Misty fog swirled around Echoscream's paws as she padded forward, fear spiking up her pelt.

Where was she? She was dreaming.

Chills went down her spine as she walked stiffly through the shadowy trees.All was silent, except for the sound of the tree branches, scraping against the ground.

The scottish fold she-cat flinched, flattening her fur to the ground as a sudden snap rang through the woods around her.Her eyes darted around

with with fear, and her mouth parted as she tried to breathe in the scents, but found none.

She watched with round eyes as a shape emerged from the bushes in front of her, its fur smoothed down and its face calm.It padded over, sitting down quietly and wrapping its tail around its paws. "Greetings, Echoscream."

"Hello?"Echoscream said uncertainly, not sure if she trusted this mysterious cat. "Who are you? A StarClan cat?"

"Yes,"They answered, fluffing out their fur as a sudden cold wind blew by. "I am Flamecry, the old medicine cat of FalconClan.I have come to deliver to you a message."

The area around them suddenly changed, turning into a grassy meadow.Birds flying by, grass and flowers blowing in the breeze.The sun shone brightly, causing Echoscream to squint, trying to adjust her eyes to the blaring light.

"Come."the StarClan cat meowed, standing up and stalking off, not looking back to make sure Echoscream was following.

The white she-cat stumbled, trying to keep up.Her shorter legs seemed to strongly disagree with her, seeming to lean toward each root and each stick.

It seemed like the graceful StarClan cat would never stop, continuing on strongly, their ginger fur flashing as they walked.He came to a slow halt, turning his head back to gaze at her. "You coming, or what?"

Echoscream panted, her chest heaving.She just realized she had been running to catch up with Flamecry's quick walking. "Y-yes!"

"You won't want to miss this,"Flamecry spun on his heels, leading her in a completely different direction. "It's truly a sight to behold."

She felt like he didn't even know where he was going, leading her in random directions.

Mabye he is just trying to lose me. Mabye this is just a big prank.

Echoscream leapt over a fallen tree, her hind claws digging in sharply to heave her body over it.Bark splinters stabbed at her belly, but she ignored it, telling herself she'd pull them out later.

She didn't want to lose sight of Flamecry's gingery fur.

She knew he had something important to tell her, she could feel it.

She didn't know what, especially because she was only a mere warrior, but she knew she just had to find out what it was.

Pushing forward, she demanded her aching legs to go faster, watching with desperation as Flamecry's body disappeared through a bush.

She barged through it, tripping and landing on the cold forest floor.She smashed her chin on the ground, a humming noise suddenly taking up its song in her head.That's annoying, she thought angrily, as she stood up dizzily, staggering to the side.A sharp piercing stabbed repeatedly at her head, and she tried her best to block it off.

"Flamecry!?"She glanced around desperately, not wanting to have lost him.

She sighed in relief as she spotted him watching her, amusement flaring in his eyes.

"Such an entrance,"They purred, then their face turned serious. "But we have more important things to discuss, or watch."They flicked their ears toward a tree, which looked like any ordinary tree.

Echoscream groaned. "You led me out here, all the way out here, just to see a fox-dung StarClan forsaken tree!?"She snapped, flicking her tail crossly. "That's it, I'm leaving."

She turned, ready to storm away to who knows where, when Flamecry's meow stopped her in her tracks. "No, stay.Watch."

She sighed grumpily, turning around reluctantly.She stomped over to the cat, turning her gaze to where Flamecry was staring.

On the tree was a spider, spinning it's silky web from between the tree, and another.Its black body hair's prickled as if it sensed the cats watching it.It continued to spin its web, not seeming to care at all.

"What does this mean?"Echoscream breathed, staring in awe at the amazing bug as it spun thread after thread, line after line, pathway after pathway, adding on and on to its home.

"A time will come when Spider must save the Clans, building them up; making them stronger; strengthening them.Similar to what this spider is doing, but with the Clans."Flamecry's voice had suddenly turned ghostly, his whiskers twitching ever so slightly. "But, the Shadow Paws will try to stop him.He might need help."

Then, the ginger cat started to fade, his starry body quickly disappearing amongst the air around them.

