The Dream

Leafpool padded along the sandy ground, gazing out into the sun-down place.

Was it her, or was the sun looking like it was approaching her.

Leafpool stopped in her tracks as she glared at the sun. It was approaching her!

At first, the movement was unnoticed.

But then, as it came closer and closer, it gained speed. Before Leafpool could yowl for help, the blazing sun ingolfed her.

Light. Nothing but light. That's all Leafpool could see.

Then, it faded. Too quickly.

Leafpool was in totally darkness now, with no where to go.

"Help!" she yowled out. "HELP!"

Nothing. No even an echo.

Oh StarClan, Leafpool prayed. Where am I?

"You are where you should be," a gentle voice purred.

Leafpool whirled around and saw Spottedleaf. She was laying next a pool of water and a crow's feather in her paws.

"Spottedleaf?" Leafpool asked uncertainly.

"You may call me that, but I am not," was Spottedleaf's calm answer.

"What do you mean, Spottedleaf-" Leafpool caught herself in midsentence. It suddenly made sense.

"You're not really Spottedleaf, are you?" Leafpool asked cautiously.

Spottedleaf purred in delight and nodded. "That's right. I am only a figment of your imagination. A memory that once was alive."

"What about StarClan? I thought medicine cats could speak with their ancestors."

Dream Spottedleaf tilted her head a bit to the side and mewed, "StarClan exists, alright. But you cannot connect to the dead. The dreams, the visions, they are all in your head."

"B-but, that doesn't make sense! StarClan, the nine lifes! Now that is not in our heads!"

"This is not the time for questions, Leafpool. I can only comprehand what you can. I am only in your head after all."

"Then why have you brought me here? What happened at sun-down place? What's going on?" Leafpool was practically panicking, her thought buzzing inside her head.

What was going on?

Dream Spottedleaf gestured with her tail to come. "Look over here. All will be made clear."

Leafpool cautiously padded over to Dream Spottedleaf.

Once she was there, Dream Spottedleaf dropped the feather into the pool. "A pool of leaves and a crow's feather. Together they will drive to become one. When they do, a crescent moon will rise to set fire to the heart of the tiger."

Leafpool blinked in bewilderment. What was that suppose to mean? 'Set fire to the heart of the tiger?' Was she talking about Tigerstar.

But before Leafpool could ask, Dream Spottedleaf continued.

"A small leaf will be the roots of the clan. A feather will gain her spots. Water will drowned the clan's beliefs. And thunder will save the clan."

"Huh?" was all Leafpool could say before she noticed something interesting.

The pool of water was full of leaves. And when the crow's feather touched it, the whole cave was set on fire.

And in the flame, four images appeared.

A spotted feather. A tear that blazes like fire. A crescent moon in a storm. A small leaf.

Leafpool jerked awake. She was in her den, safe.

She glanced around her to see everything was as it was left.

Nothing had changed.

But Leafpool wasn't convinced. That dream had been no ordinary dream.

It was a vision. A prophecy.

But about what?