Silverclaw

Nightmares

 A shadow dropped from the nearby trees, and a figure quickly took form, tall and rangy with burning red eyes that looked like the coals from a fire. The figure moved jerkily, as if it wasn't used to having a body, but it was fast, and in seconds it had Anya by the throat and up against a tree, making her gag in pain and desperation.

 Yowling angrily, Princess tried to shift, only to find that she was sealed into her house cat form. Not giving up, she threw herself at the figure, but it simply swatted her away, sending her flying through the air-and through the barrier.

 She landed on her back and scrambled onto her paws, her back arched as she hissed with anger. Taking a step back, she stopped when she felt the cool metal of the sword against the pad of her paw.

 Whirling around, she sank her teeth into the leather wrapped around the hilt and tried to drag it to Anya, only to find it was too heavy for her to lift. Swivelling back around, she was just in time to see the figure rake its claws down Anya's belly, slicing her skin as if it were butter beneath a hot knife.

 Crying out, Princess leapt back through the barrier, her mind reaching for and finding Anya's even as it faded. Princess locked Anya's mind to hers, just as her paws touched Anya's chest.

 An explosion rocked the forest, white light pouring out around them, causing the figure to release Anya and back away, covering its eyes with one clawed hand. When the light faded, it lowered the hand to find something that had never been seen before.

 Anya and Princess had merged, not just in mind, but in body as well, making them a mix of human and cat that now hissed and spat at the figure in fury, even as the wounds that it had inflicted on Anya healed right before its eyes.

 It backed away as the thing that was Anya and Princess straightened up, rage blazing in the ice-blue eyes that bore into the figure relentlessly. They held out their hand towards the sword, and it shot through the barrier into their hand. The next instant, the figure's head was rolling across the ground, closely followed by its body.

 The two stared down at the figure, then down at themselves.

 Anya, is this real? What's going on?

 I don't know, Princess, but it feels... right. Like this is how the Bond between Partners should be.

 But we can't stay like this, Anya. How do we turn back?

 I honestly have no idea. Princess, thank you. If you hadn't leapt for me at that precise moment, we would both be dead.

 'You should be, Anya. You were lucky, very lucky. Not many survive an encounter with their nightmares.' Esmerelda stepped out of the nearby trees, her eyes shining in the shadows. 'As for turning back, Princess will first need to release her grip on your mind. After that, it will happen perfectly naturally. Although, you might want to wait a while first.'

 The thing that was Anya and Princess swallowed before trying to speak, the sound that came from their throat a mix of their two voices.

 'What is this, Esmerelda? What's going on?'

 'This is the Dream Bond, in its purest form. Now that you know what it is, you will be able to do this again, but in the real world, not the spirit one. As for what's going on, this is why I brought you here. The two of you separate are nowhere near as strong as when you are together, which is why I said that we had been waiting for you, Princess.'

 'We see... but why would that figure attack us like that?'

 'That was a Nightmare Figure, sent by the Silver Lady's twin brother, the Star Father. There will be more on their way, so we should return to the house immediately. You're still not strong enough to face all of them, not yet. Oh, and you will need a name while in this form. People cannot call you by your individual names, after all.'

 They nodded, and then consulted with each other as to what to call themselves.

 'Esmerelda, may we use your name? We think that Faidheach will be the most suitable for this form.'

 Esmerelda's face lit up as she grinned.

 'A good name for it indeed. Come, now. We need to leave this place. You have the Mind Sword, and that is the most important thing that you needed. Quickly, now, we can't stay here any longer.'

 Turning, she strode away through the trees, with the newly named Faidheach following her. Clumsy at first, she tripped over her paws several times before she got the hang of them, the Mind Sword hanging from her hand, which held it loosely even as she stayed prepared to use it. It wasn't long before they reached the farm house, which now looked different.

 Instead of wood, it was stone, and rose several stories into the air above them. A wall with battlements surrounded the building, strong and impregnable against attack. Esmerelda stopped by the gates and looked at Faidheach, who stared back at her blankly. Esmerelda smiled.

 'Faidheach, the key is around your neck. I can't open this gate, only you can.'

 Faidheach jumped a little, then reached up to find the choker that she still wore, the one with the silver musical note hanging from it. Looking at the gate again, she saw that there was a depression in the shape of the same note in the wood. Reaching behind her neck, she untied the ribbon and caught the piece of silver in her hand so she could press it into the depression. There was a loud click, and the gate swung open to reveal an army of people waiting just beyond. They cheered at the sight of them, thrusting their swords into the air as they roared with approval.

 Esmerelda smiled. 'Welcome to your fortress, Faidheach. It is from here that you will fight your nightmares in the weeks to come.'

 'Weeks?! But there are people expecting us!'

 'It will be at night only, Faidheach. You need not worry about that.' Esmerelda smiled calmly. 'For now, though, you have work to do in the Waking World.' Her hand shot up and she pushed one finger into Faidheach's forehead.

 With a gasp, Anya and Princess separated, even as they woke, sitting up so fast that Dievra, sat nearby, was taken by surprise. 'Majesty! She reached you, then. Thank the Silver Lady! Okril, Darian! They're awake!' Dievra called for the others, even as she jumped to her feet herself.

 Amelie and Iris whirled around from where they had been caring for their equipment. 'Anya! Thank the Great Mother, you've finally woken up!' They jumped on Anya, hugging her happily as she laughed.

 'Dievra, how long have we been asleep? It can't have been that long, can it?'

 'You were asleep a week before Princess decided to try and Dream Bond with you, Anya. After that, you slept another five days.'

 'Silver Lady above! Twelve days? I slept for twelve days?!'

 'Yes, Majesty.'

 'No wonder I'm so thirsty, then.' Anya blinked as her stomach growled, and blushed a deep red as her friends laughed. She didn't have to say any thing else, however, as at that moment Darian and Okril ran into the camp. Seeing Anya, Darian rushed over and pulled her into his arms. 'Don't you ever scare us like that again, Anya! Twice in one year isn't good! Please, you must promise me to be more careful!'

 Anya hugged him back, and then gently pushed him away so she could speak to him. 'Darian, I have responsibilities. You know that. I can't be as careful as Iris or Amelie would be, but I can promise to at least try.' She met his gaze and smiled sadly. 'It'll be a little easier now that Princess and I are Dream Bonded, though.'

 'What do you mean? Anya, you seem... I don't know, different somehow.'

 'In a way, we are.' Anya reached out to Princess, who purred and rubbed her head against Anya's fingers. 'Shall we show them, Princess? Show them Faidheach?'

 'Yes! The sooner they see her, the better!' Princess purred even louder, reaching for Anya's mind as Anya also reached out, the two of them merging their minds together with ease. Gasps all around them sounded, and when Faidheach opened her eyes, it was to find Darian gaping at her in shock.

 'I am Faidheach, Darian, but I am also Anya and Princess. We merged together to become one in mind and body.'