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Billy opened his eyes, his mind in a state of confusion, darkness. Nothing but pitch-black darkness everywhere he looked. The young wolf had no clue where he was, he could not remember how he got there, or even what he was doing moments before, for all he know, he could be dead and this was how one would continue to exist in the afterlife.

"W- Where am I?" the lupine called out, for some reason his voice sounded extremely quiet; he tried to move his limbs and they felt like lead, like he was underwater, his movements slow and sluggish. At the very least this ruled out the possibility that he had been kidnapped and was tied down somewhere. Billy placed his paw against his chest, his body was intact, but he could not see, or hear, or sense anything... it was as if his movements were restricted by some greater, unknown force.

"S- someone, anyone, can anyone hear me!?" he tried to call out again, but he might as well have talked at a brick wall, he sensed no life in the vast darkness, everything felt, for lack of a better word, dead. Billy pulled his arms back and tried to feel around him, his paws came into contact with the floor beneath him; it felt cold and rock, as if he was in some cavern, but how could he be...?

It was then that the young wolf began to hear faint breathing nearby, his heart began to thump as he tried to scan around desperately in terror, this presence... there was no doubt about it, something was in here with him, and it did not feel friendly.

"Who's there...?" the boy whined, his voice once again barely above a whisper, and to his shock and horror, he heard a low guttural growl answer his question.

"Ohh, what a lively young lad... I sense much energy in you, pup... too bad for you... I'm going to take it all."

Billy looked on in horror as two glowing lights broke the darkness, giving him a new sight to look at out of the neverending sea of black, but he had wished that it didn't happen... two piercing, glowing, crimson eyes, unmistakingly looking right at him, full of malice and intent of causing him harm, the eyes came closer and closer to the shivering wolf, who tried to get to his feet... but it was no use, something heavy was pinning him down, something heavy.

"N-no! Stop-! Don't!" the wolf cried as a breath of hot air washed over him, enveloping him... Billy blinked and in an instant, the pressure and feeling went away, the wolf looked up in confusion, there was no darkness... no glowing lights, instead he was on his bed at home, drenched in sweat under his covers and looking at his room ceiling with wide eyes. The lupine's heart was thumping against his chest, almost painfully, it was just a nightmare... Billy sighed and threw the covers off his body, breathing in relief, just a nightmare... but it felt so real... the wolf laid there on his bed, trying to remember what happened, but he couldn't... all he remembered was being incredibly scared, and the feeling of fear that something was after him...

*

Billy stared but all he could see was darkness, a neverending sea of black. Why did this feel so familiar? The wolf clutched his head, what is this place...? It was no use, he couldn't remember, but something at the back of his head was nagging at him... as if warning him that this was not a good place to be, this place was... dangerous.

The crimson eyes appeared, their eerie glow directed right towards the wolf, Billy gasped, immediately trying to stand in an attempt to escape, but it was futile... he couldn't move... and then he remembered. The same nightmare from the previous night.

"Oh...? Back for more? You must really be fond of me, I'm touched." the growling voice chuckled, sending shivers down Billy's spine, "Well then, don't mind if I take you up on your offer, pup..."

"No! Get back! Don't...!"

The cool air around him suddenly became warm and the whimpering wolf felt something wrap around his torso and pick him up, pulling him inside...

"L- let go! Please!"

The lupine cried out as he pushed his arms out with all his might, he bolted upright in his bed and pushed the covers off him in a panic, the sudden of burst of strength returning to him as he slipped back to the real world. Once more, covered in sweat, once more, heart beating at a furious rate... What did he dream about that was so terrifying? He just couldn't remember... Billy clutched his chest as he wiped a tear from his eye, it was the same feeling he felt yesterday, but he wasn't sure if it was the same dream, all he remembered was panicking for his life, but for what reason...?

*

The nightmare occurred once more for poor Billy the following night. The darkness. The eyes. The pressure on his body. The feeling of helplessness...

The maw of the beast descended down upon its prey, as the wolf tried to push it away weakly with an arm,

"Stop, please don't, I beg you..." the wolf whimpered, tears pouring down from his eyes as he attempted to plead with the creature.

"That's right, beg... fuel me with your fear, young pup growled the creature as the tongue once more wrapped around the wolf uncaringly, slipping him inside the great maw...

"Embrace the darkness, young wolf, you are mine."

"NO!"

Billy bolted upwards, like he did the night before, this time he was positive that he had actually yelled out in his sleep, the wolf was extremely confused and upset, his mind was desperately trying to catch the bits and pieces of his memories before they could fly away and vanish. The lupine closed his eyes and concentrated, trying to recall... it took a short while before he remembered; there was the darkness, and then the eyes... and... something spoke to him... He shook his head, unable to recall anything beyond that, he brought his paw up to wipe a tear from his eyes, feeling utterly crushed and confused, why was this happening to him...?

*

"Um, Bill? Are you feeling okay?"

"Yeah, I'm... yeah, I'm just a bit tired, that's all..."

"Tired is an understatement, those bags under your eyes... Have you not been getting enough sleep?"

"It's just... I've been... recently, I've been having these... nightmares, been unable to sleep a wink, I'm sorry, I'll-"

"No, don't be. Look, why don't you take time off work? It's because of the stress now that I think about it, Oh, I'm so sorry, Bill, I shouldn't have worked you so hard."

