The familiar woods were darker than usual. I barely recognized them in the night.

I looked above me and found dark clouds moving across the moon casting unnatural shadows all around. Rain poured down all over me, making me shiver.

As the wind picked up, a quick flutter of color in the corner of my eye made me turn.

Two small children ran in the rain, holding hands as they did. At first, they looked like they were running as if in a game but I recognized the backpack on the muddy girls' shoulders.

I watched the younger-Damien and younger-me running across the wet forest floor.

I knew this memory - this dream I was in.

I was dreaming of the night Damien and I met.

I wanted to help but couldn't. I was paralyzed in fear only being able to watch as the familiar dread and fear of that night washed over me.

I watched as we ran away, holding hands then the men came into view. But they were different from what I remembered. I always thought that they were both in armor. But there was only one.

The man had dark hair and was slender, he moved quickly, not burdened by his heavy armor. He was moving fast, much faster than the young children.

The man that was with him was the opposite. He wasn't in armor like I originally thought. He was in poor clothes - his dark flimsy tunic was stained with mud. He was not equipped for the cold night around us and the rainy weather was only making it worse.

And he was skinny, so skinny – like he hadn't eaten in weeks. His long silver hair was drenched and he shook as he slowly followed. But he gave no chase. Everything about him was opposite of the Dark-Haired Man.

I watched as younger me and Damien struggled to keep pace to out-run him but we were no match. I watched as I fell and Damien pushed me out of harm's way just as the Dark-Haired Man caught up.

I hugged my arms, feeling the cold breeze and rain pick up again.

I couldn't watch but couldn't turn away from the memory.

He picked up Damien by the front of his shirt collar like I remembered.

"You thought you could get away," the Dark-Haired Man growled.

I stared in amazement. I'd never been able to hear their conversations before. As hard as I tried in the years after, I could never remember the words spoken that night. Eventually, I'd given up thinking that I couldn't understand what they were saying.

But this dream ...

Was it a dream?

I couldn't be that creative after all these years.

Was I reliving the memory?

"Stupid boy," he continued. "I killed your guards, you think I won't do the same to you?"

Young Damien struggled, his eyes looking at the younger me in a soft, pleading way. He was begging me to leave him.

I watched the young-me shake her head. I wasn't going to leave him.

Rain started to come down even harder than the drizzling that started minutes ago. We were all starting to get soaked to the bone, my clothes were sticking to me.

A splash of pink flashed before me and I turned to the girl in the mud. She was throwing things at them just like I remembered. Tears streamed from her eyes as she continued to feebly throw rocks and sticks after the pink backpack was no use.

The Dark-Haired Man turned to the Silver-Haired one. "Kill her."

The Silver-Haired Man shook his head. "No, Alteazor. I will not murder a child that has nothing to do with this -"

"Run!"

I looked at Damien as he dangled in the man's hands as he clutched his shirt. "Run, you stupid girl! Run for your life!"

She shook her head, sobbing.

The Dark-Haired Man growled. He lifted his hand and slapped the Silver-Haired Man clear across the face. His jaw crack and he spun to the ground.

"You will do as I say! I don't care if you are the last of your kind! If you do not kill her, I will kill you myself!"

He shook his head and he huddled on the ground, regaining himself. "I will not kill an innocent!"

The Dark-Haired man looked at my younger self. His eyes locked with hers. He was snarling like an animal as he watched her, his perfect white teeth showing. I felt an instinctive need to stand between them even if it wouldn't do anything in my dream. I couldn't move though, fear rooted me to the ground.

He didn't let go of Damien as he watched my younger self.

"Run!" The man on the ground choked out. "Run, little girl!"

I watched as the little girl didn't move. The fear I felt that night returned, swallowing me from the inside, freezing my heart, making it pump ice into my veins.

I watched the Dark-Haired Man almost transform right before me. He had a mask of pure rage, he was so mad he was snarling and baring teeth like an animal. Then, as I watched him, his face changed. It went from pure, hot hatred then slowly to bewilderment and then finally amusement.

His eyes darted back between the younger-me then to the silver-haired man at his feet.

And then ...

He laughed. Actually laughed.

His laughter made the hair on my arm stand on end.

"Yes! Fortune smiles on me! There is no better way to end my day!" He stopped laughing and turned to Damien in his hand. "Well, yes there is."

Everything seemed to slow down in front of me. Like time was no longer moving. I held my breath as I watched the man that was previously on the floor stand then charge towards my young self. I turned my head away, squinting my eyes shut as hard as I could waiting for the inevitable as the large man came running -

A loud tap at the window woke me from my nightmare. I was gasping, my throat dry. I touched my forehead, there was a trail of sweat on my brow.

I took a deep breath to calm my erratic heart.

I looked around the room and slowly the day's events came back to me. I'd left Leah's house, went to the local mobile store and after my phone was replaced went back home.

I looked at my brand-new phone, still without the familiar picture of me and Woof on the lock screen. The time showed it was still early evening.

Another tap startled me and I turned my attention to the window. A raven sat at the corner of the closed window outside, ruffling its black feathers.

He tapped the window again.

Perplexed, I walked to the window and opened it.

The raven patiently waited as I opened the window. I recognized the unnatural hazel eyes as soon as I kneeled down to eye-level with it.

"Cat?"

He nodded.

The raven actually nodded.

I blinked. "I'm losing my mind."

The raven shook its head.

I continued to stare at it. "I really am losing my mind."

He squawked again in anger then pointed at me with its beak. After a couple of more seconds of playing gestures, I finally understood what he was meaning.

"Yes, I'm fine. It was just a dream. Nothing to be afraid of."

He seemed to be happy after that and after a moment of silence, I asked, "Have you been following me?"

He seemed to be taken aback at my question and his gesturing stopped.

"Why aren't you answering my question? Has Damien told you not to answer?"

He again puffed his chest and gave reverent bow with his wings stretched out on either side.

When he didn't move, I asked, "Are you avoiding my questions?"

He again didn't move.

Indignation burned in me. More secrets. Secrets that involved me, which was worse.

How long was Damien going to keep things from me?

I always knew he kept secrets from me but lately ...

Lately, it'd been worse, especially since he became King. More than ever now with Leah ...

"Fine," I almost screamed. "Don't tell me anything."

"Emmy?"

I froze and followed the voice below in the driveway.

Chris looked up at me with confused eyes. "Are you screaming at that bird?"

I tried to think of an excuse but couldn't think of any. "No...?" I cleared my throat. "What are you doing here?"

He showed me the folder in his hands. "I just had to bring these over – on a Saturday night."

I snorted then laughed. "Your mom, right?"

He shrugged.

The raven squawked calling my attention and he shook his head.

The raven shook his head!

I whispered to the raven. "Are you being serious right now?" The fury returned and before I could stop myself, I yelled over to Chris in the driveway. "Hey, you want to go out for a bite to eat? I'm starving."

He nodded. "Yeah, maybe that will get them off our backs?"

I nodded enthusiastically. "You read my mind!" Almost read my mind. I really needed to get out of the house. "Give me a couple of minutes, I'll meet you outside."

The raven squawked and ruffled his feathers in vehemence.

"Oh, hush," I told him. "Neither you nor Damien are the boss of me."