They ran hard. More than once, they heard the creature roar behind them. Neither of them turned to track it's progress through the trees. The noise it made let him know that it was not far behind. It would have been a wasted effort anyway. Dren clutched painfully hard to his hand. It wasn't until they reached the cave and squeezed through the small opening that she released him and spun to face him. Anger flashed in her eyes.

"I do not know much of your world but in mine when your protector orders you to run you do as you are told. You could have gotten me killed. But worse YOU could have gotten yourself killed." She reached out and grabbed a handful of his shirt she shook it - hard. "Without you my world dies! I don't fear death but I prefer that it at least mean something, No matter the prophecy."

He grabbed her hand and forced her to release him. "Look, in my world we don't leave a woman to face our battles for us. We protect our women." he said yelling and added, "And just so you bloody know, this dream has lost any appeal it once had and I'm more than ready for it to end. So..." He turned and found a smooth spot along the cave wall. He fell into this dream sleeping and figured he could fall out of it that same way.

Her eyes narrowed as she watched him settle on the ground with his back to the wall. A breeze fluttered into the cave and made the hem of her dress dance. He deliberately closed his eyes. Stupid, sexy see-threw dress, he though with a scowl.

"This is no dream, Sir. I give my word it is not. What may I say to convince you?" She asked her brows knotting in thought.

Still he ignored her and didn't open his eyes. He thought of a bar in Louisiana. It smelled of smoke and Cajun food. It served the best beer and crawfish you ever tasted. He was going to head there when he finally woke from this dream.

"James. You must listen. This is not a dream. We truly are in danger." He felt her kneel beside him. That was not a surprise but the hand she placed on his knee was. His eyes almost jerked wide opened. She gave his knee a shake.

He opened his eyes slowly. He took a slow breath and released it in frustration. "Lady, I'm going to sleep and short of stripping off that dress and climbing on my lap you can't stop me." He watched the shock and understanding move over her features. Her eyebrows arched almost to her hairline.

"You wish to bond me? Now? Already? The creature is still close. I ..." Her hand jerked back from his leg as if she just realized it was there. No words came out for a moment but then she rushed on. "I do not wish to bond you. I'm sorry but I do not. I know you are the man of prophecy but I cannot." Her voice shook.

He moved to settle back. She took a jerky step away. He growled. "I'm only getting comfortable. I've never forced anyone and I'll sure as hell not start with you." He settled against the rock and closed his eyes.

After a moment, she spoke in a voice just above a whisper. "That is it? You will not force me to bond with you?" Her voice made it clear that she didn't believe it.

"That's it. You say no. I won't touch you. Now, I'll go to sleep." He told her. He didn't even try to suppress the yawn that followed his words. "If you would lay down somewhere I'll sleep better." his voice making it clear that he would prefer she made that spot somewhere on the other side of the cave.

She didn't say anything but he heard her move around. After a minute, she settled on the other side of the small cave.

James finally slept his dreams filled with monsters and sexy females that looked all too much like Dren. These Dren lookalikes had no problem finding him attractive. They kissed, touched, and made him proud to be a man.

"Sir James. Sir James. We must go. Time is short. We slept too long. Sir James. "

James tried to push away the voice that called him from slumber but something pushed at his chest.

Ripped from sleep, he turned over to his back. He groaned. "I'm awake." He sat up and opened his eyes. As soon as his eyes landed on Dren, he spewed a string of curses that would have made a pirate blush. Dren didn't blush. She didn't look upset at his choice of words either.

"We must go. We have been here too long. We have wasted hours. We must go." She told him.

James just stared at her for a few minutes. "Okay. I get it. This is real but you better start explaining how it could be." He finally said with a mixture of awe and dread in his tone.

"I will but we must go." She assured him. They picked up their belonging and exited the cave.

"Is that thing still out here?" James asked.

"I believe it has gone. But you must be wary there are many things that hunt. Come, Sir James, we need to move quickly."

Just as the day before she set a fast pace. Despite the nights the rest and his experience his muscles protested.

Birds called from the trees high overhead and James pushed forward following her lead.

"The village is just a mile west, we will find a welcome there," she told him after hours on the trails. Joy played in her tone but he could tell that she tried to hide it. Still he heard it and shared it.

