My eyes snapped open-was I awake now?-I stood up looking around at my surroundings. 

It was all black-wait no. 

There was something behind me. 

I dared look behind myself, revealing a fox. 

There was nothing off about the fox-but wait there was. 

The fox was a bright orange fox, but that was one of the many things that made it so beautiful. 

The She-Fox had a bit of a green-blue glow coming from behind her. As if we were underwater. Are we underwater-and who are 'we'? Me and...? So many more questions that feel like they will never be solved. 

The fox had her warm, orange eyes on me this whole time as I looked at the strange features flowing from her fur. Her appearance made me feel warm inside, as if she was the most comforting thing in the world. 

There were flames blazing on the tips of her already fiery fur. Mostly on the ends of her fur. Such as her tail, her ears, muzzle, paws, and throughout her body. She was laying on some sort of bramble. 

This Fox was quite the sight. 

"Sophia," she called silently. 

I blinked in slight confusion, "That's the name, don't wear it out." 

"Sophia..." She whispered, just as the fire that clothed her was whispering in tranquil crackles. 

"Uhm. Yes?" 

"Remember me?" 

"I don't." 

She seemed to some extent offended, "I'm Phoenix." 

"Still not ringing a bell," I replied. It really wasn't ringing a bell. 

Her voice was loud, but was as soft as a feather, "I'm the story you created. I am-Well was your imaginary friend." 

"Exactly, imaginary friend. 'Imaginary', not real friend. You don't exist, therefore I'm not in the real world." 

"What's the difference between Reality, and Dreams?" 

"I don't know, what is this school or something? Mrs. Phoenix, I have no idea what in the whiskers of the world you're talking about." 

"I have already taught you this." 

"If you're my imaginary friend, then everything you know is everything I know," I reasoned. 

"Just like we both know you claim to have no real friends. Just 'allies'. I'm pretty sure they find that offensive." 

I snorted, "'They'?"  Yes! I have successfully avoided her Dreams versus Reality question! 

"That's what you call them, don't you? 'They'. 'They' are 'allies'." 

"'They' are just characters in my story." 

"And you're just another character in their stories. You know you could learn a thing or two from that Pixels cat." 

I couldn't help but do a small laugh, "From Pixels?" 

"Yep," Phoenix replied simply. 

"Excuse you. I'm One-Thousand-Three-Hundred-Fifty-Two. Nearing 'Fifty-Three." 

"So?" 

"So, that means I'm older, therefore wiser." 

"'The older, the wiser.' That's the quote isn't it? Well I'll give you a new saying. The older have experienced more, yes, but the younger are still experiencing so chances are they feel the situation more than you will ever feel, or ever have. And who knows? You could have been in that situation at one time, but you can't know the exact feeling." 

"That's actually a fairly good point," I admitted. 

"It's your good point. I'm your imaginary friend, remember? Everything you think, I think. But you're a real charismatic cat." 

"Charisma!" I exclaimed heartedly. 

"Yes." 

"I was wondering though, is there something you need to tell me or something?" 

"What, you think this is some sort of vision?"

"Well-" 

"Visions. Really? Really? This is real life, not some Fanfiction. Though, Fanfiction is good. Visions? No. Never. Let's make it clear now, if you think you're having visions, you need to be checked out by someone. No visions." 

"So I'm dreaming then?" 

"Probably. But I do have something important to tell you about right now. About your conscious-self that is currently not home." 

"What?! Am I being killed?!" I asked alertively. 

"No... Well... Maybe." 

"Well that's a worry!!!!" 

"Eh..." 

"Seriously?!" 

"Eh..." 

"Okay, you're not helpful at all." 

"Thanks. Do you want to know what's going on or not?" 

"Fine..." I sighed. 

"When you wake up, the only thing you can trust is your sense. And I don't mean emotional senses, I mean your nose, eyes, and all of that." 

"So don't trust anything?" I tried to put simply. 

"Exactly! Only trust your whiskers, and your sniffer, and those beautiful eyes of yours. Repeat after me. I can only trust my senses!" 

"Seriously?" 

"Don't question it! It'll help you remember when you wake up! Hurry, we don't have much time!" 

"Fine..." I took a deep breath, and as loud as I could I yelled, "I can only trust my senses! I can only trust my senses! I can only trust my senses! I can only trust my senses!" After echoing those words throughout my dream many more times, Phoenix finally seemed satisfied. 

"You might not even remember this, but try to remember. There are so many things that I need to tell you, but you're just gonna have to wait, listen to the echoes in your head because you are crazy! But that's your advantage. Use it! And don't trust anyone! Don't even trust-" 

I blinked my aqua-teal eyes open. My heart was racing. Why is my heart racing? It felt like a million thoughts were running through my head, but had been captured, and hidden away somewhere in a cage never to be found. 

Speaking of cages... 

To my horror, I was in a really small cage. Really really small. 

I fit just right, but I was bigger than most cats because I have grown more 'cause I'm older. I defy science. 

The cage I was in had an uncanny resemblance to a 'Lobster Trap', I could even tell this from the inside where I was being smooshed. 

I jumped ever so slightly being slightly started in my predicament-I mean who wouldn't?-I hit my head on the top of the inside. Ouch. 

I looked outside of the Lobster Trap, and the smell hit me before what my eyes saw hit me. 

It smelt so so salty. I involuntarily inhaled the acidic air, and immediately coughed, not expecting such a strong odor. What I was expecting to inhale was the damp-and somehow refreshing-air of The Dark Forest. 

We were near an Ocean. 

Though, to be fair, I hadn't seen it, but we were fairly close. I couldn't see a single shade of that great blue Ocean. 

If you remember what I said at the very very beginning of this story, cats and foxes call the Ocean 'The Deep Blue'. 

But the beginning has felt like months ago, right? But for me it's felt like hundreds of years, because maybe it has been hundreds of years. You decide that for yourself my beloved Reader. 

And then an avalanche of thoughts fell upon me like a giant blanket of sparkling snow-or as cats and foxes like to call it, 'Sparkling Ash'. Though, I have to say, I like 'Sparkling Ash' much much more than 'Snow'. 

It was as if the questions that had been captured and put into cages had just escaped in a confusing mess. 

How long have I been asleep? What did I dream about? I know I dreamt, but what was it again? A fox? What was her na-Phoniex. Her name was Phoniex. Wasn't she my imaginary friend from all of those years ago? So many years... What was she telling me? The only thing I can trust is my senses. The only thing I can trust is my senses! What does that mean? What dangers lie out here? Who lies out here seeking to devour me? And how would my dream know? Could my conscious-self still be taking in information as I sleep so that if there are dangers I can sense them? I wonder if my life was a book, if this would be the 'climax'. 

But the biggest question on the top of the avalanche of questions, perhaps the most important question. 

Perhaps this question would be my last question. The last snowflake on top of the pile Sparkling Ash, the last question. My last question perhaps. 

I often think of this very moment in my life, and think of this very question. 

It makes my blood run cold even today. Even as I wrote these very words, I get chills down my spine. 

Where is Thunderblood?