Love Over Fear

The Next Morning

I woke up, yet again to the golden light of the morning sun streaming through the green leaves of my claimed tree. Same old, same old. At least that dream was new. Hunting birds can get frustrating after awhile. But seriously, that dream felt so real. Almost like it happened.

Oh well.

I yawned, in an attempt to just shrug it off, but a weight on my shoulder would not go away. And so I decided to stretch to loosen it up, but my arm seemed to be trapped under something.

I glanced down, and the moment I did, I immediately froze.

For all I saw, was a black, fluffy dog tail.

My first reaction was to scream, but I guess my reflexes were faster, because my free arm flew to my mouth to cover what could've woken up the entire jungle. My eyes darted around, trying to find some possible escape to this- this- whatever it was! I calmed myself with a few deep breaths, and I looked back down and saw the sweet and innocent face from my dream. I guess this is what happens when you find yourself so bored you want to pull your hair out and scream. You lose your mind, and it decides to play tricks on you.

Such a cruel joke.

I sighed and covered my face with my one free hand. As I was debating with myself as to what I was going to do with myself and my crazy mind, I felt the dog stir and shift around. "Hmm," he groaned, as he rubbed his eyes when he yawned. I found this cute, so I almost didn't mind going crazy, when he looked up at me and said-

"Why are you staring at me like that?" He slowly sat up on his knees from where he was laying down on my shoulder.

My mind tried to wrap around why a kid who had just been so sad, who had been crying, could be so blunt. What is wrong with me? Maybe I'm still dreaming. This dog can't possibly be a hallucination.

"Oh, and could you please tell me why I was asleep here? Or- never mind. I just need to find my pack. I got," he sighed, "I got lost," he stood up on one knee, placing a hand on his elevated leg, before pushing himself up to his full height, which could have only been a little less than five feet. Only reaching, maybe, just under my shoulder.

Swallowing my confusion, I had to ask, "Okay, um. A-are you real? This isn't a dream or a-a hallucination, is it?" I slightly stuttered. He looked down at me with a condescending look in his eyes.

"Well, mister, if this was a hallucination, and I said that it wasn't, it wouldn't matter because it's all in your mind. Being clinically insane would mean that you wouldn't be able to tell what is real, and what isn't."

I knew I must've looked stupid as my mouth flew open with hardly a sound, except astonished gasps, escaping. He brushed off his shorts, freeing leaves that had caught in the fabric.

He glanced back down at me to where I was still sitting, leaning against my tree in a flabbergasted state, and asked, "I'll just say that this isn't a hallucination, because I'm real, and now I need to leave. Can you tell me where the savannah is?"

"W-why you little brat! You say such a rude thing, and now you expect me to help you?!" I shouted. My animal neighbors surely hate me now.

"But I did help you, mister. I told you that this isn't a product of your mind going crazy. I didn't think I was rude," he said with an irritating expression, and it made me boil inside. I knew I was this close to exploding on this kid and his cocky attitude.

"Well, since you're such a little brat, I don't think you can handle yourself out there in the wilderness on your own. Why don't you call your mommy and daddy."

His expression didn't change much, but the tone of his voice certainly did, "I do not have my parents, they died a long time ago. My pack lives in the savannah, so if you would please tell me where I should go, I'll be on my way."