The Full Moon Festival went far into the night. By the time Fable was heading home on Bluebell, she had stained glass henna down her shoulder and over her right arm, her hair braided back into beautiful elf knot braids, and her eyes were a bit red from dancing close to the bonfire. Creek still lived in the village with his folks, so he stayed behind to help clean up a few things before returning home. All in all, it was a fun night.

She sighed as she rode Bluebell back towards her cottage, listening to the fading sounds of the Full Moon Festival behind her and watching the moonlight dance across the paths before her. As she listened to the clopping of hooves below her, she looked around for any sign of Ashlings’ return. The Fox Drake did say she wouldn't be back in time for the festival, but she wondered when the guardian would return. 

I thought she’d be back by now. Fable thought as she rode Bluebell around the back to her shed and paddock.

She knew she wasn't allowed in the Clan's territory unless the need was dire, but she knew of a few other Fox Drakes who were in the clan through Ashling's depictions; Puck, the Guardian of Mischief, was a trickster and enjoyed playing pranks on other drakes. Though he was forbidden to play tricks on those outside the clan... However, this never stopped him from stealing a bite of pie or snatching a sock to put it somewhere you'd never expect.

Daydream, the Guardian of dreams and illusions, was an Elder, along with Fortuna, the Guardian of Visions. The two were mated, which made sense with how their respective guardianships mingled so closely.

Each Fox Drake was a guardian of a virtue that some have forgotten. They must keep these virtues alive and well in the minds and hearts of others.

Fable was pulled from her train of thought as Bluebell stopped at her gate and pulled the reins to nibble some fresh grass. Fable chuckled as she dismounted Bluebell, letting her back into her paddock, and fed her before going into her cottage to sleep and dream. The Cottage was dark but not uncomfortable as she stepped inside. It was highlighted by silver moonlight and gave the sense that the cottage itself was asleep. Fable smiled as she walked through the kitchen and up the back stairs to her bedroom, where she lit a candle and changed for bed. It was a small bedroom with a soft mattress on the floor, a plush comforter band, and enough pillows to nest in. A jar of Lunar Sight potion was on the side table beside the candle. Once dressed for bed, Fable flopped wearily on the bed with another sigh.

"Remind me not to let Creek lead in dancing next time..." Fable told herself, her feet aching. Tomorrow was the Cleansing, where Elves would wash away what holds them back in a ritual bath. This also helped them meditate on their dreams the night before for more apparent answers. As for Fable, the Cleansing was her favorite part.

She sat up and opened the potion jar. After cooling, it became a soothing eye cream. She often recommended this for people who just got over a nasty fever to help cool their eyes and help them sleep—it always worked for her anyway. She gently applied the cream to her eyelids and forehead before closing, setting the jar down, and snuffing out her candle. The darkness fell on her like a weighted blanket as she lay in her nest of pillows and slowly let sleep wash over her.

* * *


Fable sat on a hill, gazing up at the moon. It was full, but its silvery surface had hints of red. 

That was a strange sight. She thought. Didn’t the color red on the moon mean something? 

She couldn’t remember. She watched the moon and the red tints for a moment longer before the sound of knocking on a door made her turn around. Behind her was a very ornate door that seemed ancient and framed in stained glass. But there was no building attached to it, or stone or anything. It was a free-standing door... and someone was knocking on it.

"Let me in." Called a male voice, deep and commanding. "I deserve to know your secrets. "Who are are you?" Fable called.

"You know me." Answered the voice. "Open the door."

Fable swallowed as she reached for the doorknob and opened the door.

Beyond it, she could see the Land of Myth in turmoil. The Trees were withering and burning, and the flowers were wilting and decaying, all before her eyes. Her village, where many joys were once held, was now bound in chains as her people were forced to mine away from the sun and the moon. Cages hung with the Fox Drakes in them, one catching her eye. She was a black-furred Fox Drake with green-colored horns. Her wings hung limp, and her head was down as her body shook. "I didn't want any of this..." She whispered, tears falling down her face. Her peridot eye turned to Fable, showing a deep well of sorrow, pain, and betrayal. "I didn't want to give my secrets..."

Someone rushed past Fable, bumping into her. A bump... she felt. She turned to see the person better, making note of his brown hair and eyes on fair skin, making him stand out, and his small, rounded ears like a mouse's. He was a human, perhaps her age. They stared at each other for a long moment, then the young man spoke. "What's going on??"

Fable shook her head, uncertain, before the scene suddenly changed, and they were standing on a cliff overlooking a meadow as a man in a black hooded cloak stood, his back to them. On his shoulder was a Mara, a beast of Nightmares. It hissed at the two, and the man turned, most of his face covered in the shadow of the cloak’s hood, but his eyes, such a shocking blue color, made Fable step back.

"The Enemy of Old Seeks to Return.

To pillage, and to Maim, and to Burn.

Only when the children of the two Sisters unite,

Can you hope to win the Fight.

Child of Sun,

Child of Moon.

Where one wants to run,

And one holds his boon.

Find the Guardian of Secrets,

For she only knows.

She must overcome her regrets,

Or He will lay the Sisters low..."

* * *


Fable tossed and turned until she woke with a start and in a cold sweat. What kind of dream was that?! She fumbled for her match sticks and lit her candle with a shaking hand, the darkened room suddenly feeling oppressing. Then she rummaged for a journal she kept to catalog dreams and quickly wrote down the details before she forgot them. However, that wasn't going to be likely. The details stuck to her brain like crystalized honey, making her handwriting shaky as she wrote. She even added a couple of rough sketches of the characters in the dream: The black Fox Drake, the human boy, and the man with blue eyes.

