The door slams loudly, echoing down the narrow hallway, the sound bouncing wildly as it hammers down the now empty staircase. Kat Coughlin is pissed and she wants the whole world to share her anger.

"That SON-of-a-Bi..." Biting back the curse with an angry snarl, Kat eyeballs the rooms only other occupant, a large orange feline sprawled across the rooms only visible piece of furniture; a rather dilapidated loveseat, large green leaves clashing horribly with the cats sleek ginger stripes.

"Mreaw?" Mr. Timmons stretches lazily before rising slowly from his favorite napping spot, arching his back and stretching out his paws before jumping down to meander towards her. "Mreaw?"

Kat pulls her bright copper curls into a knot before dropping to one knee, reaching out to scratch the scar where his left ear should be.

"I know. I shouldn't let him upset me like this."

Cooing softly, she scoops up the now rumbling cat, and rises smoothly, crossing the room to sprawl all over the worn-out loveseat, finally kicking off her shoes to relax.

"I know he's just a stubborn old man, but he makes me so CRAZY I could throw things!"

Snuggling her cat closely, and burying her nose in his soft fur, Kat's singsong voice belies the frustration behind her sentiments. "Some days, I just want to throw flour right in his face, yes I certainly do kitten!"

Settling Mr. Timmons on her lap, Kat lies back and closes her eyes.
***
The dream is always the same: a greenish haze colors the air as glowing lights bounce in the distance and the sound of an infant crying fills her with a sense of great urgency as she pushes her way through a forest of hanging vines.

Something is coming: something evil!

She must save the child before it's too late, but she can't find it anywhere. The crying is a cacophony of sounds coming from all directions, drowning out her thoughts, forcing a whimper from her throat as fear clutches at her heart.

She runs this way and that, and then she stills, a crashing of branches and a low pitched growl coming from behind her as something races through the forest towards her.

"Hide the baby! Save the baby! Hide the BABY" Kat hears the words over and over again, not realizing she's chanting them herself as she searches frantically for the crying infant.

Now, she's in a small clearing. The green haze is heavier here and the twinkling lights have all but disappeared, but there is a basinet in the centre and as she cautiously approaches, the babe quiets.

It's a girl, all dressed in pink, a riot of red curls framing a cherub's face with cherry red, bow-like lips and deep blue, almond shaped eyes. The babe is beautiful, as all babies are, and she glows with a pure white light as she coos in her crib, suddenly happy with her place in the world.

Suddenly, the world explodes as monstrous creatures' crash into the clearing; fangs dripping green slime, claws outstretched and reaching, their stench overpowering and so real Kat can smell it through her dreams.

She stands, frozen by fear, watching helplessly as the now screaming baby disappears before her eyes; carried off into the forest by a huge, hairy beast, cries echoing in the distance.

And then all is quiet...