Chapter 4: The Forest of Faded Dreams

Chapter 4:

The Forest of Faded Dreams

By the time the court werewolves had set up camp in a mossy clearing near the heart of the forest, Cory was ready to collapse of tiredness and hunger. She hardly noticed that Hayden was shyly avoiding her gaze or that when her back was turned, he followed her with his blue eyes. It was night by then. The crescent moon cast silver light over the campsite. The surrounding trees were covered in sparkling dew. Cory could hear the soft chirping of crickets as she lay on her cot in her tent. As tired as she was, she could barely lie still or shut her eyes for more than a moment. She kept tossing and turning and every minute of sleep was filled with the roaring of the beasts and the cries of their victims. One particularly horrible nightmare woke her up in a cold sweat. A blurry figure came hurrying into her tent. When the room came into focus, she realised it was Hayden.

"I heard you scream," he said.

His face was pale in the yellow light cast by the candle on Cory's table. For a moment, Cory was confused. Then, she remembered the nightmare that had woken her up. She had not realised she had screamed.

"I can't sleep," she said helplessly, looking up at Hayden. She was trembling.

"Want to go for a walk?" asked Hayden hopefully.

"Um, all right," Cory said.

Hayden grinned. He held her hands. Warmth flooded her body as soon as their skin met. She dismissed it as Hayden's increased body heat as a werewolf, a future alpha at that. He pulled her to her feet.

Once they were outside in the cool night air, Cory felt much better. The wind tossed her wet hair back and cooled her hot face. She breathed it in in great gulps. Prince Hayden led her away from the campsite into the forest. The stars twinkled overhead and the forest smelled like the earth does after it has rained.

"Where are we going?" inquired Cory happily as Hayden took her hand and led her westward.

"Nowhere," Hayden said softly, "just walking."

Cory yawned and Hayden suggested they rest somewhere. They came across a bubbling stream and Hayden sat on a log beside it. Cory sat next to him. A quarter moon shone overhead while its reflection shimmered in the water below. Cory could hear the screeching of owls from the treetops and the chirping of crickets resting in the grass. She spotted some minnows swimming in the stream. It took her a while to realise that Hayden was gazing at her intently. She turned to him.

"I just wanted to say sorry…I didn't mean to upset you like this. I just want to keep you safe and that doesn't involve letting you venture beyond the marsh to hunt some Mother of Beasts," Hayden said. His tone was very gentle.

I sighed, looking away from the Alpha Prince.

"Cory," his voice was just a whisper. “You could barely escape one beast, a normal one, not the Great Mother protected by her strongest children. One is hard enough to handle for me as well. Think…such a feat…there must be hundreds, maybe thousands, of them beyond the marsh…it's not possible," he said flatly, taking her hands in his to soften the blow.

He smiled half-heartedly at her. Deep down, she knew he was right. Hayden was the only person she had ever seen bring down a Stormbringer. He killed one when he visited Traketen for the first time, taking its head back to his father to prove his valour and he killed another a few days ago to save her life. To get to the Mother Beast, surely they would have to defeat a lot more than two Stormbringers. She was guarded by seven of her strongest children, Averina had said, and what about the multitude of other beasts that lived beyond the marsh? Those lands hosted many lairs. But if they could just evade enough of them somehow to get to her, the Mother, it would all be over, the ordeal her people had faced for centuries would end with all the beasts gone.

"All in one blow like a candle flame,"" Cory repeated softly to herself.

"What?" said Hayden.

"Oh…nothing," replied Cory, "you're right, it's insurmountable, the feat," she said begrudgingly.

Hayden smiled genuinely this time. He seemed relieved.

"Do you know what this forest is called?" asked Hayden, tactfully changing the subject. He had knack for distracting her. She wondered if he easily bamboozled the noble she-wolves back at his kingdom. She felt a pang of jealousy when she pictured Hayden flirting with the noble ladies. She was sure girls threw themselves at him all the time. He was the Alpha King’s son, rich and handsome, set to inherit the throne and to become the next Alpha on his eighteenth birthday this year.

"No," said Cory in a tone she hoped would hide her peaked curiosity.

"It's called The Forest of Faded Dreams," said Hayden with a knowing smile.

"Why?" Cory inquired before she could help herself.

"People say if you drink the water in The Forest of Faded Dreams, the forest will show how to realise your dream."

"How will the forest show you?" Cory asked, her thoughts were in overdrive now. Being in this forest could work to her advantage.