When she finished, she stared at the pictures as if they'd start moving if she glanced away. That... wasn't meant to happen with the potions... She eventually blinked and forced herself to get up. Taking her candle with her, Fable went downstairs and started making a mug of tea to settle her nerves. Maybe some mint and Nettle tea would help.

She sat as the water boiled, looking out at the graying predawn light. What was that dream about?... Did a Mara sneak into her bedroom? Is that why there was one in her dream? And that boy... He felt... real. He looked like he was aware of what was happening like she was. As the kettle sang, Fable started before standing. She lifted the kettle and poured the water for her tea into her favorite mug. Then there's that Man... the one with the striking blue eyes. Why did she feel such fear about him?... and why did he command such a presence...

‘Keeper??' Ashling’s voice made Fable gasp and jump, spilling scalding water on her hand. She set the kettle down quickly and tried not to cry out, but she knew Ashling would feel the pain in her keeper, and heard a pained yowl from outside before Ashling leaped onto the window sill and studied her Keeper with deep emerald eyes that almost glowed in the dim light. Quickly assessing what happened, she vanished again, only to return with two picked lavender stalks in her mouth.

'Are you alright?' Ashling asked as she approached her keeper. 'I felt your panic and returned as quickly as I could.'

"Other than a burned hand and feeling jumpy, I'm okay..." Fable answered, watching as Ashling chewed on the lavender and made a face at the taste. "Had an... unsettling dream."

'From the Lunar Sight?' Ashling asked as she started licking Fable's burned hand with her lavender-coated tongue. The initial touch stung, but Ashling put a paw on Fable's hand to keep it still as she tended to the injury.

Fable nodded. "Yeah... I wrote it down and drew some pictures so I wouldn't forget. There was a door, and someone was knocking on it. But when I opened it, all of Myth was in chaos... and Darnassea... it was conquered, and everyone was in chains... there was a black fox drake with bright green markings, and she and the other Fox Drakes were in cages... there was even a Human... he bumped into me, and I felt him. Then there was a man with a Mara and bright blue eyes... He scared me..."

Ashling listened, though it didn't escape Fable's notice when her Fox Drake paused. She turned to Ashling, surprised to see the small dragon looking up at her, her emerald eyes glowing in the dark. 'May I see the entry?'

"Uh, Of course,” Fable answered, setting her cup aside to let it steep while letting Ashling Climb onto her shoulder as she went back up to her room, candle in hand.

The journal still lay open on the bed, rough sketches of the characters in the dream quickly drawn out. Fable sat on the bed as Ashling Jumped and sat before the book. She studied the entry for a long while, her tail flipping like a cat’s when glowering at an intruding feral.

'Do you know these two?' Ashling asked.

"No, I've never seen them before,” Fable answered, her eyes lingering along the features of the young man who bumped into him. He looked at anxious and uncertain as she felt in the dream.

'What is this bit?' Ashling asked, resting a paw on the last scribbles of writing.

"Jumbled words that were echoing through the dream,” Fable answered.

Ashling stood and squinted her eyes at the last few lines. 'The Guardian of Secrets...' She murmured, her mental voice holding a ponderous tone before Ashling reared back, wings open in shock. 'Locket!'

"Locket? Who's that?" Fable asked.

'The Lost Guardian.' Ashling answered. 'You remember the story of how Myth was founded, correct?'

Fable nodded. She knew it well. It was made to be a safe place for Magic to be hidden away from the greed of humans after one used his Fox Drake to give him the secrets of Magic. She blinked. "Wait a moment, The Guardian of Secrets? That can't be the same Fox Drake, right?"

'There has never been another Guardian of Secrets.' Ashling told her. She gazed back at the picture of the Fox Drakes in cages, Locket being one of them. 'I don't like this. On the other paw, it's also late. Or, in this case, early. You should sleep.'

"But my tea." Fable started, starting to get up again.

'Ah ah. I'll get it. You nest back down.' Ashling told her as she leaped and flew downstairs, returning moments later with the mug of Nettle and Mint, which Fable gratefully accepted.

Fable sipped the tea and watched Ashling settle in for the morning in the corner of the bed close to Fable's head, her wings folding until she seemed more like a cat with a reptilian head. "What do you make of the dream?"

'There's a lot I should think over before I give more thought to it.' Ashling answered. 'Besides, tomorrow is the Cleansing. The answers will be clearer then.'

Agreeing, Fable set the mug down and blew out the candle, lying down but still feeling anxious. "I never had a nightmare like that before..."

Ashling stretched her neck out, giving a gentle purr. 'You're safe now, My Keeper. Try and rest.'

It wasn't easy, but soon, Fable was gently being pulled back into sleep, Ashling's tender presence offering comfort until dawn broke. Then, a frantic knocking on her door made both Fable and Ashling Jump from their slumber. Fable yawned as she got up and slipped a robe on, feeling grumpy from her poor night's sleep. The knocking persisted as she walked downstairs.

"I'm coming, hold your Kirin!" She called as she reached the door and opened it. There stood a wild-eyed Creek. From how he was panting, Fable wondered if he ran the whole way from Darnassea to her cottage.

"What did you dream last night??" He asked, and that wasn't excitement in his voice.

Fable looked at him. "What?"

"Your dream!" Creek told her, gripping her shoulders. "What did you dream?!"

"Creek! Calm down!" Fable told him, Grabbing his shoulders in response. She met his gaze briefly before guiding him inside once she was sure he'd calmed. "I take it you had a nightmare, too?"

"Fable, that wasn't just a Nightmare," Creek told her as she had him sit at her small table while she started breakfast. "Nightmares are standing in front of the council in your underpants and asked to recite things like the proper way to make a sandwich or unable to move while a Mara sits on your chest."

Fable shivered at the mention of a Mara.

"But that wasn't what we dreamed." Creek finished.

Fable froze in her cooking and turned to stare at Creek. "What do you mean by we?"