The Heartwood Will you tear my skin?

If Alduin’s honest, he didn’t think the other man would trail in after him. Actually, he has no idea that he actively is following after him. Even as the water burns his eyes in the dark waters and his limbs flex with the strain of hardy strokes, he believes he is alone. And then, a few seconds later when his lungs begin to burn and Banesteppe whispers in his ear, he sees light. 

Swimming towards it, he bursts from the water. His forepaws catch on the rim of a dark ledge, lit up by a beautiful neon blue glow. Alduin hangs there for a moment, frozen at the cave that meets his eyes. And then, distracted as he is, he crawls from the water and finds himself on much drier, but still damp, land.

He gazes down to the end of the long corridor lit up with that blindingly bright blue. He wonders what all this is. What makes it look that way. He has no idea, but it’s fascinating nonetheless. 

So he walks a few paces, double coated pelt soggy and stuck to his skin, weighing his curled tail down. Taking a moment, he shakes, spewing water everywhere. With mane spiked up in every which angle, he remembers that he has to go back for Dreven. 

And so he moves to do just that. Planting his toes on the crackling edge of rock, preparing to jump back in, but something makes him wait. With a head hung from his shoulders he stares a deadly gaze into the darkness of the pool.

Waiting, waiting, waiting. Waiting for what? He’s not sure, but he has a feeling — something’s down there.