"I don't know…my father says some people emerge from the forest with all the answers they sought while others are driven mad after drinking too much of the water here," Hayden said.

Now, that was a downside, thought Cory. She could be shown the way towards everything she had ever wanted or she could end up losing your sanity. Cory sighed, turning away from Prince Hayden again. Did it even make sense to risk losing her mind to gain knowledge of how to kill the Mother Beast? What if Hayden's story was just that, a story, told to children to amuse them? In that case, she had nothing to lose by drinking the water. But how was she supposed to do that under Hayden's watchful eye?

"Cory?" said Hayden.

She snapped out of her mental debate, looking up at Hayden. He'd gotten up and was holding his hand out to her. He suggested they go back to camp and that she try to get some rest. She took his hand and he led her back to camp through the glistening dew-covered trees of the forest. When they got to her tent, Hayden followed her in. Cory lay on her cot, dreading falling asleep. Hayden sweetly tucked her in. To her surprise, Hayden sat on the floor of her tent, leaning against the side of her cot. He turned halfway to face her.

"No more nightmares," he said, reaching his hand out to stroke her cheek, "I'll stay until you fall asleep. Don't be scared."

Cory smiled. It was a lot more difficult to feel afraid with Hayden there. She closed her eyes and hoped sleep would take her soon. She prayed for a deep dreamless sleep. As she felt Hayden's hand now gently stroking her hair, she drifted off, wishing he would not leave, even after she fell asleep. 

Cory awoke the next morning to find her wish had been granted. Hayden had not left! He was still there, slumped over at the side of her cot, his upper half partly resting on her cot and his arm draped over her, his hand near her ear. He had fallen asleep while stroking her hair. She smiled at this and then found herself confused as to what she was so happy about. She was still in the same predicament, not knowing the answer to her question, no closer to ridding her people of the beasts.

She sighed. She could not get up without waking Prince Hayden. He looked so peaceful. Sleep made him seem like a little boy instead of a young man. There was a tugging at the corners of his mouth, a slight smile that suggested his dreams were a lot more pleasant than the ones Cory had been having lately. At least he could sleep soundly, Cory thought but she could not complain. She had not had any more nightmares of the beasts after Hayden had stayed with her.

As she watched Hayden sleep, his eyes fluttered open. He shifted slightly, stretching and yawning. He looked momentarily confused and then a telltale blush spread across his face as he realised where he was. He stumbled to his feet with a start, feverishly adjusting his clothes, smoothing the rumpled fabric.

"I meant to leave once you'd fallen asleep," he muttered apologetically, "didn't realize how tired I was…"

"I'm glad you stayed," said Cory simply.

Hayden's cheeks turned a brighter red but he smiled at her. He opened his mouth to say something but someone came hurtling into the tent. It was Titan.

"Ah, I figured you might be in here. You need to have a look at this, Prince Hayden," growled Titan in his raspy voice, gesturing towards the entrance of the tent. His tone was one of amusement but it did not soften the timbre of his voice. Cory wondered if Titan knew Hayden had been in her tent since last night or if he thought Hayden had just come to see her in the morning. Pondering on that made her nervous in a strange way but her question was answered immediately and it was not the answer she was hoping for.

"Sorry to break up the slumber party," grinned Titan, nodding at Cory and then returning his attention to a now beet-red Prince Hayden.

Hayden looked more angry than embarrassed now but if he was going to rebuff Titan, he apparently did not wish to do so in front of Cory. He left the tent without a word and with Titan on his heels. During her stay with Hayden and his men so far, Cory had come to the conclusion that Titan was some sort of second in command. Perhaps, he had a high place back in Hayden's father's kingdom although he certainly was not of noble blood. She could tell by his plain words and matter-of-fact air although she much preferred plain words to the flowery eloquence of the nobles. Her father had spoken plain words, plain and true. Grandiose promises and supposedly gentle airs were for conniving noblemen. They were like aromatic, beckoning flowers with poisonous thorns to prick you with when plucked. That was how all the nobles were except for Hayden, Cory thought. Hayden only looked like a prince. He lived his life like a commoner, among his people, caring for them on a personal level. Cory smiled. There was that stupidly gleeful feeling again. She quickly brushed it aside and exited her tent to see what Titan was talking about.

