3/23/2026, 4:35 PM
The dream, like the last, came in blurs and words Selkie did not understand. But he knew enough to know danger, and that he did not want to be alone in the dark! He did not think, but some sort of sixth sense pulled him forward. This was where máthair had gone.
He knew it! So it was where he needed to be. And on tiny paws Selkie scrambled headfirst into the portal.
It felt like diving into open water. Cool and dark. Selkie scrunched his eyes shut and paddled with forepaws until he was standing on rock, bristling uncertainly when he opened his eyes and saw the big wolf chained. Trapped. His tail tucked between hind legs at the low echoing wail, shoulders drawing tight, eyes wide.
But...no! He wouldn't get scared! Máthair and vater needed him. He took a little breath and looked around wildly, and saw more wolves than he could count, in every color he could imagine, growling and biting and snapping at the big wolf and all of its bindings. Loud and overwhelming, and Selkie flinched, paws flexing.
And another tiny pinprick of memory distracted him. The sea, grey and angry, seen through a pane of glass. A hand around a wrist. He saw it with child's thought, but it made him shiver and raised the hair on his scruff. It was wrong. Bad. She needed the sky and the sea, but he took it away! He knew this with certainty too.
Dark gaze locked on one of the silvery chains around the wolf's leg. Selkie gave a little crackly snarl of his own, planting all four paws on the ground with tail upflung, and lunged, tiny teeth finding purchase on the place where iron connected to heavy manacle around its ankle to chew. He was tiny and all the other wolves were large and fierce, but he could help! He would free it!
He knew it! So it was where he needed to be. And on tiny paws Selkie scrambled headfirst into the portal.
It felt like diving into open water. Cool and dark. Selkie scrunched his eyes shut and paddled with forepaws until he was standing on rock, bristling uncertainly when he opened his eyes and saw the big wolf chained. Trapped. His tail tucked between hind legs at the low echoing wail, shoulders drawing tight, eyes wide.
But...no! He wouldn't get scared! Máthair and vater needed him. He took a little breath and looked around wildly, and saw more wolves than he could count, in every color he could imagine, growling and biting and snapping at the big wolf and all of its bindings. Loud and overwhelming, and Selkie flinched, paws flexing.
And another tiny pinprick of memory distracted him. The sea, grey and angry, seen through a pane of glass. A hand around a wrist. He saw it with child's thought, but it made him shiver and raised the hair on his scruff. It was wrong. Bad. She needed the sky and the sea, but he took it away! He knew this with certainty too.
Dark gaze locked on one of the silvery chains around the wolf's leg. Selkie gave a little crackly snarl of his own, planting all four paws on the ground with tail upflung, and lunged, tiny teeth finding purchase on the place where iron connected to heavy manacle around its ankle to chew. He was tiny and all the other wolves were large and fierce, but he could help! He would free it!
