Rhythm, Reason, Rhyme

...I had just enough time to take a breath before two cold, spindly hands grabbed my ankles and pulled me under the cold, murky water.

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As soon as I disappeared under the rippling water, the icy hands dissolved.

 I floated to the surface, laughing. "Shaun, I'm going to get you!" I called, as I paddled over to the shallow water and stood, wringing my dreadlocked hair out.

He snorted. "I'd like to see you try." I climbed out of the water, and from across the water, I could see his nonchlant look replaced by a dramatic, defensive one as he pulled a protective shield of water around himself.

"Truce, truce, alright?" I smiled, and he cracked somewhat of a half-ways crooked grin. "Fine." With a flick of his wrist, the water snaked back into the pond with a ripple. "Do you by any chance, know where Z is? She was supposed to meet me here." I asked, examining my wing. The 'relaxing swim' hadn't done much for it, but the jagged wound did look a little smaller. He nodded, and froze over the pond. "Told me she had something to attend to, and she said everyone was coming down." He slid quickly across the misty ice, jumped onto the shore, and unfroze the water with a few deft movements.  

"Showoff." I muttered. "Is something wrong with her?" I asked as he wordlessly glanced at my wing and pulled a small orb of water out of the moisture residing in the air. "Always the optimist." He sighed. "She told me everyone should be here within the hour." He muttered.

I watched as he placed the water on the wound, which was a little smaller, but still had minuscule droplets of blood dripping out. As I held up my wing, the liquid mixed with blood, and swirled a soft, translucent red.

"Thanks." He shrugged, and sent the swirling water to the roots of a dry plant. "Don't mention it." We both took a seat on our respective tree stumps. "So, heard anything from Alex lately? He's been underground for a while now, I'm kind of-"

"Worried?" A voice with an undeniable smirk, and dancing coffee-colored eyes finished my question. A smile made it's way to my face before I could stop myself. "About you?" I clicked my tongue against the roof of my mouth. "Hardly." A severe lapse of coolness found me giving him a one armed hug. "Mildly concerned might be a better term." I said. His smirk changed into a quick smile- fleeting, but beautiful( ha, he would kill me if he read this) like a sunbeam.  

Thankfully, the emotion-fest was interrupted by a gently demanding, crude- in a polished sort of way- a twirling zephyr of a breeze, followed by a soft thud and softer footstep, announcing the arrival of Tara.

"Greetings, distinguished peers." Tara looked around, and her gaze fell on Alex. "And Alexander." Shaun and I shared a look. "How'd the rescue go?" I asked her after a quick hug. "Same old, same old. Kid dangling out of window, people screaming, I float up, kid grabs on, people stop screaming, I float down, kid won't let go- until her mother pries her off, someone starts screaming again, I leave." She says- all in one breath, mind you- with a roll of her almond shaped eyes and a wave of her dainty hand.

"Ah, Tara. As long winded as ever, I see." Muttered Alex, examining his nails.

"Oh, hello, Alexander. Has your attention span gotten any shorter, perchance?" She quipped back.

Their little moment was interrupted by the simultaneous rustling of leaves overhead, and an eerie flash of green eyes and dark fur from somewhere in between the trees around us. A few leaves filtered to the ground, followed by branches twisting and bending and stretching to the earth, supporting a small girl, with hair as rich as their bark and eyes as green as their leaves. An unfurry, roughly clad, but inexplicably charming man appeared  seconds later.

"Ha! Beat you again!" Crowed Zaira, performing a happy dance as the tree branches slid back upwards.  Cole rolled his green eyes, and scoffed. "I let you win, little sis." As he greeted Shaun and Alex, Zaira gave Tara and I a hug and that, 'I actually won' look.

"Now then!" Announced Cole, after everyone had exchanged insults and/or greetings, and settled on their respective tree stumps. "Shall we begin- wait! Where's Gavin?" Everyone glared into the woods, imagining the shadows in between the trees were Gavin.