She emerged from the tent to find the court men huddled around the campfire. They were roasting pheasants skewered on a stick propelled above the orange flames. Maddy, the usual cook among them, was rotating the stick slowly, turning the pheasants so that they cooked evenly. Cory looked away. She ate meat but she hated the process: the hunting, catching and skinning or plucking of some animal made her feel sick and sad. She knew she was being silly.  How else would the men procure the meat? Hunting was a necessity for them. She approached Maddy, the only one besides Hayden she really talked to.

"Hi Jon," she preferred to call him by his real name, "do you know where Hayden and Titan went?"

"Hey there, little missy," replied Maddy in his croaky voice, "Now, you're not to follow them, eh…"

Cory nodded fervently.

"They went down by the river," continued Maddy cheerfully, smiling at his roasting pheasants.

"Which way is the river…just so I know?" asked Cory.

"Oh, it's straight that way," said Maddy, pointing to the East,"just walk in a straight line and you should find it in no time."

Maddy seemed to have completely forgotten that he did not want Cory to follow Hayden and Titan, even telling her that there was a path to the river. Cory followed his instructions. None of the men tried to stop her. They were now crowding around the first batch of freshly roasted pheasants. Cory stepped lightly along the dusty path through the forest. This way led her downhill in terms of the landscape and although the river was not in sight yet, she did not want Hayden or Titan to hear her coming. After a quarter of an hour's walk, she could hear the rushing of the river water and the faint echoes of male voices. 

Hayden and Titan, Cory thought, found them.

She neared the dirt bank of the river, positioning herself behind a wide, tall tree. She peeked out from behind the moss-covered trunk. Hayden was standing near the water's edge. Titan was nearby, pointing at the crowns of the trees on the other side of the river. He was even taller than Hayden, broad and muscular, with a very deep skin tone, a shaved head and a thick, dark beard.

"You see…just there…" said Titan.

Cory spotted what he was talking about before Prince Hayden. Grey wisps of smoke were rising from amidst the trees on the opposite side of the river. Other humans were in the forest. Hayden's back was turned to Cory but she could tell he was not alarmed by his posture and his tone of voice when he replied.

"That must be Grandmother Alma's House," Hayden said calmly, "trust me, it's not another group of men. They wouldn't be camped near her house. She wouldn't allow it. And that's roughly about where she lives…my father told me to stay on this side of the river."

"Grandmother Alma? Is she a witch?" inquired Titan. For the first time, Cory heard a hint of fear in the hulking man's voice.

"No!" said Hayden, seemingly annoyed, "She's a wise woman. Magical in her own way, of course, but not a witch."

"How's she magical then, eh?" asked Titan.

Hayden did not respond. He was crouched over the river's edge now. He had his canteen in hand, collecting the river water. Cory gasped and then clamped her own hand over her mouth. Titan and Hayden had not seemed to hear her though. She could not believe it. Hayden was collecting the Faded Dreams water. Cory remembered Hayden making the men fill as many barrels with water as possible before they set out for this forest, strictly warning them that the water there would not be potable although he had not given them the reason he had given her. He had also made them collect rainwater for washing.

"Prince Hayden, the water here, you said it wasn't good for drinking," said Titan. Cory was surprised at the genuine concern in his voice.

"It's just a sample," said Hayden, "For my father to have examined when we get back."

He was lying. Cory knew him well enough to tell. Titan seemed none the wiser. Hayden's lie put him at ease.

"You should go back to camp and see what the men are up to," said Hayden in an authoritative voice.

He was still looking at the slowly rising smoke. It twisted and twirled unending like a large snake rising out of the forest. Cory was suddenly reminded of Averina and felt a pang of urgency. She looked at Hayden's canteen, hooked to his belt. She needed that but why did Hayden want it? What was his dream? The water must be truly magical for Hayden to want to collect it. She knew he intended to drink it. The danger of going mad from drinking the water must be a rare instance. Hayden certainly was not that reckless, was he?

Titan, to Cory's shock, did not question Hayden's order. He retreated, heading back through the forest, to where Cory was hiding. She scrambled as quietly as she could away from the tree and hid herself amongst a thick patch of tuber-like plants that grew tall enough to conceal her while she was crouched over. Titan passed by and trudged up the path, out of site. Cory breathed a silent sigh of relief and then crawled out of the path and back over to the tree.

