MATED TO THE NIGHT WOLF (MTTNW)

[32.1] TROUBLE

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"There will be no fraternizing with the Guards. You are slaves. Do not forget."

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[Shade Shadows]

The slave quarters are filled with whispers and rumors. Everybody is talking about the horn, the visitors that arrived. I walk in quietly, and no one pays much attention to me as they gossip away.

My body is tired and all I wish to do is sleep. There will be more to do tomorrow and so I curl up on my mat and shut my eyes. I wish to drift off immediately but my ears remain open, listening to the words of the slaves around me.

They talk of the visitors and the cage that came with them in their midst. Some say they heard growls and hisses coming from beneath its dark covers and a shiver crossed my spine.

I can not deny I am also curious about these new visitors. I know there is some sort of ceremony taking place in a few weeks, that is why the tribunal has been called, and that is why there will soon be a hunt, but that was not for a couple more weeks.

Visitors could not be arriving so soon, could they?

What if the master was right and there was some sort of trouble coming over the horizon- if the sun did rise tomorrow that is?

Did I truly care? What could be worse than a fate condemned to these walls? I let out a breath, turning away from the whispers.

I do not believe there was any.

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My dream has changed.

I am no longer in a forest. I no longer see ash and fire. My mother is nowhere to be seen. Instead, I am in a field of white flowers and the sun is beautiful and bright.

I am confused for only a moment before the tickle of the sun's rays relieves me of all panic and I close my eyes, kneeling in the field of flowers.

A moment later I spread out in those soft flower beds and took a rest in that field. I am happy and I am content.

My head rolls effortlessly to the side, an invisible smile on my face. I know I am safe here. I know that I am happy.

Everything is beautiful.

I open my eyes and I freeze when I see him.

The Master.

He sleeps beside me, eyes shut, a ringed hand above his heart. His hair sprawled in the green grass around me. I immediately sit up, pushing away but he does not stir.

I do not think he knows that I am beside him. I stare for a while. My body is stiff, unsure of what to do, whether to speak or do something entirely different.

I notice I can barely see him breathe.
I timidly lean over to inspect him and lose myself. I find my gaze trailing every inch of his face.

He is as beautiful as I thought when I first saw him. I can not think of anything else. I know that I am dreaming, I know my mind has conjured this dream for me for the first time in what felt like forever.