Sorry both for the sudden forwarding in days and the short, but I got a new idea recently and I want to get to it quick. Hope you enjoy it!

It has been six days since Sam was forbidden from seeing Flora. In total, she has been imprisoned with the sabers for almost two weeks now.

After another brutal offense session done by Oscar tonight, Flora turned around, and fell into a heavy sleep.

(Flora's POV)

What's happening? Where am I? I think to myself as I walk through the deserted wasteland.

"Flora!" I hear many voices say my name at the same time. I immediately recognized them, gasped happily and called out their names one by one.

"Mom, Dad, Cash, Bobby!(I'm not gonna write everyone in the herd's names because it would be way too long) I'm coming!" I run toward the encouraging voices.

"Come on Flora, you're getting closer!"

"You're almost there!"

"We missed you!"

Just one more minute! But the image changed so dramatically. Right when I caught a glimpse of the herd welcoming me with open arms(whatever arms were), I gasped in horror when I see my four captors take them all down with a swift tackle. I'm frozen to the ground with so much terror I can't even blink at the sight in front of me. Blood flowed down the hill and five sabers, three mammoths, two sloths, a pair of possums and a mole hog(let me know if I forgot anyone, and just a reminder, Flora doesn't know that Sandy is looking for her too) lay on the ground lifeless and the murders standing on their carcasses.

"NO!" I cried

"You poor thing." smirked Oscar with cruel sarcasm. "If only you listened to your father."

"Flora!"

I gasp again at the next victim who is pinned down underneath Soto.

"Sam!" I cried.

"Say good-bye!" growled Soto about to strike his paw to Sam.

"Flora!" Sam cried to me again, having the gleam in his eyes telling me to run.

"I'm not leaving you!" I proclaim stubbornly.

"Okay, the more victims the better." shrugged Oscar making a leap at me.

(Back to Normal POV)

"No, stop! Leave us alone!" Flora sobbed in her sleep from the nightmare she was experiencing.

"Flora. Flora." Sam kept repeating her name to wake her from her sleep trauma and stroked her paw that was sticking out from underneath the door with his to comfort her.

"Don't hurt us!" Flora snapped out of her sleep.

"Flora, it's just me." whispered Sam.

"Sam?" choked Flora through her tears. "You're back."

"Yeah, I'm back. You were having a nightmare."

"It was terrible. It started out so happy with my family calling me to them, then Soto and the others killed them. And you, you were-" Flora stopped at explaining and burst into tears again, too traumatized to finish the sentence.

"Shh. It's okay Flora. It was just a dream." Sam shushed Flora and stroked her paw soothingly. "You're fine, I'm fine and wherever your family is, I'm sure they're fine as well."

"It just seemed so real. It was terrifying and I don't think I'll ever be able to unlive it."

"That's what nightmares do to us. They make it look like bad things to us are actually happening in real life, but don't worry. You're safe."

"What are you doing here? Not that I'm upset about it, you're the only one of the sabers who I can have an actual conversation with and you haven't been back for so long, but what are you doing here?"

"After six days of me not going down to see you or even mentioning you, Soto decided that he could finally trust me with guarding as long as I don't look at you, let alone talk to you, but what he doesn't know won't hurt him."

"It's been six days already? Wow, I lost track of time."

"So did I, but who doesn't every once in a while?"

Flora sighed heavily ready to burst in tears again.

"What's wrong?" Sam asked, troubled by her tears. Flora went on explaining to him.

"When you stopped coming here, I thought Soto killed you or that you hated me and didn't want to see me anymore."

"Flora, why would I hate you? I would never even think about it."

"From the way I treated you. I really do owe you an apology for that."

"Don't be silly, you have nothing to apologize for."

"Yes I do! You were treating me with kindness, empathy and respect, giving me food and I paid you back with a silent treatment and a tantrum. I'm so sorry. I'm such a jerk. A big, stupid, jerk."

"Don't ever say that about yourself Flora. You're not stupid or a jerk. I don't blame you for acting that way you did to me. I'm sorry for lying to you and making you so distressed down there. If it were up to me, I would have never done that."

"It's okay. You didn't have a choice. I get how Soto is. I heard of him."

"You're right. I don't want to do this, but Soto is very powerful. Once you start working with him, you'll know that defying him is a big no-no."

Flora said nothing. Instead just stared at Sam's heeling scratch marks on his right cheek. "Did he do that?"

"What?"

"Soto. Did he scratch your face like that?"

"Yeah, he did. Don't worry about it."

"I can't help it. I know it' heeling, but still, I'm worried sick. When did he do that?"

"After he found out that I was seeing you."

"That's how he punished you? Sam, I'm so sorry."

"No, no, don't apologize, it's not your fault. It happened last week."

"I can't imagine how horrible it must be for you."

"It is, but trust me, Soto's done worse."

Flora was admiring Sam at the moment. Along with kind, sweet, sensitive, and smart, brave was added onto the list of what makes him so brave. Dealing with his position as Soto's slave like that.

"Flora, remember how you asked why I work for Soto and the others even if I don't want to do it?" Sam never wanted to admit why he did so, but he thought that it was best for Flora to know.

"Yeah." Flora remembered how uncomfortable Sam felt about telling her. "You said it was personal."

"It was, but you deserve to know."

Cliff-hanger ending, I know, but the next chapter will pick up from where Sam left off. What did you guys think? Please review! ;)