Dash was running. He was running through a forest. The trees were speeding past him, leaves crunching under his feet as they smashed onto the ground over and over again.
Behind him, something darted between the trees. He could hardly hear it but he could feel it's movements as it zipped back and forth, chasing him down.
It feels like he's been running for hours, the moon's been out the whole time but it was finally starting to set. But instead of being replaced by sunlight, the moon's soft glow was slowly being replaced with an inky darkness. It was making it harder to see where Dash was going. He stopped behind a tree and pressed his back against it, heaving in air as he caught his breath.
Suddenly, bark flew off the tree and past his ear. He could hear a scraping down the bark and he took that as his cue to start running again.
What could be following him? What had the stamina for this?
He ran and ran, but he could feel it get closer and closer. Just as he felt it right behind him, Dash tripped on a tree root and flew to the ground. Rolling onto his back, he looked up in horror.
Standing above him was Danny, glowing brightly, eyes filled with green.
Danny stooped down over Dash, baring his teeth, his nose curled. He looked over Dash's face, not a trace of recognition in his eyes.
"Danny, please." Dash whispered.
Danny cocked his head at his name, his brow raised in confusion.
"Danny…" Dash tried reaching up towards Danny's face, but he retaliated, pinning Dash's hand back down. Dash started struggling, and the next thing he knew Danny's face took over his vision until it all turned black and he was opening his eyes.
Dash took a deep, sudden breath. Above him was a concerned, normal looking Danny.
"Dash? Are you okay?"
Pulling Danny down to his chest, Dash squeezed him in a tight hug.
"Dash what's wrong?" Danny asked, his voice muffled.
"Nothing. I'm just… Glad you're okay. That you're here."
Danny freed one of his arms and gently brought it up to run through Dash's hair. "Of course I'm here. Where else would I be?"
Dash shrugged, mumbling an incoherent response, already being lulled back to sleep by the warmth of Danny and the soft scratches in his hair.