My body wasn't my own. I watched it like a spectator hovering in the air. I followed the furry, red animal as it chased down creatures many times smaller that it. Plump, little shadow things that scampered and fell over each other in an attempt to flee from my body.

But my body was faster. It would catch one with little effort and swing it viciously from side to side while in my body's mouth. The little creature would come apart and scatter into flecks of shadow that would then disappear. There was no meat on them, they weren't made of meat, but my body chased down one, tore it apart, and moved on to the next until it stood there—alone.

It wasn't until the show was over that I had the presence of mind to remember where I was. Where I had been just a few hours before.

"Your nightmare made me hungry," Ash's calm, level voice spoke. It was then that I realized I was once again a part of my body. My body once again nothing more than a weak animal.

I turned to face the strange, pale woman, ready to unleash another flurry of questions. Instead, I found myself face to face with Mary—human Mary—kneeling down just a few feet away. Ash stood not far behind her. All around us were walls, a floor, and ceiling of white. Or maybe there weren't any walls. Just a void.

"You doing okay, Alex?" Mary asked me, a slight smile on her heart-shaped face.

I was torn. I didn't know whether to run to her or to keep my distance. I settled for halfway, taking a few cautious steps towards her.

"I should be asking you that!" I thought my words at her, hoping that even a fraction of the emotion I was feeling would be reflected in them. "After what I did...How do you look like nothing even happened?"

"I'm tougher than I look," Mary said, flexing a bicep for emphasis. When that didn't elicit much of a reaction from me, she sighed and stood up. "We're in your dream. I look how you want me to look."

She stared down at herself and I noticed then that she was wearing a white dress. A plain white dress. That was it.

"Honestly, I don't know what to say."

"I didn't imagine that!" I insisted, suddenly feeling very flustered as Mary grinned at me. It was somewhat nostalgic. "I just got here myself. I haven't even thought about what you were wearing until just now!"

"Be careful with what you say, Alex. If you're not careful, I may wind up naked."

"I won't imagine that!" I swore.

"Kind of hard not to think about it now though, right? As soon as you tell someone no, it makes them instinctively want to do the opposite. It's okay, Alex, I won't judge you."

"You aren't making this any easier..."

Mary's smile widened as she winked at me. "Oh, was that what I was supposed to be doing?"

"Mary is teasing you, Alex. Those who dream do not have control over what they dream about," Ash spoke up, reminding me that she was sharing this strange world with us.

"Right, thank you, Ash," Mary said, turning to her while giving me a sidelong glance. "Our subconscious controls the dream. So, if I do end up naked, you have no one to blame but yourself. And my awesome body, of course."

I had a gut feeling that I knew what she was trying to do. Distract me with jokes until the topic of what happened between us fell in the past. It wasn't the first time she had chosen to bury the hatchet over a mistake I made. Maybe this was her way of telling me to leave it alone. That there was nothing I could say to make up for what I did. Just like last time.

But still, I had to know...

"Mary, is your body okay? The one outside the dream."

"Do you feel bad about what you did to me?"

She met my eyes and I tried—I tried my hardest to look back. But it was too much. The pain, the guilt. I let my gaze fall to the endlessly white floor.

"Well, you shouldn't. I made it happen. I approached you, knowing you would attack me."

How quickly could a person's feelings change? It was similar to whiplash, having your worry and guilt torn away and replaced with absolute confusion. Without hesitation, I stared back up into her waiting brown eyes.

"How...Why?"

"How do you think you're here now, talking to me in one of your dreams? These kinds of things don't just happen, you know."

I turned my head to face Ash, who tilted her own head in response. "I figured she had something to do with this..." I muttered.

Ash opened her mouth, but was unknowingly cut off by Mary as she answered me first. "You're part right. Ash's Knowledge, as you might have already guessed, allows her to enter the dreams of people who are asleep. However, she is only able to enter the dreams of people who are sleeping close enough to her. And, when my Master and I found her, those people were just other patients and doctors in a hospital."

