Behind The Mask

Three: Dreaming

Violetpaw returned to camp late that night, paws heavy and heart cloudy.
She staggered to the apprentice den, dipping her head to Tawnyfur who stood keeping watch over the Clan.

Her foster mother send her a worried, pitying look, before resuming her walk around camp.

Slipping into the den, Violetpaw frowned, seeing the only open nest was right next to Ashenpaw.

She shrugged mentally, collapsing in the cold nest.The moss was itchy against her pelt, and Ashenpaw's breath on her ear annoyed her.
Her ear twitched.

Flamepaw, who was on her other side, then made it worse by talking in her sleep. "Beepaw...don't be mean..."
She rolled over, back to Violetpaw.

Closing her eyes tight, Violetpaw drifted into a dark sleep.

- - -

Violetpaw walked across the frosty white earth, hearing the crackling sounds under her paws.
She shivered from the cold, yet her fur and body remained warm.
Her paws slipped and slid every once in a while when she cross a frozen stream.

Where was she?

Why was she here?

Violetpaw saw unmistakable black fur in the distance and her breath caught in her throat.

"S-Shadow.....It can't be!"

She took off running toward her father, letting out whimpers as she slid on the snow and ice.She face was covered in the white powder, but she kept moving, determined to reach her father.

Right as she stood before Shadow, he disappeared, leaving emptiness before her.

She let out a shriek of anger and mourning. "Why have you brought me here!?"

"Violetpaw!?"Fernpaw mewed, looking shocked from her place at the foot of an oak tree.

"Fernpaw?"Violetpaw was now much more confused.She padded a bit closer to the medicine apprentice, then settled herself into the snow.

"I didn't think I'd find you here.Or anyone, for that matter."Fernpaw murmured. "Although I'm glad I did."

"Why?"Violetpaw narrowed her eyes.

"I have something to show you.It's neat, I promise."Fernpaw looked excited.

Violetpaw swiftly stood up and followed the apprentice through the strange wood.It was deadly silent without anyone talking.

Fernpaw led her up a hill, and toward where it dropped into a cliff.Rock underneath her paws, Violetpaw glanced down, Fernpaw beside her doing the same.

A soft gasp left her throat as she took in the image below her.
A large barn stood there, cats swarming all around it and in the fields surrounding the building.
Cats slinked in and out, and some even slept on the roof.

"What is this?"

Fernpaw flicked her gaze from the barn to Violetpaw. "It's the future."
Her voice wasn't sad, it was actually slightly happy.

"What?! But the Clans must live in our territory! We can't be rogues!"
Violetpaw protested, neck fur bristling.

"It's not like that,"Fernpaw hushed her, placing a furry paw over Violetpaw's mouth. "That barn right now, it belongs to evil rogues.In the future, we will have defeated the rogues and will be free to hunt in the barn when we like."

"Oh,"Violetpaw nodded slowly, relaxing. "That does sound kind of nice.Mice galore in there."

"Exactly."Fernpaw giggled, running her tail down Violetpaw's back.Shivers went down her spine.