“The world is changing, Myra. And it’s changing fast.” Myra was sitting on a slab of marble that lay next to a river. “Who’s there?” she looked around trying to find who had spoken. “You tell me.” The voice was low, hushed. It had the flowing nature of water, a very calming effect. In her lifetime Myra had known only twelve people. All had been her family save two. They where her older sister’s friends. The girl a year older than Myra’s sister. The other had been a boy. Four years older than Myra with a voice that calmed even the wildest of spirits. “Riverstar, is that you, if it is show yourself?”

The waters closest to Myra began to draw up. To form a shape, the shape of a man. “I am quite surprised you remember me, Myra Dragonwing. If I remember correctly you were only ten at the time I left. It has been six years and yet you still remember?” the waters fell from the man’s form. The man standing next to Myra had hair blue as the sky. His skin was the tan color of clay.

Myra scrambled to get to her feet, one foot slipped on the rock’s smooth surface. She fell into the river. Cold waters quickly overtook her. Knocking the air from her lungs. The waves dragged hard on her, attempting to pull her down to the riverbed. She struggled to break the surface, to fill her lungs with air. A hand reached down into the water’s depths and grabbed the back of her shirt. Towing her out of the water Riverstar placed her on the marble slab.

Reaching towards her he called the water that had found its way into her lungs out. Reluctant to leave its new found home, but wanting to obey him the river water gave way to Riverstar’s will and tried to leave the girl. But with her mouth closed there was no exit. Riverstar came to kneel next to her. Using two fingers he opened her mouth and called the water again. It came out in a rush, floating in the air till it formed a blob then falling to the ground to run back to the river. Its true home.

Myra coughed and sat up. Her head swam with images, images of burned forests and burned homes. “What…What happened?” Myra looked up at Riverstar.

“I’m sorry; you had to see it for yourself. And that was the only way for you to see.”

“Riverstar, what’s happening? Why did you show me this? Wait a minuet here’s a better question: what are you doing here?” Riverstar grimaced. “In time you will know all that you need to know, but for now let’s get you dried off.” With that he pulled her to her feet. Putting an arm around her he said, “This is the fastest way to get to my home.” Waters rose to cover them. Myra let out a gasp as her body turned to water and fell to become part of the river. Hold on this will only take a few minuets Riverstar’s voice somehow was heard in her head not her ears. They flowed downstream towards Riverstar’s home.