[private] in dreams

[Risa]

Risa doesn't know how she manages to be terrified and brave all at the same time, but she does. A mouth previously hidden on the faceless creature opens on the underneath of the head — more like a flap opening than a true mouth. White canines drip with silver saliva as it snarls back at her. They lunge at the same moment. Risa cries out as they collide, her conflicting emotions raging inside of her as she tries to push her way past the creature rather than fight it head on. She can feel the mouth on the skin of her neck, the hot drip of saliva as it seeks purchase on her flesh. Her parents were brave, they were warriors and they knew how to fight. Even her brothers could, she once thought, looking up at them with the adoring eyes of the youngest sibling. But Risa? Who is she but a forgotten child? Died so young, so inexperienced. Never wanting to learn how to defend herself because she always felt safe around her family and could not imagine life being any different. Now, though, she will fight. She has reclaimed life and she will not allow herself to be trapped beneath the earth again. So she shoves and she snaps her teeth, alarmed to find that they are sharp but her shock lasts only for a moment. This new body still feels wrong and horrible but it has gifts too. And this is just a dream. It is okay to be brave here. There are no consequences. Risa allows her worries to fade and instincts to take over. Not her instincts, not exactly, but those belonging to this body she is temporarily possessing. Her teeth scratch and bite and she uses her newfound strength to gain the upperhand, tearing chunks of skin out of the white monster. Until it falls and she is covered in blood. Until she wakes. With a violent start and a scream on her lips, Risa jolts back into reality. She sees the sleeping form of the pale stallion beside her, hears the rapid heartbeat in his chest as his eyes also flash open. But she does not linger to check on him. Her worry has faded and it is replaced with something else. Something new.