Astralyth Online

Chapter 67 – Waking Up Together

Madelyn slowly opened her eyes, letting the soft morning light filter into the room as she blinked away the last traces of sleep. Despite having two dreams the night before, she’d slept surprisingly well. The first dream, a vivid nightmare about the gods’ courtroom, still felt fresh in her mind: Orythion at the center, shadowy and imposing, the cage that had once held her, and Aeloria bravely standing up for her against seemingly impossible odds. It felt like yet another cryptic piece of the puzzle her life had become.

After that, though, her dreams had shifted to something far lighter—something unexpectedly nice. She’d dreamed of lying next to Sarah, of being pulled close in her sleep and used as a makeshift plushie. It had been weird, but there was a comforting warmth to it that still lingered.

She stretched instinctively, her limbs tensing and relaxing—until she froze. Something felt… wrong. Or, rather, different. Her body didn’t respond the way it should. When she shifted slightly, she felt the soft brush of fur against her back.

Her amber eyes widened in realization. I’m still a fox!

She let out a quiet, startled yip, and as the sound echoed in her mind, she noticed something else. An arm was draped snugly around her middle, holding her securely. A steady heartbeat thudded softly against her back, and warm breaths tickled her ears, ruffling her fur ever so slightly. Her mind raced, piecing together the sensations with growing horror—and disbelief.

Oh my gosh… that wasn’t a dream!

Madelyn shifted her head slightly, craning her neck as far as her small fox body would allow. She couldn’t turn too far, but the golden locks of hair spilling over the pillow beside her were unmistakable. Her nose twitched, catching a familiar, soothing scent—a blend of lavender and something uniquely Sarah.

Her fox ears flattened in embarrassment as her heart thudded in her chest. This was actually happening—Sarah had fallen asleep holding her close, cradling her in a gentle embrace. She couldn’t decide whether to panic, feel mortified, or surrender to the comforting warmth of the moment.

How did this even happen?! she thought frantically, her tail flicking once before she forced it to still. Her movements must have disturbed Sarah, because the arm around her tightened slightly, pulling her even closer. Madelyn froze again, her heart racing as Sarah’s soft breathing tickled her ear.

“Mmm… stop wiggling, Maddy,” Sarah mumbled, her voice thick with sleep. “You’re comfy.”

Madelyn’s mind went blank. I’m comfy? she wondered, her fur bristling just a little at the thought. A hint of warmth stirred inside her despite her initial fluster.

She tried to shift again, more carefully this time, but Sarah only let out a contented sigh and buried her face into Madelyn’s fur. The weight of Sarah’s arm, the warmth of her body, and the sheer intimacy of the situation made Madelyn’s thoughts spiral.

Madelyn’s mind raced as she tried to figure out her next move. What should I do? What can I do? She couldn’t exactly explain herself in this form, and even if she could, she wasn’t entirely sure how she’d wound up here in the first place. Should she try to wake Sarah? But then again… this felt kind of good. The warmth, the closeness—it made her heart flutter in a way she found surprisingly pleasant.

Her indecision was cut short as Sarah stirred again, apparently woken by Madelyn’s subtle wiggling.

“Maddy…” Sarah mumbled, her voice still groggy. She blinked a few times, her green eyes slowly opening. “What? Why are you in my bed?” Her gaze swept the room before focusing on the small fox in her arms. Her brows furrowed slightly as she woke up more. “Did you sneak into my bedroom?”

Madelyn flattened her ears, letting out a soft, guilty whine. She had no idea how she’d ended up here, but the question still made her feel like she was caught doing something wrong.

Sarah sighed and sat up, pulling Madelyn onto her lap without hesitation. “Hey, I don’t mind,” she said, her voice warming as she scratched gently behind Madelyn’s ears. “I slept awesome with such a cute and soft fox next to me. Seriously, 10 out of 10, would cuddle again.”

Madelyn felt her fur bristle slightly at the teasing compliment, but her tail betrayed her, giving a small wag. She wasn’t sure if it was the praise or the ear scratches, but something about Sarah’s casual acceptance made her heart feel lighter.

Before either of them could say more, the door creaked open seemingly on its own, and Lyra fluttered inside, her wings shimmering faintly in the morning light.

“Ah, you’re both awake,” Lyra said cheerfully, landing on the edge of the bed with her hands on her hips. She didn’t seem fazed at all by the two girls sharing a bed—or the fact that one of them was currently a fox.

Sarah’s eyes narrowed, her gaze locking onto the fairy. “Lyra,” she said, her tone pointed. “How did Maddy get in my bed?”

