Safe Haven

Mona was in her favorite place on the planet, the forest behind her parent's house. It was called the Woodery Rest because it was mostly inhabited by these tiny little birds called Woodery. They would drill holes in the trees for their nests and they were very protective of their homes because they mate for life. That means that if one partner dies the other is not long for this world.

This protectiveness made the small aviaries very territorial. Anyone or anything that is seen as a threat to their nest will be swarmed by little birds and be peaked apart with their poisonous metal like beaks. So if the peaking didn't kill you the slow acting poison would thus the people of Mona's home village avoided the area like the plague. The like black bird with its blue and grey beak didn't bother Mona at all.

She discovered this one day when she was running away from a vicious set of Magickind children from her school. They were trying to catch her to throw her off Giant's Tree, a massive Logwood tree in front of the school. They would have a contest to see who could use their magic to put her highest on the tree. Then forcibly throw her off to see who would be able to catch her closest to the ground. Needless to say Mona had hit the ground a few times, the last time she had sprained her wrist which she had to nurse by herself because her parents had more important things to spend their money on, then a visit to a medical center.

On that particular day she had left school early just to avoid being a human ball for her classmates. However before she had made her complete escape she was discovered and that's when the chase began. She defiantly couldn't go home because that would ern a litany of verbal abuse from her parents as to why she was home so early. So after running all over the village and finding no safe place she had no choice but to risk death by entering Woodery Rest forest.

When she entered the bullies immediately lost interest but by then it was too late the Woodery with their keen hearing were already forming a swarm to attack the interloper, her. However as soon as they got a sense of her the swarm gently disbursed and left Mona stunted. With the bullies still looming at the edge of the forest, Mona couldn't go back. So she continued on and discovered a wonderous world. With Woodery protection the forest was mostly undisturbed by man, that meant beautiful flora and fauna thrived.

The forest creatures and animals came out to investigate this new being. Soon Mona was frolicking in the high grass with Needle Grass bugs, climbing tress and swimming in a small lake she found as she was exploring. The forest became her safe haven and the creatures and animals her friends. She was beside that little lake now resting in a bed of Red Pepper Bell flowers. She wasn't alone now though, she was being held in warm strong arms and she felt safe.

"It's beautiful here" a soft voice rumbled in her ear "Where is this place?"

"It's my home, the forest behind my parent's house" Mona watched as a swarm of Woodery alight from the trees across the lake.

"Do you want to go back?" The arms around her tighten unconsciously.

"No," Mona answered immediately. "You're my safe haven now"

Mona felt a gentle kiss in her hair that sent shivers down her spine. She sighed as a gentle breeze rustled the trees and brushed against the intertwined lovers. Every time Mona opened her eyes she would be by this lakeside wrapped up in chocolate's arms. She didn't know what was happening but she really didn't care. She was safe and happy with Chocolate. Sometimes when she woke up into the dream or illusion or whatever it was, they would go far a walk through the forest. It was exactly like Mona remembered it to be, she would show him her favorite nooks and introduce him to her best friends from the forest. Other times they would talk for hours, sitting beside the lake, they spoke about Mona's childhood and Chocolate told her about growing up with his older brothers.

Those very mischievous duo, they would get Chocolate in all sorts of trouble and danger. They were his best friends and as well as family. Mona's heart melted anytime he spoke about his little sister, his eyes would glow with love for the rambunctious little darling.

In those moments Mona couldn't hold herself back and she would throw herself at Chocolate and they would make love until they both were exhausted and Mona closed her eyes to rest. When she woke up again Chocolate would be by her side, she didn't know how many days had passed, she didn't know if it was night or day. She knew the place wasn't necessarily real but as long as they were together she was happy. Every time he came to her world, she would take his hand and begin their adventure in her childhood safe space.

And every time she woke up she felt a change inside herself, she was changing in ways she didn't know but she wasn't scared because she had Chocolate and the gentle beast she saw reflected in his eyes.

She felt happy but the feeling was not only coming from the inside of herself but from the being whose arms she was in. They had just made slow sweet love and Mona was now resting in his arms, she hummed cheerfully as she drifted off to sleep once more.

...

Aden held Mona's chrysalis close, it had been eleven days, twenty two hours, nine minutes and five, six, seven... Aden counted the seconds inside his head, since Mona had started her evolution. He missed her deep in his soul, his dragon was impatient as well. If not for the dream state where they met Aden would surely have gone insane a long time ago.

He didn't know how they were meeting like that but those times in her forest was more precious than gold to Aden. He remembers every detail of all of their encounters, they started to happen on the fourth day of her evolution. He had been standing by the window watching the chrysalis on the bed when he suddenly felt exhausted. He had laid down beside the encasement and closed his eyes and just like that he was transported to the Woodery Rest forest to find Mona standing by the little lake waiting for him.

She had ran to him and hugged him close, he had wrapped his arms around her. To this day he was not sure what was happening and how they could be meeting like this. But he didn't question it, he just knew that every time he suddenly felt exhausted it was time to go to that place to see Mona.

His dragon rumbled inside his head. Although he couldn't speak with his beast he knew that it was feeling impatient again. Even though they just left the dream world he needed more of her. Each time they were together in that world, upon waking up Aden would be ravenous they needed their mate in this world so they could be by her side always.

His emotions were like a rising tsunami, the servants no longer came inside his chambers; they left the food outside his doors. His family was staying away more often now because he no longer spoke and just growled at them for invading his and his mate's space. Aden knew he wasn't being logical but he couldn't help himself, the longer Mona was in this state the more he lost himself to his beast and reality. only their dream meetings kept him sane and functioning.

But he didn't know how long he could hold on.