[So. Thread between @piltover-scientist‘s and I has inspired a headcanon. That I’m going to write out in drabble. Have fun trying to ponder what took her under!]
There was a time I swore I was afraid of nothing. I was a mistress of shadows, I could control whatever I pleased or hide away until the time to strike was made known. There was something darker than my darkness, however, something I couldn’t save myself from.
A child had been bullied to falling off the docks and I, in my foolishness, dove after the girl. At first it was all right, in fact, feeling the coolness around my already cold body was rather exhilarating. My talons reached out, snatching the girl before she went down too deep, bringing her to my bosom. I clung to her as I started to swim upwards.
Once we broke the surface, I lifted her up with my stingers, laying her on the dock – That’s when I felt horror for the first time. Something wrapped around my ankle, pulling me back into the water’s grasp. I struggled and tried to free myself, but instead i was held down by two more grasping at my other leg and waist. My lungs were now burning, my vision blackening. I tried to disperse into the darkness around me, thinking surely such was a shadow like what I walked between on the surface.
I couldn’t, they pushed me away, something else was the master over them. I was locked out of them and with it I surely felt as though my life would fade away now. I clawed and kicked, but to no avail, the realization that I was forcing my air supply to run out quicker never crossing my thoughts.
Then blackness overtook me.
I hear the sound of gulls above and children screaming with delight. My eyes slowly open, feeling blinded by the sun. Never have I been so grateful to see it’s afternoon glow. I felt something wet and cold brush my foot and I jumped back, a hiss escaping my throat.
The water was an enemy. An enemy I couldn’t fight.
So I shakily took to my feet and ran to the nearest shadow, intending on hiding myself until this feeling was gone.
That was the day I learned I had something to fear.