Dominic wasn't sure how long he was unconscious, but it felt like it had been a long time. Dream-like darkness was his constant companion; a thick sludge that clung to him like honey. He was only vaguely aware of what was going on around him. Elusive feelings and random flashes of light kept him just awake enough to know time was, in some fashion, passing. Other than that, he was completely oblivious to even his very own existence.
During brief moments of self-awareness, Dominic would develop enough cognizance to try and move. It was a slow process to make the decision, then implement any type of action, be it to try uncurling an arm or extend a leg, but once he began, the darkness surrounding him would suddenly come alive. The heavy presence that was barely noticeable before would suddenly react, tightening almost painfully until he ceased his movements. The energy it cost him would plunge him into an even deeper sleep until he gained enough energy to start all over again, not even really aware he had tried before. Only after a countless number of tries did he even suspect there was a reason he was not waking up.
Without rhyme or reason, the last time Dominic attempted to move, the darkness broke and he was suddenly waking up from his dream existence. There was a heaviness to his limbs as he opened his eyes to the dull glow of the morning hours. Waiting for his vision to focus, he was met with the sight of dead leaves, grass, and pale blond hair, all of which was covered in a light sprinkling of shiny dew. Following the strands of hair, he came across a forehead, strong eyebrows, closed eyes on either side of a delicate bridge to an upturned nose, all resting above parted light pink Cupid's bow lips. Blinking once he did his best to get his body to move as smoothly and quietly as possible. His joints popped despite his effort, but that didn't seem to disturb the woman next to him. He took the opportunity to pop his back and crack his neck, releasing some of the pressure from his joints.
Misty was still sleeping soundly as Dominic rocked to his feet and stretched his achy body. Feeling his skin as it was kissed by the chilly morning breeze, he realized he was completely naked; and decidedly filthy. Looking down he could see mud and grime covered much of his long body. Blood was also covering much of him, but a quick inspection told him it was not his.
Deep inside of himself, he could just make out the lurking presence of his instincts. They were different than he remembered before his sleep. Somehow they felt... thicker, more solid, but no more present than they had been. It was disconcerting, but he chose to worry about it later.
Pushing the feeling away for the moment, Dominic decided it would be a good idea to instead take in where he was. The woods weren't exactly his thing; he had always been a city boy, but when in Rome... Might as well attempt to keep some bearing.
Taking a step forward, Dominic was surprised when he almost lost his balance. He had to catch himself on a tree. Looking back down at himself, he realized the ground looked farther away than it had before. He stood to his full height, and almost had the strange sense of vertigo come over him. Evidentially, he had grown again during his blackout. The disconcerting feeling came rushing back.
Distracted by his new discovery, Dominic was startled by a "You're awake." coming from behind him. Turning quickly, he noticed Misty was watching him from her spot on the ground. Her voice held surprise, as did her eyes, but she stayed lying on the cold forest floor with one knee slightly brought up and her hands resting on her stomach. She was as nude as he was, and just as filthy. The only difference was she had far less rusty red covering her skin. There was still a good amount on her hands and around her mouth, with a few thick rivulets tracking their way down her throat. Seeing them sent a shiver down Dominic's spine. What was going on?
Despite the worry of waking up to both he and Misty being a bloody mess, he still had to focus on not staring at her nude body as he spoke to her. "What happened? I feel like I've been asleep for a long time, but I don't feel rested at all." He rubbed his face, trying to get his mind back in order. Everything still seemed to have a light film over it. As he pulled his hands away, he was disgusted to find it was covered in old blood. "And I'm filthy. I feel like I haven't showered in months. How long have I been asleep?"
Misty shifted a bit, avoiding eye contact. The sudden discomfort in her body language sent up a red flag for Dominic. Misty was not the type of woman to be uncomfortable. "Well, you have actually been active this entire time, it's just the human aspect of your consciousness that has been dormant." She moved her hands to the ground beside her and lifted up her torso, before tucking her feet beneath herself and rising. He was momentarily distracted by the way her legs flexed as she stood, how her body grew taunt as she stretched her own muscles. His instincts swelled in response, obviously enjoying the display.
Pulling back to focus once again, Dominic forced himself to keep his eyes above her chin, so as not to get too distracted. "I don't understand." He pulled at the vague memories of his dreams. Just like any other dream, the images were fading by the second but the underlying feeling of them lingered on. "What happened to me, Misty? Tell me."
She made no sound as she took deliberate steps towards Dominic. He noticed he now was almost a head taller than her, because she had to tilt her head back in order to look him in the eye. "You have been in your wolf form for a while now. We have been running the forest, living as wolves, which is why you feel tired and sore. Your instincts have been taking full advantage; running, hunting. It was all quite cute really. Like a pup let loose for the first time. That is why you feel so sore. Being so new to this life it must have been a strain on your body to be living as a wolf for so long. Not that it's been that long. Many of our kind choose to live as wolves permanently unless they have to shift, so I'm sure you will be just fine-"
"What are you talking about, Misty? What happened?" Had he been out a few hours? Maybe a day or two? It couldn't have been that long.
"Something set off your instincts, Dominic, so much so that they took over in order to protect you. They had completely enveloped you. Nothing I did calmed you so I had to just leave you to sort it out yourself." She was avoiding giving him a straight answer. Dominic felt a sense of foreboding come over him; whatever she was hiding form him had to be big.
"And how long did it take?"
Sighing, she finally gave in and told him what she had been holding back. "You have been suppressed for almost two months now."
Shock was the first emotion to cross through Dominic. It was numbing, paralyzing, and cold. He couldn't move, he couldn't organize his thoughts. All that kept going through his mind was '
Impossible. Impossible. Impossible. Impossible.