The past hours had provided a lot of time to think. He admitted that this was not like any dream he had had before but it was also far from any reality he had ever known. The only other explanation to cross his mind was a hallucination, from what he had absolutely no idea.

But the ache in his legs defied that last thought. Hallucinations did not produce localized pain.

Soon the trees became less dense giving way to small patches of low-lying green. James saw only one shelter and it appeared unoccupied. The single window by the door was broken and the grey tattered curtain fluted in the soft breeze. The path leading to the door was over grown with grass and spikey weeds. The door itself stood slightly open but remained still. An animal called from ahead drawing his attention away from the house.

"It's just a wrenr. Like a dog where you come from. He knows we are here," she said from beside him. He looked over as she spoke and noted her soft smile. Her eyes were looking forward but he would have bet that they too had that soft look.

The barking/meowing came again. She pressed her hand to her mouth and the still air erupted in a piercing screech. It would have stopped any cab on a New York street.

"Reuor." she called on the heels of the whistle.

They turned a ben and James quickly noted the scattered houses, the rock boundaries, the decorations in some of the small yards, the funniest of these a large planter had been tipped over with flower arranged as if they had spilled and grew before someone could set it up again.

Paths were worn from feet and wagons between the widest area and smaller paths to each small home.

"The council is on the other side of the village." Dren told him as they walked the village road. "Most of the people will be there."

Just as she quit speaking two large silver streaks of fur bound toward them. She laughed and bent down to pet them as they came to a quivering stop at her feet.

They didn't look like dogs to James. They looked more like jackals with silver sheep's' fur, wide ears and big blue eyes.

James leaned down to touch the one closest to him but the head turned and revealed sharp rows of teeth as it emitted a deep low growl in warning.

"Reuor and Elur meet James. He is a friend. You may greet him as such not as a trespasser." Her voice was firm but held deep warmth for the creatures she spoke to. They in turn seemed to study her and seeing that she meant what she said turned to look at James. James had drawn back a step and now looked at the quivering animals. "You may touch them now. They will not harm you." Dren said.

James remembered the teeth and hesitated. Dren moved closer to James and placed a hand on his arm. "I tell you truth. They will not harm you."

"Yes, well, I get the feeling that although they look almost harmless they are anything but." he said not looking at her but at them.

"This is true but they will not harm you. You have been introduced as friend." she assured him.

James looked up at Dren. The woman was full of contradictions. Half the time she made him feel like she detested him the rest of the time she sent so many mixed signals he didn't know what he felt much less what she felt. Now she looked at him and he felt his gut tighten in responds. He pushed the feeling aside and stepped forward. One of the creatures tilted it's head as James reached out to stroke it.

His fingers sank into the silver fur like a cloud. James couldn't think of anything this soft. He almost jerked back when he felt the rumble beneath his fingers, the animal purred. He reached out with his other hand and stroked the other animal. After a moment it too begin to purr.

"Wrenrs are amazing. They understand languages, all languages. They can't speak but they do communicate. And as you said, they can be dangerous too. They are territorial. They usually mate for life." She laughed as one of them rubbed up against James and knocked him down. "They are playful too." She said with a laugh.

James grunted in response. The larger of the animals pressed forward. It's face only inches from his. It's eyes gleamed as if in amusement. "Playful?" he said to it. It didn't seem to be at all strange that he was talking to a strange animal. "Well move back so I can stand please," he added.

The animal moved back. James sat for a moment longer, stunned at the quick response. Realizing that Dren was looking at him as he sat sprawled in the dirt pushed him quickly to his feet. A sound like a purr and a laugh mixed emanated from the smaller animal. James looked at Dren but if she heard, she didn't give any sign of it.

"Come. We need to meet the others." She said. "Elur will escort us, so Reuor may guard the village."

"Sure. Sure. Lead the way." James said and gave a flourished wave of his arm in a mock gesture.

She swept past him without even looking at him. Elur padded silently by her side.

This dream was becoming more tedious by the minute. He looked back the way they had come from. Reuor looked up at him and then looked over at Dren and Elur. The words, you need to follow, floated through his mind. It was just a faraway whisper said in an unfamiliar male voice. James looked around but saw only Dren and Elur still walking away. Go, the voice said.

James moved. He turned and followed Dren.