"No wait! What are Shadow Paws?! And why would they stop the Spider from saving us?!"Echoscream meowed desperately, grinding her teeth as Flamecry only watched her, their eyes sad.

"Good luck."They shrugged, now gone completely.

"This was all a waste!"Echoscream groaned, shaking her head. "I'm just a useless warrior! What can I do? I should tell, Spiritflight, she'll know what to do."

She growled. "Badger-hearted Flamecry! Didn't even tell me what the StarClan forbidden Shadow Paws were! How am I supposed to do anything?"

She scuffed her feet on the ground, then glanced up as she noticed it was awfully quiet.Why didn't she wake up yet? Wasn't she done dreaming?

The ground suddenly swirled beneath her paws, and her vision spun.She closed her eyes, the world spinning so fast, she thought she might fly off it.

Then, it was over.Echoscream blinked open her eyes, sighing as she was in the real forest again, awake.

Wait a minute....

"Why am I in a forest?!"Echoscream groaned. "Please don't tell me I sleep-walked!"

"You did."A strange mew sounded from

her right.She whirled around to see a calico she-cat watching her, an evil grin on her face. "Boo."

Echoscream flinched, and saw three other cats standing behind her, claws unsheathed and ready to attack.

Were they planning on attacking her?

She stepped backward. "I-don't attack me, please!"she wailed, fluffing out her fur to make her appear bigger.

The she-cat took a step forward. "I am, Maplestar, leader of the Shadow Paws.I know you know about the prophecy, and we are here to destroy you, and your knowledge."she hissed coldly.

Maplestar flicked her tail, telling her followers to circle Echoscream.

A black tom-cat leaped forward, stalking around Echoscream with his teeth bared.

"Don't attack, yet, Shatteredfur, we must wait for the perfect moment.Once she is terrorized, I will end her life."

"Wolfscar, circle her the other way.Corner her so she can't escape."Maplestar's icy voice growled harshly.

Before the blue-gray tom could start forward, Echoscream was turned and running, racing in a random direction in hopes of finding a cat that could help her.

Her paws moved faster and faster, as fast as they could go.She knew they'd give chase, for her 'knowledge' made her 'kill worthy'.

She stumbled over a branch, tripping and slipping down a hill, head smashing against the ground several times.She saw everything spinning as she rolled, down and down the hill.

Then she reached the bottom, and lay, unmoving, under a tree.

Her sides ached, her face was sore, her teeth hurt and her legs burned.Her head was throbbing, and had started humming again, much to Echoscream's dislike.

She tried to sit up, but her eyes bulged and she lay her head back down, coughing up dirt.Dust stung her eyes and she knew she probably wouldn't make it.

Then, she nearly wailed with relief as she spotted Spiritflight speed-walking over to her, her snowy white fur seeming to glow.She knelt down beside Echoscream, placing her ear to her chest. "What in StarClan's name happened?!"

"I-I was..."Echoscream couldn't speak her throat was so dry and sore. "I-"

Spiritflight leaned her head closer, desperation showing in her eyes. "What? What?"

Out of the corner of her eye, Echoscream spotted Slatescar at the top of the hill, Maplestar right behind

her.They were trying to find a safe way down, and it looked like they were succeeding.

Panic flooded through Echoscream, and she groaned, forcing words out of her burning throat. "The Spider will build up the Clans, strengthen them; save them.Go, and protect the Spider! He must spin his web!"she croaked, using the last of her strength to thrust her muzzle behind the medicine cat, who turned her head to see what was the problem.

Spiritflight's eyes widened as she saw the Shadow Paws, and she nodded, sorrow in her gaze.

She took off, paws racing across the dirt, running for home and only looking back once.Or twice....

Echoscream closed her eyes as pawsteps sounded beside her.Maplestar stood over her, smiling a smile so purely evil, and full of hatred.

"Time to die."her mew was so full of false pity, it nearly killed Echoscream on its own.

Echoscream felt a sharp, bitter piercing in her throat, and her world went dark, her senses clouded by the metallic scent of blood and the rancid smell of Shadow Paw cats.

Her last thoughts swarmed in her head, and she felt oddly at peace.

At least I gave the message to, Spiritflight......

(Word count: 1,556)