WebNovelKlel31.00%

31

After the lucidity of the dream, you almost expected to wake shifted into your lupine form, half the sheets and pillows unconsciously devoured to fuel the ravenous hunger of the change. You tilt your neck to the side, feeling the muscles snap and pop. Your whole body is sore; you haven't had this bad a sleep in months.

The sharp clatter of ceramics being laid out in your kitchen fills your head with a fog of confusion. Did I bring someone home last night? You can't remember.

The adults frown on that sort of thing, but you're in that nebulous middle ground between youth and adulthood, and you've been living on your own for a few years now. The elders couldn't take care of an orphaned pup forever after all, and you haven't minded your newfound privacy all that much.

You shake your head to clear the cobwebs. It must have been a crazy night if I don't even remember what happened. Maybe Lapu brought me some of that moonshine he brewed up last week? Did he manage to convince me to drink it? That would explain the headache. Hangover from hell.

"You're finally awake! I thought you'd never get up after I dragged you back here last night. It took over eight hours for your body to fully heal."

Dena? What is she doing here?

Dena's slight form emerges from the kitchen, holding out a plate of ham and eggs. Her long brown hair is unkempt, hanging from her head in matted strands. "I hope you don't mind that I dug into your kitchen. I was starving." She pauses to gulp down a large piece of ham. "The blast nearly severed your leg, and the impact of the water didn't help much either."

Blast? Impact? Oh no no no…

"So it really happened? All of it? The warehouse?" you gasp.

"We don't need to talk about that now. Your food's getting cold," Dena says, her face scrunched up in memory of the previous night's excursion before turning back to the kitchen. "You have a lovely home! Most of the waterfront houses are a wreck, but you've fixed it up beautifully! I'll admit though—I'd hoped that my first time visiting would be under more…pleasant circumstances."

Your breath catches in your throat. Of all the times for her to come out with it… You suppose you can't blame her though. A brush with death is a very forceful reminder that time is fleeting. You clear your throat to speak. "Dena…"