The she-cat opened her eyes to find herself floating in a mist. No forest or rushing water greeted her sights. The she-cat looked down at her paws and nearly stumbled backward. Her paws dangling above the air, standing on a solid, invisible surface. 

     Where am I? She thought, glancing through the thick fog. Nothing popped out at her and revealed itself as a threat, nor did anything give its hiding place away. The eerie howl of the wind was her only comfort.

     This doesn't make sense... I'm not dreaming, am I? She looked down at her paws for any signals. The endless cliff she seemed to float on was her new landscape. The she-cat shivered, glancing around the place.

     As far as she could see, it was just more fog that rested on the ground like a cloud. Behind her, the same endless road awaited her. Left and right, it was only a land full of fog. The she-cat lifted a paw and rested it back down on the fog.

     It made a slight wisp sound, echoing throughout the place. The she-cat glanced upward, hoping to see something. She was able to see everything clearly like the sun was shining above her. Yet not even the rays of the sun or the silver beams of the moon seemed to be here.

     Whatever made her see, she was grateful for. The she-cat took another step and saw that under her paw, the fog rippled like water. She watched as the ripples carried further down, and with each paw step, she stirred up more disturbance within the foggy place.

     She felt safe for a strange reason. She didn't have an answer to her emotions, despite her being known for having answers. As she walked, not even the landscape seemed to change. All that was affected was the ground beneath her small paws.

     I can't remember anything... No matter how hard she pushed her dazzled mind, no flashing images of her past life greeted her. The silence of her world dragged on painfully as she continued her march. The longer she traveled, the more she thought she was going to be stuck in this misty forest.

     The she-cat stopped her paws from taking any more steps forward. She lifted her head to scent the air for anything out of the ordinary. One scent flooded her senses and her eyes opened up. In front of her, only fog clouded her vision. The scent she picked up seemed as if it was standing right in front of her. Her eyes landed on the space in front of her and saw nothing.

     She reached a shaky paw forward to touch the fog. The fog swarmed around her paw. The she-cat let out a sigh when she felt nothing touch her paw.

     Where is everyone?

     At that moment, the she-cat got another scent from in front of her. Gasping to herself, she stepped back. Images slowly began to rush into her mind with painful colors and stabs.

     A battle. Blood raining down on the field. Cats giving their own lives to themselves. Gleaming amber eyes towering over the field like it was only a show.

     Her paws began to shake as the events played over in her head. Throwing herself into the battle, trying to knock out any cat she could and sinking her teeth into the pelts of those she saw as enemies. The she-cat turned around as if the enemy was behind her. The fog remained as silent as ever but the noises rushing in her mind seemed to be coming from the misty cloud. 

     "No! Stop! You mustn't do that!" A voice cried into her ears. The she-cat stood there in horror as she saw an ancient fall off of a rocky tower, crushing the cats surrounding it. One she-cat heard her cry and turned, yelping a second later, paws trying to take her away, only for one boulder to smash into her back and kill her. Nearby, she saw a small she-cat just like herself pinned under another she-cat. The black she-cat's eyes pricked up and yelped when a boulder came for the two of them.

     That was when the she-cat felt a sudden smash against her chest, knocking the wind out of her and sending her to the ground. The pain startled her and as she fought to regain consciousness, the worse the pain in her chest became. The she-cat over her was dead and she felt herself slipping away. Heart beginning to race, she picked up her breathing as the she-cat fell back, and just like that, all the memories and sounds were cut off. 

     She stood there, tears slowly beginning to flow through her eyes. The only thing that came to her mind was the memories being her past. Crushed by a boulder. The old tom on the top of the tumbling rocks killing himself as it fell under. The she-cat shook her head, trying to get the thoughts out of her head. 

     Why am I crying? This is what happened in the past. I can't do a thing now!

     Another stab to the head. During the battle when she lunged at her enemy, she thought she was a brown pelt whisk by her, fighting by her side. When she was on her side and getting healed, the brown cat was at her side, snarling at incoming cats. When she begged the old tom to stop moving on the tower, the cat was next to her with round eyes, sharing the same emotions. Finally, right before the she-cat pinning her down looked up to see the boulder coming for her, the brown pelt was racing toward her through the falling rocks to her, eyes holding back tears. 

     Who was she?

     The more she thought, the more her head hurt. Thinking about it now would only cause her more confusion. She didn't even know where she was. She pushed aside the past memories and continued on her path. Soft raindrop sounds filled her ears at each step, giving her some sort of enjoyment as she walked. 

     After what seemed like moons, she stopped and looked around once again, hoping to see a shape come out of the fog. No shapes came out and only the soft wind filled her ears. The rippling under her feet didn't stop, either. Her ears shot forward when she thought she heard a voice in the distance.

     "Hello? Is anyone there?"

     No answer.

     "..."

     "What...?" The she-cat turned around, straining her ears to hear the rest of the words. The soft sound she just heard was gone in the fog. She swallowed her fear and walked forward, the memory of the brown pelt in her mind. 

     I heard something... what was it? Was it another cat? Where am I? Why can't I remember what my past life was like? Why do I only know my death? Crushed under a rock, she thought, her claws sliding out of place. 

