The flames engulfed her and she screamed but then realized she felt no heat or pain, merely a tickle where they touched. Her scream died in her throat and she gasped for breath. Calm down and think Zahra, she told herself. She closed her eyes and willed the flames away, opening them again to see nothing but darkness. She struggled to keep breathing calmly and attempted to look around and see anything in the darkness. It was no use, it was so pitch black she couldn’t even see herself when she held her hands in front of her face.

She felt strange, not like herself, but like she was in someone else’s body. She felt taller and wider by a lot and it seemed like she was sitting on all fours like a cat. She sighed and finally calm washed over her as she finally recognized that she was dreaming. It was still pitch black but she heard a faint sound coming from far away in the darkness. The faint wisp and woosh of wings beating in the air. Something was flying and it was getting closer. 


She squinted into the darkness, trying to make out any light or shapes as she listened to the flapping of the wings draw ever closer. 


“Hello? Anyone out there?” Zahra called her voice raspier and deeper than normal. She was slightly surprised she could even talk since it felt like she was in the body of some animal. 


The woosh of wings beating drew overhead and suddenly there was a pinpoint of bright light coming from whatever was flying. She stared for a long moment and then began to run from the fireball heading right at her from the beast. She had gotten a glimpse of scales and claws and sharp teeth in the flash of light from the fire. The fireball grew brighter as it neared her and she opened her mouth to scream.

“Oomph.” Zahra reached up and rubbed her head and looked around in confusion. She was on the floor of her small bedroom in the temple with her blanket wrapped around her in tangles.

She sighed and gingerly moved to untangle herself and the blanket and sit on her tiny bed.

She had been dreaming and must have rolled out of bed. The dreams of fire and wings had been happening since she could remember. She had no idea what they meant but they haunted her sleep at least a few times a week.