#sbd

Crack.

The sound echoed, harsh and terrifying in it's familiarity. He'd heard it ringing out from the woods before, when the people collected lumber.

No. no. What were they doing. What were they doing?!

Nightmare froze in place, panicking. His thoughts scattered in terror before he spotted another black shape in the grass. The plan. The plan! His plan. What else was he supposed to do?? Those sounded like the big scary men, and Nightmare couldn't scare them off like this! They had axes! They were hurting her!

He couldn't stop the tears that sprang up from his sockets this time as he grabbed the apple, desperately casting about for another one as it already magically dissolved. The apples were everywhere, being tossed from the hut built around the Tree. The thwacks continued to ring out, only slightly muted by the cobblestone walls. Nightmare just kept gathering them, slowly filling with a new pain. Was it because of Mother? Was he hurting because she was, too? He blamed himself.

The negative guardian felt wrong now, afraid he was squeezing the apples too hard when he grabbed them. Why else were his hands covered in black? It was even smearing on his sleeves when he wiped at his face. He felt gross- and he should, Mama was right up there getting hacked to death- what was he doing this for?!

His skull was hurting so bad now. Nightmare wanted to stop, but he couldn't. He had to do something. He was supposed to guard her, for crying out loud! Dream wasn't even aware that this was happening, he was the only one who could stop them!

There was a distant screaming, small and high and ever so far away as he scrambled to collect each one he could find. He had a very bad feeling about how every single one was black.

But then there was a sound. A terrible sound, snapping, crackling and groaning as a mighty tree came crashing into the roof of the hut built around it. What few apples remained on its branches thudded onto the ground outside, rolling away.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/71693981