AN: It's been simply ages since I've written anything. :P I started a GOG fan fiction long ago before the last books we're even out. Needless to say, I still haven't read the final two so if this is inaccurate, forgive me.

Many years had since passed the end of the War of Ember. Peace had settled over the Owl Kingdoms and at last it was a place that any bird could call paradise. From Beyond the Beyond to the Great Tree fauna flourished and provided.

It all seemed unreal, almost too calm for the new monarch of the Ga'hoole tree. Queen Snowdrop, an old and wizened Boreal Owl, shifted listlessly in her hollow. It had been three moon cycles since her good mate and king, Sorrel, had passed on to Glaumora after a bought of Summer Flux. From that day on she kept having the same odd dream.

She wilfed dramatically when she thought of it. It was a jumbled mess of red, black, white hot stones and fire. And a voice.

She couldn't tell what it had been saying as when she woke, the words always failed to come back to her. She only remembered the guttural growling voice that made her gizzard quake.

She ruffled her feathers, preening her chest feathers compulsively. It wasn't Queen-like to act so…so yeepish in the face of a dream. She shouldn't and would not allow herself be seen in such a state! She was just starting to fluff up her feathers when one of the parliament, a handsome Tawny owl by the name of Buck dipped his head to her in salute.

"Sorry to disturb you, my queen…But the owls roosting above alerted me to disturbances in your hollow. It seemed they heard you screaming?"

It look much to not wilf again. Not only was she having these horrid dreams and acting like a scared owlet, but now she was screaming in her sleep as well!

"Oh dear…I don't recall making such a ruckus…" She muttered, avoiding his eye as she gazed around the hollow.

Buck tilted his head quizzically, "So it was you, then? Not to be rude…" He shook his head quickly, ""Is something the matter? Did something happen?"

Snowdrop sighed. Perhaps it was best to tell someone of the dream. After all, if you let something eat away at you it would only grow stronger and stronger, would it not? She could trust Buck. They had been nest mates when they arrived at the great tree so long ago.

"You must swear to not tell any of the others in the Parliament, Buck. It's not very fitting of a queen."

Buck blinked. How very strange of her, "Of course not, my lady. You can trust me."

"Well you see…"

And so Snowdrop relayed her curious dreams to the tawny owl who stared sympathetically at his queen, nodding now and then and humming sadly in his throat as she told him of her woes.

"So as you see…They're just dreams…Nightmares really. Probably brought on by stress…Loosing Sorrel was hard."

Buck nodded once more in agreement though his gizzard quivered uncomfortably, "You're right of course, miss. Stress. I'll just go up and tell them above it was nothing. I do hope you stop having those dreams. Maybe the nurse can mix up a sleeping draft?"

"Oh, what a splendid idea. A nice cup of tea would do me good as well, I think!" She beamed, her eyes sparkling happily as she threw her wings around her friend in a hug, "Thank you so very much Buck. Maybe now I'll be able to finally get some peaceful shut eye."

Buck forced a churr, "Right you are, miss. I hope you are feeling yourself soon. Good light." With that he lifted from the hollow, all the while his gizzard twanging away. Something was amiss. He could feel it.

Miles away, deep, deep in the canyons of what was formerly St. Aggie's, something stirred. Something awoke from eons of slumber. Something terrible and hungry.