Investigation One File Three
File Three March 16, witching hour 20XX
Moe sat between Rita and Peadar, adjusting her glasses as she stared into the darkness.
"... I can't see anything. Should we light a fire?" She asked Peadar in a hushed tone. Rita was leaning against the redhead, dozing.
"A fire would ruin your night vision even more." Peadar murmured back, smiling apologetically. "And there’s not a whole lot of suitable wood to do so, anyways."
"Right, right. It's all wet cause of the rain and snow." Moe mumbled, turning back to watch over the stream. Nothing of interest to see. She should have thought to pack flashlights in her magic star bag.
Rita groaned a bit, turning to lay the other way as Peadar stood up.
"The sound of running water is making me have to go. I'll be right back." He said with a smile to Moe. She smiled back, tight lipped and less carefree, but she didn't say anything as he walked away into the darkness.
Moe watched him go as long as possible, not wanting Peadar to be out of eyesight. When he stepped behind a tree, however, Moe sighed. She waited for a while, every sound deafening against the silence of the forest. Rita started to snore, so Moe covered her more with Peadar's coat.
After a while, Moe heard a twig snap in the opposite direction that Peadar had gone. Expecting Peadar, Moe's eyes widened as she saw a tall figure duck behind a tree.
"... Hello?" She called out, hesitantly standing up. There was more rustling that way, so Moe carefully followed it, eyes peeled and heart racing.
"... Silas?" Moe furrowed her brow after seeing what she thought was the lanky build of the other witch, but they continued to move further away. Moe ran to catch up, cursing herself for being so out of shape. With a quick word, Moe conjured a ball of light above the retreating figure, who certainly looked like Silas, with his black hair and his clothes. There was another river ahead, large and rushing. How had the team missed this one? Moe finally caught up to the other figure, gripping his wrist to get him to stay still.
"Silas- Why are you-" Moe cut herself off as the being looked at her and she realized all too late; that wasn't Silas. Its eyes were too dark, teeth too sharp. She screamed and tried to let go of the thing's wrist, finding her hand stuck to the greying skin. The feeling was wretched, sticky in an almost painful way. The skin shifted and moved like putty under Moe’s hand as it sank into the bottom leg of the horse.
As she was tugged towards the river, Moe felt the mist of it on her face, dusting her glasses with droplets. Her sneakers dug into the mud as she pulled desperately against being pulled down.
Moe suddenly fell backwards. The creature that now resembled a dark grey horse made a horrid noise, like a child screaming ferally as it reared back. It was missing the bottom part of its front leg, the hoof still in Moe’s grasp. Peadar stood between it and the fallen Moe. His sword was raised protectively in his hands. Moe left the quickly decomposing monster limb in the mud to scramble backwards. Stones and twigs along the ground pricked her skin with scratches and pain, but she needed to put distance between her and the fight.
The kelpie snarled at Peadar, lunging forwards. The swordsman, in response, spun to the side, and lured the monster further down the furious river. It’s severed stump had melted skin and blood pouring from it, mixing with the river water.
The kelpie stared Peadar down, hobbling after him. As it suddenly lurched for another attack, Peadar gracefully side stepped and with both hands around his sword’s handle, brought his weapon down in a wide arc to sever the head from the body. It let out one more roar, before slumping to the mud.
Moe, in the newfound silence of the forest, turned to the side and retched, unloading her supper. Peadar was besides her in an instant, bundling her up in his arms.
"You're okay, you're fine." He whispered, brushing hair back from her face. Moe could see her vision blur, before she passed out.
Moe shot up, fully awake and alert. Looking around herself in a frenzy, she calmed when she saw the stuffed bear in the corner of the park's office. She had been laid on the couch.
"Mornin'! Feeling alright?" Silas asked, leaning against the back of the couch with a mug of coffee. Moe swallowed as she stared him down. Silas raised an eyebrow, sipping his drink.
"You okay?" He asked, softening his voice. Moe took a breath and nodded, rubbing at her face.
"Where are my glasses?" She asked and was handed the round spectacles by Silas. She cleaned them and put them on, staying quiet as he climbed over the back of the couch to sit beside her.
"What did you see out there?" He asked as he watched her face. "Cause I find it hard to believe your anxious ass went up to a random horse to pet."
"Especially with a Kelpie on the loose." Moe chuckled dully. She swayed where she sat, thinking through her words. "... It looked like you, at first. I thought it was you."
"Me? Have you heard of Kelpies shapeshifting like that?" Silas asked, surprised. Moe shrugged, puffing out her cheeks.
"I haven't seen anything like that in my reading, no. At least, not specific people the victim knows. ut not many folks get to live to tell the tale they saw a kelpie."
Silas nodded thoughtfully, taking another sip of his coffee.
"Well, it's dead now, and Peadar and Ruben are burning the body, as your books suggested." He announced. Moe nodded along, eyes on Silas's wrist. Hesitantly, she reached for it, running her fingers over his forearm, before pulling her hand back.
"Sorry." She mumbled, and Silas snickered.
"I'm not a kelpie, and you're not dreaming." He soothed. Moe pouted, huffing.
"I know that! I just... Wanted to make sure."