|☾ ☼ ϟ ≈ ☁| Dark Forest V.2 |☾ ☼ ϟ ≈ ☁|

Harekit slowly padded away from his spot, fur having puffed up a bit though he tried to be brave. He made sure to stay near a tree trunk, planning on hiding should something try and attack him

He jumped a bit, turning towards the voice"n..no. I woke up here. Is this Starclan? I've heard some cats dream of it"he said, voice soft though calming down

He looked excited at her words"you must be so strong than!"he said as he hurried over"i try to be strong.. but I got hurt when I snuck out of camp"

He looked excited at her words are you from Skyclan? One of my ancestors?"he asked, hopeful

Warblerpaw sucked in a sharp breath, eyes snapping open. He found himself standing beneath a huge, gnarled tree in a dense forest, a sickly glow emanating from the mushrooms that were nestled between arching roots and the lichen clinging to furrowed trunks.

"Where...?"

The darkness surrounding him felt heavy and oppressive. There was no sound, not even the wind in the leaves, and when he looked up he saw no stars. An eerie feeling permeated the atmosphere, and Warblerpaw felt his fur begin to stand on end and his pulse quicken, a cold sensation making its home in his gut.

Fear.

"What did you say?" Meadowbrook's vicious growl shook across the shadowed clearing of the Dark Forest where many of the Windclan cats liked to reside. Her eyes were trained sharply on her mentor, even as the powerful she-cat's posture remained as relaxed and casual as her voice. Within Meadowbrook though, anger and hatred were roiling.

"It seems that your mate has brought the kits back to Windclan. Soon, you will be able to visit them, once they start to realize what the world around them is." Fallenlight mused, eyes trained on her furious apprentice. There was still traces of milk scent on the now dead Queen's body, though it was slowly fading as her sleekness and muscle was regained. Meadowbrook snapped harshly.

"When they realize what is around them, Ashsong will have already hooked her claws into their minds! They are my daughters! Not some kits that she has any right to pity! The only cat that has any right to ensure their survival is Brownleaf! Ashsong is drenched in Starclan's scent, she always reeked of it. My kits will become indoctrinated by Swiftstar and Starclan. I will not allow it." Her claws slid out, a vicious intent to do whatever it took to keep her sister away from her daughters filling her eyes.

"Use your wits, Meadowbrook." Fallenlight growled, instantly standing nose to nose with the she-cat she trained for so long. Meadowbrook held her ground, but dared not to raise a claw to the cat she respected the most. Fallenlight glowered. "I had kits of my own, I understand it as deeply as you do. Which is why you need to see this as an opportunity, to continue your work to change Windclan from the inside. Those kits will be hated. The clan will ostracize them on your behalf, because of their ignorance and weakness. Hatred is what makes them accessible to us. The more they stew in that anger as the Clan judges them, the closer you will be to visit them, just as you've wanted since the moment you died."

Meadowbrook's fur flattened a bit, though her claws still shook in the long grass beneath her paws. Her mind whirled, knowing her mentor had a point. It would make things harder, to fight with Ashsong over the mind of her daughters, but she knew she had enough drive and anger within her to not let anything stop her. Brownleaf merely picked the first cat who offered, and as long as he was the cat raising their daughters the most, Meadowbrook could work with that. She took a deep breath, before exhaling slowly.

"...I see it your way, Fallenlight. Use any path you can to complete your goal. You taught me that, and I will use it now."

"Good. I told you, I would never steer my apprentice wrong." Fallenlight smirked, circling around Meadowbrook and mewing firmly beside her. "I remind you, we also have an opportunity to train a new generation of Windclan Warriors. Adderstar and Robinstar are planning for a new unification of the Clans. You were not able to be a part of it the first time. You will be a crucial part of it this time. Your strength and skill in combat makes you an ideal mentor for young and impressionable cats. This including your kits. Why not get back at dear Ashsong? She has three kits of her own too. If she dares to try and raise your daughters, perhaps you can be a good sister and return the favor?"

Meadowbrook felt a coil of delight at the suggestion, knowing that Berrykit, Cloudkit and Moorkit were just as impressionable as her own daughters. And after all, they were her kin too. She had every right to see them, as their dear aunt. She purred deeply. "Now that sounds like a perfect idea."

"Halfshadow." Fallenlight greeted the tom with a knowing look, turning to face him as Meadowbrook did the same. She mewed smoothly. "I was planning on doing so, I can tell Goldheart's resolve is breaking soon. Once it does, then the window to his heart will be open. I can invite him here soon. As for the kits and apprentices, it is clear that Rookpaw has little to no faith in Starclan. She is my kin after all, and I would trust you with her." She offered, thinking gleefully of how nice it would be to target her half-brother's kits. Blacktail's deputyship being renounced into elderhood made it much easier, with him being around his kits less during the nights. 

"Silentfeather can't speak to any apprentices, but she can be an excellent sparring guide." Meadowbrook reminded, glancing back to the shadows where she knew the stealthy she-cat was waiting. There was still a divide between tunnelers and moor-runners, as well as cats with half-clan blood.

Silentfeather slipped from the shadows, eyes tracing her clanmate’s. She had been clanmates with him when they were alive, and now all the mute she-cat could do was nod her head in acceptance. She still hoped to one day persuade her kits, Frostpetal and Crowfrost, to join her in the Dark Forest, yet she angrily knew they’d not be able to hear her voice. Perhaps they could influence Frostpetal’s kits too. Silentfeather had wanted to see Beankit and Dreamkit so desperately.

I think Moon said she was gonna rp Robinstar for you then Thistle )

Halfshadow gave Silentfeather a devious grin, purring in delight at the thought of bringing ruin to the clan that had never truly acted like he belonged. "Wonderful. I can't wait to get started. I only hope to bring in a few more tunnelers to our side. I am not too well-versed in moor-runner fighting tactics."

His tail flicked happily, though tried to contain his emotions"why is this place scary for such an honorable cat?"he asked

I'm gonna assume you meant Halfshadow and not Hiddenface Blazer XD )

Halfshadow growled, he was growing sick and tired of watching Sagefoot, Stonepath, and their perfect daughters. "Don't you think they'll be wary if they see you though Meadowbrook? I know they were young when you were cast out but your name certainly still holds weight in the clan. Especially now that your kits are there." He mewed with a sneer.

Halfshadow's eyes lit up with understanding, "Okay, I can do that. They're all too young to recognize me and Silentfeather so we shouldn't have any problems. You can just sit back in the shadows and guide us. Poor little Swiftstar will never see it coming."

“I want to relish in his suffering. I want to see his version of Windclan crumble beneath his paws. He has always been a weak leader.” Meadowbrook growled lightly, thinking of the tom who wasn’t much older than she was, yet so cherished by Starclan and set to lead a Clan for moor-runners. His attempts to understand the divide in his Clan would never be enough, and she enjoyed knowing that she had harmed him by harming his son too. Now, they could destroy and rebuild Windclan from the bottom up, from inside out.

“I will do all I can to help. Any cat in the Clan, I know them all intimately, like you three knew eachother when you were alive.”

“It’s not scary! It’s nice and dark and calm, like closing your eyes and feeling the wind. See, this is where cats go when they’re more special than even Starclan.” Blackbird crooned, approaching Harekit with a warm look. “It looks like you are a special cat.”