Mask

I startled awake, my heart pounding with a profound sense of fear. A suffocating weight pressed down on my chest, forcing my breath into short, shallow gasps. My mind was foggy, and even though I managed to pry my eyes open, the world around me was a blur of unfamiliar colors and shapes. Sweat-soaked sheets clung to my skin, sending small, fiery tingles dancing through my nerves wherever they touched the sunpurge.

Panic seized me, my chest tightening painfully as something brushed against my hand. But then Elinore's familiar voice cut through the fog, soothing my frayed nerves.

"Shhh, it's alright. I'm here."

I gripped her hand tightly, my eyes squeezing shut. The only sounds in the room were the agitated swish of my tail against the sheets and the frantic rhythm of my own heartbeat. Gradually, the terror began to recede, my heart rate slowed, and I managed to take an uneasy breath.

"That's it," Elinore's voice was a gentle whisper, "Just breathe."