Cora's POV
I watched as Mary and Deborah walked off to the side, seemingly discussing something secretive.
Mark and I walked at the back of the group, silently following the slow-moving line.
Rain began to fall, light droplets dancing in the air and landing on us.
Mark didn't look well.
"Are you okay?" I asked, concerned.
He walked silent for a moment, then sighed. "After surviving that kind of weather last night, who wouldn't feel off? Just being alive is the greatest blessing."
I nodded in agreement.
Almost everyone had fallen ill after enduring the extreme cold, our bodies weakened, but we couldn't afford to stay here too long.
The weather in this forest was unpredictable—who knew what would come next?
As if answering my fears, the rain gradually intensified.
At first, it was just a light drizzle, not enough to stop our progress.
The temperature had risen slightly, and the snow had started to melt, causing more and more water to flow across the path.
As the rain grew heavier, the once peaceful forest path began to flood.
Water pooled in low-lying areas, forming surface runoff that swamped the tree roots, making the ground slippery and harder to navigate.
Mark spoke softly, "I heard Matthew say the night after tomorrow there will be a full moon. The werewolves will become extremely weak because of the seal, and they might not be able to protect us."
I nodded in acknowledgment. "Deborah mentioned it too. We need to reach that cave they found by nightfall tomorrow.
It has only one entrance, so if we guard it, we can minimize the casualties."
"Let's hope we all make it," Mark said, worry evident in his voice.
"We will," I said firmly.
We continued trudging through the mud, but the rain quickly turned into a downpour.
The sky grew darker, and the water on the ground rushed faster, making it even harder to walk.
I held little Isla, the baby from Tirnanog, in my arms. She had a fever, and her small body radiated heat.
She lay limply against my shoulder, fast asleep.
With my other hand, I clutched three-year-old Sol's hand tightly, trying to keep him from falling.
Mark carried supplies for the Tirnanog children on his back—clothes, blankets, cups, and medicine for the kids.
The heavy load made each of his steps labored.
He held the hands of Lily and Lucy, the six-year-old twins, who huddled against him, shivering from the cold.
The rain was becoming more intense, the water at our feet rushing faster, and every step was becoming more of a struggle.
The pace of the group slowed down, and I saw a fast-flowing stream up ahead, the water already past knee-height.
We had to cross it quickly—the unstable terrain caused by the rain could get worse at any moment.
I remembered reading about geography in a book at the university library.
I knew if we delayed any longer, a landslide could occur.
Mark crossed the swollen stream first with the twins, while I, slowed by Sol's small steps, lagged behind.
Mark quickly came back to help carry Sol to the other side, and we pressed on.
Just when I thought we had made it, the water suddenly surged.
The force of the water increased in an instant, catching me off guard.
I struggled to take a few steps, trying to steady myself, but at that moment, the powerful current swept everything away, and I lost my balance.
Isla let out a weak cry, her small body bundled tightly against me. I did everything I could to hold her above the water.
"No!" I heard Mark shout behind me, his voice filled with desperation, but I had no time to respond.
My vision blurred as the water, branches, rocks, and mud crashed against me.
The freezing water pummeled my face and chest, as if trying to swallow me whole.
"Cora!" Mark shouted again. I barely saw him reaching out, trying to grab me.
His fingers almost brushed mine, but in that instant, the water surged even stronger, dragging Isla and me downstream.
The water churned beneath us, sending up waves of muddy brown froth.
Each impact felt like I was being torn apart, my limbs pulled by the current until they were nearly numb.
I tried to stay balanced, but the force of the water was too overwhelming, making control impossible.
All I could do was hold Isla higher.
I could feel her fragility and fear, but I was powerless.
Mark didn't give up. He set Sol down and jumped into the rushing water, trying to reach me.
His body was thrown back by the force of the water, but he kept pushing forward.
I saw the determination in his eyes; he was willing to risk everything to save me.
But the current was stronger than either of us had anticipated.
Just as Mark's hand touched my shoulder, another wave hit, and we were both swept deeper into the flood.
I felt myself being lifted off the ground, the current tossing me forward. The mixture of sand, mud, and water stung my skin.
Rocks and branches from the riverbed scraped my legs and arms as my body tumbled.
I tried to fight back, but I had no control over where I went.
The roar of the water filled my ears, pressing down on my chest, making it impossible to breathe.
I tried to lift my head, desperate for air, but icy water filled my mouth and nose.
I was drowning.
Mark was still struggling nearby, grabbing at roots and rocks to stop his descent.
But every time he found a hold, the current tore him away again.
I saw him trying to swim toward me, but he was quickly swept further downstream by another surge.
I clung tightly to Isla. Her body felt heavier in my arms, her breathing becoming labored, and her faint cries were drowned out by the sound of the rushing water.
I knew her strength was fading, and mine was too.
Each wave felt like it was pulling me out of the world.
My vision darkened, and I felt my consciousness slipping away.
Suddenly, the water surged, rising around us in a furious swell that stole the air from my lungs.
The icy current slammed into my legs; before I could brace myself, I felt my footing give way.
