Shimmerpaw twitched in her sleep, she was dreaming.

She stood once again in the starlite forest, alone. The stars above her blaze like cold fire and seemed closer than ever. Where was she? She padded along the familar trail she learned from being here many nights. She couldn't understand why she came here and why it always ended in the same way.

"Is anyone here?" Shimmerpaw meowed. Nothing answered her. "Why must I come here and never meet anyone?" She bowed her head, looking at her paws. She felt utterly alone and she longed for her friends.

"Do you wish to know?"

Shimmerpaw perked her ears at the meow. She looked wildly around, but didn't see a cat in site. "Ye-yes, I would love to know." she stumbled for the right words. She walked a few steps. "Please, tell me."

"Come forth,"

"But to where?" Shimmerpaw questioned. "I don't see you, I don't scent you, and I can't detect where your voice is coming from." She stopped as the fronds in front of her quivered. "Is that where you are hiding?"

"Must you ask so many questions?"

"I wouldn't have to if I knew why I came here," Shimmerpaw countered. "So what are you going to do?"

"What are you going to do?"

"I don't understand..." Shimmerpaw padded towards to fronds in hope of answers. Instead, she found nothing on the other side. She clawed at the ground pulling up tufts of grass. "Why must you torture me?"

"Such nonsense,"

"But I'm not getting any help at all,"

"Really?" Suddenly a golden she-cat walked out of the shadows. Shimmerpaw gasped in awe. The she-cat had stars in her fur. Somehow she looked oddly familar. "Well, does this helps?"

Shimmerpaw was speechless. She shook herself, unable to speak.

"I take that as a yes," the she-cat meowed. She began walking. "Now come."

Shimmerpaw blinked at first finally following the she-cat. She couldn't tell who this cat reminded her of so much. Asking for a name couldn't hurt she guessed. "What is your name?"

"My name?" the she-cat said stopping. She set her emerald gaze on Shimmerpaw. Shimmerpaw could feel the intinsity of her gaze as it burned her fur. Finally the she-cat shook her head. "Your elders tell you cats nothing these days." With this she padded on.

Shimmerpaw rushed to catch up with her, matching her pace. "What do you mean?"

"I was SkyClan's leader," the she-cat said continuing walking.

Shimmerpaw froze in her tracks. SkyClan's leader? But that's Ashstar! Unless..."Wait!" Shimmerpaw yowled. The she-cat had disappeared. She dashed foward in hope of finding her. "I need to know more! Please, stay!" Her voice grew into a wail. "Please." She continued to search franticly until she lost her footing. Suddenly she was falling yet again. Why does this keep happening? I need an answer!

Shimmerpaw arose to her paws in a yelp. Her den mates were sound asleep around here. She looked at the gap at the top of the hollow. It looked close to dawn. Shimmerpaw couldn't go back to sleep after that she decided. She looked over at Firepaw who was still fast asleep. She was surprise she hadn't risen him like the other night.

Jaypaw rolled over beside her. Shimmerpaw knew she wouldn't mind being woken up. However, she feared that would stir Lionpaw. He wasn't a happy cat to be woken from his sleep. Shimmerpaw slumped into her nest letting out a moan. There was nothing to do. She saw Icepaw twitch in her sleep. Hope stirred deep within Shimmerpaw's belly. Maybe she had been receiving these dreams as well.

Hope disappeared quickly as Icepaw ended up rolling onto her side hitting Foxpaw. This made Shimmerpaw smile looking at the two apprentices. Foxpaw really liked Icepaw, but was too scared to say anything. Foxpaw blinked for a moment. His emerald gaze flickered towards Shimmerpaw.

"Something wrong?" he whisepered.

"No, nothing." She could never tell any cat of these dreams. They were too hard to explain. Foxpaw laid his head back down onto his paws sleeping away in seconds. Shimmerpaw couldn't help, but feel envy. Why couldn't she sleep soundly like they were? She got to her paws and padded silently out of the den. She saw her mentor Pebbleheart at the entrance of the warriors den.

"Pebbleheart!" Shimmerpaw whispered.

Pebbleheart turned her head towards her apprentice. She padded over quietly. "Why are you up so early?" she asked.

"Couldn't sleep."

Pebbleheart nodded understandingly. "Want to go on the dawn patrol?"

"Yes!" Maybe this will get my minds off of the dreams.

"Well let me wake Spicefleck and we'll be off,"

Spicefleck was one of Shadowpelt's closes friend. He was easier to trust than his friend. The ginger spotted tom appeared at the entranced of the den. He nodded his head in greeting towards her. Shimmerpaw copied him. Pebbleheart followed out after him and walked towards the stone ravine.

Shimmerpaw was sure this would clear her mind as she made her way up the ravine. Outside in the forest, it was like everything was just beginning to rise as the sun rose in the sky. Shimmerpaw took a deep breath of the world around her. The smells of the forest always relieved her.

"Where are we headed?" Shimmerpaw asked.

"How about DarkClan border?" Spicefleck mewed. "We haven't checked there in a while."

"Ok," Pebbleheart said and began to lead the way.

Shimmerpaw kept her eyes peeled for trouble. DarkClan lived in the part of the forest that was mostly covered in pines. If they spotted any cat over the border she knew what to do. Shimmerpaw began slowly practicing her moves on a leaf. She pictured it as a big dark warrior. She moved closer, and closer, and finally she pounced. She batted at the leaf for a while.

Spiceflecks and Pebbleheart caught sight of the apprentice and couldn't help but a purr of amuesment.

"Shimmerpaw," Pebbleheart meowed bringing her back to reality. "Its time to keep moving."

"Sorry," Shimmerpaw meowed. "Warriors don't do that do they?"

"Every once in a while," Spiceflecks replied. "Now look at these pine trees."

"They're so tall," Shimmerpaw meowed staring up at them.

"Yes," Spiceflecks meowed puting his paw on one. "These mark our borders with DarkClan. You can always tell by the?"

Shimmerpaw thought for a moment. "By the end of leaves and the start of needles."

"Very good," Spiceflecks turned to Pebbleheart. "You're teaching her well for your first apprentice."

"She learns quickly," Pebbleheart said lifting her head high.

Shimmerpaw felt good to be praised about. She walked towards a few pine needles. How could DarkClan cats live with these? They were so prickly under her paws. Not crunchy at all like the oak and ash trees. She watched as her mentor and Spiceflecks renewed the scent markings. Once they were done they began to pad their way back towards camp. Suddenly, Shimmerpaw remember today she had battle combat training today.

"Can we go and practice in the Moss Hollow?" Shimmerpaw asked her mentor.

"After a bite to eat," Pebbleheart said as Spiceflecks disappeared down the ravine. "On second thought lets catch something since we weren't on a hunting patrol."

Shimmerpaw nodded in agreement with her mentor. The two began to pad there way towards the Great Oak. She knew this was the best place for squirrels and dashed foward. Her mind no longer had the hanging dread of her dream. This was her life, not the life of a simple dream. Or was it?