TC

A/n: this stupid story is not unfolding like it should. Marl and Tesha’s relationship dropping in leaps and bounds instead of gradually building. How….uncultured. I hate their relationship at the moment. I can’t seem to portray it right. You’ll understand when you read the chapter.

Tesha opened her eyes to see the concerned face of her partner looming above her. "Tesha!! Tesha are you okay?!" He was so close to her, she could smell the scent of his clean fur. His eyes were wide and frightened "Tesha?"

"I’m okay Marl." Tesha sat up with him still gripping her shoulders. No, I’m not okay…what the hell was that?…

"You just fainted all of a sudden when the howling started. I barely managed to catch you. Even when I did I almost dropped you ‘cause you were struggling so hard, and then you just screamed." His ears flicked back, she had obviously scared him. He stared sincerely at her, his sky blue eyes still wide with adrenaline.

"I was just remembering the night we were chased…that’s all." Tesha smiled reassuringly at Marl. No…I wasn’t…what the hell was that…that never happened to me…did it? "I’m fine, really." She stood up to see Aishin leaning against the door to her room, giving her an odd look. "Hey you, go back to bed!" He glared disdainfully at her, but disappeared from the door. "Hey Marl what happened to the howls?" Tesha shivered, hugging herself. Marl shrugged.

"I dun’no they passed right by us, almost right under the window if you ask me…but then they faded out."

"How long was I out for?" Tesha frowned.

"Oh not long…only about five minutes." Marl still looked concerned. "Are you sure you’re okay?"

"Yeah…" Tesha sighed.

"Hey umm…y’know…" Her partner looked carefully at his feet.

"Yeah?"

"Well I could stay here tonight…if you don’t mind…it’d be safer…and easier to take care of Aishin and stuff…and well I’d sleep on the couch or something, I don’t mean anything like that…" Marl blushed. Tesha grinned at his embarrassment.

"Sure, that’d be great, the couch has a fold out bed in it so you can stay here while Aishin heals and until that howling thing…uhh I think Aishin called it ‘the Beast’…until it leaves. I’ll be glad to know I have a biig stroong maaan protecting me." Tesha grinned wider on the last. Marl puffed out his chest and flexed his biceps.

"Do not fear little woman, my manliness will be more than enough to protect you."

"Little woman?" Tesha raised an eyebrow and poked Marl in the stomach, deflating his puffed-up chest.

"Ow, hey watch it! I’m your manly protector remember?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Ungrateful woman. -.-;; "

A couple of hours later, everyone was bedded down for the night and Tesha was in her bed with a book. She had stopped reading though, about the time that she realized she had read the same sentence about thirty times. I can’t concentrate…I just don’t feel like reading. Tesha put the book down beside her and leaned her head back against the thick pillow. Despite how frightening these last few days have been, something feels right about this whole series of events. For one, my apartment feels normal again. It hasn’t felt this way since Keela and Kaeyl moved out last week. Gods has it only been a week? It feels like a month. Marl helps too, he kinda reminds me of Kaeyl in a way, but less fatherly, and more…I dunno, friendly I guess. I don’t know what it is about him but he makes me feel safe. And relaxed. I guess it’s just his personality. I feel like I can talk to him, and hang out with him…I don’t have to pretend, I can just be myself. He seems so…genuine. I bet he’s the kind of person who you could sit with in silence and not feel the least bit uncomfortable…and I bet he gives great foot rubs…Whaa? Where did that come from? I must be getting tired…come to think of it though, I have been craving a foot rub lately...Tesha’s coherent thoughts trailed of as she slowly snuggled under the covers and fell into a deep sleep.

Tesha sat straight up, throwing off her covers. When she realized her surroundings she sighed and tried to calm her pounding heart. Try as she might, Tesha couldn’t’ remember what had caused her to wake up in such a cold sweat. It had been a dream, that was for sure…but about what? The wind whistled through the trees outside and suddenly Tesha’s heart skipped a beat. She tried to calm herself down but was far too jumpy from whatever dream she had just had. So Tesha went to the kitchen to get herself a glass of milk. A strange feeling of déjà vu… This was how everything had started, the mess with Marl and Aishin and the Beast. Tesha shook it off and opened the fridge. Suddenly she froze. There was milk here… The fridge was empty except for a couple of emergency rations. The way it had been the day it had all started. And food too…it was full, Marl brought it all over. Don’t tell me…Was it all just a dream? Tesha, mind whirling, walked into the living room to try and reassure herself. However there was no comforting shape on her couch, no haphazard snores, no tousled blankets. Tesha stood in the middle of her living room trying to let it all soak in. It was all just a dream? But it seemed so real…then there is no Marl…or Aishin…none of it really happened. Tesha took a seat on the empty couch, leaping back up immediately when her hand encountered something wet and sticky. My couch was light gray…it…it was never that dark…what…what happened to my couch? Tesha drew her in front of her face and gazed at them. They were covered in a dark viscous liquid, black in the watery light. Her nostrils flared, drawing in a sharp coppery scent. There were two things her mind knew of that smelled like that, old pennies and fresh blood. A lot of fresh blood. Her heart started to beat faster. This had happened before… Suddenly the couch transformed into a tree and her living room into dense woods. No! Tesha’s pupils dilated in fear. I know this place…I’ve been here before…a long time ago. Her thoughts were interrupted by the rustle of clothing behind her. She whirled around to find a stunningly beautiful young man. His bare chest shone white and pale in the moonlight and his narrow jaw and high cheekbones created sharp shadows on his face. His ebony hair hung in long bangs that mostly covered his shadowed eyes, then swept back into a loose ponytail that trailed halfway down his back. He was leaning casually against a tree, staring belligerently at her. "Looking for these?" he asked, holding up a glass of milk in one hand and … Tesha gasped, her head suddenly feeling incredibly light and distant from her body, for it was Marl’s severed head he held in his other hand. The world began to spin around her and all Tesha could see were the bloodied hands of a small child, the image burning itself into her mind as if it never wanted to leave. "NO!" Tesha screamed and clutched at her head. "I’m not really here this is all a dream! I want to go back!" She was no longer in the forest, she was in a cave…a cold, dark cave. Suddenly a cool hand placed itself comfortingly on her shoulder.

"Where are you? Where are you really? Where do you want to go back to? Tell me and I can take you there." The hand was as soothing as the voice, and it stroked her hair gently as it spoke.

"Yes…Please…just take me home…take me home…my dormitory…" Tesha sobbed. "Mom…dad…"

"Shhh, just tell me which dorm and I’ll keep you safe, I promise."

"I…I…"

"Tell me"

"I…"

"I can save you from this dark place, I can take you home, tell me."

"I…" Tesha shook her head…memories were starting to intrude again, flashes of a dark cave, and another person. But this was not that other person. That person had a warm hand, holding hers to comfort her in the dark, not like this cool one. That person had held her, but she had felt safety, not the unease she was feeling now. That person had promised to save her too but had never asked her to tell him…where she was?

NO! Tesha screamed inside of her mind as the world around her exploded into tiny glittering shards that fell away and left only blackness.