They stared akwardly at each other.
Owlpaw broke the silence.

"Well, here's a mouse. I never got to give you the other one back." He said.

"Thanks?" Poppy said skeptically, and took the mouse, before backing away and running off.
~~~~•••••~~~~~••••••~~~~~~••••••~~~~~
Poppy was dreaming.
Dreaming of Mapleclan. She was playing Moss-ball with the other apprentices, Cloudpaw, Owlpaw, and Blackpaw.

But then it all changed......... The scene was whisked away, and she was standing on a stone ....... In the middle of a river? She was covered in blood, and so was Owlpaw, except he looked older. He said something that made no sense, except she caught one word, "Spider."

The scene changed again. She was in Mapleclan, except it looked..... Different. Empty. Deserted. "I can teach you how to hunt!" Said a voice cheerfully. Poppy whirled around to see Owlpaw.

Then she watched herself and Owlpaw run into the forest. She saw herself trip and tumble down a hill. "Poppypaw, if you're okay say 'Im a mousebrain!'" Owlpaw shouted.

Poppypaw giggled. "I'm a mousebrain!" She shouted, standing up and running back to meet Owlpaw.

Wait, Poppypaw?

Again, her surroundings changed. Dark, confusing. Blank. Distant. Empty.

Two dead cats lay at her paws. She recognized one of them to be Morningdawn, the other was a young Tom. Both of there eyes were blank and lifeless.

No!

She jolted awake. Her heart was racing and she was panting.

Was what I saw...... Real?

She couldn't bring herself to think this. And shook it off. Like she'd done with so many other things.

Her stomach growled.

Wow, looks like I'm hungry.

It was midday, although it was still snowing. Snow lay on everything, boxes, cars, and even some cats. It even covered most of the scrap piles.

Today is gonna be a tough one.

She walked past several boxes and houses, and saw an uncovered scrap pile in the distance.

Just great

The cats from about two moons ago we're eating from it. Of course they were.

"Scram." Said the She-cat. "In case you didn't know , all the scrap piles on this side of the Town are ours." She hissed.

That was ridiculous! Sure, food was more hard to come by because of the snow, but hoarding the few scrap piles left was just wrong. Every cat needed them

Poppy narrowed her eyes. "You're not the only one who need to eat!" She spat.

"Watch your mouth." The cream Tom that had bit her said. "Do you want a bite on your other leg?"

Poppy bristled.

"I'm eating here." She said, gaze unmoving.

"I don't think so." Said the She-cat in a kit-like voice.

Poppy launched herself at her before she had time to process what she was doing.

Their was a blur of fur and claws. Poppy was moving faster than she ever had.

When she came back to reality, the She-cat was below her, deep scratches on her muzzle.

Poppy lifted her paw. "Go." She said. The She-cat snarled at her, but left with her gang, tail low to the ground.

Poppy turned around to see dozens of alley cats, staring at her, wide-eyed.