Prince Hayden was sitting now by the bank quite calmly. He took the canteen from his belt, opened it and with one long look at it, put the mouth of it to its lips. Cory felt like screaming for him to stop. Suppose he went mad, she thought but she stopped herself, thinking that Hayden was never one to take a greater risk than he could manage. He was very brave but not stupid. Hayden took a long drink from the canteen, leaving about half of the Faded Dreams water behind. At this, Cory hatched a plan instantly. 

That is my half of the water, she thought, and I know exactly how to get it.

She realised she needed to get back to camp before Prince Hayden but without Titan, who was probably already there, noticing that she had been away. She got up as silently as she could and picked her way back to camp, the same way she had come.

On nearing the campsite, she spotted Titan tearing the flesh off of one of Maddy's roasted pheasants with his teeth. She quietly avoided the crowd around the campfire and ducked into her tent. She flung herself down on her cot and pulled the blankets over her although being inside her tent felt like being baked in an oven. The day's heat was merciless. She only had to wait here until Hayden came back so he would not think she had left. She knew he would come straight to her tent when he returned to camp.

A walk through the forest later, just as Cory had predicted, Hayden pulled back the curtain of her tent and stepped inside. She pretended to get up, startled, at someone entering her tent.

"Sorry," said Hayden, "had you fallen asleep again?"

"No, no, I was just lying down," Cory said.

"You didn't eat breakfast yet?" he asked.

"I was waiting for you," said Cory with a sly smile that felt wrong on her face.

He took her hand and they joined the men around the fire. She felt at ease around them. They did not treat her as though she were an outsider. They did not seem to mind that she was human. Cory did not want any pheasant but she ate nuts that Maddy had also roasted and a broth he had prepared from seasonings he had with him. She stayed by Hayden's side all day. Riding with him on Blaython when he and the men went hunting, which was a bit of an ordeal for her, and listening intently when he discussed their route back to his father's castle with Titan. By the day's end, Hayden seemed to be in incredibly good spirits. He smiled to himself half the time and often took Cory's hand in his own, swinging their interlocked hands.

Dusk was falling across The Forest of Faded Dreams. The moon was high in the sky, so full and bright it almost seemed to pulsate. There were no stars, just the lone moon amidst the dark expanse of the night sky. The night was eerily silent. No owls hooted and no crickets chirped. There was no cooling wind blowing through the trees, just still heavy air. At the back of her mind, Cory felt this was strange but she otherwise ignored it. She had a vital task at hand. Most of the men had retired for the night by the time Hayden led her to her tent, intending to say goodnight. He usually went to bed last.

"Don't leave me," Cory pleaded as they reached the entrance of her tent.

Hayden raised his eyebrows at her in surprise. She threw herself into his arms, catching him off guard. He stumbled and then caught himself, enveloping her in his arms. The future alpha's body was so warm. She wondered if she was ruining her plan with her terrible acting but when Hayden replied, she knew he thought she was sincerely afraid to be alone in her tent.

"It's all right," he said in hushed tones in her ear, "I won't leave you, even after you fall asleep, ok. I won't leave."

Hayden rubbed the small of her back gently, comforting her. Cory felt a sickening lance of guilt slice through her but this was necessary. She needed that canteen and could only get it once Hayden was asleep. Hayden followed her into her tent and as she pulled the covers over her, she felt even worse making Hayden sleep sitting at the side of her cot like last night.

"You don't have to sleep on the floor. It's ok," Cory mumbled, looking away from Hayden.

She scooted over so there was space next to her on the cot.

"No, that's all right, Cory," said Hayden kindly, "I'm fine."

"No, no, I insist," she said, louder now, sitting up to meet his eyes.

"Besides," she added, "I'll sleep better the nearer you are."

Her last comment certainly did the trick. She felt terrible, baiting Hayden like this, but it was not a complete lie. She did truly feel safer when he was around. She was so used to him now, it would be hard leaving him when she was finally reunited with her family. She almost wished she could stay with him permanently even if it meant living campsite to campsite, but she knew Hayden did not travel all the time. Much of his time was spent in his father's kingdom. There would be no place for her there, a human commoner, a peasant among werewolves of noble blood.

Hayden slid under the covers with her. He draped one arm over her and snuggled into the back of her dress collar.

"Sweet dreams, Cor," he whispered in her ear, "Sleep now."

