Life and Death

Dreams

Death is a challenge. It tells us not to waste time. It tells us to tell each other right now that we love each other. - Leo Buscalia

"c**k-A-DOODLE DOOOOO!!!" The noise startled me right out of my dream of Daunte and I and straight into the mud below.

"Good morning, Sunshine! How'd ya sleep?" A bright eyed and bushy tailed Nico trotted up to her and carefully placed his paws on her chest as if he was also wishing her a good morning.

"Good morning, Daunte." I grumbled, trying and failing to rise from the mud gracefully.

"There's a stream nearby, you should wash up. But better do it quick because the sun is showing high so we have already lost half of a days light."

"What," I didn't think the moon was that high in the sky when I made my way into the tree. Then again I was still petrefied of the Ogres and worried they would turn back the way they came. Sleep did not come easily last night. I sighed. "Whatever, did Nico deliver the satchel?" Daunte held up the dusty satchel with a wide grin.

"Lead the way then." A mischevious grin crept up onto Dauntes beautiful face and before I could even think about protesting I was lifted into the air. We climbed altitude fairly quick and as always I was in awe of the view. Daunte has flown me places before but I will never get used to how beautiful it is from above the trees. You could see for miles around and Daunte could fly fairly quickly as well, but we both knew how dangerous it was for him to fly around like this during the day. While it was easier for him to get around, it was also easier for him to get spotted, so more often than not we traveled by road on the ground. He carefully flew just below the tree line to a clearing not too far from where we were. He set me down carefully, my body being very aware of the way his hand slipped up the side of my body, as if I was being caressed. I stood staring, almost gawking, as he pulled away.

"I'm just gonna go get the rest of our things from camp, I'll be right back! Make sure you wash up good okay? You smell like cow shit." He grinned ever so handsomely and winked at me before lifting off again.

"What am I gonna do with him." I sighed, ever the good looker, but not so much the sweet talker. I quickly got to work undressing and washing myself and my clothes in the small little creek. It's already been almost 3 years. I shooked my head softly and chuckled. Daunte and I have both been orphaned at a young age. Sometimes, I hate to think about what might of happened to me if he hadn't come barreling through Father Michaels study. I let out another chuckle remember how he literally barrelled through his office both his eyes and wings wide as he fought for control. I wonder if you'll be the same as your mother. The words rang through my very core, goosebumps rippling down my arms in fear or from the cold. I couldn't tell. My body trembled slightly, remember the clammy hands of the perverted Preist that still haunted her dreams. Always starting with him trapping me in the corner of that dusty bookshelf. Tears rolling down my face in a slient prayer. Then suddenly, Daunte appeared. He was a shower of colors bursting through the window at the right moment. His wings were bigger than an Eagles, pure white and sparkled with all the colors of the rainbow. While he normally looks cool, calm, and collected, the moment I saw his face that day, he was anything but. He collided with Father Micheal and destroyed any trace of the moment we had together. And as I sat up in a pile of dust and books and looked around... my heart stopped at the sight of my savior, of Daunte hanging over an unconscious Father Micheal. He never knew but, that was the first time he had saved my life.

I finished washing my clothes and waded deeper into the stream to soak my body. The sky was a deep blue and without a cloud in sight. I sighed, fully letting my shoulders sink down and relax as I finshed washing off all the caked dirt. I let my head sink slowly underwater sliding my fingers through my hair to rid it of any stubborn dirt caked in. Satisfied I then let my body float upwards towards the surface. Daunte. I couldn't help think of him. His striking blue eyes and bright blond hair. He was still young and boyish when we met but the years have been making way for the man he is to become. I was irrovacably in love with him.

"Are you okay?"

My body flailed at the sound of his voice so close. And I nearly died of embaressment for looking like a dying fish at the sound of him. My face half hidden underwater. I just peered at him until he dared to c**k an eyebrow, as if silently repeating his question. I reluctantly popped my head up to answer his question.

