Read on to get a closer look into some of the disturbing dreams that haunted a certain young white she-cat, one that was for some reason very wise beyond her years...

Snowpaw's POV

Chapter 1

The sun was now gone, vanishing beneath the forest floor as I carefully padded across the ThunderClan camp, my blue eyes only just beginning to adjust to the darkness.

Nighttime had only just arrived, but with my stomach full of thrush after sharing a meal with Poppyfrost, and after a busy training day, I figured that a good night's rest was more than deserved.

I had just yowled a farewell greeting to my tortoiseshell foster mother, and was just fox-lengths away from the apprentices den when I suddenly came to an abrupt stop, pain shooting through my right side. And even if I did stay up much later, this stupid wound wouldn't allow for that...

I let out a sigh, sitting down in the very place that I stopped and rubbing my tail lightly across the large gash that was on my flank. The one that Swiftpaw, my fellow apprentice had given me just a few days ago. 

I then let my head drop to the ground, another pain shooting through me, but not from my wound this time. Well... unfortunately "fellow" is a bit questionable now...

Up until that point, I had seen Swiftpaw as my best friend in the entire world. Sure, he could be short-tempered and emotionally elusive, but we'd shared so many fun times together since we'd both been days old.

So, this training session, where he'd dug his unsheathed claws into my flank, when we were only supposed to be practicing, had been haunting me almost consistently since it had happened.

"Whenever you're ready."

Dustystorm's words - the words telling me that it was my call to allow Swiftpaw to go - had for some reason made me feel as scared as if he were sending a LionClan warrior on me. 

For some reason, looking back at this dark gray tom that I had known since I'd first been brought to ThunderClan, made me scared. I didn't feel safe fighting Swiftpaw, and that I might as well be fighting that LionClan warrior.

At that point, there wasn't much at all he had done to give me any valid reason to think this way. Yet... I had told myself as I attempted to keep myself together, trying to ignore Swiftpaw's impatient gray-blue gaze burning into my skull. The dreams I've been having lately say completely otherwise...

I then lightly shook my head, pushing these thoughts away. Hush, Snowpaw. They're just dreams, I insisted. 

I then took a deep breath, straightening myself up. They're just dreams, I repeated to myself. And all Swiftpaw is doing is trying the Turn Belly Rake on you. Buck up.

Although fear and apprehension still rippled through each and every one of my fur hairs, I finally gave Swiftpaw a nod, my words to him coming in a hoarse whisper. "Just go."

I then knew that there was turning back as Swiftpaw had then leapt right at me, very briskly making his way under me. 

Well... and I'm one of those cats that tries to use the logic that the worst case scenario that you conjure up likely isn't going to happen, so I don't go into situations ever thinking that the worst case scenario is actually going to happen.

But this was one of those horrible times when you expect and fear for the worst thing to happen, and when I felt a horrible, sharp shooting pain pulse through my flank, I knew that it indeed had happened.

Swiftpaw's claws had been out. 

The pain that seemed to prevent my entire body from doing anything for just a moment permitted me from being able to leap away or defend myself immediately, resulting in Swiftpaw sliding out from under me and leaping back at me again. No!

And I could only lie there, wincing and crying out in pain as Swiftpaw pinned me down and continued to slash at me. His scratches had all been quick, but deep and extremely unbearable. I knew that I couldn't ever defend myself if he went any further. 

The amount of helplessness, hurt, betrayal, and fear that I'd felt was practically making my head spin as I watched Swiftpaw, the cat who'd once been my best friend and mossball partner in the nursery, raise his unsheathed claw once again. 

So, I'd sent a million prayers to StarClan as I had finally heard Dustystorm's growl ring through the forest. "Swiftpaw! What are you doing?" the sandy-gray tom roared at the gray-black apprentice, this being the first time I'd ever heard him sound even remotely angry. "Get off of Snowpaw right now, she's hurt!"

I think he knew that.

Yet, he kept going.

I couldn't even look at Swiftpaw as I finally felt his weight lift off of me, and I felt the muscular shoulders of Dustystorm, and then Icecloud, gently help me up to my paws. I felt his gaze burning into me once again, but I didn't dare return it.