"It grew very dull, after a few years," Ash chipped in. "An endless cycle of violence, frustration, and sex."

"Can you imagine, Alex?" Mary said with a loose grin. "Sex and violence...dull?"

"Wait, wait. You and your Master? Mr. Copper? What do you mean you guys 'found' her?"

"We're always on the hunt for other people with Knowledge, be they witches or Knowers," Mary answered with a certain flourish, as if she were reading from a pamphlet. "Part of the Stalwart's job, or did you already forget Fawn's hours upon hours of lectures on that stuff?"

She didn't wait for me to answer. "Well, when matching stories of a hospital patient being seen in the dreams of those around her reached the ears of the Community, my Master and I were sent to investigate. We had to determine what her intentions were, and also to quell the situation itself before it, you know, 'escalated'."

"Right, okay, I get it," I muttered, feeling like I was beginning to be talked down to.

Mary offered me a sympathetic smile, which didn't help. "Well, to make a long story short, Ash visited my dreams while my Master and I were staying there posing as a sick child and her concerned father. She decided to stick around long enough to talk to me in my dream, finding me 'interesting' for one reason or another..."

"Your dreams invoke feelings of deep seeded sorrow," Ash spoke up again. "And of a guilt that—"

"For one reason or another," Mary repeated, speaking loud enough so that the wispy woman would get the picture.

Ash fell silent, though I almost expected her to start up again what with how far removed from reality she seemed to be. But when she didn't, I felt the desire to cut in, concerned about the sudden thing Ash had brought up.

"Mary—"

"No, Alex, I don't want to talk about it," Mary said, cutting me off this time. "And that's not what we're here to talk about. I doubt we have much time before one of us wakes up."

Despite my desire to talk with her—really talk with her, and find out what exactly was eating at her, I understood her desire to keep it locked away. There was more than one thing I'd rather pretend didn't exist within me. Things I'd rather die than have to talk about, even with my friends.

So I said "Okay" and waited for her to speak. Mary might have smiled the first genuine smile I had seen since discovering her in my dream.

"I talked back with her, at first following the obligations of the mission. But, as I learned more, I started to see a plan come together. A plan for you and I to be able to see each other again, face to face, as much as we wanted."

I looked around again at our surroundings. A world of white. Nearly a separate universe, all inside my head. And I was sharing it with Mary, someone who was asleep just as I was, probably miles and miles away. It was, without a doubt, the most miraculous thing I had seen so far since stepping into the world of witches and familiars.

"But how—How is this possible?" I asked, and then lowered my eyes before admitting: "I can see you right now, but I hardly believe my own eyes."

"Too good to be true, right?" Mary agreed, suddenly finding it prudent to flatten the un-wrinkled white dress. "I didn't want to believe it myself, until I saw you. It's too bad we aren't in my dream, then I could see you how I'd want to see you..."

"Is that possible?" I asked, shifting my attention back to Ash. "How does that work, exactly?"

Ash opened her mouth, closed it, and shot a glance to the back of Mary's head before deciding it was alright to speak. "I can choose whose dream we are in. Those who take my drug gain the ability to travel through dreams as I do—though only to the dreams of others who have also taken my drug."

"Wait, drug? What drug?"

"Think of it like a sleeping pill," Mary answered. "We actually fashioned it into a real pill, but whose sole ingredient is Ash's...er..."

"Eye crust," Ash finished.

Mary made a displeased face. "Yeah. That stuff. Try not to think about it too much."

"But, Mary, I don't remember ever taking any..." I trailed off as, all at once, it came together.

"Did you piece it together? It was when I was in your mouth." Mary continued not to look at me as she spoke. She slowly spun around in place, her eyes on the empty sky of white. "I had to be discreet, not even my Master knew about my plan. I figured I'd have the chance to speak before you...well...you know." She stopped spinning when she faced me again and clapped her hands together, closing her eyes as if she were in pain. "I really am sorry for what I put you through, Alex. I figured it would be worth it if it ended like this." She chanced to open one of her brown eyes. "Was I right?"