“Oh, that,” Lyra said casually, a mischievous glint in her eyes as she fluttered closer. “Well, Maddy was having another nightmare, and I knew the perfect solution.” She finished her sentence with a playful wink, as if she’d just solved the world’s biggest problem.

Madelyn let out a startled yip, her ears flattening against her head as her tail flicked in a mix of embarrassment and frustration. Of course, it was Lyra…

Sarah raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms as she looked at Lyra. “The perfect solution was putting her in my bed without telling either of us?” she asked, her tone skeptical but laced with amusement.

Lyra nodded enthusiastically, completely unfazed by the interrogation. “Absolutely! She was tossing and turning, all stressed out, and I thought, ‘What better way to help her relax than cuddling up with her favorite person?’” She beamed, clearly proud of herself. “And I was right, wasn’t I? She stopped having nightmares, didn’t she?”

Madelyn tried to burrow her muzzle into Sarah’s arms, wishing she could vanish. The embarrassment felt overwhelming, yet she couldn’t deny that Lyra was—much to her annoyance—right. Once she’d ended up in Sarah’s embrace, she’d slept peacefully. But that didn’t mean she wanted it announced like this.

Sarah sighed, her expression softening as she glanced down at Madelyn, who was still now curled up in her lap. “Well,” she said, her voice more thoughtful now, “I guess I can’t argue with the results. But you could’ve warned me, Lyra. Waking up with a fox in my arms was… unexpected.”

Lyra shrugged, her grin not fading in the slightest. “Where’s the fun in that?” she teased, her wings fluttering. “Besides, look how cute you two are. Totally worth it.”

Madelyn let out a soft huff, peeking out from the shelter of Sarah’s arms to glare at Lyra. Sarah chuckled, giving Madelyn’s head a gentle pat. “Alright, alright,” she said, her green eyes sparkling with amusement. “I think Maddy’s hit her embarrassment limit for the morning.”

Lyra giggled, flying over to perch on the edge of the bed. “Fine, fine, I’ll stop teasing—for now.” She shot Madelyn a playful wink. “But seriously, you’re welcome.”

Madelyn let out another huff, but the warmth of Sarah’s hand on her head made her annoyance fade slightly. Sarah stood up, still holding Madelyn carefully in her arms as she stretched. “Guess we should get moving,” she said, glancing at Lyra. “Think you can keep yourself from causing trouble for five minutes?”

Lyra gasped dramatically, placing a hand on her chest. “Me? Causing trouble? Never!”

Sarah rolled her eyes, her grin widening. “Right. Come on, Maddy,” she said softly, looking down at her girlfriend. “Let’s get some breakfast. Being adorable must be exhausting.”

