"Smokepaw. Smokepaw, it's time to get up." The apprentice's ears twitched as an unfamiliar voice whispered close to her head. Anxiety wormed in her belly once she realized she was not in the ShadowClan camp.

She was curled in a bed of soft grass, in the center of a clearing she did not recognize. The sound of waves drifted on the breeze, along with the scent of wet sand and wind blown reeds. At the edge of the clearing, trees surrounded her on all sides. A soft light filled the air around her; shining from the stars that shined in the night sky above her.

"What am I doing here?" she demanded as she pushed herself to her paws. There wasn't anyone else there, but the same voice sounded softly in her ears.

"Don't worry young one, you have no reason to fear me." Smokepaw tried to find where the voice was coming from, but it seemed to emit from all directions at once.

She was about to call out again, to ask for her captor's name. But as she opened her mouth, a vision started to pulsate into view. Smokepaw was no longer alone; the clearing was suddenly filled with the bodies of star studded figures.

What's happening, she thought with a prick of fear. The phantasmal cats didn't appear hostile. They were exchanging greetings; some cats touching noses or settling down to share tongues. What puzzled Smokepaw the most; was the mingling of scents that graced her nose.

"This is what it looks like when the Clans are at peace," the voice purred once more, "cats of ShadowClan, RiverClan, ThunderClan, WindClan, and SkyClan. They've coexisted before, and they can do it again."

She felt her fear start to ease. All around her calm, melodic voices passed back and forth. She couldn't help but marvel at the feeling of unity that the scene had invoked within her.

As the starry pelted cats continued to press around her, she turned her focus to a large tree that stood like a sentry at the head of the space. Its trunk was over six fox lengths, and its branches reached out like outstretched claws.

Smokepaw narrowed her gaze, noticing that five lone figures sat amongst the branches of the massive tree. They watched the mingling cats, each from their own branch. "This is the way the Clans should be," the voice urged.

Smokepaw nodded in silent agreement. She knew that all the Clans around the lake fought with immeasurable hostility. They were always at each other's throats, for even the tiniest issues. But just as her last scraps of weariness had vanished, her vision abruptly shifted.

The illusory cats disappeared, snapped from her vision like a vanquished flame. She looked down at her paws, where a sticky liquid seeped up through her claws.

Is that... blood?! Her heart leaped in her chest when she realized that a surge of blood had begun to fill the clearing. It kept rising, without any indication of stopping. The light from the stars gradually faded, blinding her.

The voice suddenly boomed across the clearing, so loud that Smokepaw felt it shake her whiskers. "Five is no more; in its place lay one. One speck of light, one whisk of air, one drop of water, one tuft of grass. Yet all around the one lays darkness. A field of blood and a broken night, only mended by the mighty stars' light."

After the voice died once more, a burst of light illuminated the clearing. Smokepaw had to shield her eyes for a moment so that she could see. When she turned her attention back across the space, she met eyes with a dappled calico she-cat. Her pelt was dusted with stars, but not like the dazzling specks of light that covered the cats she had seen only seconds ago.

The she-cat paced closer, her face warm and welcoming. As she neared, she dipped her head to Smokepaw, a soft purr escaped her jaws. "The Clans are in grave danger, Smokepaw," the cat meowed, "ever since their first creation, the Clans were meant to stay united. Divided, they will fall."

"But why are you telling me this," Smokepaw wailed, her eyes wide. "What can I possibly do about any of this?" It sounded like this strange she-cat was implying that she had to unite the Clans! But that didn't make sense, the Clans had always been fiercely hostile. They had always fought for their pride, and glory of which Clan was supreme.

"You are special, Smokepaw," she replied, "it is up to you, lest the forest be ruled by blood."

She was about to protest, her mouth opening to continue to question this mysterious apparition. But as soon as she blinked, the vision was snatched from her sight. She was left opening her eyes in the ShadowClan medicine cat den.

"You're awake," Spikedflower's voice purred from a pace away. Smokepaw looked towards the orange tabby, her pelt still prickling from her unusual dream.

She opened her mouth to say something, to tell the medicine cat about the seemingly prophetic vision. But no words came. Spikedflower stepped closer, leaning in to listen to Smokepaw's breathing.

"Can you speak?" she asked, her tone calm but serious.

"Y.. yes," she sputtered, her voice dry. The force of speaking squeezed her lungs, making her whimper in pain.

"Just take it easy. You'll be resting here for the remainder of the day. I'll go and fetch Bonestar and Starlingsong so they may see you," Spikedflower meowed.

Smokepaw's heart started to beat uncomfortably in her chest as the she-cat left. I don't want to be alone, she thought. Her dream was still fresh in her mind, cramping her limbs with fear.

But it was only a few brief moments before her parents came padding into the den. Starlingsong's eyes brimmed with worry for her kit, while Bonestar's face was tinged with regret.

Her mother slid close beside her nest and nuzzled her cheek. "I'm so glad you weren't more seriously hurt," she purred. Smokepaw relaxed at her touch, feeling secure under Starlingsong's attention.

"She was just practicing her battle moves," Bonestar insisted, "I didn't think she would get injured." She could hear how upset he was, despite his emotionless mask that he always upheld.

"I don't think I want to fight," Smokepaw whimpered, "I don't want to hurt anyone." Her dream still throbbed in the back of her mind, reminding her of the omen that the strange calico had told her.

Bonestar stepped closer, his body curling around Smokepaw and Starlingsong. "I know you're probably afraid right now," he murmured, "but Clan cats fight. It's what we do. You'll see, we can try again when you feel you're ready."

Her heart fluttered anxiously at his words, so sure that she would one day fight like all the other warriors. She wasn't so sure.

Starlingsong remained silent, gently licking the top of Smokepaw's head while they all snuggled closer together in the small nest. She couldn't imagine anything better, than feeling safe and secure with her parents.

But their time was cut short, when Spikedflower stuck her orange tabby head back inside the den. "Tornsky has returned with his dusk patrol. He has brought back a RiverClan prisoner who was caught across the border," she explained.

Bonestar let out a soft sigh before he detached himself from his kin and padded swiftly from the den. Starlingsong also pulled away, but not without rubbing her nose affectionately against Smokepaw's forehead. "Just try your best to rest. You'll be back to training in the morning," she mewed.

But I don't want to rest, Smokepaw thought in mild defiance. Her curiosity had awakened, as soon as Spikedflower mentioned a RiverClan prisoner had arrived in camp. The medicine cat must have have had the same intrigue, for she had not come inside to check on Smokepaw.

Good, she thought, that means I can sneak out without her knowing.

She tried to push herself to her paws, which took a surprising amount of effort. She hadn't been prepared for the wave of dizziness that had bombarded her as soon as she stood upright. But as quickly as it had come, it subsided.

With shaky steps, she made her way across the dusty dirt floor of the den and pushed her way out into the camp. It seemed the whole Clan has gathered, their voices were raised in a hostile commotion. Their bodies jostled as each warrior tried to get a better view; but between their lean bodies, Smokepaw could just barely make out a silver and black tabby that stood in their midst.

It was Streampaw.