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

Yarrowcloud’s breath came in heavy pants as he kept running. He had forgotten just how fast Foxrose could be. Even with his restored strength and body, it was still hard to keep up with her. Starclan, did it feel good to just be able to run again, even with the circumstances at paw.

After what seemed like moons of running, Foxrose suddenly bounced to a stop in the center of a shadowed and thorny clearing. Yarrowcloud had to pull his pelt through a tangle of thorns to get to where she was, but he blinked in faint awe at what he saw. It looked like a hollow, cleared out to make a flat surface. Piles of soft sand as dark as the night sky shifted under his paws. Above them, tangles of tree branches created a well-worn pathway up into the treetops. Yarrowcloud could see the claw marks on each branch, showing how often Foxrose climbed up the branches to get high up.

Even in this dark and dangerous place, Yarrowcloud felt oddly at peace here, and safe from prying eyes. Foxrose sat in the center and began grooming her fur. He could only see the flecks of orange from her black coat, and her piercing green-yellow eyes. She looked at him, purring warmly.

“We should be left alone here. Most cats don’t like the thorn hollows, but I love them. The sand is so nice! And my trees, of course.”

Yarrowcloud cast aside his doubts, rushing up to Foxrose and pressing his head to her shoulder. “Foxrose, it’s been so long! I-… what are you doing in the Dark Forest? When you died, I thought-“

“That I’d go to Starclan? Mm. You knew that I didn’t believe much in them. The dark is better for me… though, I do miss seeing Strikeflight, and don’t worry! I never hurt anybody, no evil deeds for little old me…I missed you too! It’s been soooo boring without your jokes.” She teased, greeting her friend with her sly delight.

Yarrowcloud stepped back with a heavy sigh, sitting down to catch his breath. “…Foxrose. Am I truly trapped here, in the Dark Forest?”

He didn’t like the way she grew quiet, her muzzle pursed as a slightly conflicted look crossed her face. She finally spoke again.

“For now. Cats who die here who were living do end up here. It’s because here, the Dark Forest reaches you stronger than Starclan can, unless you’re special like your sister, of course! But, no pouting! Because I’m going to help you find a way to Starclan… er… if I can…” She giggled sheepishly.

Darktail blinked open his eyes, still bleary with sleep. When he noticed he was in the strange forest again, he cowered. His ears flat against his head as he looked for the strange cat who had tormented him last time. His face twisted into a frown when noticed the tom several fox-lengths away covered in scratches and blood.

Darkeyes grumbled to himself as he groomed the dried blood out of his fur. "Stupid Starclan scum, thinking they could ambush our ambush. Foxrose can't hide Yarrowcloud forever though. We'll find him again." He growled lowly, ears flicking in annoyance. "Maybe that dumb she-cat's hiding Darkblood too. He must be here somewhere."

Just then Darkeyes looked up, spotting Darktail crouched within the shadowed brush. He grinned, wide and manic. Getting to his paws. "Oh speak of the cat and he comes. Darkblood! Just the cat I was looking for!" He got to his paws, sprinting toward Darktail at full speed.

Darktail's mind was racing with the implications of what the tom had said. Is his father safe? Where was he? He yelped as he spotted Darkeyes running straight at him. He crouched making himself small and bracing for impact.

Darkeyes leapt, claws extended. But when he landed, he was met with only the brush. The other cat seemingly vanishing into thin air. He cursed lowly, digging his claws into the ground below him. "I will catch you one day Darkblood. I promise on Skyblossom's grave."

Splashecho slipped through the shadows of the Dark Forest. Being here still made her pelt rise, but it brought her relief when she finally find Waspstrike. "Brother."

Waspstrike was cleaning his pelt, but he sat up when Splashecho approach. He smiled. "Sister, it's so good to see you. How did the gathering go?"

"I didn't attend." Splashecho dismissed the subject with a flick of her tail. "I'm here on more important matters, Waspstrike. My...my kits..." She flicked her ear when second thoughts nagged at her mind, but she shook them away. Her kits needed to be able to protect themselves. "I want you to meet them."

Waspstrike perked up. "Really?" He looked around. "Are they here now? Oh, Splashecho, this is great!"

With a shrill yelp, Flyingpaw ran right into her siblings. She tumbled to the ground, but bounced up when she realized who she hit. "Twigpaw! Springpaw!" She shuffled over to them. "I'm sorry. Are you okay? I thought something was grabbing my tail." She flattened her ears, "but I think it was just a branch."

Flyingpaw flicked her ear. "Sorry," she muttered at Twigpaw, but she smiled at her sister's compliment.

Splashecho perked her ears up when she heard her kits. "This way, my loves!" she called back. She breathed a little easier. Thank goodness they arrived here in Waspstrike's part of the Dark FOrest and no one else's.

