Egfor opened his eyes, feeling grass caressing his skin and smelling sweet wild flowers. The sky was white and his surroundings shimmery and hazy. He pushed himself up to stand. He stood in a circle of standing stones. He turned around coming face to snout with a giant white ethereal deer with glowing eyes.
It blew hot air into Egfor's face and tossed it's head.
As if in silent communication and knowing what the stag wanted, he stooped to pull off his boots, dropping them amongst the flowers. The deer turned and bolted, springing away. Egfor's lips split into a grin, turning and sprinting after the deer. Neither stick nor stone hurt his feet in the dream world, and he kept pace with the beast here. The two bounded side by side through the forest; leaping over logs and ducking under boughs. Egfor's hair snagged on leaves as he ran, his heart racing and pounding.
The deer came to an abrupt halt. Egfor did as well, panting for breath, rather concerned as he felt unease from the stag. This was unusual.
The stag led Egfor into a small clearing. The stag stopped at the edge of the trees but Egfor continued, curious.
Sleeping in the center of the glade was a spirit bear. He smiles, knowing this was his husband. The bear shifted uneasily in his sleep and Egfor's smile faded.
Egfor tensed hearing snarls in the trees. He looked up, seeing vaguely canine shadowy shapes stalk towards them.
Egfor pulled the fur mantle he wore in the dream world up over his head, shifting into the form of a large wolf. He gave a snarl of warning to the advancing shadows.
The shadows ignored, suddenly leaping and lunging at the wolf and bear.
Egfor the wolf leapt into action, snarling and attacking the shadow beasts with tooth and claw. He yanked them off of the bear and viciously shook them and slammed them to the ground, snarling. One managed to latch it's teeth around his neck, causing Egfor to howl in pain. He bashed the creature off on a nearby rock.
The battle was quick and bloody. Wolf Egfor panted, his sides heaving. He murmurs, "Rest easy, my love." He flopped down to rest beside the bear who slept easier now.
Egfor jolted awake, grasping at his neck. His hand was warm and moist. He pulled his hand from his neck to see it covered in blood. He found no wound though. He quickly checks to make sure Dem was uninjured. That was strange. He had never been attacked in his dream sanctuary, nor has anything physical carried over from the dream world like that.
Worried for Dem, he lays back down, wrapping him in his arms and falls into a deep, dreamless slumber almost instantly. He will deal with the blood in the morning.
