Elfborn

The Dream World

"Pfah," Gillian snorted where she stood beside Naneen, markedly outside the small circle surrounding Lash. "Why do you lot even bother speaking to him? He's rude, boorish and makes no effort to be part of our company. I say let him die, if he wishes to die. And die alone!" Her friend and ally, Naneen quickly bobbed her head in fierce agreement.

But it was Max who spoke in reply, not the frowning Lash. Waving his friend to silence before he could reply, Max stood straighter, looking across at the two women with a frown of his own.

"We speak to him because he is a part of this company," he replied tightly, his own emotions on edge, "whether he wants to be, or not. Whether we want him or not! So we need to talk to him, to let him know that we still consider him a part of this group." He paused to look at an abruptly thoughtful Lash. "Besides, I have a feeling that he's more important to these people in black than any one of us. Perhaps all of us combined. And that might just be enough to save us."

Hearing his friend speak with such fervor, Lash looked up at him, his eyes narrowed. 'Why does he have such faith in me?' he silently wondered, studying Max's face for a moment. Then, with the same abruptness, he looked away. Perhaps his friend was right. Perhaps they did need to stick together to survive. Regardless, he had to pick the side he was going to fight for if he was going to live through this damn thing. Considering the alternative was a blasted land and a river of mud, the choice wasn't all that hard!

"While I think your faith is misplaced, Max," he began softly, his manner easing as he pondered on the things he had heard on the dream ship, "I think I may have come across something that is important to all of us."

"And you're willing to share it?" Heather asked quietly, holding up a hand to forestall Gillian's and Naneen's sharp words. "To truly become a part of our company? Because, lad, like it or not, as your friend just said, we are all in this together."

"That I know now," Lash admitted, still speaking in that low voice. "But before I speak, I need to ask all of you a question. Pray tell, have any of you dreamed since we left Arengal?"

A quick glance around the company revealed that all of them were slowly nodding, confused looks on their faces.

"As have I." He went on. "Now, let me ask you this: how many of you have dreamed of a broken and blasted land, dominated by a vast river of mud?"

Far fewer nods that time, coming only from Naneen, Heather, Garrett and Jase. Lash nodded grimly.

"I have had this dream," he husked tightly. He looked at Garrett, who stood closest. "How many times has this dream come to you, Garrett? Once? Twice?"

"Only once," Garrett answered, shaking his head as he remembered the nightmare playing inside his head. "And I thank the Maker for that! It was horrible the one time it did come!"

Lash nodded and turned to Heather, who was next.

"And you? How many times did it come to you, Heather?"

"Once," she admitted softly, glancing over at Garrett, before looking at Naneen and Jase. "I couldn't sleep for three nights afterward."

"I only saw it once too," Jase volunteered with a frown. "It was disturbing but didn't make me lose any sleep." He then grimaced. "Any more than the guards did, anyway!"

Lash smiled faintly at that before looking at Naneen.

"And you, Naneen? How many times did the dream come to you?"

The raven-haired young woman glanced quickly at Gillian, her face abruptly filled with fear and anxiety. At the blonde's quick nod, she looked back at Lash.