Mudminnow River Born Queen

@Terance 

The two of them slept soundly. Her curled up next to him, her disease ridden body small and fragile. Him resting his head atop her back, careful not to hurt her. Peaceful, ever watchful in her waking hours and guarding her in her sleep. Thick smoke had engulfed them too and the ominous sound of the raging fire was coming closer. "Please, we have to go," she had pleaded, nosing gently first one than the other. "Please," her voice barely a whisper now, breaking, as the realization that this was not going to happen, that both of them had left her, that she was on her own and that her time was running out too. "Please..."

Sarah awoke with a start, not recognizing the surroundings and feeling the need to flee. Run now and fast. This she did, until it sank in that it was not smoke that surrounded her, but fog and that it was cool and quiet winter morning. She came to halt next to a river. It was frozen in some places, at others the water below ran free. Without so much as thinking twice she jumped on the brittle cap of the ice and a moment later her paws broke through and she was standing chest deep in murky, ice cold water. While this state presented some difficulties, it helped the confused she-wolf jolt back into reality. It was winter, no fear of fire and she was still alive.

With a considerable effort she broke herself free and scrambled to the other bank of the river, where she lied down and began to groom her paws. Where fire had singed the fur off and burnt her flesh, the skin had been tender and now ice had lashed it and blood was seeping through. But she could live with the pain, as long as it helped to keep the land of nightmares at bay.