TW: Self-harm, idealization, attempt
Liss saw her reflection in the water, allowing the tears to fall freely. Her chest ached terribly as she faced the reflection of her listless face stained with tears. Liss, who was unfamiliar with such emotions, was overwhelmed by despair and grief.
"Alive but not quite living... created but never born." She mumbled, stomping over her reflection in the water, entering the river. "The promise of life... is death, right"
Something inside her broke. She believed that she was strong, truly believed that, but the pain was too much; the reality was that she was weak and helpless, a soldier who only knew how to obey orders.
'Humiliated? Ha! Angry? With what?'
Liss's gaze left her distorted reflection on the water, and her unfocused eyes looked up to the sky. With a humorless laugh, she took another step forward. With each step, the water reached higher, but her gaze saw nothing but the clear blue that shyly peeked from the dense foliage at each step she took. Liss still valued her life, and even in that state, she never thought of harming herself. Unfortunately, luck only favors those who act on desire. Due to her own mistake, she continued moving forward without realizing that there was a strong current and deep waters ahead. When she shifted her weight forward, the depth changed, and the water engulfed her whole, sweeping her away and disappearing in an instant. Caught by surprise, she didn't even have time to react before the current dragged her.
.
.
.
On the outskirts of the Tiger King's territory, there is a major river that runs through the forest. It originates in the mountains and flows all the way to the ocean. Many orcs live near the river and use it as a reference point when traveling. It is common sense not to go deep inside the river unless one can swim well. Due to its size, some aquatic orcs travel long distances when enjoying the waters, so females stay away.
For him, it was just another day. enjoying an easy life after sleeping in and waking up when the sun was high in the sky, shining bright, signifying that it was already midday. To avoid the heat, he went straight for the river. Just like any other day, he transformed and relaxed, letting the current carry him.
While underwater, he caught a glimpse of a pair of legs, apparently of a female, which was unexpected. Initially, he ignored her, stopping at a distance to avoid being seen. However, the female continued to advance, moving closer and closer to the deeper area.
Having company in the waters was weird by itself, but females like to play, or so he heard. The issue was that she kept treading forward. Naturally, he started to worry, even questioning where her mates were and whether no one had ever told her not to do that. With each step she took, the closer he shifted, foreseeing disaster. And as expected, the female lost her footing and fell into the hole being pulled by the current.
He quickly scooped her up, pulling her by her arm from underwater with him until their heads peeked out of the water. Certainly it wasn't like any other day. The female was unconscious, her would sink the moment he relaxed her hold. There was no one around. She was alone, and no one was coming to save her. So unlike any other day, he hugged the female and laid her on top of him, letting buoyancy carry his body to the surface. He didn't fight against the current; mimicking an otter with its offspring, they floated together with the female lying limp on top of him.
Seeing the female unconscious made the orc anxious. To awaken the female, he gently tapped her cheek, waiting for a reaction, but she didn't move, so he considered using a little more force. He kept using a little more and then a bit more until he became impatient and worried. Instead of the tip of his fingers, he readied his palm, preparing for a light tap, but failed to manage his strength properly. The hit proved to be very efficient, waking Liss with a gasp.