"Um... I'm naked?" Within a heartbeat Daunte had turned a deep shade of red and fluttered very swiftly to a nearby tree and sat behind it. My gaze followed him until I saw his hand pop out from behind the tree with his thumb up. My chuckles sent ripples through the water.

"Just let me know when you're done getting dressed!" His voice sounded higher and more exasperated than usual. I giggled to myself again and pulled on my trousers and tunic as fast as I could before padding quietly over to Daunte, intent on scaring him. I rounded the tree to yell ferociously in his face only to be met by Nico obliviously cleaning his nether regions with out a care in the world. And before I could turn around to look for him, he fell from the branch above me using his best monkey impersonation. Surprised, I fell back and landed with a thud on the hard dirt. Annoyed, I let my body fall the rest of the way down to the ground until I was facing the sky and crossed my arms. He popped into view with a wide grin. "Ya ready to go?" I stuck my tounge out only for him to chuckle in response and stick out his hand to help me up.

"You know, you're birthdays coming up." I tensed. I will be turning 13. And hopefully recieving my blessing.

"I know." I should be excited, but deep inside I was terrified. Terrified that my blessing would be useless and that Daunte will be saving me my whole life or at least until he gets tired of saving me. I cringed at the thought.

"Everything is gonna be okay." His soft whisper had the butterflies in my stomach doing sommersaults. Maybe its just puppy love, but I could be hopeful, right? I sighed again.

"I just want to be helpful. I hate that I'm such a burden to you sometimes." I frowned slightly, looking up into his beautiful blue eyes. His blonde hair was long now, falling around his face making him looking more literally like an angel. He grinned only intensifying the butterflies in my stomach.

"Silly Mira, you could never be a burden to me. You're my family." I smiled softly while I groaned internally. He makes me sound like a sister. If only he knew how much I wanted to be so much more.

We walked for hours chatting quietly on the way. Finally the sun began to set and darkness was inevitable Daunte looked at me likely with an internal debate raging in his head about if he could fly us the rest of the way to Sommilier. I only gave him a look, silently questioning his thoughts before he thought against it and fly upwards to scout for a place to camp. About 10 minutes later he flew back to scoop me up in his arms reigniting the horde of butterflies that seemed to live in my stomach. The feeling only grew everyday and my ability to ignore it was getting harder. My stomach finally settled as we finished laying down our sleeping packs and split our bread for dinner. Daunte must of been tired because he didn't even bother saying good night. I smiled lazily at him sprawled out on the ground only resting halfway on his pack. Nico rested next to him with his paws crossed, alert and ready for any dangers that may be lurking.

The room was quiet... Too quiet, yet I couldn't figure out when and how I got here. My eyes grazed the room, observing the eerie darkness to see if I could maybe escape. For how dark it was, I should not be able to see, yet I scanned the room without the slightest trouble deciphering the details around me. It was obviously some low faring peasants home. The walls were cracked and rotting, with straw falling in small clumps from the ceiling, lining most of the edges of the room. Homemade chairs sat around a crooked little table that looked as if the wind might blow it over any second. My gaze followed the cracks going around the room until it settled on a spot in the corner. It seemed more like a void, as if the light itself could not fathom to be in the same space. Its outline resembled that of an old man, yet it wasn't until the sound of a baby came from the same space that began trembling. Fear rooted me in the space and yet... I will myself to move towards it. Keeping my eyes fixed on the space as if it could disappear any moment. A deep menacing chuckle came from the dark figure causing the hair on my body to stand on end I don't remember when I stopped moving forward but my feet were again frozen in place, in fear. Every cell in my body screamed at my to run, but where? I didn't notice a door or window anywhere in the room. My heart raced, blood was thrumming in my ears making it impossible to think. I stayed like that, frozen until I heard it again. The faint coo of a baby. My breathing hitched and the dark figure began moving. Then it was wailing, the babies cries drowned out any sounds in the small hut. I stayed. Immobile starring at the void, shaking in fear as it turned and started making it's way to me. I screamed-

"Mira!" My eyes opened to see Daunte leaning over me, eyes wide, shaking me free of that terrible, terrible dream.