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

“Of course. You’re not the only cat who is still finding their way.” Robinstar spoke as she quickly got into a battle stance, void of flaw or hesitation. She tucked her head down and lunged to the side, her claws extending as she slashed the air with ferocious speed and strength. The momentum of the roll sent the slash in a clean diagonal motion, clearly meant to leave a brutal wound on the underbelly. She stood to her paws smoothly, elegant to Adderstar’s more brutal power.

Robinstar watched him intently, both humored and utterly disgusted at how sloppy it looked. As much as she planned to use him, all of her pawns needed to be strong enough to carry out her attacks, her kills. Adderstar needed an army, not a slew of kits. She held down her scoff, instead humming thoughtfully.

“A good first try, but you need more strength, more control. Tighten your body when you roll, and extend sharply into the slash. And don’t worry. You may have your claws out. After all, you would only use this on your enemies, if they threatened Skyclan.” She encouraged.

“Much, much better.” Robinstar purred, proud and approving as she nodded. “Do it again, a few more times, until it feels natural to you, like second nature. The key to strength is building it up, and never letting the repeat slip. Over and over, even when your muscles burn and your breath comes fast.” Robinstar instructed, as easily as a mentor, as naturally as the leader she had been, had clawed and schemed and fought her way to become.

Robinstar approached him, leaning down to make sure he could see her approval clearly. She grinned, teeth gleaming, before she gave a harmless laugh, as if a mother being proud of her kit. “Splendid! I tell you, you’re a natural! You’re my family’s blood, after all.” She nodded, before she stepped back and asked. “See how that feels? Does it feel good?”

“Not me.” Robinstar shook her head with a chuckle, looking at Warblerpaw with a light humor. “A very good friend of mine, a real spitfire! She was from another Clan, actually.” She admitted, sitting down. “Something I learned, after all these moons, is that there is no shame in finding friendship amongst Warriors, no matter the Clan. The code is important of course, always follow it… but this move? It’s a Windclan specialty.” She purred. “I can teach you moves from all Clans, if you are willing to understand them.”

“Excitement to harm and excitement to protect are very different things, dear. All you are, is dedicated. Your ambition is all for your Clan. That is what a good Warrior is.” Robinstar soothed, before she feigned a guilty look. “It is something I learned far later than I should have. I regret how I allowed myself to fall into the wrong form of excitement. I just… want to make sure you do it right.” She promised.

“No need to thank me. We are family, after all.” Robinstar reminded with a gentle purr, before she nodded. “Now. Would you like to see a move I did come up with? Specialized for Skyclan, of course. Seeing as your drive is very strong now!”

"Good." Robinstar mused, before she returned to her fighting stance. This time though, she extended her legs, long and lean like most Skyclan cats. Her Riverclan blood aided to her strength, though it was her Skyclan blood that was most prominent. She crouched, before springing upwards, and slashing upwards, body twisting backwards to arch into a neat flip. She landed on her paws after her hind legs followed through with the slash, her tail aiding in her balance as she landed with a soft breath. 

"Much easier to get, huh? It's the Skyclan in you." Robinstar admitted, a smirk crossing her face. "You know. You have other blood in you. Did Spiritstar ever tell you about that? Some cats are very noticeably belonging to one clan's blood. But others, there are combinations, from well, perhaps some code-breaking. Where do you think your strength comes from?" She inquired as she watched him.

"Thunderclan! Now, that is a funny guess." Robinstar snickered, humor in her eyes as she shook her head. "Most cats like me, with parents from different clans, never really got that part either. After all, it makes us seem like we're wrong for being born, which, we both can agree is not true. While I do want to prove I've changed, it doesn't mean I still don't have concerns with the Code I once grew up with too." She shrugged simply, before she answered.

"You have Riverclan in your veins. Skyclan and Riverclan. On your mother's side of course. Our father was a Riverclan cat." She gave a small purr. "Your kin in Riverclan? Those she-cats have far more Clans in their blood than you and me." 

"I always thought the same." Robinstar nodded. "Especially now, that is. I should have followed the code much more when I was alive..." She sighed, regretfully. "But. That's what's good about you and our other younger kin. You have a chance to see changes made, to make it better for everyone." Robinstar looked thoughtful. "You know, I bet there are other cats your age in the Clans that probably agree with you. Perhaps at the next gathering, you can make some friends with cats from other Clans. Spiritstar has done it often."

Robinstar felt a coil of hatred in her heart for her sister. Starclan had chosen her to simply mirror her own leadership. Spiritstar’s purity had always made her a thorn in the Dark Forest’s side. Robinstar faked a small smile. “Spiritstar has always been a… bright light, in a swarm of darkness. I suppose she was simply born to show Starclan’s way. Such a loving soul, yes?”

“Think nothing of it. Grief can be powerful, my dear. Oh, my poor sister…” Robinstar mourned lightly, shaking her head. “We have all the time in the world to train.”

        "You're kits sound wonderful." 

        Splashecho's ears grew hot at her brother's compliment. The Dark Forest didn't feel so scary anymore after the past couple nights she spent talking with Waspstrike. It surprised her. The only thing her brother wanted was to talk. They laid in the shadows of the forest talking about everything and anything. It started with the fond memories of their kithood, then the drama of the last gathering. Waspstrike gave her a little insight into his life following Robinstar and he expressed his guilty often. With every story, Splashecho found herself pitying her brother, and growing more grateful that he walked away from Robinstar and Adderstar. At first, she was reluctant to tell him about SkyClan and what was going on, fearing that he'd bring that knowledge to the leader's of the Dark Forest, but after time, she began to tell him. His eyes always lit up when hearing that Spiritstar was well and her kits were growing strong. He was even happy to hear that Spiderbite got his full medicine cat name. 

