When I got to the river Vanessa tapped me on the shoulder. "You can put me down now," she said, "I’m awake". Looking across the river, the tug of the Den pulsing with my heart, all I could do was smile. We crossed over, me in the water, she on my back. The night was alive with sounds as I swam, but quieted as we waded ashore.

Changing to crinos, I scooped Vanessa up and walked forward to the boundary. I reached out a hand and though it passed through nothing visible, I could feel the edges run up my arm. Willing us across, we came out in a forest not much different from the one we just left. The changes would take time, but already the heat could be felt. Once again there was a tap on my shoulder, "Remember me?" Nodding absently I let her slide to the ground and listened and felt the Den. All was quiet and there were just a few curious tests of the boundaries.

We moved further in and came to the forest/plains margin. The scent of heat and dust was stronger here but was fading as night fell. "Wow, this is neat. You made this?" There was a mix of awe and fright in her voice, and wonder on her face. "I needed a home, a Den. This will be a safe place for the pride, for the kin, for you. Nothing comes or goes that is not to my knowledge. Come on, you are out on your feet, lets get some sleep."

We went back into the forest, where the underbrush would provide some comfort for her, and settled down for the night.

I came to knowing that someone or something has just walked into the Den.

Easily.

Standing I looked out where the feeling came from. One step, two, and there was a snapping twig behind me.

Whirling, I saw a man leaning against a tree. He threw a broken twig to me and chuckled to himself. "Greetings Shadowed-Hunter, well met."

He was dressed in tight pants and an open shirt. There was a…sword, yeah a sword, hanging from his hip and it looked well used. His hair was long and curly, but his eyes are what drew attention. They were the eyes of a hunter, an ancient hunter, and they saw everything.

I didn’t know what to expect as I walked up to him, but ready more than described me. "Peace, Hunter," he said with hands out to the side, "I am here to help you, and to help her." He pointed to Vanessa asleep on the ground. "After all, you have the knowledge, you have the ability, but you don’t have the experience to use it all together."

He moved and there was not a sound, but he was once again behind me. I turned and he handed me another twig and danced away just out of reach.

"You have the advantage, you know my name," I said, "What is yours?"

"Oh you know me," he said.

Then I felt a wave of power, old power and I sensed the two in one nature of him. The First, the TwinFather, King of Cats.

He laughed long and hard at the look on my face, "See there, you do know me." I closed my mouth and stammered out a greeting.

He bid me follow him and we walked towards the boundaries of the DenRealm. "Don’t worry, she is watched over", he said. Only then did I begin to relax.

"Why have you come to me? I am honored, but confused."

He turned those old, old eyes on me, "There is much you have done and much you will do. Yet there is still the cub in you. Time is your friend and your enemy, use it well as you would any weapon. For now know this, there is a rage in you that lights the night. It is in all of us and at times we must loose it on those that would destroy us. The defilers, the corrupters, the apathetic, these must be purged out. And the wound of their leaving must be sealed, cauterized."

As we talked a Bridge opened and we walked into it. The other end was in a glade of trees similar to the one we had left in the Den. Only this one was dappled in moonlight and flashes of light wove through the huge trunks of trees too large to be circled by five or six of me.

He stopped talking as we entered the glade and one of the flashing lights rushed at us. I took a quick step to the side in case I need room to fight and the lights flared briefly. Somehow I sensed laughter, even though there was no sound from them.

Stepping back I saw the light dancing in front of his face, and he was nodding. Laughing, he turned to me, "It seems you have made an impression on our friends. If you would like, it would teach you something." So saying he reached out quickly and I saw my lighter in his hand. "Yes, this will do just fine." Reaching out again, this time much slower, he cupped the dancing flame and brought it together with the lighter. There was a flaring from between his fingers and when he tossed the lighter to me the flame-spirit was gone.

I put the lighter back in my pocket and suddenly felt faint. The trees were alive with dancing flames and seemed to be moving back and forth. "The spirit will teach you something, only one thing, and then leave. Be good to it, learn from it, because they will know if you are careless or mistreat their kindness."

The flames were dancing faster and faster. I turned to assure the TwinFather that all would be well and found that he was gone. Looking back to the trees I saw that they were fading out slowly, first the trunks and then the branches, finally the leaves disappeared. All that was left was the frenzied dancing of the flames, and they started to fade also. As they left, each flared and was answered from my pocket by an increase in heat. It was not enough to hurt, just a brief wave, as if to say good-bye.

The last flame flared and was answered and I was standing over Vanessa, feeling honored, tired and very confused. I took the lighter out and it felt normal. I flicked it alight and it looked like a normal flame. Just as I was putting it back I felt/heard/smelled "SCHOOLS IN SESSION, KITTYMAN."

Nope, not a dream.