Warriors Incorrect Prompts

Nightmare

Kai was running again. From what, he had no idea, but he knew it was something evil. Something that wouldn't let him go, once it had caught him.

His breath came in short gasps as he tore through the forest, running as if the hounds of hell were after him. Perhaps they were. But he knew that he couldn't call for help. There was no one to hear him scream, no one to have his back against the unknown monster.

In that moment, Kai had never felt more alone.

He risked a quick glance over his shoulder but could see nothing. He slowed to a stop, bending over and bracing his hands against his knees in order to catch his breath again.

"Someone," he gasped out, despite knowing that no one would come. "Please. Help."

"Kai?" a familiar voice asked hesitantly. Kai's head snapped up instantly, his dark eyes carefully searching the glade around him. That was his girlfriend's voice.

"Jenny?" She stepped into the clearing, tilting her head slightly sideways as she looked at him. It was one of her most adorable idiosyncrasies that she did whenever she was curious. She threw a glance over her shoulder, before looking back at him.

"Follow me." He did so without question, an overwhelming feeling of relief spreading through him. He had been pretty sure that there was no one in the rest of the forest, but Jenny had somehow heard and found him. He wasn't complaining though. 

With Jenny there, Kai felt a little less alone.

Then the ground gave way beneath him, and he felt water around him. It took him a few seconds to realise that he was drowning before the terror sunk in.

"Jenny!" he shouted in desperation, trying to swim to the other edge of the lake. "Jenny!" But his girlfriend had disappeared, and the edge of the lake kept moving further and further away. His non-existent swimming skills had begun to fail him now, and he felt himself slowly going under.

"Kai!" Jenny's voice called and she was there again, kneeling close by on the edge of the lake.

"Jen!" he gasped, reaching out to grab her hand.

"Jenny," another voice sounded, and he saw Lloyd standing at the edge of the clearing. "Let's go." His girlfriend got to her feet and, without another glance back at him, she followed after her best friend. Kai felt the water fill his mouth until he couldn't scream anymore and then he was going down, down, down, down, down.....

Kai shot up in bed, breathing heavily as he struggled not to let the panic attack control him.

"Hey, hey, hey," he heard a familiar voice beside him, felt a hand rest softly on his arm. "You're okay, darling. You're not there anymore." 

He turned his head to see Jenny sitting by him, her brows knitted in concern as she whispered sweet nothings to him. The real Jenny: she still had the scratch across her cheek that he had given her on accident in training. 

His gaze fixed itself on her and he tried to count the freckles scattered across her nose, even though he knew that he couldn't. Still, it helped to focus on something that was real, and he felt his breathing slow down, the panic draining away.

"Jenny." She flicked her eyes up to look at him, studying his face carefully.

"It must have been a bad one," she sighed, and went to get to her feet. "I'll get you some chocolate." Kai's hand shot out to grab her wrist.

"Wait. Stay with me."

"Kai, I-" she began, but stopped when she saw his eyes shining with unshed tears. Jenny had never seen him so vulnerable than in that moment, though she knew that he wouldn't let them fall. Not in front of her. Not in front of anyone, for that matter.

"Please Jen," his voice was a whisper, so quiet that she had to strain to hear it. "I need you to sleep with me tonight." She nodded and he felt her slip in beside him, her hand resting lightly on his chest. He wrapped an arm around her, instinctive and protective, as if she were his life line. Perhaps she was.

"I remember tears streaming down your face when I said I'll never let you go. When all those shadows almost killed your light," she began to sing softly, once they were both settled. "I remember you said, don't leave me here alone. But all that's dead and gone and passed tonight." He listened to her lilting voice, letting it soothe his mind as he focused entirely on Jenny, playing gently with her hair.

"Don't you dare look out your window, darling, everything's on fire. The war outside our door keeps raging on," she continued. "Hold on to this lullaby, even when the music's gone. Gone. Just close your eyes, the sun is going down. You'll be alright. No one can hurt you now. Come morning light, you and I'll be safe and sound." Her voice came to a stop as she finished the song.

"Thank you." And he meant it.

"I would walk through hell and back to see you safely to the other side," she told him quietly, after a pause. "I love you more than you'll ever know, Kai. More than I ever thought I could love. Perhaps a little too much. But you're my home, Kai. You're where I belong. I feel safe and protected whenever I'm near you. You mean so much to me." 

He felt the same. His heart swelled in indescribable joy at her words: he was so grateful to her for everything that she had done for him. She deserved all the treasures in the world, though he could only give her his heart.

"You can break my heart if you like, Jen," Kai spoke then, his voice soft and soothing. "Break it a thousand times, if you want. It was only ever yours to break, anyway."

"Do you really think I wouldn't take care of the things you give me?" Jenny couldn't help but ask. "Why would you even give me your heart if you thought I'd break it?"

"I was trying to be romantic." Kai laughed.

"I don't wanna break your heart though...." Neither do I, he thought. 

"You could never." Jenny was the most beautiful girl he'd ever laid eyes on, he thought. He wanted to protect her from the world, from the people who would take advantage of her unconditional kindness. He didn't think that he could ever bear to see her upset. 

But Kai Smith didn't know how to put it into words. His feelings for Jenny were unlike any he had ever felt before. He didn't think words could do them justice.

"I wouldn't be surprised if the sun was jealous of your shine," he whispered. "I love you so much, Jen." She didn't respond. 

He turned back a corner of the duvet to find her already fast asleep. He smiled, unable to tear his gaze away from her.

"I'll tell you in the morning then."