"No, I'm fine, really, I'm-"

"You've done so much for us already. Just get some rest, go outside, get some fresh air, you know? Come back when you're feeling better."

*

Following his superior's suggestion, the wolf had decided to take it easy and spent the afternoon walking outside in the cool Spring breeze, his walk lead him out of town and into the outskirts, the countryside, and eventually to an unfamiliar looking stretch of land, overlooked by a huge mountain. The lupine sat down on the grass and sighed, was it really just a lack of sleep that caused the nightmares...? Deep down, he sincerely doubted that, the dreams felt so real, almost as if- Billy's train of thought was interrupted as he stared at the mountain in the distance, he felt a strange sensation in his mind, almost as if he had been there before... was he having deja vu? No, this was different, it was almost as if something was calling him...

Billy stood up and scanned the sky, it was still somewhat early... and that mountain... it wasn't that high nor was it that far away. His curiosity got the better of him as he began to walk forward.

"Okay, time for some hiking, I guess."

The journey up the slope of a mountain was easier than Billy had thought, there was an easy path leading upwards and the slope wasn't so bad that he had to hold on to anything as he ascended. The young wolf eventually reached a plateau and on that plateau was a huge opening leading deep inside the rock.

"It's here..." Billy said to himself, but what was? He really didn't know... All he knew was that he needed to go inside...

Taking one cautious step after another, the light from outside began to fade as Billy made his way into the strange cavern, had he not been feeling that strange sensation, there was no chance that he would be doing such a thing, exploration was never his thing, so why?

It was then that the wolf's eyes widened in horror, this place, he had been here before... for the past few nights... this was the place he was at, there was no doubt in his mind, a strange force beckoned him here... perhaps to be killed, so those nightmares, were they a premonition of some sort? The wolf didn't care, he had to leave quickly-

"Going somewhere, pup?"

Billy froze, he hadn't even a chance to turn to escape this dreaded place when that familiar voice echoed through the cave, as if it read his mind. Then, from the darkness, a huge form emerged; a gargantuan draconian figure, clad in ebony and dark green scales, with glowing crimson eyes.

"Do you recognise me? I am... your nightmare."

Billy shook his head in disbelief as he backed away from the monster standing before him,

"No- that's not- you're not real... why are you here?"

The dragon chuckled, his eyes narrowing, "But I am, young wolf... and it seems your subconscious lead you here to me. I must say, this is the first time a prey had come to visit me in the real world, I feel rather... honoured." the dragon grinned evily, "Come closer... Allow me to repay your kindness." he began to advance on the lupine, his piercing gaze never once leaving his prey.

"No- no, no, get back!" Billy whimpered, he was in the real world this time, he had free movement, but apparently it wasn't enough to evade the dragon as the terrifying beast slammed a claw down at either sides of the poor wolf in an instant, quick as a flash, he had no chance-

"That's right little one, cry and cower before me as you did in your dreams."

That familiar feeling, being on his back, helpless and weak as the predator's massive muzzle descended down upon him, gently pinning him towards the ground as it prepared to take him into it... Billy curled up, for some reason feeling less frightened at the real thing than he did in his dreams, perhaps it was the dragon's body language and tone, but the wolf sensed no malice or ill-will from the predator... the young lupine reached out an arm, placing his paw at the side of the black dragon's muzzle,

"I..." he whispered.

"Hmm? What was that, pup?" the dragon growled.

"I'm- I'm not afraid of you anymore..." Billy said bravely, astonished at his own confidence, but he had decided to confront his nightmare directly, he can't run away forever.

The dragon's eyes narrowed at the wolf's words, "Well aren't you full of surprises, pup. If you're truly not afraid, then step forward and approach me." the huge beast said in a lower voice.

Billy swallowed, his eyes never leaving the predator before him as he began to taken a step forward... followed by a second step, then a third... eventually he was right in front of the creature that had robbed him of many hours of peace.

The dragon lowered his muzzle until he was eye-level with the lupine and grinned, "Well, fortunately for you, I have no need to feed off of physical flesh, and since you no longer fear me I will no longer pursue you in your dreams."

Billy stared at the dragon, who for some reason, no longer looked as terrifying as he did a few minutes ago.

"I must admit, I had grown rather attached to you, little one, your strong mental fortitude combined with me feeding off your fear multiple nights in a row had allowed you to recall parts of the nightmare as well as forging a temporary link with me, which ultimately led you here. In other words, it was my own greed that brought upon this situation."

The wolf listened intently to the dragon, so he was never meant to recall his nightmares...

"So, w- what happens now?" he asked.

The dragon chuckled once more, staring at the little lupine before him with curiosity,

"You're free to go, pup, I will not pursue you anymore and I will no longer invade your dreams, I believe you deserve that much after my torment, just know that I regret nothing of what I have done."

Billy stood up, awkwardly staring at the ground as he tried to form words from his thoughts,

"That's fine, sir." he said with a smile, happy and confident that he had resolved the matter this way, "I do have a request if I may..." the wolf didn't know why he wanted to do this, perhaps it was that faint bond the dragon had spoken of, could it be friendship? Was it possible?

"Please, allow me to stay with you a little while longer tonight."

The ebony dragon raised an eye ridge curiously at his former prey, before giving a low, growling laughter.

"Very well, little one, I think I can allow that."