I looked to the floor again. Though, it wasn't really like a floor. It was more like I was floating in a blank void. Was this really what I was dreaming about? Or were we just in this place because I was at a total loss of what to think?

Yeah, that's right. I didn't know what to think. I wasn't even sure what to feel about this sudden revelation. What Mary put herself through—what she put me through to get us to this place inside my head.

But, soon, I decided on what to feel. I forced myself to meet Mary's waiting gaze. "I'm happy that I got to see you again, but I'm pissed what you did to yourself to do it. If I was in my old body...I wouldn't know whether to hug you or hit you."

I was pretty sure that wasn't completely right. But I had to say something. The conflicting feelings would explain the emptiness. The lack of feeling.

Mary let out a helpless sigh and shrugged in a casual matter, as if she was struggling to feel anything as well. Her small smile found its way to her lips again. "Well, I would prefer the former, but not much we can do about it now. What's done is done."

"Yeah, I guess..." I was already running out of things to say. But, if I was being honest with myself, it was mostly because I didn't want to talk about this anymore. Mary tricking me into almost killing her. Mary unconcerned with how easily it could have all gone wrong. How easily she could not have been here right now...

"Have you seen any of the others?"

I hadn't noticed right away, but black cracks had begun to make themselves known in the world of white. Mary had been watching them until I asked her that question. Her wry grin was still there when she shifted her focus back to me.

"It's only been a week, you know. And they all work for highly dangerous witches. Would you really want to know if the Stalwart and his familiar have seen them? It may not turn out the way you want it to."

"You both met the Lady and nothing bad turned out there."

"I wouldn't be so quick to assume that," Mary challenged, wagging an accusing finger my way. "My Master hasn't been the same since he left your Lady's house. While I don't think she laid a hand on him, he is visibly shaken from his encounter with her."

I wasn't sure what to say right away. Should I tell her what the Lady had been doing? What she found out about Mr. Copper? Before I could come to a decision, Mary spoke first.

"You know, even as a cute little animal, you are very easy to read. I don't think it would be wise to share with me just what your Lady did to my Master. Even if it's to my benefit. If she or her familiar found out that you went behind their backs, I can't imagine things would turn out so well for you." Mary then put a finger to her mouth. "So keep those lips sealed, alright?"

I nodded while feeling something stir within the emptiness.

Just what sort of relationship did Mary and I have? Since the day I pulled her from the path of a car, she had been taking risks for my sake. Taking risks and not asking for a single thing in return. Not even an apology.

"Alex?"

After spending a week mostly alone with my thoughts, I've had more than enough time to think on the parts of my past I thought I had long forgotten. Mary was by far the smartest out of all of us. From the start, it was foolish to have tried to trick her into rejoining the Dead Tea Drinker Society. It probably didn't take her long to have a suspicion. And it was only a matter of discovering Kat's hat in my bag to know for certain.

"Alex!"

But still, she came. She knew that she would be walking straight back into the arms of the ones she escaped from, but she returned. She took that risk, for my sake.

She rejoined the familiars. She risked her life. She dealt the finishing blow to Mallard. She stayed, she fought, she endured, for my sake.

"Hey."

I felt a small hand come to rest on the top of my head. It slowly stroked over one of my ears and down the side of my face. It stopped below my chin and raised my pointed face up. I had to blink away tears to see Mary's own sad, smiling face.

"Didn't know foxes could cry," she said before giving my cheek a light pinch. "Now, what sort of useless things are you thinking about this time?"

Our surroundings had changed. No longer was there a world of white with scaring black cracks. We were in a park. A familiar one. Though, instead of holding each other at the base of the hill, waiting for Mallard and the others to descend, we were both situated at the top. The glow of a setting sun illuminated Mary's wet eyes and cheeks.

