he was imagining it, but a cool blue glow seemed to emanate from the depths. 

Biros's breath quickened. He almost didn't want to believe that he'd found it, that he may survive his injuries after all. If the rumors were true, he would be completely restored and whole again. All he had to do was bathe in the moon pool. Trembling once more, he slowly waded into the pool, hooves nearly slipping out from under him. Pain welled up in his eyes. No, he thought. I will never be whole again. Scenes of the night flashed through his mind as hot tears licked at his cheeks and he whimpered fearfully. Overwhelmed by the torturous memories, he collapsed into the water.

The next morning he awoke, ripples from the pool lapping at his sides. Immediately he felt a level of disbelief, surprised he had survived the night. It was still dark, a steady rain still falling and clouds obscuring the sun. He surveyed his body, and it was immediately clear that no miracle had occurred the night before. He choked on tears as he witnessed the deep slashes across his flesh and the stump where his tail used to sprout. The shallow water he was laying in was stained, a rusty red flowing gently from his wounds. The blood, at least, was not fresh. Biros took a shuddering breath and rose shakily to his feet.

No use staying here.