+Mimic+

Chapter 1.

Nevada's dark green-blue eyes flew open as he shot out of his bed, his paws landed on the wood of his room, and led him to the large window to the side of his bed, a comfortable piece of sheepskin, hung from four hooks on each wall of the sleeping compartment. His mind spun as he tried to shake the memory of the dream away.

Oh come on now, you know that there's nothing you could ever do to forget the day your life under Cleo's thumb began. The voice came from inside his head, whispery and haunting, there was something behind it though, almost like wind echoing in his mind, Dreamwalker.

"Shut up!" Nevada growled under his breath, he placed his red forepaws on the windowsill and gazed out over the treetops, the sun was just poking out over the horizon and its warm rays touched his fur, breathing life into his stiff muscles.

That's rude, the dreamwalker replied in its creepy voice.

"So's invading my thoughts," Nevada retorted, he looked to his left, and saw the tops of the two newly constructed stone buildings, the ones assigned to the Aridity, families of the Crowns. Their building sat on either side of the Crown building, which looked significantly weather beaten compared to the blinding white of new cement.

You're going to miss breakfast if you don't go down.

"Not like anyone would notice." It had been three years since he had been taken by the Divianas, but his father was far from forgiven. King Saguaro had gone three whole days without noticing his own son was gone. Nothing could ever change that, and Nevada wasn't going to let him forget it.

Almost to spite him someone knocked on his door.

"Who is it?" Nevada called, stepping down from the windowsill and facing the other side of the room as the gold rimmed wood swung open and Rio Aceita waltzed in. Her dark brown and tan fur caught the sunlight which was now streaming into the room. Her dark blue eyes twinkled mischievously as she placed a plate of bacon on the ground.

"So, what are we ruining today?" She asked, plonking herself down in front of the plate as he crossed the room towards her, baited by the smell of the crisp salty bacon. He quickly lapped up a few pieces, relishing in the flavour before replying.

"I bet you've already ruined Alistors day by taking any bacon for yourself." He smirked as Rio's smile widened and she tried to hold the laugh in. Ever since they were little and her family had kept him as a pup, pretending he was part of the Commoner Adoption Programme, so no-one knew who he was until he was old enough to look after himself, they'd had a little rivalry, trying to not let the other make them laugh.

"Oh you should have seen the glare I got as I took the last piece of Maple Bacon and popped it into my mouth right there, if looks could kill!" Nevada couldn't help but laugh a little. Rio was a nice distraction and the dream from the previous night was just beginning to slip away when her eyes grew serious. "Did you dream about her again?"

"Nope," He lied, forcing a smile. The truth was Nevada hadn't not dreamt about the Queen of the Diviana's since he'd been taken, a full three years ago, when he was seventeen, he'd stopped telling Rio, unless it was really bad, though she still asked every week.

Rio beamed back, "That great! I'm glad you're getting better, it's nearly been a full month!"

"Yeah," He agreed, putting on his best proud expression. "Hey, uh, Rio, do you know someone named Peppa?" He asked, the name had been buzzing around his brain like crazy lately, it had appeared along with a dog who looked like Cleo, but with icy blue eyes, on the day of his twentieth birthday, and hadn't left.

Rio looked at the window in thought then shook her head, "Nope! Sounds like a really pretty name though! Who is she?"

Nevada sighed, "I don't know, I've just had her name popping into my head all the time."