Redhawk Caldera i hit the sunday matinée

Sorana's legs churned slower and slower while the lake water wrapped insistent hands around her small body and tugged at her. It washed up over her muzzle and she snorted wildly to clear her nose, heaving rapid breaths that did not buoy her as air should, but made her feel heavier and more tired. Never had she imagined it would take so much energy to cross the lake, and never had she imagined this would be the way she left the world.

She had no concept of death, but instinctively knew that was what loomed before her if no one heard her shouting. She shouted louder, and strained harder, and nearly passed out with relief when two equally panicked voices answered.

There was the dark mahogany pelt of her father visible above the rippling water, and then the tawny-cream of her mother leaping from the shoreline. Sorana opened her mouth to call for them and gurgled on another mouthful of water. She spat it out as best she could, but her attempt to take a breath was stoppered by another mouthful. Her legs weren't able to keep up their kicking much longer. They hardly ached anymore, but their movements were sluggish no matter the effort.

Sorana struggled this way a while longer, long enough that both her parents were very close when her head slipped under the water. She held her shortened breath and thrashed harder, but couldn't seem to find the strength on her own to surface again.