Chapter 4: Dreams

Sleep didn't come easy to Jennifer Wood that night. She tossed and turned, punched her pillow several times before falling into a fitful slumber.

"Jennifer Wood," a voice called softly. But there was no body only blackness. "You have finally come."

Jennifer frowned, "where are you?" she called through the encroaching darkness.

"Follow my voice."

Jennifer walked hesitantly towards the darkness, and saw a door. It was locked. "How do I go through?"

"The Key around your neck, show it to the door."

She felt the Key heavy on her chest, picking it up she showed it to the door, knowing that it wouldn't open.

She gasped.

The door opened and bright sunlight came through, blinding her.

"Don't come through, just stand and watch," the voice was exultant.

"Who are you?"

"Look for yourself," a young mare approached. It was a chestnut, with a white blaze down the nose, and her hooves were black, with a white sock to her knee on the left foreleg. Her deep brown eyes were thoughtful. "You are nothing like your mother," she mused to herself. "Usually when I showed myself they woke up terrified."

"This is a dream," getting over the shock of seeing a talking horse. "Isn't it?"

"Its what you think it is."

"A dream," Jennifer said firmly. "Nothing else."

"Has Doris come to you?"

Jennifer nodded her head, "today, with Shadow."

The mare's laughter was like waterfalls, "so that devious Shadow is your dog?"

She nodded again.

"Then that stands to reason why you wouldn't answer me last night, when I called."

The mare looked horse enough but it spoke like a human, with its own personality. Jennifer reached out her hand, "what is your name?"

"My name?" the mare was completely taken aback. "Sorry most don't ask for my name. I'm known as Blaze. No doubt for this coat," she looked down her back. "I'm the only one in my herd like this," she added cheerfully.

"Herd?" Jennifer said blankly. "You mean there are more of you?"

She danced on her slender legs. "Oh yes, all animals live here."

"All animals?"

"Oh dear," she sighed, regretfully. "I forgot you don't know about the other animals." Blaze went into deep thought, her red fringe hanging in her eyes, she flicked her head absently.

"Blaze, how do I go through?"

"You can't come through til the weekend," she said absently still thinking.

"What other animals live here?"

She snorted, "other animals?" she said blankly. "Oh yes the others. Well there are horses, deer, very flighty. Birds of all kind, umm what else is there?" she said thoughtfully looking up to the sky. "Ah Tigers, lions and all other Cats. Bears, and if your really lucky Fairy's and Unicorns and all that." She gazed at Jennifer completely for the first time. "Aren't you scared?"

Jennifer was going to nod her head, "I was. Are there people here?"

Blaze's eyes widened. "Humans? Good God no. Only the Green Witch, and Black Man, live here."

"Green Witch and Black Man, they are humans," Jennifer looked totally confused.

"Not human. Green Witch and Black Man," she replied firmly.

"What are they if they are not human?"

"What they are is Green Witch and Black Man," she replied icily. Then her voice softened. "We do not know what they are. Only if we have troubles we go to them, all animals revere them. There used to be another Witch but we do not know what happened to her."

"What was her name?"

"Her name?" surprised flickered in her eyes. "You don't know her name?"

Jennifer shook her head.

"Her name is White Witch, also by the other two Isabelle Woodsy."

Jennifer blinked, "my family name got changed from that to Wood!"

Blaze bowed to her, her knee on the ground. "You have returned to us at last."

"Wait a second," completely taken aback by Blaze bowing. "I haven't returned yet."

"No wonder you never left once I showed myself," her voice was on the verge of worship as she stood up; she also looked uncomfortable for some reason.

"Is this place real?"

"Real as you or I."

"How come I haven't woken up yet?"

"You don't want to wake up. This is your home."

"When I do wake up and go back to sleep tomorrow you will still be here?"

Blaze nodded her head vigorously. "I am your's. Not to own, but I help your family out," her eyes grew distant. "The weekend you will bring Shadow, won't you?"

Jennifer frowned, "yeah I'll bring her."

"Good, she was a real chatter-box. Thinks very highly of you, she does."

"Pardon? Did you just say that you can talk to a dog?"

Blaze nodded again, "all animals talk to each other. You can have a conversation with a Tiger before he eats you. The Fairies are a little harder, their voices are very high," she nodded knowingly.

"I must be mad!" she exclaimed out loud. "Horses talking to me, the doorway is to another place."

"Mad? What is mad?" her expression was confused. "I have not heard of mad spoken this way."

Jennifer blinked, "mad means crazy in the head, the way I spoke about it."

"Oh that clears up a lot of things. I always wonder what Black Man means when he says that."

Jennifer smiled at Blaze; "I'm waking up. See you tomorrow?"

"Yes, yes. Cheerio!" She flicked her mane in farewell and pawed the air as Jennifer faded.