I then screwed my eyes shut, my body filling with both physical and emotional pain as I heard Dustystorm speak to the dark gray tom once again. "Way too far, Swiftpaw! Keep your claws sheathed next time!"

I then had felt the two older warriors begin to guide me as Icecloud spoke next. "Swiftpaw can get the stern talking to that he deserves later," the white she-cat meowed, her voice urgent. "Right now, we need to get Snowpaw to the medicine den. Come on."

And then, as Dustystorm and Icecloud helped me back towards camp. I felt myself feeling more and more physically sick. Not just because of the pain in my flank. Not even at the thought of Swiftpaw having attacked me.

It was the fact that he hadn't said a word since he had. It was the fact that he hadn't shown any concern. And the fact that he didn't even bother following us back to camp.

And me not being able to hear his lithe pawsteps behind us that had sealed the deal. 

It all made me realize that he quite possibly had done all of it on purpose, just as I had originally feared he would. The pain of that almost hurt more than the wound itself.

But I will admit, the wound itself was hurting pretty darn badly when Dustystorm, Icecloud and I finally arrived at the medicine den to see Jayfeather. And although I had only been treated by the medicine cat a few days ago, I knew that I would likely never forget the rage that had blazed in his blind eyes that day.

When I had explained what happened, he had been absolutely infuriated, to my complete surprise. Not the kind of Jayfeather irritability. In fact, I had always known that Jayfeather was never necessarily angry, just short-tempered, cranky, and rude at times. 

But angry would definitely be a way to describe him when he had vocalized his response to this situation. "I cannot believe that little piece of crowfood!" the gray tabby tom had hissed as he'd stormed to the back of his den to grab cobwebs. "What in the name of StarClan was he thinking?"

Despite everything that had happened with Swiftpaw, for some reason it'd been my first instinct to come to his defense. "It was battle training, Jayfeather! We-"

The medicine cat hadn't let me finish. "Swiftpaw clearly didn't know that, and if he did, he didn't care!" the tom went on as he began to dab the cobweb against my flank, very gently despite the rage that clearly was bubbling up inside of him. "And it's obvious that it's the latter. That foxheart wants nothing but to get his claws out at any opportunity possible, and he proves that more and more with each passing day."

"That is not true!" I demanded, trying to ignore my own thoughts screaming at me that all of Jayfeather's words were correct. "Swiftpaw is not the first apprentice in existence to accidentally unsheathe his claws in training."

I then let out an exasperated sigh as Jayfeather made his way to his herbs once again, showing no indication that he was acknowledging. "I mean, you can't be sure of anything that you're saying!" 

I then had let out a quiet snort and flicked my ears, realizing how strange that it was that I was arguing with my medicine cat as if we'd known each other for seasons and seasons. In fact, this was one of the first times that I'd had a conversation with a tom that was more than a few words. He seems to avoid me most of the time, but it's what he does with practically every cat, isn't it?

It wasn't needed anyway, but Jayfeather didn't give me much time to ponder that concept. "Sure, I suppose that I can't," he muttered, his mouth full of marigold. He then quickly spat it out into his paw and began to spread it across my largest wound. "But you know what I can be sure of? Swiftpaw most definitely didn't accidentally give you several scratches along your flank, or accidentally roll out from under you just to leap at you again!"

I had to suppress a hiss as I angrily stepped away from the tom, not allowing him to finish his work. "Please, Jayfeather! That is the last thing that I need to hear right now!" I nearly cried to him, feeling my head begin to spin once again. "Don't you think that has echoed over and over in my head countless times over?"

I didn't fully look back at the medicine cat, but I could tell that his narrowing blind eyes were staring back at me. "So, you do think that he did it on purpose, then?" he pressed, his voice eerily quiet.

I then screwed my eyes shut, shaking my head before turning to face Jayfeather once again. "I... no!" I forced out in a stammer. "I-I'm sure that this was a one-time thing. Swiftpaw... Swiftpaw clearly seemed upset by what he did."

