Chapter 3

Today was the day. Eneres felt it quivering in her bones, all the way up to the tips of her fur, which made them stand on end. Today was the day to escape this dreadful paradise and be reunited with her Cheza.

Nothing around her pointed to signs of that particular event happening, but as you know, being cooped up for so long, anything seems possible when the air changes.

Giving herself a good roll in the grass and a satisfying shake, Eneres trotted over to the peculiar pool and waded in as far as she could go before it reached her belly, for once you got in too deep, there was no coming out (the current was horrifyingly swift and strong). She hindered a yelp, for the water was quite hot; not to the point of boiling but enough to get some form of a loud noise out of you if you weren't expecting it.

Then she sat. Making herself as comfortable as possible in the greenish area of the pool, she took three deep breaths and opened her piercing eyes, staring into the ebony center of the pool. This was the best way to scry into other worlds of Myu's. She stared long and hard, forcing herself not to blink or even flicker her eyes away to watch the sparkle of the verdant grass surrounding the pool. Scrying took a lot of hard work and concentration, and one day, when it just happened and Eneres began to investigate, it took her what seemed like months to completely master it.

All her work had paid off. Dimly, in the very center of the pool (though growing brighter and larger) was an image. Almost like a mirage, Eneres struggled to make sense of it in her brain as it grew bigger, while still intently watching. It was a white wolf, running dizzily from beneath a God-be-damned nemurigusuri plant (sleeping drug).

I pity the fool, thought Eneres, a wolfish smile playing around her lips. Ah well, all the better for me.

The white wolf drug itself into a perfect twin of the grass that Eneres had come to know so well, where it collapsed next to a pool not unlike her own and washed its face. Both it and Eneres heard a small sound, and the white wolf looked up to find Myu sitting across from it. Eneres shrunk back a bit, for Myu always knew what was going on in her other worlds too, and she would probably not favor Eneres' spying into them (if she did, Eneres' plan would be ruined anyway). The ivory pelted wolf finished washing its face, and now Eneres guessed that it was trying to find a way to continue to wherever it was going.

"Stop following me," it said, in what was most certainly a male voice, for Myu was not far behind him. Eneres could not hold back a small snigger.

"But why not?" answered Myu innocently.

"Aren't you terrified of me?"

"Not a bit," Myu smiled gaily.

"I'm a wolf, you know." Eneres almost busted a gut.

"Well isn't that obvious, silly?"

The wolf turned and walked further in the grass, clearly already starting to get annoyed with Myu's childish behavior. He turned around once more to tell Myu to stop once again, when she disappeared from behind him. She giggled once more (Eneres rolled her eyes) and the wolf spun around to find her about 50 yards ahead of him. Ooh, how magical, thought Eneres sarcastically. Happens to all of us, buddy.

He caught up with Myu only to find something that made Eneres gasp. The hill led down into a ravine filled with trees and wildlife. A mid-size lake was off to the right, and mountains closed off the pretty picture in the far back, from east to west. Ducks, deer, buffalo, and other animals dotted the landscape as they grazed on the fake grass Myu had created for them. Lovely wildflowers added to the terrain and the snow-topped mountains stood foreshadowing all below them. This was the exact same scene Myu had painted for her when she had first arrived. Make friends with them now, torture them later, mused Eneres. Of course this was all fake; an illusion created by Myu to stun and dazzle her prey and keep them there until . . . until . . . well, we won't go there.

"Is this . . . Paradise?" gaped the new wolf.

"Paradise?" said Myu, playing innocent.

"That place where you can be free. I've been searching for it my whole life." Eneres snarled viciously at the mention of the true Paradise of which the wolf was speaking, and almost aimed for the newcomer's neck when she remembered that it was just an image.

"If that's what you think it is," lulled Myu. "Then it must be. This is a paradise made just for you."

Eneres knew what would happen next: Myu would make friends with the newcomer and they would romp and play for what seemed like hours, and stay together for what seemed like an eternity, where the stranger's mind would begin to lose its hold on the reality it once knew. Then at night (in the white wolf's world) she would sneak away and check on her other prisoners – namely Eneres – and do the same with them. But Eneres had a different plan.

"Kiba, will you stay with me here forever?" asked Myu, a longing look of pity in her eyes that could fell any great beast after they had run around for a bit.

Kiba. So that's your name.

Eneres broke her gaze with the middle of the pool and the image disappeared into the blackness. She splashed out of the water, rubbing her stomach and behind along the grass to dry off as much as possible, for since Myu controlled the worlds, night could come any time. But being warmed by the water anyway, it wasn't long before Eneres drifted into one of her own deep sleeps.

KIBA, Kiba, Kiba. KIBA, Kiba,Kiba.. It started off strong, then drifted away.

"Who's there?" I called, hoping it was Cheza, come to take me home away from this amazing place.

KIBA,Kiba, Kiba. This time it was Tsume.

KIBA,Kiba,Kiba. This time it was Hige.

KIBA, Kiba, Kiba. This time it was Toboe.

"Who's there?" I repeated. "Where are you; I can't see."

Kiba.

This time it was different. Not as wispy as Cheza's voice, but strong and caring with a hint of sadness and longing. I turned to find myself face to face with a silvery gray she-wolf with penetrating golden-green eyes and the sleekest, bushiest tail I ever saw. She was beautiful.

"Run," she said, her eyes growing wide and fearful. "Run away, Kiba."

"What?" I said, completely confused.

"Run, or she'll get you like she did me."

"Get you? I…" I had no clue what was going on. "How? How do I get out of here?"

"If you take me with you, I'll show you."

"But…how do I know if you're an enemy?"

"I can take you to her."

"Who?"

"Cheza."

I gasped. "I'll do it."

"May Tor be with you," she whispered.

I had no idea who this was, but I had a strange feeling come upon me. I stood there blankly until she faded from my memory, then I woke up.

It was done. In a few days, this paradise would be long gone from Eneres' existence.