     Suddenly, the fog swarmed around her and an icy finger ran down her spine. Frost spread from her paws and encased her. The temperature began to drop, making her cuddle into a ball and shiver as her teeth clattered. Ice began to fill her eyes, blocking away the fog. Her movements slowed to a halt, frozen in place. As quickly as it started, the cold was melted away and her movements returned to normal.

     What was that? Am I dying again? Why did it seem like I was trapped in ice?

     The same brown pelt flashed in her mind, jerking away at the ice forming at the brown paws. No matter how much the cat moved, the ice had captured its prey and wouldn't let her go. Time began to speed up and the she-cat saw the cat eventually go limp, showing her that the life was gone. The ice spread faster, capturing the dead cat in it entirely, freezing up any exit or entrance. 

     That's how... The brown cat died? Why do I feel sad when I barely know them?

     There has to be a reason I'm seeing these things. What's going on? I feel like I know the cat, but I can't remember the name. Is there any name that would bring back my memories? She bit her tongue, trying to force herself to remember her name.

     Come on, think! There has to be a name that has an important meaning to you! But... I can't think of any names. I... I have to know them! What is a name that brings back memories?! I know my name, but that name... There was to be another name! I... 

    Her mind traveled to a massive pile of leaves, blowing in the wind and touching the ground softly. She flattened her ears.

     Stupid leaves! Stupid leaf! I can't think of any---

     She stopped and her jaw dropped open, eyes widening.

     No... I know her! Her name was Leaf! Leaf, Leaf, Leaf! There... what's her name?! It can't be Leaf... what was it?! Think!

     It came to her as more of a shock than anything.

     Cinder!

     "Oh, good, you finally remembered me," a soft voice said. The she-cat jerked her head up to see a light brown she-cat floating down from the sky down to her. Her pelt was aligned with stars and she had a silvery pelt of the moon, hazel eyes shining warmly. "I was worried that you forgot about me entirely."

     "Cinder!" the she-cat gasped, slowly walking toward her past friend. "That was you, wasn't it? Fighting alongside me in that battle?"

     "Yes," she answered, almost on the ground. "I wanted to do something to help you out, before you..."

     "Died?" She answered with a flick of her tail. Cinder nodded, keeping her hazel eyes on the ground. The moment her friend touched the ground, she ran over and embraced her, breathing in the autumn scent. The she-cat wrapped her tail around her, pulling her close. "C-Cinder..."

     "You've always been such a crybaby," Cinder joked, holding back her sobs. "I... I'm glad to see you again."

     "You're not in... not in..."

     "Not in the Tribe of Never-Ending Shadows even though I'm an Imperfect?" Cinder finished the sentence. "Yeah, I'm here. I was so happy when I woke up to a forest of stars above my head. I got to see Slate and the others. Granted, I wanted you."

     "Cinder... does that mean..."

     "I'm not sure, but all the matters is you're here, right?" She nodded. 

     "I've done my contribution," Cinder replied. The two friends stayed together, touching their foreheads with each other. "Are you ready?"

     She nodded and felt herself ride into the foggy sky. The two she-cats began to float up to the sky, the fog below starting to fade away and reveal a meadow. Cinder grinned, looking up at their destination. Glancing up, the stars twinkled and the world around her began to shift into another forest, one with the lushest trees and grass she had ever seen.  

     "We can finally be together again," Cinder said, turning her head around, her eyes shining with excitement. "Won't that be amazing?"

     "Of course," she purred. "Traveling place to place. Away from the tribe."

     "But you loved it," Cinder whispered softly. "Now you're only with me."

     "And that's what I wanted the most," she assured. Cinder moved aside to let her float beside her. The two friends wrapped their tails together. "I may love the tribe, but I never wanted to be Alpha. All I wanted was to have adventures with you."

     Cinder purred. "Then I guess we can start another one soon, right? We'll be together." 

     "That's what I wanted ever since I..."

     "Don't worry about it," Cinder said. "I'll let you know what I did after I woke up, promise." 

     The closer they got, the she-cat saw that a layer of snow on the grass. Setting a paw down, the snow blew in her face, sending shivers down her spine. It felt nice, the cool breeze swimming past her. Cinder touched beside her and grinned, taking off into the forest full of trees. Lifting her eyes, her heart froze when she saw all of her missing friends perking their heads at them. 

     I... You guys...! 

     "Come on, let's go," Cinder urged, stretching out a paw to her. "We have a lot of catching up to do."

     The she-cat stood there, eyes watering. Her wish was coming true: Cinder and adventures. She shook the tears off of her face and smiled up at her friend, letting go of the past life she lived. Away from the rules she had to live by, the cats that looked up to her as an Alpha, and releasing herself from the chains that had her bound since she came into the world. 

     Free from perfection.

     Cinder stood there, a large grin on her face, waiting for her to join. Shaking her head, the she-cat swallowed the tears down her throat. Lifting her head to the Tribe of Endless Stars, she nodded, a genuine smile appearing on her face, something she hadn't felt in moons.

     "Yeah! Let's go, Cinder!"