Dreams….

The cheetah knew these well. She existed neither here nor there…neither asleep nor awake…neither dead nor alive. She merely lived within the moment. Nothing mattered…neither time nor place…all that mattered was the message. She searched her mind, trying to find a point of balance from which to base her vision, but none surfaced. So she floated…alone…unsure of the outcome of this journey her mind was forcing her to take. She soon found herself outside the temple that she had visited in her last dream, but it seemed different now…less mysterious and more familiar. She quietly entered, expecting to be greeted as she did so but found no one awaiting her arrival within the white halls. Slowly she made her way into the throne chamber and saw the Creators there, watching...waiting for her. She stopped in front of the daises, unsure of who should say the first words.

"So, you return to us again young Cheetara." Cinnya-Oir said as she jumped down from her perch and sat before Cheetara.

"I had little choice. You called." She bowed to the cheetah.

"And you are wondering why we called you again." Cinnya-Oir purred as if laughing at the nervous Thundarian before her. "You need not fear usCheetara. The time has come for you to learn some of the reasons for our interest in you." She turned and moved towards a gently flowing pool of water at the center of the room. "Tell me what do you see?" She asked when Cheetara came beside her.

"I see nothing. Just my own reflection." She answered after staring at the clam waters for several minutes.

Cinnya-Oir reached out and touched the waters with a paw causing a ripple to begin to spread across its surface. "You must look deeper Cheetara. Lookbeyond the surface of thought. Look to the movement." Cheetara nodded and again glanced into the waters. "Now tell me. What do you see?"

"I see…"

Thundera…but not as she knew it. The landscape was torn and scared by war. The smellof death and burning flesh assaulted her nose. The sounds of screams ravaged her ears. She stood watching as those around her scurried for what cover the primitive buildings would offer them from the coming army. She stood…she watched…she learned.

"The time has come." A young cheetah female said to those gathered ‘round her. "I have had enough of serving those who force us to fight a battle that we have no chance of winning."

"What do you propose we do about this then?" A tall male asked.

The female smiled, "We give them what they want. A war."

"You’re mad Ciara. We can’t fight the Clans." The tall male argued

"Why not? They have forced us to do their fighting for them for as long as we can remember. I for one will not die in a cause I do not believe in. I care little for the clans or their Lords. I will do it myself if you lack the courage Kirtic Clan Chee’Dar." The male fell silent. "Those of you who wish to join, return here at moon rise. Tonight we take back what is ours. Tonight they learn the true power of the Larden."

Cheetara glanced away from the pool, "What did I see? I don’t understand."

"The time to explain comes later. For now, watch. Learn."

"How many have come?" Ciara asked the tall male.

"Only two did not return."

She smiled at him, "I was not expecting you to return Kirtic."

He returned the smile. "Your fight is my fight. No matter what my Father says. I am a Larden; my place is with my Clan."

She glanced up into the night sky. "Moon rise. It is time."

Silently they made their way through the dark night. Concealed within the shadows they made their way toward a large building in the center of what appeared to be a small village. Inside they could hear the voices of several people in a deep discussion of some sort. Ciara calmed her thoughts and carefully reached out to the minds with in the building.

"They plan to attack Duma’s clan army at sunrise." She whispered to those gathered with her. "All their talk of peace and an end to this war is lies. They're bent on destroying each other. Nothing will stop them until only one clan remains supreme."

"You're wrong." Kirtic placed a hand upon her shoulder reminding her to control her temper. "We will stop them." He turned to the others. "Myrah, take two others and go to the command barracks. See that all those on the listare dealt with." He waited as the others went off to complete their assignments. "You ready?" He asked Ciara.

"As I will ever be." Remaining encased within the shadows, they moved towards the entry to the house. The guards were easily avoided and soon they were with in the house structure itself, moving silently towards theirtargets. "Are you certain you can do this Kirtic? You can not delay once we start."

"I know. He may be my Father, but blood is the only tie we share now

She nodded accepting his answer. "Then it is time." As one the entered the room. The voices fell silent when their presence was noted.

"You!" An elder Cheetah jumped to his feet recognizing those who stood before him. "You insult us with your presence!"

"Be silent." Kirtic growled at the older male. "You have no control over me now, Father." He made a curse of the final word. "I am dead to you. Or have you forgotten that."

"You and this cub are unworthy or our attention." The elder male growled back.

"Enough!" Ciara’s voice rang out within the room. "We come with a message for you from the Larden. We want your promise that the wars will end as you have promised the people for 3 seasons now. We will no longer be used as yourweapon of choice. The Larden cease to serve the Clans as of this day."

The elder male laughed. "You dare to threaten us, Cub." He reached out and grabbed her arm pulling her to him. "The Larden will serve the Clans as they have done for 100 generations. Nothing will change that."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Nothing? Not even your death Mikhal Clan Chee’Dar."

"My death?" He laughed again. "You are no more then a cub, and no threat to me." He forcefully shoved her away.

She pulled herself back to her feet tossing her long blond-spotted braid back over her shoulder. "You never listened." Her voice was calm…controlled…deadly. "And now you will learn." She nodded to Kirtic and with a deep breath sheopened her mind. "The time has come Mikhal for the Clans to learn the true power of the Larden." She was aware of Kirtic’s mind merging with hers as she forced herself into the minds of those standing within the room. "What is wrong,Mikhal? You look a little distressed?" She focused her send with in his mind. "You were the one who took me from my family. You were the one who taught me to kill. You, Mikhal, made the Larden what they are." She ignored his screams…his begging for her to stop, to end the pain. "Why should I stop Mikhal? You didn’t stop when Yenara begged to be spared when you raped her. You didn’t stop when you beat me for taking food to the children you where starving. You didn’t stop. You never stopped!" She lashed out with all her strength, burning her way into his mind. She walked over, pulling his face up to hers looking him straight in the eyes. "But now Mikhal, you will stop."

"NO!"

Cheetara shoved herself away from the water, her mind reeling at what she had just seen. "Why did you give me this vision?"

"To answer that you must know more of the story, Cheetara." The Creator came and sat before the cheetah. "What you saw was a piece of your past, one of the many shards of your life. To understand why Ciara did what she did you must know who Ciara is. You must understand her. Only then will the path and the waters be clear for you to travel upon." She turned and nodded to the tiger sitting there. "For now I leave you with this. Within your pastlies the future. Within your future lies the past. The two will meet within you and the Clans will become as one. It is time for you to return now. But fear not; we will speak again."

Cheetara watched as the room slowly faded away and she was again wrapped within the darkness of the moment between dream and reality.

Dreams….

Oh yes, the cheetah knew them well.