The Raven's Nightmare

CHAPTER ELEVEN

    Both of the two friends unconsciously flinched at the mention of their tormentors, which didn't go unnoticed by Dream.

    "𝗛𝗲𝘆, 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝘂𝘆𝘀 𝗼𝗸?-"

    "We're fwine!"

    Both brothers jumped in surprise from the small child's outburst as they looked at her before she continued, "Nightmware and I just wemembered thwat we have somepwace to be! So cwan you watch the twee while Nwighty and I go? Pwetty pwease?" Raven gaven Dream a puppy dog look that caused him to become flustered and blush a bright yellow.

    'H-her eyes a-are very pretty!'

    With yellow still dusting his cheeks, the Guardian of Positivity gave the small child a closed eyed salute "𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝗲! 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗻!" Without giving a reply back, Raven quickly dragged Nightmare to the direction of the woods; leaving a still flustered Dream in their wake.

    ~TIME SKIP~

    "Is he dwone yet?"

    "No. I still got to finish some touch ups on the face paint; then he'll be done."

    Raven let out a whine as she sat crossed legged by the fire of her home as she continued to watch her mother put the paint on Nightmare; since the young child has already finished putting her own attire on. She had her long, black hair undone with different feathers littered in different places; with a long sleeved black dress with matching leggings and was barefoot. Painted on her face and across her eyes, which made her minty blue eyes stand out more, was a raven and a small red line that went to the top of her lip to the bottom of her chin.

    The impatient child perked up when Salem finally let out a cheer of relief as she stepped away from the stiff Guardian, "There we go; all done!" Standing up and walking over to a bucket of clear water, Nightmare let out a gasp of admiration as he looked at the handy work of the healer. Silver and cyan paint outlined underneath his eye sockets with cyan lines going down from the corners, all the way down to his bottom jaw; in the middle of his forehead was a star with similar colors.

    Raven's eyes sparkled and widened as she exclaimed, "Thwat looks soo cool, mama!"

    Giving a small nod of agreement, Nightmare added, "Yeah, it is pretty neat! Do you usually do this every All Hallows' Eve?"

    "No, not really. Our people usually dress up as certain animals; such as bears, wolves, deer, ravens... I started the idea of using homemade paint from crushed berries and other natural ingredients when Raven was born. Since putting an animal skull or mask would suffocate any small child and they were still too big for her when she grew old enough; they would fall over her eyes!"

    The skeleton cringed a bit when the phrase 'putting on an animal skull' appeared as he stuttered out, "Y-you wear s-skulls?"

    Tilting her head in confusion for a moment before gasping out in realization "Oh my! I'm sorry Nightmare! I haven't noticed til now! It's just what our people do to help ward off evil spirits... I hope you aren't offended!" Shaking his head and waving his hand dismissively, Nightmare reassured "No, you didn't! It just took me by surprise... I must admit though, it's different. But, really cool at the same time so don't let me stop you."

    Narrowing her eyes, Raven slowly asked "Are you sure?"

   Letting out a chuckle, the Guardian ruffled the young girls hair "I'm positive."

    When all the preparations have been completed, night has already fallen with a reddish hue from the harvest moon shining high within the sky. The small family, including Nightmare, had their fill of the feast and were now celebrating around the bonfire that they made a few ways away from the cottage. Batair and Salem were sitting crossed legged by each other's side while beating to a rhythm on the drums; Salem was also singing in a language that was unknown but beautiful to the skeleton. The celebration had continued well into the night until the two parents called it a night after Salem snuffed out the fire with her magic(using a Kindness Shield to slowly cover it up to deplete it of oxygen), leaving the two friends laying in the mixture of grass and wild flowers as they watched the stars disappear in the night sky.

    "I wish everwy day could be like thwis..."

    Turning his gaze towards his young friend, he sighed "I do too..."

    Raven reached her small hands to the sky as if she was trying to grasp one of those untouchable gems when a thought crossed her mind.

    "Nightmware?"

    "Hmm?"

    Locking her minty blue orbs to his purple eye lights, she asked "We'll always be togethwer, wight?"

    He hesitated for a moment before giving a small smile,

    "Yeah."

*How's the fluff? Good, right? Well...

Enjoy it while it lasts... (●'◡'●)ﾉ