Teresa looked around her in fright, her mind reeling in shock and confusion. She was not in Morrowind, she must have hit her head at some point and was now subjected to this terrifying dream. She knew it had to be the only way, this could never truly happen in the real world. However, a dark terrified thought kept coming to the forefront of her thoughts. This dream is too real.

“Gabby, what was that?” She asked, hoping that it was Gabrielle who was making the noise in an attempt to scare her.

“It wasn’t me, Teresa. I swear, it was not me that growled. It had to be some sort of animal or…” Gabrielle replied, her answer dwindling as the growl came again. Suddenly, the grip on Teresa’s arm tightened as she stared ahead of them

“Gabby, what is…” Teresa turned towards Gabrielle and began to ask.

“Hush,” Gabrielle hissed. Teresa was surprised; her friend usually did not silence her.

“Look straight ahead, what do you see?” Gabrielle whispered quietly. Teresa looked and what annoyance she held for her friend for quieting her vanished into a single feeling of dread. A large dark-green creature was staring at them, dark eyes glimmering as it thought about its next move. It’s pincer-like appendages flexed in expectation. In an instant, Teresa’s mind was wiped of all possibilities for the creature, she could only stare at it in fascinated horror and confusion.

“In one word, say something about it. I can’t remember what it is,” Teresa whispered, her heart beginning to beat against her ribcage in terror. She prayed Gabrielle would say something good. Maybe it was a sweet-natured animal similar to a large dog, sweet and gentle despite its menacing appearance.

“Carnivore,” Gabrielle whispered. Teresa froze and the creature then decided on its course of action. It began walking towards them, a low growl thrumming at the back of the creature’s throat. Gabrielle let go of Teresa’s arm and inched slowly away from her friend. Teresa felt like panicking, what stupid thing was her friend planning to do? Gabrielle reached out towards something, slowly so that she would not antagonize the animal into attacking.

Her efforts were wasted as it roared and leapt forward. Teresa screamed and pushed herself out of range, the large claws missing her leg. Gabrielle spun and swung at the creature, holding a slightly damp but intact Chemistry book in her hands. The blow landed on the creature’s rump. It hissed but ignored her, swiping again at Teresa. Teresa scrambled out of range again and searched for something to defend herself with. She found a rock and she flung it at the creature. It bounced off the head, not even stalling the creature. What did make it stop was when Gabrielle focused on its hind legs.

“Get away from her, hound!” She screamed as she smashed the book into its leg. The leg crumpled and it hissed. Her next bow missed the leg, allowing the creature to recover. It spun and head-butted into the girl’s stomach, knocking her onto her rear.

“Gabrielle!” Teresa shouted as she stood up. She flung at the creature, smashing into the creature’s flank. She punched at the creature, trying to damage it in some way. The creature growled and suddenly Teresa was flying. She landed in cold water, dazed. She snapped out of her daze as her back hit the shallow muddy bottom and she shot to the surface. She took a gulp of air, her stomach blazed in pain with the breath. Muddy water temporarily blinded her and she struggled to clear her vision as she tried to think. For a moment, her mind was blank until a screech interrupted her thoughts.

Gabrielle’s scream tore over Teresa’s head, almost knocking the breath out of her again. Teresa scrambled to her feet to help her friend, only to slip back into the water when her feet slipped on the muddy bank. She crawled onto the bank and the creature screamed, reeling away from Gabrielle and trying to press its arm to its face.

“Gabby!” Teresa shouted as she managed to regain her footing and run to the girl. Gabrielle did not notice the soaking wet Teresa as she flung her arms around her. Teresa felt warmth where Gabrielle’s arm was and pulled back to look. Three jagged claws had gouged her upper arm, ripping into the tendons and soft flesh. Blood had drenched what little remained of her sleeve. On Gabrielle’s right hand was more blood mixed with another strange liquid. Teresa looked back at the creature, still reeling with its left eye oozing blood and something else that Teresa did not wish to contemplate. Gabrielle, in her frantic effort to hurt the creature, had torn out the creature’s eye.

“Gabrielle, you are going to be alright! Listen to me, you are going to be okay!” Teresa yelled frantically as she looked around her. She noticed a rock, slightly larger than the one she had thrown earlier, and picked it up. Teresa noticed her hands were shaking and swallowed; she knew what to do before the creature had recovered from the loss of its eye. She walked to it and smashed the rock down on its head, putting all of her strength into the blow. It yelped in pain and its front legs fell, raking the ground with its claws. She brought the rock down again, this time knocking it flat on the ground and opening a wound on its head. It growled weakly as thick blood oozed from its mouth. Teresa raised the rock upwards, prepared to send another blow to the creature's head. However, it shook once and its entire body relaxed. Revulsion at what she had done welled up from her stomach and she stepped back, dropping the blood-splattered rock. After a few steps, she suddenly remembered that the creature was called a Nix Hound and her stomach revolted against her wishes. She fell to her knees and vomited, the vile acidic liquid splashing down her front and onto the mossy ground.

“Terra-chan,” Teresa heard Gabrielle weakly call. Ignoring her vomit, she pushed herself up and walked to her friend. The girl stared up at her with wide terrified before grabbing onto Teresa’s arm with a shaking hand.

“I’m scared,” Gabrielle sobbed. Teresa felt hollow as she stared down at Gabrielle.

“I’m scared too, Gabby. I’m scared too,” Teresa mumbled as she sank to her knees. Her eyes were immediately drawn to the girl’s arm, wondering what they could possibly do to help it.

“We have to stop the bleeding,” Teresa said. Gabrielle nodded, looking around for what they would need. Teresa wondered quietly what they could possibly do. They did not have the gauze necessary to bind the wound. However, Gabrielle had an idea.

“Help me,” Gabrielle said as she tried to take off her shoes with one hand. Teresa stared at her as she managed to get one off and removed the sock.

“Teresa, please,” Gabrielle begged as she took off her other shoe and the sock on that foot. Teresa realized what she was doing and took the two socks. They were Gabrielle’s second-favorite socks, blue socks with yellow stars dotted on the fabric; she always wore them when she took a test she didn’t study for. She carefully tied them around her arms, covering half of the wounds with their fabrics. Teresa sighed and took off her shoes, using her socks to finishing binding Gabrielle’s arm. It looked silly, blue and white socks bound around her arm, but it had to do until they found real medical supplies and bandages.

“I hope it holds,” Teresa said. Gabrielle nodded and stared at Teresa.

“Before we go, you must wash that vomit off,” Gabrielle stated. Teresa looked down at herself and smiled weakly. She walked over to the muddy pool that she had been thrown into earlier and took off her shirt. She began washing it, scrubbing the half-digested meal from the black fabric. As she pulled it out to inspect, a thick heavy growl interrupted the silence.

“Teresa! It’s not dead!” Gabrielle yelped. Teresa spun in horror, the nix hound was slowly pulling itself out of the dark sleep and trying to get to its feet. Its legs shuddered and collapsed under its own weight.

“We have to get out of here now!” Teresa yelled as she quickly put on the soaked shirt. She ran towards her friend, ignoring the wet chilly shirt as she grabbed the bags and ran towards Gabrielle. Gabrielle grabbed at their shoes, preparing to put her shoes on when Teresa pulled her to her feet. Teresa winced as the girl yelped in pain; Teresa had grabbed the injured arm. However, now was not the time to apologize.

“There is no time! Now, we must go now!” She said as she snatched the shoes from her. Gabrielle tried to retort, but stopped as the Nix Hound growled at them. It had managed to get onto its front legs and was glaring at them with its good eye. They glanced at it and ran; hoping the direction they were running to was towards a town or to help.