The orange she-cat lay before the pale tree, her nose brushing against it. Next to her, two other cats lay, already asleep.

The orange cat felt fear surge beneath her pelt. What her ancestors say?

She finally let the sleep steal her from her body and awoke in a field rimmed by trees.

Around her, she saw her clan. And in the front, she saw a small yellow she-cat next to an orange tom. They were watching her, eyes filled with pity.

Suddenly, all the cats were gone, and in their place stood a tall, imposing tabby tom.

"I warned you, Pumpkinpatch. You didn't listen!" He snarled.

Pumpkinpatch flinched back.

"I never meant for this to happen!" She yelped. "Please, Badgerblaze, I never meant to..."

The tall cat circled around Pumpkinpatch and finally settled across from her.

"It is done," he said.

Then Badgerblaze vanished in the flick of a tail and Pumpkinpatch awoke, her claws buried deeply in the ground, and her heart breaking in two.