"Oh, foxdung! You know, and I know that you're just lying to yourself!" Jayfeather exclaimed, his voice rising again. He then hardened his gaze, taking a step closer to me after throwing his marigold poultice to the ground. "Swiftpaw is a monster, and you are only putting yourself in danger by being around him, Snowflight!"

The medicine cat's eyes then widened, and he let out a seemingly frustrated growl as he closed his eyes. "Snowpaw," he corrected himself. "You shouldn't be around him, Snowpaw. He's dangerous."

I quickly shook off the medicine cat's clear mistake, and it immediately was shoved to the back of my mind. For, there was something else that I was focused on - not just defending Swiftpaw in this moment, but the reason why I was trying to defend the fact that Swiftpaw wouldn't do anything malicious on purpose, ever. The reason why I've already committed to still being his friend, even after this training session.

I took a deep breath before finally replying to Jayfeather. "Even if you were right, I... I'm not doing that." Because it's becoming more and more clear that these dreams that I'm having aren't just... dreams - all of these dreams that I've been having since Swiftpaw and I first became apprentices... and because they aren't just dreams, I have to do something about them, don't I?

I then slowly turned to face the medicine cat once again, meeting his solemn, dark gaze. I felt scared, but more certain than I'd felt in days. "I... I refuse to do that. I can't." 

Jayfeather simply stared back at me with the same dark, unreadable look for many, many uncomfortable heartbeats before finally turning away from me to pad to the back of his den. And I almost wondered if I'd just imagined the gray tabby tom murmuring an almost inaudible "I know" in response.

But I didn't linger on it, and simply looked back towards the entrance to the medicine den, watching as the sun began to set that day. "I can't..." I repeated, just to myself this time.

I can't.

I pressed these two words into my head as I finally stood up from where I sat in the middle of the camp, giving a small shake of my fur before continuing to walk once again. Despite how much these dreams are scaring me, and despite how much they're making me fear Swiftpaw, I can't let him down. 

It was what I'd been trying to tell myself more and more with each new dream I'd had each night - dreams that most certainly depicted the kind of Swiftpaw that Jayfeather had seemed to want to see as real - a heartless, malicious, and downright terrible cat that anyone would hate and fear. They felt more and more real every night, and I'd even wake up fearing the apprentice whenever I saw him for the first time that day.

And although that training session a few days ago had allowed me to see potential for that kind of Swiftpaw, I couldn't let the horror of that make me run away from him or these dreams. As I had insisted to Jayfeather, I refused to. 

I then took a deep breath, beginning my trek towards the apprentices den once again as my heart began to well up with determination. Although some cats like Goldenshine may not know it yet, they are counting on me. Even Swiftpaw himself. I can't let them down.

Chapter 2

I could hardly keep my eyes open by the time I had finally arrived to the apprentices den, its entrance practically looking like the gateway to StarClan. 

But just as I was about to crawl in and settle in my nest, I was startled as two shapes came bowling out of the nursery out of the corner of my eye. I quickly shifted my gaze in the direction of the motion, immediately recognizing two out of the three pelts of the newest kits in the Clan - Wrenkit and Lightningkit.

And I couldn't help but let out a purr of amusement as I heard Thornclaw's call from inside of the den. "Wrenkit! Lightningkit!" their father exclaimed. "Get back inside!"

Thornclaw's golden brown tabby pelt then came into sight as he crawled out of the nursery and bent his head down to pick up Wrenkit, who had been pinning Lightningkit down. "Lilypetal still needs to feed you two, and then it's time to go to sleep."

Wrenkit let out a sigh, practically going limp under his father's grip. "Aw, okay."

Lightningkit then very clumsy leaped back up to his paws, his little feet slipping against the stone ground a few times. Once he was fastened on all four, he stood up straight and stared determinedly up at his father. "But sleep is for the weak!"

"And it's also for those who want to function normally," Thornclaw purred, looking affectionately down at his black and white son and nuzzling his head with his tabby tail. "Come on, you two can beat each other up tomorrow."