Waspstrike's eyes narrowed when he saw all three apprentices. His sister had strong kits. Perfect, He blinked and lifted his head with a genuine smile. "Twigpaw and Springpaw. Then you must be Flyingpaw." Waspstrike looked at Flyingpaw. "I've heard so much about you three, and your mother wasn't lying when she said you look so strong." He glanced back at Splashecho. "It's so nice to have family around. I'm so glad to meet you all." He looked back at the kits. "My name is Waspstrike. I'm your mother's brother. I have kits too. Maybe you've met them? Eelshock of RiverClan is my son. Were you three at the gathering? Did you see him?"

Splashecho stepped over to her brother. "Waspstrike, that's not why they're here."

Waspstrike blinked at her. "What do you mean?"

Flyingpaw glanced at her siblings. She wasn't expecting the tom to know her name. He seemed...strange, and lonely. He didn't seem like the scary cats from the Dark Forest they heard about.

Waspstrike blinked in light disappointment when Springpaw mentioned not going to the gathering, but he perked up when Twigpaw spoke. He looked back at his sister. "Training? Are you sure?"

Splashecho nodded stiffly.

Waspstrike took a deep breath. He looked back at the apprentices. "Cliffheart is stirring up a sinister plot. I saw him racing with his followers earlier, trying to make them faster." He looked Springpaw, Twigpaw, and Flyingpaw over carefully. "The techniques I can teach you are difficult and the warrior code would label them as dishonorable, but they will protect you from Cliffheart's scheming. Are you sure you want to train with me? I am not an easy teacher."

Flyingpaw glanced at her siblings. She wasn't so sure about Waspstrike at first, but if he was willing to let them walk away, maybe he wasn't as bad as the other warriors made him seem?

"Um," Flyingpaw shuffled her paws. "I...I guess. We can all get stronger together."

Waspstrike nodded. "I will do my best to not let you down. However, in order for you to grow strong enough to face Cliffheart and his followers, you will have to train with me every night. You're already behind as it is."

Waspstrike gave Springpaw a look of sympathy. "I wish I was blowing this out of proportion, but I'm not. Cliffheart has gone through this training his entire life. You will get tired. You will feel your muscles grow sorer than ever, but that only builds endurance. The more you work, the stronger you'll become, and then, the three of you could face Cliffheart together."

Flyingpaw glanced at Springpaw. "I guess that makes sense."

~~~

Elsewhere in the Dark Forest.

Fear pounded in Cliffheart's chest so strongly he thought his heart would burst. He stumbled through the darkness. Blood seeped over one of his eyes and he could hardly put weight on his left leg. This isn't fair, he kept running through the tears. When he glanced back, his eyes widened seeing Cavernshade and Darklightning a few paces closer. They ran like they were the Prey Maulers themselves, jaws parted and hunger for his blood.

"Where you going, traitor?" Cavernshade shouted.

"This is where you belong now, Cliffheart!" Darklightning echoed.

Cliffheart grit his teeth and tried running faster, but his leg was slowing him down. What did I do wrong? He glanced briefly at the starless sky. I tried proving myself again and again. I thought with Northstar's life, they'd forgiven me. What happened?! Cliffheart tripped when the ground suddenly sloped. He tumbled down a short ravine and into the murky fog of a shallow marshland.

Splashecho smiled softly at her kits. "I'll be here most nights to practice alongside you, but we can't let the Clan get suspicious, so I'll take a couple nights off here and there to help keep them from finding out. They won't understand why we're doing this." She stepped forward and pressed her nose to each of her kits. "I'm proud of you three, I hope you know that."

River

Marshpaw's eyes opened to a starless sky.

He lay on his back, belly exposed in a way that immediately had him scrambling to flip over. This place... it reeked of danger and fear.

He was laying in a pile of dry and rotting bracken, which splintered all over his pelt, scratching into him in a way that felt too real for a dream. Marshpaw scrambled to his paws, jaw cracked to scent any dangers nearby. He was hit by cat-scent he didn't recognize, and his ears folded back. Ducking into the shelter of a nearby bush, he crouched and attempted to hide as though he were a smaller cat. No doubt a creature with half a brain would see him there, but blinded by his unease, he kept himself low and silent.

"Well then." Waspstrike stood straighter. "Shall we begin?" 

Flyingpaw flicked her ear. "Twigpaw...why don't you go first?" If her brother was so eager, she'd happily let him start it out. 

Cliffheart hissed when Darklightning scored a claw down his shoulder. He backed away, the muck of the shallow marsh clinging to his fur.

"I thought you were supposed to be a top fighter?" Cavernshade circled around Cliffheart and Darklightning. "Did you lose all your skills in ShadowClan?"

Cliffheart grit his teeth. He was trying to keep an eye on Cavernshade, but Darklightning--though a former medicine cat--was quick in his attacks. None were very powerful, but he was fast! Cliffheart stumbled on his wounded leg. "back off, both of you."

Darklightning grinned. "Or what? You can't do anything, Cliffheart!"

Waspstrike nodded. "First, show me what you've got. Come at me, Twigpaw."

Flyingpaw got distracted by the trees. "There's no leaves," she whispered quietly.