        Waspstrike leaned his head back in thought, a smile on his face. "I can just see it. Flyingpaw becoming the first new apprentice to reach the top of Skystar tree. Then, Twigpaw will become a reliable senior warrior. I bet he'll even make deputy one day." He chuckled. "And I'd love to hear Springpaw's sass. I bet she and I would've gotten along." He sighed and shook his head. "I wish I could meet them." 

        Splashecho looked away from her brother. "I don't want to bring them down here, Waspstrike. They...they shouldn't be exposed to this." 

        "I understand." His words surprised her. "It's alright, Splashecho. I know you're the only one I'll see from the living world. As long as you keep visiting me, I won't be lonely." Waspstrike nudged her. "And I can root for your kits from here." 

        Splashecho smiled with gratitude. She was so relieved he understood and was bit surprised by it as well. "I wish things could've been different, Waspstrike." 

        Solemness befell his face. He looked away and bobbed his head. "Me too." He flicked his ear and a different type of guilt shaded his eyes.

        Splashecho furrowed her brow. She knew that look from him. He was hiding something. "What is it, Waspstrike?" 

        He blinked quickly to get the guilt to go away. "What? Oh, nothing." He flicked his tail and smiled sheepishly. "It's nothing Splashecho." 

        Splashecho stood up. "I don't believe you." 

        He winced, but then a defeated sigh washed over him. "I don't want to worry you." 

        "Worry me how?" 

        Waspstrike shrugged and couldn't look her in the eye. "Something I saw after you left last night." 

        Splashecho felt a pit open in her stomach. She looked around the Dark Forest. Waspstrike told her he didn't stray far from the territory he marked out for himself down here. It was his territory and he defended it and made sure no one entered for her sake. "What could you have seen?" 

        Waspstrike looked at the ground, his tail laid flat in his graveness. "I was patrolling along the border I share with Cavernrock. I heard something going on his territory, so I climbed a tree to figure out what it was." He glanced briefly at Splashecho and her fur prickled at the wariness in his eyes. "He was with Cliffheart." 

        Everything in Splashecho stopped like a tree suddenly landed on her. Her next words were a whisper. "You were mistaken." 

        Waspstrike grimly shook his head. "I know it was Cliffheart. I...I crossed into Cavernshade's territory to hear what they were talking about. I guess Cliffheart's mate, Owlshadow, was taken from him by StarClan, and he's furious. He was talking about waging another war with StarClan." 

        Splashecho shook her head. "Cedarstar wouldn't let him." 

        "Cedarstar probably doesn't know, sister." Waspstrike looked her in the eye. "I heard Cliffheart. He's trying to rally the members of the Dark Forest against StarClan. It won't be long until he tries to get Robinstar and Adderstar back in the fight." 

        "No." Splashecho backed away from him. "Cliffheart wouldn't do that. Spiritstar trusts him. He has kits to look after. He wouldn't throw away his life like this." 

        Waspstrike stepped up to her and pressed his nose to her cheek to comfort her. "You and I both know how deadly Cliffheart really is, sister. You saw as well as I did how he killed our father, twice." 

        Splashecho pinned her ears to her head as fear welled within her. She felt like she was back at Fourtrees during the Dark Battle. She had been fighting at Cliffheart's side to start, but lost him in the fury of the battle. When she finally found him, he was standing over her father's body with his teeth stained red. She saw the look in his eyes. She knew he enjoyed the taste of killing his own brother. Moons later, Cliffheart did it again. He arrived in the Dark Forest and ended Creeksplash's spirit once and for all. I bet he enjoyed that too, she thought. 

    "What else did you hear?" She whispered. 

    Waspstrike held her gaze. "He's going to come after the other clans. He's going to rally young cats to his side, Splashecho. Train them in the fighting style of the Dark Forest. Do the same thing that Blackadder did to us. Anyone who stands against him won't be allowed to live." He took a deep breath. "I have no doubt in my mind, sister. He'll try to recruit your kits." 

        "No!" Splashecho backed away from him. "He wouldn't! He'll leave my kits out of it! They won't go through that pain! I won't let him use them!" 

        Waspstrike pressed against her as tears of fear ran from her face. She leaned into him. Thought of her kits following the dark path she was once on...and by a cat she used to believe in. I knew he couldn't be trusted. Splashecho trembled. I told everyone and no one believed me. Now Cliffheart is planning a war with StarClan. Why didn't anyone believe me? 

        Splashecho looked up at her brother. "You really believe he'll come for my kits?" 

        Waspstrike nodded solemnly. "I don't think any young cat will be safe." 

        Splashecho took a shaky breath. "Then...Then...I'll bring them here." She stared in a contained panic. "Yeah. I'll bring them here. You can train them, Waspstrike. You can teach them to protect themselves." 

        Waspstrike leaned away and shook his head. "Sister, this is no place for your kits, you said--" 

        "StarClan is no place for them either at their age!" Splashecho yelled at him. "I won't have my kits killed at Cliffheart's doing. We can teach them to protect themselves. Use Cliffheart's battle moves against him. You have to help me, Waspstrike. I can't," she trembled violently. "I can't go through another AdderClan." 

        Waspstrike wrapped his tail around her and he let out a steady sigh. "Alright, sister. Guide your kits here and I will train them. We'll keep them safe, together."