Madelyn’s tail swished despite herself, and she gave a soft, resigned yip. As mortifying as the morning had been, she couldn’t deny that waking up next to Sarah—however it had happened—wasn’t the worst thing in the world.

~~~~~~~~

Jack sipped his coffee as he sat on the couch, the quiet hum of the morning news filling the room. The newswoman was reporting on the unusual weather from the previous night. “The wind picked up significantly late last night, reaching speeds indicative of a potential storm,” the woman said, her expression perplexed. “But just as quickly as it began, the weather calmed down, leaving scientists baffled. They’re still trying to understand what caused the sudden change.”

Jack leaned back, his brow furrowed. “Weird weather,” he muttered, glancing at Emily, who was seated beside him with a steaming cup of tea.

Emily didn’t respond immediately, her gaze fixed on the screen, a thoughtful look on her face. Finally, she turned to Jack, her voice quiet but heavy with concern. “You think that was Madelyn again?”

Jack exhaled, lowering his coffee mug slightly as he considered the question. “Could be,” he admitted after a moment. “Lyra said her emotions influence the world around her. She doesn’t have control over it yet, maybe something happened last night.”

Emily’s hand stilled on her teacup, her expression clouded with worry. “Do you think she had another nightmare?” she asked, her voice trembling slightly. “It would make sense if it was tied to her emotions. She’s going through so much.”

Jack nodded, though his brow furrowed deeper. “Maybe,” he said, his voice thoughtful. “But if she did, what made it stop? Did something calm her down? Or… did it stop on its own?” He shook his head, clearly unsure. “It’s not just the weather, Emily. Whatever’s happening with her, it’s getting stronger.”

Emily reached out, placing a hand gently on his arm. “We need to be patient with her, Jack,” she said softly. “She’s just a teenager trying to figure all of this out, and it’s not her fault.”

Jack sighed, nodding as he ran a hand through his hair. “I know,” he said. “It’s just—when something like this happens, I can’t help but think… what if it gets worse?”

Before Emily could respond, the sound of soft footsteps on the stairs drew their attention to the doorway. Sarah appeared, her expression relaxed and her golden hair slightly tousled. Lyra fluttered above her shoulder, her tiny wings shimmering faintly in the morning light.

“Morning!” Sarah said brightly, her voice cheerful as she stepped into the room.

But it wasn’t Sarah or Lyra that caught Jack and Emily’s attention—it was the small red fox nestled in Sarah’s arms.

Jack froze, his coffee mug halfway to his lips, his eyes widening. “Is that…?”

Emily leaned forward, her tea forgotten as she stared at the little fox. The creature’s sleek red fur and amber eyes were unmistakable. “Madelyn?” she whispered, her voice barely audible.

The fox let out a small, nervous yip, her ears flattening as if she knew she was the center of attention.

“Meet Madelyn in her fox form,” Sarah said lightly, though her grin carried a touch of sheepishness as she shifted Madelyn slightly in her arms.

“Oh wow,” Emily whispered, her hand coming up to her mouth. “She’s just like in the pendant’s picture…”

“You’re right,” Jack said, his voice tinged with disbelief. “But, uh… why is my daughter in her fox form, as you called it?” His tone wasn’t angry, just incredulous, his gaze flicking between Lyra, Sarah, and the small fox in Sarah’s arms.

Lyra fluttered closer, perching on the edge of the coffee table with her usual mischievous grin. “It’s simple, really,” she said, as if explaining the weather. “Maddy had a nightmare last night—an emotional one—and it triggered her transformation. Her emotions influence her powers, remember?”

Jack and Emily exchanged a glance, worry creeping into their expressions.

Lyra continued, oblivious to the growing tension. “Since she doesn’t have full control over her abilities yet, the nightmare made her shift into her fox form. Nothing to worry about!” She waved a tiny hand dismissively, as if this were all perfectly routine.

Emily stepped closer to Sarah, who was still holding Madelyn securely in her arms. Her brow furrowed as she reached out, gently stroking the little fox’s fur. “A nightmare?” she murmured, her concern clear. “Poor girl…”Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Lyra’s wings fluttered as she perched on the coffee table, her grin growing even wider. “Oh, but don’t worry,” she said, her tone taking on an air of self-satisfaction. “I had this brilliant idea to make it better.”

Jack and Emily both looked at her, their concern deepening, though they said nothing as Lyra continued.

“So,” Lyra began, gesturing dramatically, “after Maddy transformed into her fox form, she was all distressed and shaky from the nightmare. It was honestly heartbreaking. But I thought, ‘What’s the best way to calm her down?’ And then it hit me—Sarah!”

Madelyn, still nestled in Sarah’s arms, let out a soft, high-pitched whine, her ears flattening against her head as if pleading with Lyra to stop. Sarah bit her lip, clearly holding back a laugh.

“I put her in Sarah’s bed,” Lyra said triumphantly, clasping her hands together. “And let me tell you, it worked perfectly. Sarah grabbed her in her sleep, hugging her like a tiny cuddle buddy, and it was the most adorable thing I’ve ever seen.”

Jack blinked, his mouth opening slightly as if to respond, but no words came out. He set his coffee mug down slowly, his gaze shifting from Lyra to Madelyn, then to Sarah.

Emily’s hand stilled on Madelyn’s fur as she stared at Lyra, her expression caught somewhere between disbelief and amusement. “You… put her in Sarah’s bed?” she asked softly, though her voice was more curious than accusatory.

“Exactly!” Lyra said, as if this explained everything. “I mean, what better way to calm her down than cuddles from her girlfriend? And guess what? It totally worked. She stopped having nightmares and slept like a kit!”

Madelyn groaned—well, as much as a fox could—and buried her face in Sarah’s arm, her tail flicking wildly behind her. Sarah couldn’t hold back her laughter any longer, her green eyes sparkling as she gave Madelyn a gentle squeeze.

“She wasn’t wrong,” Sarah admitted with a grin, scratching behind Madelyn’s ears. “I mean, it was pretty great waking up with this little fluffball next to me.”

Jack finally found his voice, his tone laced with exasperated amusement. “So… let me get this straight. My daughter turns into a fox because of a nightmare, and your solution is to… sneak her into someone else’s bed?”

Lyra shrugged, completely unfazed. “It worked, didn’t it?” she said, crossing her tiny arms. “No more nightmare, no more stress. Just peace, fluff, and cuddles. Problem solved.”

Emily sighed, shaking her head as a small smile tugged at her lips. She leaned down, gently stroking Madelyn’s fur again. “Well,” she said softly, “at least she seems okay now.”

Jack rubbed the bridge of his nose, muttering under his breath. “Unbelievable.”