My tiny, frail body was overpowered by the sudden weight of emotion. "I can't make up for everything I put you through," I said. It was hard to believe, but it was just as difficult to think the words as it would have if I had been actually speaking them. "Everything you've done for me, I can't make it right, either."

Mary didn't take her gentle hand from my face. I felt her stroke my head again. Maybe she didn't know what else to do, my body being what it was. I would be lying if I said it didn't feel nice, though.

"Hey, hey, didn't we just have this conversation a week ago? Let's just put this kind of talk behind us—"

"I can't!" I shouted inside my head, wishing I could feel the shout in my throat. It just didn't have the same weight behind it. "I can't put it behind me when you keep pulling it out to the foreground like this. I won't let you keep doing this kind of stuff. Risking yourself for my sake. It isn't right, and you shouldn't expect me to keep pretending that it is."

"Isn't that what we promised we would do for each other?" Mary asked me, her hand coming to rest on the side of my face. Her eyes were no longer wet. They were hard—determined. "We promised we would help each other, no matter what. You can't expect that sort of promise to not come with some risks."

"No...that's not—"

"From the moment your Master changed you in front of everyone, I knew it was you who needed the most help. Mutt, Stallion, and Kat have had more years to prepare for their life as familiars. No matter how violent, cold, or cruel, they should be able to handle it."

"But, Mary—"

"But you and me? We've barely had two years with all of this. I was lucky, my Master is both patient and understanding. I knew next to nothing what your Master would be like, not until I saw what she did to you. I decided then to do whatever it took to fulfill that promise to you. Now, I know your upset, Alex, but you have to understand—"

"I'LL NEVER BE OKAY WITH YOU RISKING YOUR LIFE FOR ME!"

The scream in my head coupled with a particularly menacing growl escaping from my lips. I didn't intend it, but it felt good. Even when Mary pulled back her hand, I didn't regret it.

"I almost killed you. Do you get that? You almost died and I would have been the one who killed you. Do you know what just the thought is doing to me? I would rather never see you again then have to watch you die."

Something in Mary's eyes made me look away. I turned away from her and started to walk down the hill.

"Alex—"

"Don't ever do something like that again. I can't ever forgive you if you do."

Mary didn't answer. I couldn't face her, but I didn't wait long before I lost my patience. "Mary? Did you hear me?!"

"She can't hear you anymore. Mary is gone."

"What?" I spun around at the sound of a voice other than Mary's. Ash's thin form stood in her place, staring down at me with wide blue eyes. A tremor went through me as I recalled someone else with similar blue eyes, who stood in much the same position. The dull orange sky flashed a hue of bright red.

"You are a complex blend of feelings and sensations," Ash observed, her placid voice breaking through my momentary spell of rage. The sky soon returned to its normal orange, to which Ash noticed with minor interest. "Though, where Mary is a heavy weight, you are more an explosive force. There and gone in an instant."

I didn't bother to try and think more on her cryptic words. I was beginning to see this woman as existing in a world all her own, only snapping back to ours when asked a direct question. As such, I wasted no time in demanding: "Where is Mary?"

Ash turned to look back down on me. I felt another chill, expecting for a split instant that familiar look of superiority and contempt I knew all to well. Instead, her eyes remained as dead as they always were. A misty blue that saw everything in the same light.

"She is back in the world I can no longer reach."

"You mean, she's awake?"

"Yes."

Then why didn't you just say so, I thought to myself. Or, so I assumed.

"I apologize for my way of speaking. I was attempting to refer to the form of existence one has when they are no longer dreaming. To me, these dreams have been my reality for many, many years. What lies beyond, I have little memories of and, as such, I no longer have a good word for it. I merely refer to it as 'the world I can no longer reach' as that is all it has become to me."

I felt myself visibly wince at her words. Once again, I had taken advantage of this witch's passive nature. "Ah, well, sorry. I didn't mean anything by what I...thought."

