Prompt: Something was different when they woke up.

This was fun! Not sure why I find nightmares so fun though...

Cole stood upon the grassy knoll, looking down at the valley where his sister and the princess sat, talking quietly. It was a beautiful day. The clouds sailed past like ships on the sea, and the flowers seemed alive as they danced in the wind. The wind murmured as it blew through the trees.

Suddenly his attention was caught by a movement across the field. There was a rustling of the bushes. Cole crouched, trying to see better. A vicious, brutal looking wolf emerged and advanced on the two does below and his breath caught. "Look out!" he shouted, but the wind carried his voice away and they did not hear. "Hey!" he yelled louder. He couldn't get them to hear him, no matter how hard he yelled.

He stopped yelling and ran down the hill. The does still didn't see the wolf. Couldn't Heyna tell they were in such danger? They just waved at Cole. The wolf, seeing him going to protect them, burst into a sprint. There was no way. The wolf would reach them first. Cole couldn't reach them in time.

Yet, somehow, he did. He didn't know how, but he leapt past the does. He reached for his scabbard to draw his sword and plunge it into the wolf's heart as the wolf leaped forward, but his hand closed on air. The wolf barreled past him, toward the unsuspecting princess.

Cole sat up straight at the sound of the creaking door, his hand going to his bedside where there was always a sword, but again his hand closed on air. There was nothing there.

He looked up at the opening door and Picket entered. He saw Cole's harried expression. "What is it?" he asked. When Cole didn't reply, he answered the question himself. "Did you have a nightmare?"

Cole swallowed, the memory of the bloodthirsty monster going toward his sister still frresh in his mind. He nodded. He fingered the air where his sword hilt should be. He'd forgotten he'd removed it. Everyone had, who had been accustomed to have one. There was no need for weapons in peacetime.

Picket walked to stand beside him as he perched on the edge of the bed. "I've had them too. Do you want to talk about it?"

Cole shook his head. "It seemed so real."

"That's because it was real," Picket said softly. "I still can't belive we lived through those htings. It's no wonder we have nightmares. Think of what we lived through."

Cole nodded, letting out his breath in a long whoosh. "Yeah. I haven't had one in a couple of weeks. I thought I was done. I guess, just like we kept going back to battles, I'll keep having these."

"there'll be a Mending someday though," Picket replied. "I hope so, anyway. For all of us."

Cole nodded again. "I'm just glad what I dreamed never really happened."

"So, you do want to talk about it?"

Cole shrugged. "Usually I don't, but… you'll understand this. A wolf attacked Heyna and Emma."

Picket's face portrayed his shock and sorrow. "And you couldn't do anything?"

"Pretty right." Cole's lips pressed tightly together. "I didn't have my sword. The wolf didn't even go for me. He went straight past toward Heyna."

Picket nodded, head down. "I've dreamed similar things about Heather. And the prince."

"Because they were the ones you protected," Cole agreed. "And I protected Emma and Heyna, well, I didn't really protect Heyna."

Picket chuckled. "No, you don't need to protect Heyna fro mmuch."

Cole smiled, but it quickly disappeared as he thought of the dream again. "No. This time though, she didn't see the wolf. I was the only one there to stop it."

Picket rubbed Cole's shoulder. "I understand. It's just something we have to go through now. It's not something we can control, sadly."

"Until the Mending of Dreams, that is."

Picket nodded. "I like that. The Mending of Dreams."

"Maybe Captain Moonlight would have some insight on that. He does operate the Citadel of Dreams, after all."

Picket laughed out loud. "That would be nice. That sure would be nice."

Cole stood. "Thanks, Pick, for talking. I'll be okay now."

Picket rose too. "You're welcome. It's the same with me, you know. Usually I talk to heather or Weezie. Sometimes Jo or Smalls. And then it's like, because you know it's not real, you're safe from it."

Cole smiled slightly. "Yep. I'll be sure to call on you tomorrow night and we can both talk about our dreams."

Picket shook his head. "I should hope we won't have them every night. I haven't for a while, and I don't want your gloomy pessimistic outlook on things to influence my mind."

Cole grinned. "I can respect that."

"Here's to good dreams," Picket said, toasting an invisible glass.

Cole held his cup up, then took a pretend swig. "To good dreams!"