The Raven's Nightmare

CHAPTER SEVEN

NEXT MORNING

Nightmare let out a muffled groan as sunlight shined through the window and landed on his sockets. He went to rub them but stopped when his hand grazed something smooth and silky; causing the Guardian to look down at his chest. There, sleeping peacefully, was Raven; laying face down with her mouth slightly parted. Her petite hands clung onto his shirt as if her life depended on it. Looking around his surroundings, Nightmare realized he was in Raven's room.

'How did I get here? What happened?'

"Nightmware....?"

Looking down to meet the wide eyes of his friend, the Guardian couldn't help but notice the dark circles under the young girls eyes and the dried tears on her cheeks. With a quivering lip, Raven cried out "Nightmware!" She nuzzled closer to him as her grip on his clothes tightened as the girl continued to sob on his chest.

"I-I thwought you weren't going t-to wake up! You w-wouldn't wake up N-Nwighty!"

Stroking her hair gently, the Guardian whispered words of reassurance to the sobbing child.

"Hey, hey... It's ok! Everything is ok!"

Brows furrowed, Raven was about to object before the door to her bedroom burst open; startling the poor girl and causing her to unconsciously activate her magic as a green dome covered both of the startled friends.

"Raven! I heard you crying! Is everything alright- oh!" Salem exclaimed in surprise at the sight of the magical barrier covering her daughter and her skeleton friend. Frowning in confusion, the mother questioned "Raven? I don't recall ever teaching you about magical barriers; so where did you learn this?"

Looking at the green dome uncertainly, the said child shrugged her shoulders "I don't knwow...? All I knwow is that you scawd me when you burwsted in hwere and then it showed up..."

Widening his eyes in surprise, Nightmare complimented "So, you summoned it unconsciously? That's... quite impressive!" Blushing slightly at the praise, Raven stuttered out a "T-thanks..." Shaking her head to focus on the task at hand, Salem gave her daughter a gentle smile "Do you think you you can lower the barrier, Starlight? I need to make sure Nightmare is fully healed."

Raven's grip on the Guardian tightened as her breath quickened; she whispered out "B-bwut... what if...?" Sensing her panic, Nightmare started smoothing strands of her hair back while reassuring "Hey, hey, hey... I'm ok! See?" Gently grasping the child's hands he brought them over to cup his face as the two locked gazes, "I'm not going anywhere, ok?"

"Pwomise?"

Pressing his forehead against her's, Nightmare whispered "I promise."

Finally calming down, Raven let out a relieved sigh as the green dome dissipated. Nightmare gave Raven a wide smile while praising, "Good job! I must say that was some preety impressive magic you did there! Not a lot of young monsters are able to create something as strong as what you just did!" Blushing at the compliment, the young girl admitted "Honestly, I'm nwot sure how I did that.. All I know was that mama scwared me to the pwoint that I thwought you were going to get huwrt again..."

Salem quickly intervened her child's troubled thoughts as she suggested, "Why don't you get a bowl of vegetable soup ready for him while I do a quick check up? I bet some food will help max out his HP, hm?" Shaking her head eagerly, Raven carefully climbed out of bed and walked out the door to do as her mother asked. Closing the door quietly, the mother gave Nightmare a worried look "How do you feel?"

"Physically, I feel fine. But... how bad was I and how did I get here?"

Walking towards the bed, Salem sat down and placed her hands on her lap as she told him "If it weren't for Raven, you would have turned to dust..."