My arms tightened instinctively around Isla, clinging to her fragile warmth as we were both swept into the rushing torrent.
The world spun violently, transforming into a blur of muddy water, tangled branches, and dark shapes beneath the surface.
The current seized us, yanking me in every direction at once, leaving me disoriented and breathless.
My head bobbed above the water, barely managing to break the surface.
I gasped for air, but another wave crashed over me, cold biting into my skin and seeping into my bones.
It was as if the river itself was alive, its relentless force determined to drag us down.
"Hold on, Isla, hold on!" I whispered against her damp cheek, my voice swallowed by the roar of the water. I held her high, her tiny face turned away from the torrent.
Her body grew heavier, and I felt her weak breaths against my chest, each a reminder of the life I was desperately trying to protect.
Through the chaos, a shout tore through the sound of the rushing water.
"No!" Mark's voice, raw with panic, cut through the deafening noise.
I twisted, catching a fleeting glimpse of him as he fought to reach me.
His hand reached out, fingers stretched toward mine, his face twisted in determination and fear.
But before I could stretch back toward him, a new surge of water burst between us, and his hand slipped away as I was carried farther downstream.
The current tossed me like a leaf, my body slamming against unseen rocks and submerged roots.
Each impact jolted through me, a painful reminder that I was at the river's mercy.
My arms burned as I fought to keep Isla above the water, my muscles screaming in protest.
The cold was relentless, numbing my limbs and clouding my mind, making it hard to tell which way was up.
All I knew was the overwhelming sensation of being trapped, with nowhere to go but down.
I felt branches scraping against my legs, stones tearing at my skin, and a sharp pain as something jagged caught my shoulder.
Each time I tried to lift my head for air, another wave crashed over me, filling my mouth and nose with icy water.
I sputtered, choking as the river forced its way down my throat, pressing against my chest like a vise.
My lungs burned, every gasp of air a desperate battle against the river's icy grip.
"Cora!" Mark's voice echoed faintly in my ears, a beacon of hope cutting through the darkness.
I forced my head up, just in time to see him grabbing onto a tree root, his face pale but determined.
He was struggling, his every move a battle against the river, but his gaze never left me.
I could see the fire in his eyes, the fierce resolve that said he would fight the current itself if it meant reaching me.
But the river wasn't done with us yet.
As he clawed his way toward me, another wave surged between us, sending him tumbling back, his grip torn free by the relentless force.
I watched helplessly as he was pulled further downstream, his body tossed like mine, fighting to stay afloat.
My heart clenched with fear as I saw him disappearing, his form swallowed by the churning water.
Isla's tiny fingers clutched weakly at my shirt, and I could feel her breath growing fainter.
I clung to her with every ounce of strength I had left, my arms aching, my body battered.
She was slipping away, and I felt myself fading, too, the edges of my vision growing dark as my strength began to wane.
Each wave that struck us felt like it was pulling me farther from the world, each gasp of air a fight against the darkness creeping into my mind.
Then, as if by some miracle, the current began to slow, just enough to give me a moment to lift my head above the water.
Gasping, I dragged in a desperate breath, the cold air filling my lungs like fire.
The world around me came into focus once more, the roar of the water dimming as I scanned the river, searching frantically for Mark.
There—just a little further downstream, I spotted him.
He was clinging to a fallen tree, his eyes still locked on me, his expression filled with that same fierce determination.
In that instant, I knew he wouldn't give up. No matter how far we were pulled apart, he wouldn't leave me here.
Not while there was still hope.
Summoning every last bit of strength I had, I twisted with the current, letting it carry me closer to him as I desperately searched the riverbed for something solid, anything that could anchor me.
My foot brushed against a submerged rock, and I planted myself there, pressing against the force of the water with every muscle in my body.
And then, just ahead, I saw it—a large rock jutting out from the bank, partially submerged but solid, unyielding against the current.
It was close enough, maybe just close enough for us to reach.
"Mark!" I shouted, my voice barely audible over the water. "Grab the rock!"
His head snapped up, his eyes following my gaze.
Understanding flashed across his face, and he kicked forward, his hands clawing through the water as he fought to reach the rock.
His fingers scraped against its rough surface, slipping for a heart-stopping moment before he managed to dig his nails into a crevice.
Finally, he anchored himself, the current no longer pulling him away.
With Isla still clutched tightly to my chest, I fought my way toward him, every step a battle against the raging water.
My fingers stretched forward, grasping desperately, and finally, they met the cool, solid surface of the rock.
I latched on, my knuckles white with the force of my grip as I hauled myself closer, inch by inch.
The moment my body pressed against the rock, a wave of exhaustion washed over me, but I forced myself to hold on, gasping for air. Mark's face was inches from mine, his expression one of exhaustion and relief, a shared victory in his eyes.
We had made it. Somehow, against all odds, we had survived.
The river's current slowly began to recede, its fury spent.
Together, we crawled onto the muddy bank, collapsing onto the cold, wet ground.
I lay there, shivering, each breath coming in ragged gasps.
The rain continued to pour down on us, the sky a dark, endless gray, but for the first time, I felt a flicker of relief.
We were all alive.