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

Fallenlight waited until he got close, taking note of his quick dependence on his size and strength. He would have to learn to hone his weaker skills, especially if he ever planned to keep up the high speed Moor-Runners were known for. She feinted sharply to the left, and slid quickly under the gap in his legs, before she rolled on her back and struck her hind legs up with a fierce kick.

“I love that move.” Meadowbrook purred deeply, a dark sort of admiration spilling from her as she watched the fight, before she mused to Halfshadow. “I’d say try and work Nettleclaw, though I doubt you’ll enjoy Sagefrost’s claws very much. She’s a selfish cat.” She smirked.

“A true shame.” Fallenlight rolled to her paws, poised and ready in her stance. “Many of the techniques I learned as an apprentice, I learned from the same cat who trained your mentor.” Her eyes grew cold as ice then at the words, even as her calm face remained. “Of course, I only expanded my knowledge in the same way you are now. For not even a father can teach his daughter how to truly reach her highest potential, without crossing the line to do so. And for all his temper, he never could cross that line.” She stood from her stance.

“A muscular build, you may excel in strength by nature, but your perception and speed as they are now will leave you as a laughing stock amongst the fastest Clan. Even some tunnelers are faster than you, aren’t they? But no amount of speed or strength can match the ability to predict your opponents moves. Every cat you meet, they have strengths. They have weaknesses. Half of the training is watching. Waiting. Observing everything you can to exploit, to use in battle, to use to your advantage. Even your kin, your Clanmates, you must be ready to put your claws at their throat in any way you can if they stand in your way.” Fallenlight instructed, before she approached Goldheart.

“Starclan sees your blood as a weakness, a flaw, hm? And yet, you are able to have a paw in two Clans. What a valuable asset, you have. I understand you, Goldheart. It’s why I have awaited your arrival. I despised my father as deeply as you despise yours. And so.” She suddenly stepped back, sitting and wrapping her tail around her paws as she purred, thick and smooth.

“Your first training session will be to gather information you need to put your plans into action. You want to sabotage your deputy? Find out what really would break her confidence. After all, she is your dear sister. She’ll trust you without question.” Fallenlight offered.

“A second death, maybe?” Meadowbrook deadpanned, before she tossed her eyes at his comment, and gave a smirk. “If Goldheart has half the determination Spottedclaw and Siltpath did, then he will learn quickly. The weakness at the start is the hardest part, for a young Warrior. But, the end result is worth it.” Her claws extended, thinking of the power she felt each time her planning succeeded. Harmonysong plummeting, Beetleclaw collapsing under her teeth, Cheetahheart engulfed in the fire, taking Dustfire’s sight from him, even Stormfury’s banishment, it all had steeled her resolve. She could change anything, and soon Goldheart would realize that… if he had the spine to stay, of course.

"The greatest cats are the ones who can imagine their outcomes so clearly that it looks as if it is already reality. I do not train cowards, or cats with low resolve. I train Warriors." Fallenlight reminded sharply, before her features relaxed and she nodded curtly. "A mother will do anything for her kits. Your nieces are naïve, hopeful. They will do what they can to make their family proud. Perhaps you should ask them about how they see their dear mother?" She offered.

Meadowbrook inwardly agreed a bit, she had been hoping to see more of a fight, but she also knew that Fallenlight was a fighter worth every tale in the forests. She flicked her ear and mused. "You still can. They're talking about Juniperpaw and Larkpaw. If Goldheart is determined to get Sagefoot out of the way, perhaps you can do more damage than you realize. They will not know of you, like they will of me. If they leave a window open, I say you should try and take it. Their youth and rank of their mother make them proud, and spoiled. Entice them to learn a thing or two." She offered. 

Fallenlight watched Goldheart disappear, a knowing look crossing her face as she gave a leisurely flick of her tail. As soon as the tom was gone, she turned to approach Meadowbrook and Halfshadow. "Easy as that. Sooner or later, I'm sure we will be seeing his sister as well. Needless to say, it's lovely to see Swiftstar's hold becoming so weakened."

"Stonepath is lucky that he was my favorite of his kin. A tunneler to the roots. But, the Dark Forest is beyond the divide." Meadowbrook had to remind herself. She stood to her paws and looked at Halfshadow. "Do with those apprentices as you please, a means to an end is all that matters." She mused, before her attention turned to Fallenlight. She settled into her comfortable space at her mentor's side, flicking her ear.

"Halfshadow will plan to visit Juniperpaw or Larkpaw once Goldheart digs his claws in. With all the cats you're mentoring, Fallenlight, I can focus on the kits while you focus on the Warriors."

