Isaac was aware just how hard this moment was for Ari. After having been her friend for so many years since the day they had met as children during their earliest childhood years, the otter boy knew more than enough about the wanda girl currently doing her best to face her biggest fear; the water. It was a rather ridiculous thing to most Felldewans, fearing the water. Water was a source of life, of color, of all things. It was like the great clockwork of time, constantly moving under and over and around all of the things in the world. It adapted to change with ease. It brought happiness, refreshment, hope to everyone who could find as well as utilize it to their advantage.

For the otters of Felldew, like Isaac himself, the ways of the water was everything. It was their way of life. Since the beginning of time when blessed Gaia had cast her light into the darkness of ignorance, water was how the water dogs had lived, how they'd thrived, how they'd survived countless things. And for Ari's own folk, the half wolf and half panda Wanda, water was also a significant part of their lives for it irrigated their crops, gave them drink, brought them relief. These days, it cooled the heads of many sick wanda suffering from mysterious disease. It was what softened parched throats, drove away this summer heat, provided a chance for the suffering.

In this case though, seeing as she was healthier than any other of her wanda brethren, seeing as she had some sort of immunity to this mysterious disease effecting her people back in the camps in the woods, Ari was not at the Seidon river with Isaac for the purpose of treating any sickness. Rather, the two of them - best friends - were there to attempt to conquer a fear of the girl wanda's. Long ago, during their childhoods, Isaac had in fact rescued Ari from the raging waters of a rapids in another part of this famous river. The experience then had made the two of them closer friends. However, that same experience had left a most terrible impression on the mental state of Ari.

The wanda girl had grown to be courageous, beautiful, stronger than strong in most every other regard in her life nowadays. Even without parents or siblings, she'd become a champion like figure in the eyes of others. Especially her otter boy. She was unquestionably a shining example amongst her kin. That was why she was a pillar of support for everyone in her clan these days as the sicknesses claimed more of her brethren and forced them to lay suffering in their beds. Yet, even with all of her strengths, she had flaws like any other mortal. And one of those flaws, after a terrible childhood mistake... was water.

Being around it like at this river, looking at it, made the wanda girl stir or tremble a little. The discussion of the subject, of large bodies of water, made her go all clammy if not pale. Nevertheless, with a water expert of a friend like her dear Isaac at her side, knowing she had to be at her strongest for her suffering clan during the days to come, Ari couldn't have any weaknesses. Not one as silly as cringing at seeing bodies of water. Water was good, it was not bad. It could be her ally, not her enemy, if she was willful enough - strong enough - to face her fear here and now.

And for her people, for her future, for herself, Ari had to make a stand against her fear this day. Even with the shallows sloshing against her ankles, even as she gripped quiet Isaac's hand like she was about to die, she couldn't fail. Not like all of the other times they'd tried together in the past. No, not this time. She had to be at her strongest. She had to be unlike herself ever before now. She had to be... different, bolder, wiser. She had to succeed this test.

"Ari..." Isaac gently said at last, breaking his girl friend's grim concentration on the water. He smiled at her unsure expression, squeezing her firm hand in his grip as he wondered softly to her, "Are you sure you want to do this? I will most definitely help you take delight in the water. My people know how magnificent such an element is. It is my honor to be at your side during this... But are you certain you want to do this?"

"Yes. I am sure, Isaac." Ari mumbled in reply, noticing that she had seemed to lose her voice for a moment. There was something growing in her senses, something not very welcome. Fear was starting to knock at her door, to make her begin to feel like she was guessing herself. The wanda quickly shook her head, growling a bit at the growing sense of dread; that she was going to actually dive into the river. "Let us not hesitate anymore than we already have, Isaac, my friend. Go on. Lead the way. I will be right behind you. I have to do this... I have to get rid of this silly fright of mine."

"It is no silly thing to fear the water like you do, Ari. Do not beat yourself up like that. Not after the day that you truly did nearly drown in the rapids of the Seidon. If I had not been there for you..." Isaac explained gently, suddenly looking a bit bitter about his words over the past. He got to the part of where he saved her from the rapids when the otter boy straightened up, nodded his head and began to lead his wanda girl towards a nearby boulder jutting up out of the water a bit. As he guided her along, as the tension built in the air, he encouraged, "Don't think about the past though, Ari. Do not let what is uncertain or what was in history mislead you from what is certain. You are a powerful, charming, excellent female. You are able to fight, to think, to lead unlike many our own age. You are a grand citizen of Felldew. And like all citizens of this world, you have certain quirks."

Isaac soon enough had the two of them standing on the edge of the rock, looking out over the sunlight surface of the Seidon River. Yet, where the sight of the water's face sparkling in the sun like thousands of diamonds would look awesome to anyone else... Ari couldn't help but tremble. For below that shining surface was a darker world, a wet world, a suffocating world she'd become more than familiar with years beforehand. Her fear was bubbling up in her chest. It made her freeze for a moment in following Isaac closer to the boulder edge where he turned to her and smiled a reassuring smile.

"Ready?" He wondered softly, pulling her closer to him. He intertwined his fingers amid her own. "On three... One..."

Time seemed to slow down a million paces for Ari at this. She looked from Isaac's encouraging smile down to the water sparkling upwards at her, mocking her, playing false. It was a not a friend of hers. It was a tricky enemy. One that was going to take full advantage of this moment and finish her like it had wanted to do if not for Isaac's interference long ago!

"Two..."

The water seemed to be laughing now. There was a humming in Ari's brain. She suddenly couldn't breathe. She couldn't say anything or such as she suddenly yanked away from Isaac, allowing her fear to overpower her courage... and ruin the moment she'd been preparing for for so very long.

"Three - Augh!" Isaac began to say with pride before, with a start, his wanda girl of a friend yanked away from him sharply.

The male slipped in turn due to this, fell backwards and vanished under the water's shining surface with a magnificent splash. A splash that rained down upon Ari, making her scream at being wet and feeling like she was in the river with him. Flipping himself over in the water, with bubbles gurgling around his form, the river dog youth immediately felt no immediate worry for himself but for Ari. At once, feeling that things had gone completely wrong, fearing she might be hurt, he swam back up to the surface. At seeing her sitting on the boulder above, hugging herself, trembling gently, Isaac climbed up the rock to his companion. For several moments not wanting to upset her more, the otter boy allowed the wanda girl to softly mumble sadly to herself.

"Ari...?" Isaac finally whispered, reaching out and grasping one of Ari's hands in his own. He radiated with warmth, with friendship, with reassurance as he next pulled her said hand to him. When she looked up to him shyly, crying silent tears of shame, as she caressed his cheek apologetically, he nodded to her. He nodded as well as stated for the both of them, "It's alright. Another time, another place, we'll beat this together. You will learn to like the water. I will be there to see it. That I foresee and promise you."

Ari had no words to reply with. She simply trembled at his words, silently mouthed something, then hid her face behind her gracious hair where she softly cried over her failure. It seemed she was strong in this life. But not strong enough yet to face this special challenge. For now, she was unready. But there would come a time, truly, when she would accept the water without fear. She would love its wonders, its color, its miracles. And Isaac, by Gaia's good graces, as he hoped, would be there to see her enjoy the water for the first time in her life.

For now... he would be her support. He would be her best friend. He would be her pillar of strength.

++++++

Isaac the Otter belongs to me, Felldewan.

A grand round of applause goes to AriBear of Furaffinity, who not only created this epic scene and fabulous artwork but also owns the beautiful character, Aribear, as featured: http://www.furaffinity.net/user/aribear/