Oh! Well... i wasn't really sure that anything I said would make sense to these people, much less that they would believe me. Still, I was confused and needed answers myself, and so far this was my best chance to get them. I was pretty sure that this wasn't a dream any longer, it was too detailed and, besides, once a person was aware that they were in a dream, weren't they supposed to wake up? I couldn't rule out aliens I supposed, but it didn't seem likely. I had two other best guesses: This wasn't so much a dream, but a hallucination or near-death experience type thing, or- insanely- it was all real, I was somehow transported to another world or dimension and was now speaking to real fox people.

"it's alright Enna, you can tell us." Said Ozzie, the light of curiosity in his young eyes. "I know tha, if I can help, I will. Foxkin's honor." He added placing a paw over his heart.

I gave the young man a wane smile before returning my gaze to his grandfather, who was studying me over his clay mug. "I guess I can try... but I really am not sure what to say." I admitted, warming my hands on my own mug.

"How about you tell me how you came to be in the forest in the first place?" Asked the elder, calmly.

I shrugged. "I really don't know. My last memory, before waking up next to Ozzie, was falling asleep in my hospital bed. The next thing I knew I was in a forest and there was a little fox boy- er, sorry, foxkin- standing near by. Till a few hours ago I would have said that there were no such thing as monsters! And I defiantly would have called anyone crazy if they tried to tell me that I would magically be walking around, when I have been paralyzed for about two thirds of my life." I said in a rush. Maybe, now that I was voicing it all out loud like this, I was now really understanding how crazy all of this was. What ever the reason, I was suddenly beginning to feel the panic that I probably should have felt when I first opened my eyes and I found myself in a strange place.

"Hmm." Said the elder, and I saw that I was not the only one in the room looking to him for a response. Ozzie was gawking between his grandfather and I while Brixie seemed to be concerned for my mental well being. "So you are saying that you are not from this world then?" He asked simply.

I blinked rather stupidly for a second. Well, he seemed to accept that rather easily. "I- I think so... that or I am going crazy and you all are a figment of my imagination."

"Well, I have no way to prove that we are not." he said with a small, companionate smile. "But if it helps you at all, travelers from other worlds are not unheard of here. there are the usual creatures that can traverse between worlds: spirits, demons, things of that nature. But there are also humans, such as yourself, that have been said to travel from their strange world and arrive on our own."

"Really?" So, others had gone through this as well. If I could find them, then maybe they would be able to explain what it was that had happened to me.

"Oh yes. that being said, normally these humans are summoned by other humans. The humans of this world refer to them as Heroes, and call them to this world to fight for them and their kingdoms. I can say that I have never heard of a human being summoned to our forest. For the last millennia or so, this land has been named the Monster Nation of Aeros, and has been forbidden to humans. Our god, Aeros, has a strong dislike for your kind and has ordered that you all be killed or removed on sight."

I swallowed heavily. That didn't sound good. "Then why aren't I dead?" I asked nervously.

The elder chuckled and took another sip of his tea. "Aeros has abandoned these lands miss. No one has seen hide nor hair from him in many, many generations. It is only his memory and the feint possibility that he may return, that has kept the fearful and superstitious humans out this long. That and their fear of monsters as a whole. You are alive because I do not think that Aeros cares one bit weather or not you are here any longer. I highly doubt my people will be punished for not following his rule in this."

"Oh... Well, what happened to this god of yours then?"

"Well, depending on who you ask, you may get a variety of answers. The gist of it is that no one truly knows."

"Well, what do you believe?"

He sighed and shared a worried glance with his daughter before setting his eyes back on me. "I believe that Aeros has abandoned us. All of us. Not just we foxkin, but all the monsters in this nation."

"But why would he do that?" I asked, confused. I was no expert in gods or religions, but that seemed like a odd thing to just, toss aside.

It looked like Ozzie was about to object but a look from the elder quieted the foxkin. "Aeros was never one of the benevolent, nor attentive gods. Which was fine. We are monsters and the general law is that the strong prevail and the week submit. Aeros was strongest of all so we worshipped him and hoped he would look favorably on us. And that worked for a long time. But it is said that Aeros was a finicky and irritable god. My best guess is that he grew bored of this life he had made."

This time it was Brixie who sighed and then spoke. "I have never met an other-worlder, so I can only assume that you know very little about this world." She said and I nodded. "Well, here it is common knowledge that there is really very few ways to, truly, kill a god. They die- or sort of die- sometimes but they always reappear after a short time."

Elder Brax nodded. "For a very long time, many races in the forest thought that this is what happened to Aeros. He was a confrontational man and many just assumed he had picked a fight with another god, lost, and would return shortly. He would be angry and cantankerous over the loss but at least he would be back where he belonged..."

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

"But he never did come back?" I asked. I was not sure how any of this had to do with me or my situation, but it was interesting at least.

"No, he did not. Some races, like the goblins, think that he is still here but so angry that he has chosen to hide himself and show favor to those most loyal to him."

"Which, we foxkin, are not." Huffed Brixie, looking annoyed.

Brax nodded. "Aeros always favored the strong, and we are not even close to that I am afraid."

"Okay." I said, thinking. "But Ozzie said that all the monsters are having a hard time right now. Including the Goblins, right? That's why they have been attacking you recently."

"Yes. And this is why I believe that Aeros is gone. Truly and completely gone. If not actually dead then on the brink of it."

"But that can not be true!" Snapped Ozzie. "There is always a land god. Aeros must still live Grandfather, or else there would be a new god. In all this time there hasn't been one so he must just be angry with us. Two-thousand years may seem long to us, but to a god I am sure it seems like a nice vacation..."