"I wouldn't expect anything less from you." Fallenlight mewed firmly, though it was clear by the way she allowed Meadowbrook at her side that she was just as dedicated to her apprentice as her apprentice was to her. She looked at Halfshadow then, nodding once. "Bring Silentfeather with you, if you catch some apprentices. Young cats love a good mystery, a Warrior without words, who can run faster than the wind." She brushed her tail against the tom's shoulder in a silky motion, smirking knowingly. "Charmer."

“Think of it as a wondrous reward. A game, if you will. Winning sounds so fun.” Fallenlight purred smoothly, before her demeanor grew cool and commanding once more. “Soon, we will need to prepare for Adderclan’s revival. Windclan apprentices are not the only cats we will be preparing. At some point, we will be mixing with all of our dwellers in the Dark Forest.”

“Robinstar has confided in you, hasn’t she?” Meadowbrook asked, though she seemed to grow a bit excited. “I can already envision it. A perfect Clan, guided by the Dark Forest rather than Starclan. Do you see it, Halfshadow?”

"I want my kits to be a part of it." Meadowbrook decided, a look of fierce determination in her eyes. "I will do anything it takes to make that happen. The moment I can, the second I see a chance, I will speak to my daughters, for the first time." She breathed, anticipating the moment with a flicker of desperation in her eyes. All she had to do was keep her sister from tainting her daughters with the honeyed words of Starclan. She would do it, she had to! 

“Then I will make sure her fate lies in death.” Meadowbrook growled coldly. For a split second, the last shreds of her youth and past whispered quietly that this was her sister, that Ashsong had put her tail around her when Meadowbrook had sobbed and mourned the disappearance of their father.

That whisper was slashed away as the resolve she had trained so fiercely for took its place again. Sister she may be, Meadowbrook would tear her apart for taking her daughters from her. If she loved Starclan so deeply, she could join them. Meadowbrook sought to even possibly do so with Ashsong’s own kits, to really taste what it felt like to lose her kits. Meadowbrook looked at Halfshadow, her intense desire to take another life now piercing in her eyes.

“I can be patient.”

Warblerpaw's green eyes slid open, adjusting quickly to the gloom. His fur still pricked with unease, but he wasn't as afraid as he'd been the first time he'd visited here. He rose to his paws, eyes searching his foggy surroundings as anger continued to simmer beneath his pelt.

(That's fine! I know we've mostly been snailposting, I just wanted to get Warblerpaw in here. It could be good to have them meet here at some point, too, for the ~drama~)

Warblerpaw's eyes fell to the grimy forest floor as he swallowed nervously before answering; the energy radiating from his aunt was...intense.

"Yes," he said, a tremor in his voice. "It was awful. I-I saw it."

He shook his pelt briefly, remembering that he had a deal to keep. "She fell rescuing Emberpaw - I can't believed she'd do something so stupid-!" He swallowed a growl, trying and failing to steady his breath and calm the rage he felt.

Warblerpaw spoke tentatively. "I...am. Angry, I mean. Because of her mouse-brained idea, Spiritstar lost not just one, but two lives!"

He seemed to deflate a little, bitterness creeping into his voice. "Even if she didn't mean for it to happen, it still did. I can't get away with doing foolish things like that because of my mother's position, but Emberpaw will probably just get off with nest duty for a moon."

Warblerpaw balked at her harsh words, ears flattening. Is that what she thought he'd meant?! Is that...something he'd want to do?

"I'd, I'd never dream of doing that," he stammered out. "Even if I wouldn't mind cuffing her ears, I don't think I could..." he shook his head, clearing the dark thoughts like cobwebs. "Yes, the past is the past, and I'm glad for it. It's...nice to talk with family," he hesitated on the last word, knowing how his Clan, his parents would probably recoil in horror by the way he was speaking with this cat. But she'd changed! Robinstar regretted severing her blood ties, and now was trying to repent.

"It is hard to be so visible to the Clan sometimes," he admitted. "It's like everyone is watching me."

Warblerpaw smiled hesitantly. "Yes," he said. "What I think is right..." He pondered for a moment, thinking about his first meeting with Robinstar, how scared and wary he'd been. But now she put him at ease in a way he couldn't explain, and the shadows of the forest didn't seem as dark. "I want my mother to be happy. I want her to see how much you've changed, to see that's it's possible."

Flicking an ear, he continued. "You know there was a kittypet in our camp today?"

Warblerpaw warmed under the praise, licking his chest fur shyly for a moment.

"I guess she hurt her paw or something, and she was too weak to even run so they just brought her to camp." Warblerpaw smirked. "Spiderbite was so annoyed, I thought he'd actually throttle her for making him waste his time."

Shaking his head, he backpedaled the conversation. "Back up a bit. Kits? You have children?" The image of the ruthless Robinstar he'd grown up with in stories couldn't seem to align with a loving, maternal Robinstar in his head.