The images seemed to ripple and shift from one nightmarish image to the next. The young cub saw himself and the others playing, only to hear the saddened voice of a mandrill rivet his heart into deep sorrow the next. He could see it, see him, falling down the side of the gorge. Kijana's lifeless body layed there before him when he suddenly felt a cold paw press upon his shoulder. Suddenly he was no longer near the edge of the gorge, but was now in his cavern deep within the earth, looking up at a shadowed figure that shifted forms to a demon, hideous and eyes a glow with red fire. Even as the creature loomed over him and laughed he saw the demon shift forms once more into that of a huge, dark lion - Adiemus.

No!!!

The small cub shot straight up from his sleep; eyes wide and body shaking. With quick,labored breaths he looked around, trying to swallow at the dry lump he felt in his throat. As he began to slowly calm himself down he looked around at the place he had found himself in. Nothing was familiar, the night as dark as the nightmare he woke from. Why, why this dream again? He had very nearly the same dream some seasons ago when he had been traveling on his own and exploring a strange land. Maybe that was it. But why so dark a dream? He hadn't seen images of that part of his past for some time now.