The Lost Prince || Dreamnotfound

eight

The forest around them is layered with a thin blanket of fog. The dark trees stretch up as high as Dream can see. The sky is a grey shade, no hint of the sun to be seen. It's chilly, and a shiver runs down Dream's spine.

He can't understand why George would want to defend such an eerie place.

"I can see why you love it here," Dream mutters, a bite behind his words.

"It's cloaked, idiot," George snipes. "Enchanted Forest, hence the name. Enchanted. She thinks we're the humans trying to destroy her. Without my magic, she's unable to tell that we're on her side."

There it is again: the mention of sides. Dream ignores George, coming to a stop. He looks at George with a frown. "Don't call me that."

George scoffs with a light eye roll. "Nicknames will be the least of your problems when the forest decides she doesn't like our presence."

"You speak like it has a conscience," Dream observes. "She."

George tilts his head with a small smile. "Majka— it means mother. She is the queen of magic and nature." The foreign word is spoken from George's mouth with a strong accent. He adds, "You might know her as 'mother nature.'"

"Majka?" Dream queries. "Is she your mother?"

George smiles. Dream blinks at the genuineness of the small action. "No. Majka is mother to all those who have magic, figuratively speaking." George's smile fades. "My mother is dead."

Dream opens his mouth to ask what happened when a low cry resounds from somewhere in the forest. A rattling seems to echo from the throat of a creature. Dream shudders at the ugly noise, grimacing.

"Unshackle me," George says, suddenly pale. "Now, Dream."

Dream is frozen. He still doesn't trust George, who gives him a warning glare. "The griffin will kill us without my magic."

"A griffin? I thought those were extinct?"

"Well, you thought wrong." George hisses lowly, "Unshackle me, Dream. I know you don't know how to fight."

Defensively, Dream unsheathes his sword. The weapon is foreign in his hand. He silently curses. He should've taken more than just strategy classes.

A growl reaches Dream's ears. His head snaps up, eyes widening at the sight of the legendary griffin. The griffin has the head, wings, and front legs of an eagle, and the rest of its body is built like a lion. It crouches on a branch high above them. The creature's hackles are raised, it's eyes watching them like a hawk. It jumps to a lower branch, tail swishing behind it.

"Dream," George warns, panic rising in his voice. "You can't kill him."

The griffin jumps to a lower branch. Dream can see scars that mark his body like trophies, so many battles won.

Cursing, Dream turns his back on the creature to face George. George holds out his arms, watching the griffin with wide eyes. Dream pulls the key out of his pocket, fumbling with the little metal object. He inserts it into the keyhole, and watches as George grins as the shackles fall from his wrist.

George's eyes close as he's flooded with magic. Dream stumbles back, dropping his sword as he backs into a tree. The griffin snarls and jumps from the branch, diving for George.

Dream shields his eyes, preparing for bloodshed. His hands shake, but suddenly it's quiet. A soft purr-like sound rumbles. Dream opens his eyes, blinking rapidly.

George's hand is outstretched, petting the griffin's feathery head. A soft smile lingers on his lips as he whispers something to the creature who is smaller than Dream expected. Four feet at most.

Dream gasps as the ground beneath George's feet changes color. From plain dirt to sprouts of green. Color makes its way up the trees, turning dark purple to a rich wood. Branches are now adorned with the familiar color of autumn leaves, shading almost every inch of the ground. Few rays of sunlight make it through the leaves, lighting up the forest. The fog lifts and the air smells fresh.

Dream's mouth hangs open. He doesn't know what to say or do. He takes a step forward, looking around in awe.

As if remembering Dream's presence, the griffin's head snaps in Dream's direction, it's feathers ruffling.

"Don't be afraid," George says, looking at Dream.

"It looks like it wants to eat me for lunch," Dream mutters, unsure. George shoots him a deadpan stare, and Dream swallows. He walks forward to stand by George.

George grabs Dream's wrist and lays his hand on the smooth feathers of the griffin's head. George releases Dream's wrist. "His name is Lavlji," George says, his lips tugged up in a smile.

"How do you know that?"

"He told me," George says, amused.

"Right," Dream mutters, grinning as the griffin leans into his touch, "I forgot you're like the prince of this place."

George laughs softly, crossing his arms as he watches Dream. "He likes you."

Dream looks at the forest around them before his eyes settle on George curiously. "I can see why it's called the Enchanted Forest now."

"Majka protects the forest with her magic. Without it, we'd've been snuffed out by..." George doesn't finish his sentence. He doesn't need to.

Lavlji studies Dream after George's words, head tilted. "Can he understand us?"

George looks at the griffin. "Yeah."

"Oh... cool," Dream says. He clears his throat. "What do we do now?"

"We keep going," George says and starts walking. Dream almost smiles. He shares a look with Lavlji, who follows Dream when he starts walking.

At the sight of the griffin following him, Dream looks between George and Lavlji, hoping for an explanation. George isn't looking at him, though. Dream jogs to catch up with George, glancing behind to find Lavlji following contentedly.

"He's... uh, following us. What do I do?" Dream looks at George, puzzled.

George stops, looking at the griffin, shocked. He seems to search Dream's face for an explanation. "You've imprinted with him. You're his partner now." At the words, a link in his chest seems to form, tugging him to Lavlji.

Dream's mouth drops. "I— uhm, why me?"

George seems just as confused. Lavlji sits by Dream's feet, blinking with owl-ish eyes. His eyes seem to ask, "Why not?"

Dream doesn't know how to read the expression on George's face. Something akin to bewilderment and amazement. George says, "I guess he sees something in you."

They both stare at the griffin, equally confused.

What does he see in Dream? Dream wishes he knew.

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a/n - "majka" and "lavlji" are croatian in case you wanted to know :) lavlji means leonine, which means lion-like

two chapters today! love you all <3