She ran through the forest. She needed room to breath after the quarrel with Anika. Thoughts raged inside her mind like a tsunami, tugging at her paws and pushing her to run faster and faster. No one knew the true story of Kyra's transformation but herself. She glanced up at the cold, grey sky lined with black clouds and let a small growl escape her throat. The last thing she needed was for her fur to be dampened as well as her spirits. Exhaustion weighed down her paws but she kept pushing on. She needed shelter and a place to stay for the night. Her pelt tingled as her paws recognised a familiar path. It lead her through the heart of the forest and into a vast clearing.

And there lay the cave.

Kyra couldn't suppress a shiver as she gazed into the darkness ahead of her. This was where she had spent the beginnings of her life as a tiger. As unwelcoming as it appeared, a special force drew Kyra to the cold, black emptiness in front of her. She gave in and let her paws lead her into the gloom.

Immediately Kyra's sense of sight vanished and she felt herself using the sense of touch to guide her. Her pelt brushed against the walls of the tunnel. The icy stone floor was almost unbearable, but a gentle whisper urged her deeper into the cave. All of a sudden, Kyra felt the cave walls tighten around her and she felt nauseous with claustrophobia. Gritting her teeth, she carried on. It could have been hours or only seconds later, but the tunnel began to widen out again. She could no longer feel the cave walls on either side of her. Kyra knew that she had reached the heart of the cave.

After spending so long in pitch black, it took a long time for Kyra to notice warm glow radiating from the centre of the cave. It was a candle balanced on top of a large stone. She immediately headed for the heat source. As soon as she reached out a paw, it splashed into a shallow pool of water. Despite its freezing cold temperature, Kyra knelt down to lap it up. As soon as her tongue brushed the surface of the pool, Kyra felt herself falling out of conciousness, spiralling down into nothingness.

After what seemed like forever, her paws hit the ground. She was still in the cave, yet she knew she was dreaming. The cold had gone and the candle was steadily burning. There was no noise except the thudding of Kyra's heart. "Greetings." The sudden noise made Kyra jump. "Who are you?" Kyra's voice came out in a mere whisper. Then there was nothing. "I am the past, present and future."

Kyra frowned. It didn't make any sense. However not many things in her life made sense any more. "What do you mean?" Kyra asked. "I am your memories."

That made more sense. This voice was not a being. It was her own memories. She nodded in the direction in which the voice was coming from. "Why have you come to me?" "Someone that you love is in grave danger." Kyra froze. "Anika?" she whispered. "Look into the pool." Kyra gazed into the reflective surface of the pool. It was blank. And then and image formed on the surface.

It was a young girl with emerald eyes which Kyra recognised as herself before the transformation. The girl was standing outside the cave. The wind whipped her hair around her face and pricked her skin. She took a tentative step towards the cave. "No!" Kyra looked on as her self in the memory walked to her doom. She opened her mouth to warn her past self, to change her future. But no words came out.

She watched helplessly as her own body entered the cave. Kyra reluctantly followed. The young girl gradually progressed into the cave, placing one scared step in front of the other. Eventually, she reached the heart of the cave. "Welcome." the young girl turned to look at the woman beside her. Kyra did not - she already knew who was there. She was a middle aged woman with white hair and grey eyes. Her skeletal fingers hooked around a long sceptre. Kyra knew that the sceptre determined her fate. The icy voice came again. "Darling, what are you doing in here?" The girls eyes widened. "I-I'm sorry." She stuttered. "I just felt like I had to come in here." "Yes," said the ghostly woman. "Yes, you did."

"Someone that you know and love is in grave danger." The girl stiffened. Her eyes clouded with dismay. "Who?" She croaked, half scared to death. The woman gave an unsympathetic smile and touched the surface of the pool with her sceptre. Anita's body appeared, lying limp on the ground. "No." The young girl whispered. "Not Anika." "Yes, young one. Your sister is on the brink of death."

"Where is she?" Kyra knew that her past self was fighting to keep back the tears. "Tell me where she is so I can help her." There is only one way that you can help her. She is starving and parched. I can provide her with a pocket knife to catch and kill her own food. I can make it rain to quench her thirst. But it will require a sacrifice on your behalf."

"Whatever it takes, I will do it to save my sister." The woman smiled, revealing pointed, yellow teeth. She raised her sceptre and placed it above the frightened girls head. Eyes glinting, she began to recite words under her breath. "Oona shinyu iluos joklyres weklopura." Then a brilliant flash lit up the cave and the young girl collapsed into an unmoving heap on the cave floor. Kyra looked away. She couldn't bear to look at her fragile body be contorted into grotesque forms. And then she woke up.

She had saved her sister, but not herself. And it was all for nothing.

The connection that binded her sister had snapped. Her sister had seconds left of her life.