I then watched as Thornclaw finally turned around and carried Wrenkit back inside of the nursery, and I had to suppress another purr as I shifted my gaze to Lightningkit, who was rolling his eyes and letting out a sigh. But nevertheless, his eyes were warm as he then began to follow behind his father, clearly not really being phased by the light tormenting. 

But just as he was about to disappear beneath the brambles, his yellow eyes managed to brighten even more as he glanced to his side, his gaze landing on where I was standing. "Oh!" the little tom exclaimed, lashing his sleek tail in greeting. "Hi, Snowpaw!"

Before Lightningkit could say anything else, his brother's yowl cut him off from the nursery. "Lightningkit, come on!"

I then recognized the meow of ThunderClan's newest queen, Lilypetal. "There's not going to be any left for you!"

"Ha!" Wrenkit and Lightningkit's sister, Emberkit then exclaimed. "Lightningkit's going to starve!"

Lightningkit let out a small purr as he jerked his head back towards the nursery. "Hold on! I'll be right there!" He then shook his head slowly as he looked back at me, his eyes concerned and curious. "Hey, how is your wound doing? You got hurt the other day, didn't you?"

I nodded to the tom, him definitely not being the first of my Clanmates to show me concern. "Yes, I did, and it definitely has been bothering me, but I'm doing much better!" I answered Lightningkit. Well, I think...

I then glanced down at the wound as I let out a sigh. "But geez, do I wish it would just go away! It's already beginning to scar..."

I then looked back up at Lightningkit to see his yellow eyes glinting with sympathy. "Aw, dang!" the kit sighed. "I'm sorry, Snowpaw!"

I was almost amused by the amount of genuine worry that Lightningkit seemed to be showing, almost more than what was needed. "That's okay, Lightningkit," I began to reassure him. "I-"

"Lightningkit, come on!" I then heard Lilypetal call out again. "I'm not actually going to let you starve!"

"Wow, that's inspirational," Thornclaw then purred.

Lightningkit also purred, giving another lash of his tail. "Coming!" he called back to them once again before giving me an eager nod. "Goodnight, Snowpaw!"

The little black tom then finally began to trot inside of the nursery, but I flicked my ears in surprise as he paused once again and looked back at me, his eyes sparkling in the moonlight. "By the way, I think that you look cool with the scars!"

I flashed the tom a warm look, genuinely being touched by the comment before watching him finally crawl into the nursery to join his parents and siblings. And once he was out of sight, I finally crawled into my own den.

And once I was inside, I almost immediately flinched as my eyes fell on the dark gray pelt of Swiftpaw, his pelt practically blending in with the darkness as he slept in his own nest. He seemed to sleep as calmly and as peacefully as any normal apprentice would - the rises and falls of his flank slow and consistent.

I mean, no cat would ever guess that he'd inflict a wound on his Clanmate on purpose. Because he wouldn't, right?

I was almost too exhausted to ponder this question. I mean, I unfortunately likely knew the answer, but I was too exhausted to even try to dodge it.

But even if I was more awake, I likely wouldn't, anyways. I'll have more than enough to ponder and dodge when I wake up tomorrow morning, I only half-joked to myself as I lied down and got settled in my own nest. Great StarClan, how I wish that I could have just one night of peace of these dreams. They're so scary... yet I can't ignore them. I can't ignore them because they're scary...

I then adjusted myself into a position that was comfortable. But please... just one night where I can pretend that my friend isn't slowly turning into a cat that I fear... a cat that many fear...

I then finally let myself close my eyes. Please...

But I already knew that I was kidding myself as I quickly began to drift off into sleep.

And sure enough, I opened my eyes and "awoke" to immediately find myself in a place that I'd woken up in many times before...

A clump of brambles, with leafless trees that towered over them, and dry grass beneath me.

By now, I knew exactly where I was going here.

Without much hesitation, I began to move forward, every pawstep familiar. 

And as well as knowing exactly where I was going, I knew exactly what I was going to find once I'd gotten to my destination- the end of these clumps of brambles. 

