I awoke with a start, gasping for air as beads of sweat trickled down my forehead. My heart pounded in my chest, the echoes of the nightmare still haunting my mind. It was the same dream that had plagued me for as long as I could remember, but this time, it felt different. Vivid. Real.

As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I realized I wasn't in my own bed. The forest surrounded me, its tall, ancient trees casting long shadows in the moonlight. Panic coursed through my veins as I struggled to recall how I had ended up here. I reached out for something familiar, something to anchor me in this disorienting moment.