Chapter 5

I awoke with a start, feeling as though something wasn't right, static crackled heavily in the air.

Hearing the loud cracks of branches breaking I sat up quickly knocking over the little ball of grey fur from my chest, causing it to stretch and blink its eyes lazily at me. Not seeming to care about the disturbance coming from somewhere beside us.

The foxes amber eyes caught my attention, before frantically searching around me, slow panic bubbled in my stomach at the realization that I had in fact woke up right where I had slept. I wasn’t in a dream, in fact this place was real and i had no clue where I actually was or how I survived that car crash.

"Crack" the crushing sound of branches snapping broke the tense silence again, alerting the fox of somethings presence with the rapid swivel of his pointy ears. unexpectedly the little grey fox rolled over fangs bared towards the sound, eyes wild and predatory. He stood ahead of me like he was shielding me from whatever was headed our way.

Peering around the trunk of the tree i watched as the trees rustled, the ground shook and branches splintered. I held my breath unable to look away from the rustling cluster of trees.

The little fox next to me growled, raising its hackles and letting out a low warning snarl.

The whole orchard fell into a deadly silence, allowing the suspense to increase. two minutes of silence had gone by and although the fox was still on high alert I felt myself slowly begin to relax.

"maybe whatever it was, was just passing by or you scared it off" i reassured little fox patting its back gently.

Suddenly as if sensing that I had let my guard down, the creature rushed out from the thicket growling and moaning while gnashing is long dagger like teeth. A small scream slipped past my lips as i caught glimpse of the ugly thing.

That is a real monster! something as grotesque as that couldn’t possibly exist on earth, it just wasn’t possible.

The creature was at least seven feet tall, with chalky skin and a humanoid figure. Instead of toes it had talons like a raptor, it's fingers pointed out into swords of its own.. but its face was what ingrained itself in my mind.It was worse than any boogeyman that hid under your bed could be. The creature had a human like face but there were no eyes in its sockets and its mouth was lined with dagger sharp teeth protruding from its mouth.

"Oh god I'm going to die."

I pressed my self against the trunk of the tree, clamping a hand over my mouth to silence my breathing. The forest seemed suddenly too quiet again. I gulped trying to calm my racing heart as I stared into the determined eyes of the little fox.

The fox looked up growling menacingly. Eyes narrow and jaws gnashing, its fur raised up along its spine. Fear raced through my veins like fire, my heart leaped in my throat as I silently begged for the creature to not be above me.

"Snap"

A small twig fell into my lap.

A bloody scream left my mouth.

The little fox launched itself over my head at the monster just as I dove away from my hiding spot scrambling and tucking behind the safety of another tree a few feet away.

"What in the world is that thing?"

I crept down low into the end of a fallen log, covering my ears tightly from the screeching cries and growls of the two fighting creatures. Guilt swallowed my fear as I realized the that the innocent fox was defending me. unscrewing my eyes I watched as the two beings wrestle on the forest floor. The fox was clinging onto the back of the monster while biting and scratching furiously wherever he could, the monster angrily clawing at his back.

The little fox was eventually thrown off, flying through the air and landing on the ground with a sickening thud next to my hiding spot.

A strangled cry emerged from my throat, I reached out in hope that the fox was okay . The noise must of caught the attention of the monster as he swung his ugly head towards me, slowly slinking his way over; it's claws raking the ground with every step.

leaning back i waited for the inevitable, i always came closer to death in my nightmares so maybe this was the final act. Maybe if i died everything would go back to normal and i would wake up back home in bed.

"Is that what you really want now though?" i thought to myself knowing all to well the instinctual feeling of doubt flutter in my gut.

A long howl broke me from my thoughts and I watched with wide eyes as a low vibrating snarl, rippled through the forest. The little charcoal fox morphed and suddenly shaped into a impossibly large black wolf with claws as long as steak knives.

The wolf launched itself at the monster, claws digging deeply into the creatures flesh, black liquid spewing from the monsters wounds. The wolf lurched forward again wrapping its jaws around the creatures neck and ripping its head clean from the shoulders before jumping off and snarling at the decapitated creature.

I shook in horror, I couldn't believe what i had seen, even if this was one of my nightmares, it was too realistic and in my nightmares a dark haired stranger always appears to rescues me and shortly after i wake up. there was no dark haired stranger this time, just a dark shape shifting fox.

”thats it, i must have gone crazy” i muttered realizing my little grey fox had indeed shape shifted into something much less

friendly looking.

Closing my eyes i sagged into the tree, my mind spinning as i tried to sort through my frantic thoughts.

A large wet nosed pressed into my chest, causing me to open my eyes straight into the gaze of liquid honey eyes. My breath caught in my throat with fear before realizing this animal had actually defended me.

I Raised my hand out slowly to touch the creature, Bowing his head i stroked the wolfs black fur gently.

"Thank you" i whispered, i was expecting this attack to be my death, ending whatever nightmare this was but instead my life had been protected and unfortunately still had no idea where i was.

Flicking the wolfs gaze back up it nodded its head before standing up and looking at me.

"Right i guess we will go" i agreed more talking to myself then the enormous animal. Getting up i moved to follow the Wolf, purposely averting my gaze from the mutilated creature laying dead on the ground, the thick feeling of bile rose in my throat.

I started walking what i assumed was north when a low huff was directed at me. Turning around i seen the wolf look at me expectantly before reaching around and nuzzling its broad back.

"You want me to get on?" I questioned.

The pure black animal bowed its head and hunched down on all fours.

"I must be crazy" i mumbled to myself "who else would dream of this crazy shit"

I walked over to the animal and swung myself onto its large back. It was almost like sitting on a fluffy horse. I stroked its fur absentmindedly causing a low rumble like purr to emit from the animal. Snuggling into the animals warmth, the creature set off running through the forest its paws hardly making a sound.

After sometime the wolf slowed to a trot, a dark decaying castle came into view as we broke through the tree line. Sucking in a nervous breath i felt a strange pull to the looming building. It felt so familiar.

I could imagine running through this place when it was alive and vibrant as if i had actually lived here. Watching the looming castle come closer into view, i gaped in awe at the sheer ancient beauty of it. The stone walls were aged and worn and dried moss and vines clung desperately to the rough stone. The towers raised high into the sky looking depressed with their caved in rooftops. The tresses and turrets crumbled while menacing gargoyles watched you from their perches in the sky.

"Well it looks like we're not in kansas anymore Toto." I smiled to myself once again at the backwards irony of the situation.

We broke into a trot as the wolf zipped up the potholed cobblestone road, crossing a splintering drawbridge over a cold and murky looking moat. My eyes looked up at the cold, disconsolate palace.

"It looks so lonely." I whispered to the creature beneath me.

We came to a stop in what i assumed used to be the outer courtyard, disintegrated statues lay littered across the cobblestone. Dead leaves were piled up along the stone wall but what unnerved me the most was the hundreds of jet black ravens dispersed throughout the courtyard all their silent beady eyes watching our every move.

I slid off my new companions back, gaping at the desecrated beauty of the place. Keeping one hand on my furry friend I cautiously tiptoed up the cracked stone staircase, uneasily eyeing the massive stone soldiers guarding the rusty portcullis.

i could feel the death of this place laying almost as heavily on me as the silence. Turning around slightly I nervously shifted on my feet, my heart fluttering in my stomach as i waited for my new found protector to take the lead into the awaiting darkness.

Sensing my unease the blackened wolf padded forward nudging me on. Inhaling i forced my feet forward, following the animal into the dark and leaving behind a sudden wave of cackles from the once quiet ravens.