My thoughts were quickly confirmed when I began to hear voices, ones that weren't intelligible until I found my way to this certain hollow that marked the end of these bushes.

Two voices - one that I knew very well, and one that I had never heard before until I'd started receiving these dreams.

The one I was unfamiliar with spoke first, uttering words that always sent a chill down my spine, but I'd already heard many times before. "I am very, very proud of you, Swiftpaw," the husky, menacing voice meowed. I then heard him let out an amused snort. "Well, I'm sure that you know that."

I then nearly winced as the voice that I knew very well replied - it made my stomach twist every time I heard it for the first time in one of these dreams. "Thank you, Ashfur," Swiftpaw's equally husky and menacing voice murmured in reply. "And yes, I know that. But I didn't need your approval for that."

This unfamiliar tom.... Ashfur, let out an eerie chuckle. "Hm, good," he then muttered. "I was going to say...."

"Well, it's only obvious that you'd be proud," I then Swiftpaw go on. I then heard him take a few pawsteps forward. "Now, enough with the sappiness, Ashfur. We're wasting time here. Are you going to teach me a new fighting move, or what?"

I then narrowed my eyes as Ashfur simply purred with amusement in response.

And I had to admit that I agreed with Swiftpaw's next words. "I don't see what was very funny about that."

I then flicked my ears, my heart beginning to race as I realized that this conversation was taking a very different direction than it usually did when I eavesdropped on the two toms. But nevertheless, I pushed on and continued to listen. Clearly, this has significance...

"And I find that a little sad, Swiftpaw," Ashfur purred in response to the younger tom's words. "Don't you realize that I've taught you everything that I have?"

With a deep breath, and dread continuing to well up in my bones, I pushed myself to finally peek in between the brambles, the hollow in front of me finally in my sight.

And just as I had assumed, there was this "Ashfur" that I'd already heard and seen many times, but had never met in the real world. And it's a good thing that I haven't...

But despite my immense fear of this tom, I watched him as he continued to speak to Swiftpaw, who I assumed was in front of him, but couldn't immediately see. "You're at your peak, Swiftpaw," Ashfur went on, beginning to pace around the hollow, his blue eyes dark and full of satisfaction. "You've become exactly what I've been training you to be - a tough, stone-cold, clever, vicious and powerful cat. You're far from being the soft, fragile, pitiful little piece of fluff that you were when I first met you."

I then took a long, deep breath, finally gathering the courage to shift my gaze from Ashfur and risking myself being seen in order to take a glance deeper into the hollow at what I couldn't initially see.

But as soon as I did so, I felt my eyes widen and my mouth drop as my gaze fell on what I could only assume to be Swiftpaw - Ashfur had addressed him as such.

But otherwise, I would have hardly recognized the cat in front of me.

He was almost as big as Ashfur, if not the same size. His muscles rippled beneath his fur all over his body. His dark gray fur was ruffled and practically covered with battle scars that flitted along his flank and shoulders. And he had large, sharp claws that glared even in the darkness.

I felt dizzy, and Ashfur's words were only fog as he eventually spoke again. "You've become a true warrior, Swiftpaw."

Just when I thought that I couldn't stand the sight of my friend anymore, everything around me disappeared, and was quickly replaced with the surroundings of another forest.

Although I immediately recognized the looming trees, lush grass, and large bramble bushes of ThunderClan territory, it still made my legs begin to tremble and my heart begin to pound like it never had before. This is new... I've never dreamt of this before...

But I had no choice but to power through, I knew that. So, I tried to straighten myself up and simply process the sight in front of me. 

Several puddles were developing as the ThunderClan forest was becoming covered in rain, and this familiar hollow that I was currently in had already become what any cat would call a mudbath.

And right in the middle of this hollow were two cats - one dead, and one alive.

I practically had to swallow back my horror as my eyes fell on the cat lying on the ground - from what I could see, it was a white she-cat who had practically been ripped to shreds.

But it was somewhat hard to tell because of the cat in front of her - a larger gray tom, panting as he continued to loom over and stare down at her corpse.

I tilted my head to the side, my terror being able to subside just a little as curiosity took over, and I tried to figure out what I was looking at, and why.