It was a gentle command. However, it was exactly what Cory could not do. She had to stay awake long enough to outlast Hayden. This proved more difficult than Cory had imagined. Hayden's body heat radiated under the blankets, all around her. It was a sharp contrast to the chilly night air and made her instantly drowsy, but she fought sleep with all her might. Eventually she felt Hayden's breathing slow. She felt the weight of his arm over her now that he had drifted off to sleep. She waited a few moments and then as carefully as she could lifted his arm off of her. She hoped Hayden slept deeply enough to not be woken by this movement. She pulled the blankets down off of them so she could see his belt. He had left it on with the canteen attached to it. She gingerly removed the canteen from his belt and uncorked it.

Hayden moved suddenly in his sleep, reaching out with the hand that had been draped over her. Cory felt her heart hammer in her chest but he did not wake up. He stayed asleep, still and dreaming. Cory avoided looking at Hayden's sleeping face and the boyish innocence that showed there while he slumbered. She did not want to see that. She felt guilty enough as it was. After a long pause, Cory mustered the nerve and placing the bottle to her lips she drank the water of Faded Dreams. Water was supposed to be tasteless but this water tasted sweet like nectar. Cory wished she had a barrel-full of it. It was cool and refreshing. It coursed through her like new life, filling her with a sense of unexplainable joy. She downed the canteen, wishing for more. She had not thought about whether or not she should refill the canteen with normal water. Wouldn't Hayden know the difference if he checked? She didn't bother. She returned the now empty canteen to Hayden's belt. It did not matter anyway. She felt suddenly invincible as she snuggled closer to Hayden and closed her eyes. All she had to do now was wait for the forest to show her the answer. Thinking of a beast-less Traketen, Cory let sleep catch her and carry her away.

"Cory! Cory!" the cries sliced through the night like a double-edged sword. The deep voice boomed in her ears and sent chills running through her. She knew that voice. It was her father. She leapt to her feet, drenched in cold sweat. Her gaze darted around her tent, searching for the source of the voice. It could not be. Her father was long gone, taken away from her by one of the beasts years ago. Her tent was empty except for a sleeping Hayden. 

"Cory!" the voice bellowed again. It was a cry of anguish now.

"Father," Cory shrieked, beside herself.

Without any further thought to process what was happening, she darted out of the tent, in the direction of the voice. The cries came faster now, each one more sorrowful than the next. Where was he? How could she be losing him all over again? She scrambled barefooted into the forest and dashed through the trees. She ran swiftly, darting to and fro, dodging branches and fallen logs. One low-lying branch caught her in the face but she kept running. She felt the shallow slit on the right side of her face oozing blood. 

The cries led her to the river. They were coming from the other side of the bank. Cory was not much of a swimmer but there was no time to debate about this. She launched herself into the water. She wondered what happened if you swam in the Faded Dreams water as she struggled towards the other bank. But she need not have worried for the strangest thing happened. The current seemed to change, pushing her towards the other bank. The water seemed to be carrying her there almost like some invisible being had gotten hold of her and was swimming to the other side with her in tow. The Faded Dreams water carried her straight to the other side and with one final shove, pushed her right onto the bank, spluttering and coughing up the sweet water.

She scrambled to her feet, slipping on the wet dirt bank. Once she regained her balance she took off running. The voice had grown fainter now as though it was losing strength. Oh no, she thought, am I too late? She quickened her pace. Her heart was pounding in her chest. She was panting now. Her legs felt as though they were about to give out on her but she could not stop running. She had to get to him. She pushed forwards. The trees on this side of the bank were not the beautiful dew-covered mossy ones that thrived on the other side of the river. These were gnarled and twisted, towering over her and stretching towards the heavens. Their vast crowns seemed to intertwine forming a dark green blanket over the landscape, almost completely blocking out the night's sky. She ran through the darkness. The cold made her shiver. She was soaked from the river water. She had not even thought about how cold it had been when she had swum through it.

The cries seemed to echo all around her now. She had passed out of the thickets of the twisted trees and into a new part of the forest. Only elm trees grew here and they were whispering to her. Maybe that water had driven her mad, she thought fleetingly just as her foot caught on a tree root. She tripped and tumbled down. The forest floor sloped downwards here and she slid, crashing against tree roots, heading towards the bottom. She caught a glimpse of a wooden house in the clearing ahead. There were floating yellow lights shimmering all around it. 

Not fireflies, Cory thought, how strange. 

She seemed to fall forever, hurtling downwards with such speed and yet it took ages to hit the ground. I'm much too late was the last thing she thought before she abruptly hit the earth. She landed on her back, her head crashing against a large stone, and then all was silent and submerged in complete darkness.