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Aurora descended into her dreams as if stepping from one consciousness into another. She was aware that she was sleeping in that intangible, abstract way that her body felt heavier; but unlike in a dream, all of her decisions seemed to be completely her own.
The forest around her was dark. Not an empty darkness, but a rich, velvety darkness that seemed alive as she moved through it. Silvery moonlight washed the path where she walked, illuminating plants that looked vibrantly green even in the partial light. She was barefoot, and as she walked she was aware of the texture of the ground and the press of grit and pebbles into her feet. It wasn't painful, but a strange, elevate sense of awareness to have in a dream.
Aurora continued to follow the path not knowing where it was leading. It wound through the dark outlines of trees and along a tiny, burbling stream that sparkled across a bed of smooth rocks. Finally, the path opened into a large clearing where the stream poured out into a small lake. She approached the edge and sat on a moss-covered boulder that jutted out slightly over the water. As she dipped her feet down into the lake to rinse them she noticed she wore a long white skirt that flowed around her legs and brushed her ankles.
The water was cool against her skin and she swirled her feet just beneath the surface. Everything around her felt so quiet and peaceful that Aurora didn't want to move. She sat on the rock allowing the moonlight to wash across her skin, finding comfort and relief in the reprieve from the turmoil and chaos of her waking life.
Time slid by without her recognizing how long she had been sitting there. What could have been moments or hours later she felt the water on her feet becoming warmer. The temperature rose slowly until it felt like bath water against her skin. As the water got warmer, it also got rougher. The once smooth, crystalline surface shook and rocked, gathering into small waves and splashing up over her legs.
Aurora watched as the water soaked into the hem of her skirt, sending ribbons of color up the white expanse with each drop. She gasped and withdrew her feet onto the boulder, staring at the streams of color creeping up her skirt until the entire dress was a swirl of blue, purple, and pink. Climbing to her feet, Aurora looked out over the churning water. A dark shape caught her attention halfway across the lake. Gleaming in the moonlight, the shape rose partially out of the water, then sank back beneath the surface only to break through again a few feet closer to her.
The water continued to surge and shift, and Aurora kept her eyes focused on the dark shape moving through it. It seemed to appear and then disappear every few feet as if swimming toward the bank but gradually moving away from her. After a few moments, the water quieted and there was a brief pause when the world fell still and silent again. Just as her heart was settling from its quivering pace, though, the calmed surface of the water shattered and a massive black creature climbed out onto the bank.
Aurora screamed and stepped back, stumbling off the edge of the boulder and landing on her side on the damp earth of the bank. She collected herself from the force of the impact and slowly opened her eyes.
A claw came into view first. Long and black, they dug into the ground only yards away. She lifted her gaze slowly, giving herself time to take in the image of the creature. Powerful, muscled legs became a smooth, shimmery torso. Massive reptilian arms rested at its sides, partly concealed by leather-like wings tucked over its shoulders and touching the ground beside it. Fearsome spikes at the tips scraped into the dirt as the creature straightened further. Water dripped from its body, making its black skin look like oil.
Aurora pushed herself up to her hip before letting herself lift her eyes all the way to the creature's head. Huge and sleek, the head tilted down to look at her. Gleaming black eyes reflected the moonlight and Aurora felt her breath catch in her throat. She gradually rolled to her knees, keeping her movements slow and controlled. The longer she looked at the creature, the more details she noticed. The lines of its body were curved and graceful, but the edges of its wings were sharp and intense.
Feeling bolder, she climbed to her feet. The creature shifted slightly and made a low snorting sound as if disturbed by her movement. Aurora stilled, keeping her gaze steady on his eyes. When it quieted, she took a step forward. It made another, softer sound, but she took a second cautious step. On her third step the creature stood up straight and spread its wings wide. Turning its face to the sky, it opened its mouth and a stream of vivid orange fire poured across the sky. She felt the heat on her body and a surge through her chest a moment before everything went dark.
When Aurora opened her eyes again she was staring up at the ceiling of her bedroom. Her legs tangled in the sheets and her heart was pounding so hard against her ribs that she could feel her skin trembling above it. Now that she was awake, the color seemed to have drained from the world around her, but in her mind, she could see the vividness of the colors within the dream. Everything had been clearer and more saturated, from the purity of the moonlight to the glossy ebony skin of the creature. The dragon.
As soon as it released its fire into the air, she realized what was standing in front of her, and even though she knew the beautiful, majestic dragon had only been a dream, she could still feel the sting of the heat across her skin.