I then flicked my ears as something came to mind that somewhat made sense. Wait a moment, am I witnessing Snowflight's death? I asked myself, that possibility making more and more sense the more that I processed what I was looking at. And the gray cat is Ashfur, isn't it? I was told that he was the one to kill her, out of revenge for Lilypetal chasing him back into exile!

I then had to shut my eyes for a moment as it all continued to come together. Great StarClan, if Swiftpaw really is training with that mouse-heart... I'll-

I then broke my own thoughts off, not being able to gasp and take a step back as Ashfur very abruptly turned around to face me, simultaneously stepping aside to further reveal Snowflight lying on the ground.

But I felt my heart practically shoot up into my throat as I realized that it wasn't Snowflight at all. I was told that Snowflight was pure white...

But this she-cat had gray paws and ear tips. And when I met Ashfur's gaze, I didn't meet the bright blue eyes that had been engrained into my mind every time I saw him in that creepy forest hollow. Rather, gray-blue eyes. Those gray-blue eyes that I'd probably looked into more than many other cats. 

No... I thought, my fur slowly beginning to rise as I continued to step away. No, no, no... please, no...

Then, without hesitation, this absolutely horrible, appalling and dreadful Swiftpaw entity leaped straight at me, just as he had done in the forest during that training session that had changed everything.

And I couldn't help but let out a yowl of immense terror as I felt my back hit the ground, and Swiftpaw's large, sharp claws sink into my shoulders. And for a moment, it all felt so terribly real and vivid, and that I was sure that I was actually experiencing my final moments - my final moments of my life in the paws of someone that I used to trust with my life.

And those blazing gray-blue eyes of this cat, full of nothing but malice and malevolence, were the last things that I saw before I was yanked away from everything around me once again, and my eyes flew open.

And this time, I found myself in the apprentices den, safe in my own moss nest.

And although ThunderClan was currently enduring the middle of leaf-bare, I found that I was nearly sweating and panting. I might has well have genuinely experienced everything that I'd just experienced in my dreams.

But as exhausted, fearful, and shaken-up as I was, I had also never felt so relieved. It was just a dream, Snowpaw. I tried to tell myself as I caught my breath. You're safe, you're not in danger, and none of what you experienced is real. And most importantly...

I then took a deep breath as I began to roll over onto my back. Swiftpaw would never, ever try to kill you like that.

But all of my reassuring thoughts immediately disintegrated as I finally rolled over on my back to meet the same gray-blue eyes that I'd seen in my nightmare just moments ago. The gray-blue eyes of the cat had been about to kill me.

Suddenly overcome with fear, and still not fully processing my surroundings after sleep, I couldn't think to do anything else but let out an earsplitting yowl as I leaped up to my paws. I felt my fur beginning to bristle as my claws began to slide out of their sheaths.

But after a few heartbeats of simply standing like that - seemingly preparing to defend myself, I noticed that Swiftpaw actually seemed in no-way geared up to fight, and only stared back at me with horrified, wide eyes before proceeding to anxiously whip his head back and forth.

"Snowpaw, what in the name of StarClan is wrong with you?" he hissed quietly to me. "You probably just woke up every creature from here to the mountains!"

I simply stared back at Swiftpaw for a few moments before shaking my head quickly, fully coming "to" and realizing that I genuinely wasn't in danger, and all of the reassuring, yet groggy thoughts I'd had,actually held true.

I took a deep breath, and let my fur lie flat once again. "My goodness, I'm sorry," I breathed, my ears suddenly feeling hot with embarrassment as I shook my head slowly. "Bad dream."

I tried to push back my nerves once again, realizing that I was going to have to lie about this "bad dream" to Swiftpaw, and likely dodge many pressing questions that I'd have no idea how to answer.

And Swiftpaw was a smart cat - sometimes clueless about the most obvious things, but nevertheless, quite intelligent... and very easily skeptical. "What kind of dream brings you to yowl at the top of your lungs?" the tom asked me after a quiet snort.

