15848/Willow's dream

Willow's dream
Date of Scene:	29 November 2023
Location:	Willow's Room, Apartment 214 (TBD)
Synopsis:	Willow had a nasty nightmare.
Cast of Characters:	Harry Dresden, Willow Rosenberg

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Harry Dresden has posed:
A restful sleep moves towards something else and Willow fades her way into a dream unlike the norm. She can look all around her and see a wide expanse of mountains and trees as far as she can see. The air around her is chilled enough she can see her breath and animals make their way around her.

Unfortunately, she can smell decay and death nearby. If she looks to her right, she will see a dead body. There isn't enough to make up the smell that permeates the air. Something is adding to the smell.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
She really doesn't remember what she was dreaming about. Not really. Probably it was something to do with school. Or her job. Or Harry. Maybe a combo..

Until..

The background shifted slowly, till it was dark. Dank. Smelling of death.

It reminded Willow of a bog. Except the ground was solid. Frozen. And that body - now that she notices it - was definitely the source. Or some of the source. As she walks near it, she can confirm, the body can't be that bad. Besides, wouldn't the body freeze up in cold?

Then where?

Harry Dresden has posed:
The smell gets worse even before she reaches the body. Something has been eating on the body as the chest and stomach have been hollowed out and the edges are jagged like teeth marks.

The situation is complicated more when she realizes that out in the woods around her, something is moving. Something that sounds at least person sized and walking bipedal through the woods, drawing nearer to her.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
At the beginning, Willow *thought* she was in a dream of her own cognition. She could wake just like *that*.

Or so she thought.

As her dream became dark and more dangerous, Willow tried to wake up.

Tried, but didn't succeed. In fact, she realized she was not in charge of anything that was happening. In fact, the harder she tried to exert control, the more resistance the dream gave her. Which frightened Willow more than she would admit.

Bowing down to check what made those bite marks, seeing as she couldn't beat it, she may as well join it - so to speak, she can't get away from to notion that something was hunting her.

Harry Dresden has posed:
From deep in the woods something watches her and she can feel that in the air. All the animals around her have fallen silent. The woods are the kind of quiet that would indicate a predator's presence.

An antlered deer skull looks at her from the brush, body hunched over. Then the head rises, a two legged being emerging. It is tall...real tall. The creature looks like it hasn't eaten in weeks. It is skinny enough to see its ribs. Blood oozes from its mouth, staining the neck and chest indicating it has recently eaten.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
That's.. strange.

Cerunnos wasn't typically good or bad. And he certainly wasn't something that the lore did not have him killing people. Or, at least eating the bodies of dead people. None of the equivalent gods of other lore were like that either.

Standing up, preparing to shield herself (What did she really think - id it was a god, shielding probably didn't have any actual protection. And yet she was ready to shield herself.), she said softly, "You don't belong here."

Harry Dresden has posed:
The creature cocks its head to the left, like a dog hearing a high pitched noise. Curious. The eyes have a glow that could rival a devil's own for the dread they should inspire. A soft, low groaning sound and then a high pitched whistling sound escape it. It takes a steps towards her and the smell get stronger and it makes a sound. It almost sounds like a word,"..huuunngerr.."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Now Willow doesn't know if she can or cannot use her magic, but that thing looks like it can bite her and rip her to shreds, so she's going to try first and fail later.

Shields first.

Offensive spells second.

With running somewhere in there.

Harry Dresden has posed:
The creature is tall, and so very skinny like it has never eaten despite the fact it ate the person recently. It looks towards where the body lays and contemplates for a moment. Then when it moves it turns its attention towards her again. A low, rumbling growl escapes the throat. The scent is worse now as it breathes at her. Again with the head cocking to the side and then without warning it leaps at her. The teeth look human with elongated canines, pieces of rotted flesh and fabric between them. The creature's deformed, almost human looking face fills her perception and everything goes dark as the dream ends.

Does she wake, sleep on and move to another dream, or do her dreams just remain dark for the rest of the night?

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Willow wakes to a cold sweat. Gasping for air.

Yet..

Something about that was wrong. Something was trying to reach into her psyche for help - even though the reality was right up, in her face ready to rip her for her living. For breathing. For being something it could not anymore.