Ireena. Ireena. Wake up. Don't worry, you're okay.

The young blue wolf began to stir. She knew not where she was, nor if she was even alive or not. All there was in front of her was an infinite blackness. She had no form: She was just a lost mind in a mysterious, terrifying void. Wha-- where am I?? What's going on?? Soulglade! She cried out in desperation. Ireena had no voice. All she could do was shout out her thoughts silently to nothing.

I am right here, young one, said Soulglade gently. Oh, how Ireena wished she could see him! Where!? She cried silently in her conscious mind once more. She began whimpering like a newborn pup separated from its mother. Of course, Ireena's mother was dead, and she cried harder.

Ireena! Soulglade barked, sharp but solicitous. Sobbing will get you absolutely nowhere. If you quiet down for a moment and just listen to me, I will tell you how you can get back to normal. Do you hear me? Just calm down.

Ireena was now quiet, but nothing happened for  while, nobody spoke, for a good few minutes. Staring at a black nothingness only fed the anxious beast inside her. Then in the distance, she hheard Soulglade's beautiful voice once again. What you see before you depends on the state of your mind, he said. Think of something happy.

It was rather difficult at the moment to imagine something cheerful after Ireen'a experiences in the past couple days. But she focused hard. Nothing came to her mind. Instead, she thought of happiness itself. Just the amazing feeling of having no current worries, a carefree life, and no tears. Suddenly, a dim picture began to blur out the blackness. Ireena waited for the picture before her to enhance, but it stayed a dull, transparent blob of colors. Worry took over her mind again. The blackness started to return, the colors fading away.

Ireena don't! Soulglade's voice cut through, Remember, it's all on the state of your mind! Go back to thinking of joy.

The blue wolf wanted to cry with the overwhelming pressure, but she remained calm as Soulglade said. Happiness came back to defeat anxiety and worry, and the blurry clump of colors returned. This time, she did not let the thought of happiness leave. And before her eyes (well, what she could see with in this mysterious state of consciousness), a landscape formed from the colors.

When Ireena's mind reverted back to worry again, she shut her eyes and held on to the thin fiber of peace with all the strength of her mind. This concentration felt like trying to break through an iron wall, but Ireena persisted through the wall of doubt. With every second she hung on to the feeling of repose, she felt an uncanny strength resurrect her, physically and mentally. Suddenly she felt like she had been thrust through a hole, and she felt something soft at her feet. Eyes closed, she stood still for a moment, waiting for her spirit companion's voice.

It's okay. You can open your eyes now, he said.

Her fear diminishing, Ireena complied.

Right before her very eyes, as real as can be, was a landscape. It was a forest plain, all blue and glowing. Ireena looked up at the night sky, gaping. It was more of a navy color than black, due to the trillions of stars clumped so close to each other. And the moon; it was the most spectacular, awe-inspiring, most dazzling object in the sky she had ever seen. It was ten times its regular size, beaming down on all of Mother Nature. A very faint breeze swung the trees in a slow, silent moon dance. The blue grass held dewdrops that glittered. And at her feet, the blue wolf noticed beautiful silver flowers. This whole entire place looked as if somebody took the universe in a bucket and poured it all right here, in this very spot. Ireena felt overwhelmed by the grandeur of the scene before her, not daring to breathe. "Is this.. real?" She asked.

Soulglade chuckled. "As real as you imagine it to be."

"But, are we like, still in my head?" Ireena asked.

But Soulglade was not there. A brief second of panic gripped Ireena, but she turned back around and saw the white wolf, romping in the sparkling meadow, his shimmering form more spectacular than ever. Then he stopped, and faced  Ireena. The two wolves were frozen for a period of time. Soulglade smiled. Then he ducked, his head low, back arched, tail wagging, tongue out. The signature posture for "let's play!"

Ireena accepted immediately. She ducked her head and stuck out her tongue in a doggy-grin. In an instant she was off, chasing Soulglade, who was laughing the whole time. Though Soulglade was much bigger than she, the blue wolf was very fast and agile. She pounced upon him, tackling him to the ground in a playful manner. The two laughed, and then it was Ireena's turn to run. They played this game for a long time, while the great moon lit their pathways from above.

"Come on, let's go take a little walk," Soulglade suggested, "I can see you are rather fatigued."

Ireena yawned. "No, I'm, nooot.." She said drowsily. But she followed Soulglade nonetheless. She wanted to spend as much time here as she could.

The two companions walked side by side, taking in the wonderful scenery. Soulgade plucked a silver flower from the tall meadow grass and stuck it in Ireena's shiny white hair. She giggled. They stopped for a break on the side of the dirt pathway they were on, and bathed in the starlight. Ireena picked leaves form the low-hanging trees, sewing them into a wreath. As she was sewing, the blue wolf mused over tonight. Was it real, or not? Why had Soulglade brought her to this place? Well, whatever it was, Ireena was thankful beyond words. Then she was reminded of her future. Her, a measly little wolf, the lowest-ranked kind, had been chosen by a messenger of The Master, to help defeat the evil that was yet to come. The peace she was feeling right now sort of diminished the fear and pressure this thought would have brought, but she knew deep down, this was going to be much harder than she anticipated it now.

"You know, you won't be alone," Soulglade interrupted Ireena's thoughts. She rather dislike it when he did that. But she listened on. "I probably knew that," she responded.

"Well, with your anxiety levels, I kind of doubt that." He chuckled. Ireena looked away, irritated. "Oh, I'm just teasing, bear with me here." He smiled at her. Once again, that smile of his melted away all anger, and Ireena had to blush. "I knew that," she said, giggling. Then Ireena yawned again. As much as she yearned for this moment to last forever, she was succumbing to her natural weaknesses. She plodded over to Soulglade and snuggled down by his legs, and closed her eyes. Soulglade pulled her in closer, so they were intimate. And in a short time, they were both fast asleep under the blanket of grass and stars.