Warrior of my Dreams ✓

Chapter 6: Third Quarter 🌗

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When Jungkook slowly opens his eyes, the first thing he sees is the bare white wall next to his bed. Yawning, he straightens his upper body and stretches by intertwining his fingers and raising his arms above his head. The headache is still noticeable but nowhere near as severe. He sorts through his thoughts, stroking his forehead with his fingertips. The corners of his mouth form a smile as he remembers Taehyung's soft skin.

Jungkook hasn't thought of the possibility that he could also get into the other world by taking a nap. Now he'd love to sleep all day and night - but that's impossible. The corners of his mouth sink again as he realizes that Taehyung is alone in this dark forest at this very moment. He wanted to stay with him, but the tiredness wasn't enough. "He'll make it for sure," he tries to tell himself as his empty gaze remains fixed on the bedspread. The coming hours of uncertainty will be unbearable.

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Meanwhile, Taehyung has stood up again. His eyes fixate on the direction from which the tiger had come before. Unfortunately, he didn't see where the animal disappeared to. But actually, he has little interest in following. The most important thing is that he survived. For some reason, he feels so much lighter and stronger since that magical encounter. It's as if that tiger took all his fears and doubts.

Taehyung's right corner of his mouth forms a slight grin.

"Thank you, Jungkook," he whispers softly. He has given him the strength to face his fear. He filled him with hope and numbed his pain. Without Jungkook, Taehyung was lost, but he has found himself again.

All night long, he had time to become familiar with the forest. Now he knows how to get out of it again, heading for a V-shaped clearing. The sun slowly rises so that the sky colors of the deep sea are gradually displaced by the morning red. And suddenly, even the forest doesn't look so dark anymore.

Unexpectedly, a loud crackling noise draws Taehyung's attention, followed by a low growl. They say that the first test has been successfully completed with the sunrise.

He could flee the dense forest into the bright light, but instead, he stops. Where fear once reigned, curiosity has taken hold. As he looks around, he sees an upright bear standing just a few feet away from him. Normally, he would have panicked, but his heart remains surprisingly calm. He watches the giant animal.

"I'm not your enemy."

Taehyung's not sure if the bear heard him. And if, it doesn't mean that the animal understood him. He hopes that the bear senses that the warrior with the bloodied chest only wants to leave the forest peacefully.

"I'm sorry for invading your home. I'll leave you alone now."

As Taehyung is about to turn away from the bear, he notices another sound. This time it resembles a screeching sound. For the second time, he dares to look at the animal, which by now has assumed a defensive posture on all four paws. Taehyung quickly realizes why. He smiles gently as a cub emerges from behind the bears' back.

"A baby bear. Now I understand. You were just trying to protect your baby."

As he utters these words, he sees flickering dots before his eyes. It's as if twinkling stars are trying to paint a picture in his memories - but they fail.

Taehyung feels as if someone had called him "baby bear" in the past. It must have been a familiar person, someone who meant a lot to him. He doesn't know that these memories of his beloved father don't manage to get through to him, as if an invisible force is holding them back.

As Taehyung leaves the forbidden forest behind, he stops for a brief moment to greet the sun, absorbing its warmth over his bare skin. The sun's rays fall on his open wounds, which still burn slightly. He knows the burning will worsen once he cleans himself in the cold, clear river. But he has to do it to prevent inflammation.