"Ozzie... I know you hope it not to be so, but all signs point to Aeros being gone." Sighed the elder kindly. "He may not have been dead, in the true sense, but he has forsaken us. And, right now I think that he has- at last- left this realm."

"what? why would you say that?" Grumbled the younger foxkin while his mother gave the older man a confused look.

"You think he was napping and then another god snuck into his godly room and snuffed him out?" I asked, still very confused.

"No." Said the elder slowly. "Though it is said that another god can permanently kill another, I do not think that is what happened to Aeros."

"What then?" Asked Brixie while Ozzie glowered.

"Though the passing of a god is no common thing, there is one way that is more likely that any other: they simply decide that they no longer wish to live of this world."

I looked at the foxkin, surprised. Was he saying that a god had just, killed himself? "They can do that?"

"Oh yes. You humans do not have a great grasp on what it means to truly be old. Your lives are always so short compared to the other races of this world. Even we foxkin live an average of one-hundred and fifty years, and that is considered rather short for a monster of our caliber. More often than not, a higher ranked monster dies in battle rather than old age. So can you even imagine living as a god for untold centuries?"

I guess I couldn't. Heck, I thought I wouldn't even live to see a quarter century, much less 'untold' ones.

Brax nodded. "If I had to pick any reason why Aeros has left us, it is that he has just grown bored with this life. He went into a slumber, and now..."

"But why? Why would you think he has actually died now, Grandfather?" Asked Ozzie, a note of desperation in his voice. I could understand that. His people were under siege by a race that could obliterate them, and this Aeros fellow was his last hope of salvation. If he was dead, then what hope did the foxkin have? "Maybe he still sleeps! If only we pray-"

"No," said the elder, setting his cup on the floor next to him, his voice somber. "I am very certain now that he is gone. the signs of his fading have been evident for years now, and I believe that he has, at last, left this land."

"I am not saying you are wrong, Father... but what makes you say this now?" Brixie asked, a hand on her son's shoulder, preventing the younger boy getting to his feet in frustration.

A small, sad smile, passed over Brax's muzzle. "Because, as a young foxkin prayed for aid today, a strange young woman appeared next to the shrine."

Ozzie froze and glanced at me, confused. Mean while, Brixie and I looked at the elder like he may have had a few screws loose. What did that have to do with anything?

Brax chuckled. "I see your confusion. And- truth be told- I could be wrong in this. But I do not think I am."

"Well, do you care to explain?" Asked an annoyed Brixie. Apparently, even the elder, was not able to avoid the wrath of this woman.

"I will, but tomorrow. My theory needs testing before I am willing to announce it... Ozzie, please lead Enna to a room where she may rest. Tomorrow we will see if what I think, is true. Either way the girl has been through much and needs rest."

The truth was that I was feeling tired now. Not sleepy, but physically tired. Maybe the adrenaline of being mobile had finally worn off and my body, unaccustomed to movement, was finally feeling the effects of my trek through the woods. Still, wanted to know what it was the elder thought was happening. And, more importantly, how it had anything to do with me. But, before I could protest, the elder was getting to his feet. Brixie hopped up and helped her father stand, while Ozzie held out a hand for me. He was glaring at his grandfather, clearly miffed that he was being forced to wait till morning as well.

"I could do with a rest as well." Said the elder, leaning heavily on the support of his daughter. I had a funny feeling that he was putting on a bit of an act however. Ozzie seemed to think so too, as he continued to glare at his grandfather. "Go on Ozzie."

The boy sigh but took my hand and tugged me along, away from the fire pit and his family, toward the one of the many flaps in the tent.

"Don't worry." Ozzie grouched as I followed him into a short hall with a dirt floor and decorated in more painting and bone art. "Grandfather may be secretive right now, but he means you no harm. I just wish he would stop with the airs and spit it out."

i chuckled then stifled a yawn. "I can see that that would be frustrating."

Ozzie snorted. "No Kidding." He came to a stop next to another flap and held it open for me. I ducked into it and saw that there was a small bed of soft furs in one corner, a bucket that i assumed was meant to be a toilet, and a short table with a large basin of water, probably for cleaning. "Just get some sleep. the faster morning comes, the better."

With that, Ozzie's paw left my grasp, and he disappeared back down the hall. I don't know why, but I was surprised that there was no guard posted to keep an eye on me. then again, all the people here had fangs and claws and I was just a scrawny human girl who had no clue where I would run to even if I decided to make a break for it.

I tottered over to the bed and sank into the surprisingly soft furs. It was pretty comfortable for what amounted to a pile of blankets piled on a dirt floor. I rolled to my side and my eye lids began to grow heavy. I could hear Brax and Brixie speaking not to far away but I couldn't make out their words. Sleep was threatening to take me under but I was resisting.

I realized that I was afraid to fall asleep. What If this was a dream? What if falling asleep here meant waking up in the real world? I would be back to my hospital room, stuck in that damn bed... Could it be that I actually preferred this world of monsters to the home I had only just left?

I scoffed quietly to myself and rolled over. Of course I wished that this place was real! I could walk! I could drink tea and interact with people. Hell, I bet, with a good nights sleep, I would be running and dancing tomorrow. I may have been surrounded by monsters and this may be some near death experience, but I had never felt more alive than I did right now.

Unable to resist a moment longer, I drifted into the realm of dreams. I just hoped that i would wake up on this fur pile in the morning...