Somewhere in the depths of her dream, Shalan heard screeching. After being on the move for so long, traveling even found its way inside of her mind as she slept, and in her dream, she was walking. Only she was walking in the desert she had first crossed after leaving her family. Shalan was irked to find herself back at the beginning of her journey. It had taken her so long to reach the pleasant forest, and now she had to start all over again. Grumbling, she looked down at her feet. At least they didn't hurt so badly. 
But still, she was irked beyond reason that she had to start over again. 

It was then that she heard the screech of some unknown creature and, in her dreamworld, she looked up toward the blinding sky, half expecting to see a strange bird. There had long ago been stories about dragons, but she'd never heard one. Was that the sound a dragon made? 
The skies were empty, though, so, frowning, Shalan looked before her again and stopped dead in her tracks as she spotted a young child. She wasn't human. She had brownish skin and green hair, twigs and leaves tangled in her muddy locks. A forest sprite. Intrigued, Shalan stared as the childling held a bow up with her strong arms, the arrow aimed at Shalan. 
"You there.... who be you, and what you in my forest?"

Her fiery eyes narrowed. Forest? She wasn't in the forest anymore.
Shalan's eyes snapped open, wrenching her from the desert wasteland and back into the cool forest. Before her, some ways away, stood not a forest sprite but a young child, her bow held firm. Slowly, Shalan looked her over. There was no doubt this small human would be able to harm Shalan if given the chance. And a sword versus a bow was little help.

The elf remained laying down, worried that she'd be fired upon if she sat up. "I'm sorry, child," She offered. "I didn't realize I was trespassing. I was merely resting." She fell silent again, looking the girl up and down. Her eyes still burned, and, judging by the shadows the sun made, she'd hardly been asleep more than a couple of hours. "If I sit up, will you fire at me?"