I began to shift my paws back and forth nervously as I gave Swiftpaw a shrug. "You just scared me," I answered quickly, my heart pounding in my ears. "Wouldn't you be frightened to wake up to find a cat's gaze burning into you?"

I then felt my stomach twist as I watched Swiftpaw's eyes slowly narrow down into two blue slits. "That seems to be your excuse every time," the tom then muttered.

I had absolutely no idea how to respond to that. How could I? The tom was right. But obviously, I was terrified to give him any of the truth, and couldn't admit that at all. At least, that's what I assume...

"Anyways, you seemed pretty distressed while you were asleep too," Swiftpaw went on before I was able to come up with an answer. And I forced myself to stay put as he took a step closer to me, his head tilting to the side. "What was that all about?"

I continued to stand, speechless, as I tried all of my might to come up with an answer, and to keep my darned fur flat! Snowpaw, calm down!

"Are you still having weird visions and thoughts about medicine cat things?"

I nearly let out a sigh of relief, finally being given an "out" to this interrogation. There's that oblivious Swiftpaw that we all know and want to strangle with our tails! "Yes, yes. That's it," I stammered, my words not being a complete lie - the strange and ambiguous medicine cat dreams actually being something that had been bugging me lately.

I began to shift my paws back and forth again, flitting my gaze all over the den surrounding us. "Great StarClan, do they give me trouble..."

Despite Swiftpaw's skeptical grunt and his dark, questioning gaze, he finally seemed to give in. "Alright, then..." he muttered before turning away and beginning to leave the den, to my confusion. "Come on, we have our warrior assessment this morning."

And with those words, my heart seemed to drop down to my stomach. "Warrior assessment?" That concept seemed too outrageous to me, that I was sure that Swiftpaw was just trying to pull my tail. "Today?"

Swiftpaw stopped in his tracks and looked back towards me. "Yes?" he replied, revealing his concerned blue eyes as he fully turned back to face me. "Icecloud and Foxleap told us this at dusk yesterday."

Oh my StarClan.

I shook my head once again, realizing more and more just how much my dreams had affected me beyond sleep - just how discombobulated they caused me to be. Swiftpaw was completely right - Foxleap and Icecloud had talked to us about it yesterday, and we were being assessed this morning. And I completely forgot.

I let out a huff, letting my eyes close for a moment. Goodness, I don't know how much longer I can take this... "Right, right."

Suddenly feeling a bit defeated, I let out a sigh and sat down in my nest. "That's right."

I then looked back up at Swiftpaw to see him still looking back at me, his eyes glittering with amusement. "Um... are you coming?"

I let my eyes close and sighed once again. "You go on ahead, Swiftpaw," I breathed, simply just needing to take a moment to compose myself before taking on the day. "I'll be out in a moment."

Swiftpaw then sniffed, cocking his head and staring at me for a few  moments before finally giving me a nod. "Alright, then."

I then finally released one huge, relieving breath as I watched the last of Swiftpaw's dark gray tail vanish from my sight, and I was left in the den, alone.

Although, I wondered if that was necessarily a good idea. I'll drive myself crazy if I just sit around letting these dreams... nightmares eat me alive. But at the same time... how will I ever know what they mean if I try to live my life normally and ignore them? 

I then began to pace around the den. They're too unsettling, too vivid, and too repetitive not to mean something, I know that. 

I then paused and glanced back towards the den entrance, the same place that Swiftpaw had just disappeared through. And unfortunately, I think what they mean is actually pretty obvious.

I then had to hold back a whimper as I began to pace once again. Oh, StarClan! Please make all of this clear to me soon. And if not clear... just clear enough. Because if I've got this right at all... the Swiftpaw I was just speaking to is not too far off from the Swiftpaw that I just saw in my dreams.

I then closed my eyes. And if he's not, he will be, I then thought grimly. That's why I have to be next to him to stop it from happening, but... I have to know how to do it.

I then took one last deep breath, finally pushing myself to move forward and leave the den. And the only way I can do that is to endure these dreams, and face this Swiftpaw that I hope that I never, ever have to face in the real world.