Ash tilted her head. "You answer my apology with one of your own? I do not understand. Did my words elicit sympathy? That was not my intention. I was only attempting to explain my reasoning for using phrases you might not comprehend."

"Yeah, well, your way of explaining things makes me feel bad." I shifted uncomfortably on my small feet. "But let's move on..."

I paused. Ash waited. I said move on but, without Mary here, what did I have left to say? Man, it would be nice if Kat or Stallion or...

Wait.

"Ash!" I shouted as I felt the realization sink deep and fill me with energy I hadn't felt in years. Ash flinched at my sudden outburst, but gave me her full attention.

"Those pills, the ones that let us dream with you—"

"I think I may call them Dream Sand."

"—Do you have more?"

Ash tilted her head again. "No. Mary only made two. One for her and one for you."

"Can you make more?"

"It is not difficult to make." Ash wiped under her eyes and then rubbed her fingers together. "My eye crust is the sole ingredient. Putting it in a pill was merely for Mary's convenience. Why do you ask?"

"There are others—maybe Mary mentioned them. Kat, Mutt, and Stallion. We need to make pills for them too."

"Mary did not mention those names to me before," Ash said as she tapped a finger to her chin, appearing to be deep in thought. "No, I don't believe I've ever heard of them before a few moments ago."

That caught me off guard. My rush of energy was put on hold for a moment as I contemplated Ash's words. Mary hadn't mentioned the others? I had assumed she was planning on handing out these...'Dream Sands' to everyone—I thought I was helping her. But what if—?

"Are they like you and Mary?" Ash asked, unknowingly cutting through my train of thought.

"Huh? Oh, yeah. They are."

"Then I will help you."

Before I could say anything, Ash did something I had yet to see her do before. She smiled.

After the brief moment of shock passed, my first thought was of how tired her smile made her look. "To be honest, this land of dreams had begun to grow very dull. These same people with their same fears, guilts, and inadequacies. I am tired of watching them run their endless cycles. If you and your companions will continue to allow me to observe your dreams, I will do everything that I can to help."

I wasn't sure whether to be more grateful or creeped out. But, it wasn't like I had much choice. I might have been in my own dream, but I wasn't foolish enough to think I was the one in control. With just a thought, I was sure Ash could turn this tranquil little hill into my own personal hell.

And besides, a little lack of privacy was a small price to pay to get everyone back together. I knew everyone else would feel the same.

And Mary...Well, she would understand. How could she expect me not to try and get everyone else in on this new discovery?

I was dying to see the guys again—to see Kat again. This one week alone had felt like an eternity without a friendly face. Without talking or laughing or touching or hearing her voice, feeling her lips on mine, and—

"Oh, my."

I was interrupted again from my thoughts by Ash's voice. Only this time, when I came to, I discovered we had transported again to an entirely different location. And this one was by far the worst.

I was back in that small, abandoned ticket booth where my friends and I had awaited our Masters just a week ago. Only now it was just me.

Well, me and a dreamed up Kat who was crawling provocatively across the floor towards me—and a very disinterested Ash watching from a corner of the room.

"I suppose you have normal dreams as well," she said with a soft huff.

"This isn't normal!" I shot. I attempted to leave the chair, only to find that I was practically bolted in place. I couldn't move my body in the slightest.

Though, I did feel it when Kat reached me and ran a slender hand along the inside of my thigh. I shut my eyes tight and focused all my remaining energy on trying to will myself to move. "How do I stop this? How do I make it go away?!"

"The easiest way is to wake up," I heard Ash say.

"And how do I—?"

...

*Author's Note*

Oh, my. And abrupt ending?! Either Alex woke up or...

Well, let's hope he just woke up.

So Alex and Mary have finally had a chance to talk since the witch's took hold of their familiars. And while not everything seems to be working out in their favor, our little fox finally has a plan of action. Let's just hope this goes well for him.