I have A Light in the Mist! [Spoiler Thread]

Rootspring is still in prison. Rushtooth, Mapleshade, Darkstripe and Silverhawk are guarding him. Darkstripe tells Silverhawk to move from a patch of smooth earth so that he can sit in it instead. Silverhawk eyes him resentfully and moves. Rootspring knows there is no way he can take on 4 cats. He asks his voice for any ideas. The voice says that they are working on it. Rootspring asks why he should trust them, they say he should because they are trying to help him. They tell him to get Darkstripe’s attention as this is his best chance. Rootspring tells Darkstripe he needs to speak with him and the voice tells him to tell Darkstripe (which he does): “Are you happy being Ashfur’s lackey?” Darkstripe rejects being a lackey. The voice tells him to reply: “Really? First Tigerstar, now Ashfur. Following orders is what got you killed. Aren’t you ever going to stand up for yourself?” Darkstripe asks him what he could possibly know about it and how he can know about Tigerstar. Repeating the voice’s words, Rootspring tells him that Ashfur is just as evil as Tigerstar was and cares even less about what happens to cats who fight for him. He tells Darkstripe that he once said that every cat in the forest could turn into crow-food for all he cared. Darkstripe looks stunned and claims he never said that to Rootspring. Rootspring ignores him and asks him why he is following a fox-heart like Ashfur. Darkstripe tells him Ashfur is a means to an end and that he will be alive again and then wont care what happens to Ashfur or any cat.

Darkstripe suddenly freezes and asks Rootspring in horror what is happening to his eyes and if it’s a trick. He shows the other Dark Forest cats his eyes. Rootspring doesn’t know what he is talking about. He asks the voice what is happening, who tells him to keep going. Directed by the voice, Rootspring says that if Darkstripe follows Ashfur he will never have a chance to live. The voice warns him there is going to be a fight as Darkstripe’s fear turns to fury. He tells Roospring to let him take his body as he has been a warrior for longer than him. Rootspring wonders if this is just a trick to let Ashfur take over is body and asks him if he is lying. The voice asks him why he would lie to the cat who saved his daughter and her mate. Rootspring asks him if he is Firestar, which the voice confirms. Firestar promises that he will make sure no harm comes to him and wants to save him. Rootspring agrees for him to do so for a little while.

Firestar gets used to Rootspring’s body and greets the Dark Forest cats each by name. He notes he has met Rushtooth in the Dark Forest before. He asks them why they are following Ashfur as they must know by now that he doesn’t care about them. Darkstripe replies by saying who cares as they will be safe in living bodies. Firestar blinks at him and reflects that he knew Darkstripe was not a fool. Darkstripe tells him that Ashfur proved it by taking over Bramblestar’s body. Firestar reminds him that he slipped into a leaders body between lives and not every cat can do that. Mapleshade excitedly tells him that Ashfur needs them to punish the Clans first and she is okay with that as Ashfur’s vengeance will be her vengeance. Firestar asks her why she would want to live among the Clans if she hates them so much. Darkstripe tells him to shut up.

Firestar doesn’t flinch and tells them to let the young warrior go. Darkstripe frowns and asks him which young warrior. Firestar replies with “Rootspring”. Darkstripe protests, “But you’re Rootspring”. Mapleshade tells Firestar to stop tricking them. Firestar warns her than if they don’t let Rootspring go, they will have to face the living cats and StarClan. Mapleshade sneers that Ashfur will destroy StarClan with their help. Firestar tells her that they will only destroy themselves and that Ashfur is a liar and to let Rootspring go. Darkstripe says, “What do you mean, let him go? If you’re not Rootspring, who are you?” Firestar says, “Haven’t you guessed”. Darkstripe stares at him and slits his eyes in disgust, asking what Firestar is doing there as he is a kittypet. He taunts him by asking him if even dead, he still cant stop himself from meddling in other cats’ affairs. Firestar says its because he protects the Clans and always will.

Darkstripe says that since he took Tigerstar from them he will destroy him once and for all. Firestar attacks him first with a yowl. He easily lands blows on Darkstripe and excitedly thinks this is too easy. He stops and invites Darkstripe to attack him. Darkstripe anticipates Firestar’s duck and overpowers him, causing Firestar to panic. He remembers he promised to protect Rootspring and recovers, leaping on top of Darkstripe, who says he would rather be destroyed than surrender to Firestar. Firestar notes that Darkstripe wont stop until he has killed him and if he goes, so does Rootspring. Sickeningly, he knows what he has to do and shudders, but a true warrior would do what has to be done. He tells Darkstripe he will suffer the same fate as Tigerstar and sinks his teeth into Darkstripe’s neck, snapping it and killing him, his body fading into the gloom. When he looks around, Mapleshade is already gone. Rushtooth flees saying he wants nothing to do with this. Silverhawk asks Firestar if its true that Ashfur has been lying to them. Firestar tells him that the Dark Forest will disappear if Ashfur has his way. He asks Silverhawk to join him. He makes Silverhawk swear that he wont harm Rootspring when Firestar leaves his body. Silverhawk swears on Emberdawn’s spirit. Silverhawk says she was his mate and died. Firestar does not remember seeing her in StarClan and by the sound of it wasn’t here in the Dark Forest and wonders if she has anything to do with Silverhawk’s presence in the Dark Forest. He leaves Rootspring’s body

Rootspring asks where Darkstripe is, Silverhawk says Firestar killed him. Silverhawk tells him he has agreed to help defeat Ashfur. Rootspring says that they will first find Bristlefrost.

I see Darkstripe was still being a prideful fool until his end at Firestar's paws. Their conversation leading up to it sounds wonderfully ominous/uneasy. Firestar is a badass but there is nothing new/no surprise about that. And Silverhawk is a really interesting fella.

It's quite literally impossible for it to be the same one. Crookedstar didn't even know who Silverhawk was in CP until he saw him training with Thistleclaw and the Emberdawn in LH was much younger than even Leopardstar herself was. We even saw her as a kit, unless she trained in the DF for a time and they fell in love or they somehow formed a relationship after she died and went to StarClan.

I literally only care about Spotfur's kits at this point. Do we at least get some names in this book?

His spirits round and get ready to attack Bristlefrost and Needletail, Ashfur suddenly tells them to wait. He tells Needletail she doesn’t have to die and the she can join him. She refuses, but Ashfur presses that they are so much alike, as she never truly belonged in StarClan, out of her depth there, as she never really believed in the Clans, as she saw how weak the rules made them, that she is a rebel like him. Needletail hisses that she’s heard empty words like his before and wont be fooled again. Ashfur shrugs and says that she will die here and never return to StarClan. Bristlefrost tries saving her by telling her StarClan is already crumbling and she should be with her Clanmates to end her time, but Ashfur says she will never go back. Bristlefrost sees anxiety in his gaze and realizes he is scared because he does not want StarClan to know that his plan is falling apart.

Bristlefrost tells Needletail to go tell StarClan that Ashfur is weak, Needletail says StarClan already know he’s weak and that she is not running away. She turns and leaps for a tree. Ashfur calls his spirits mouse-brains, as they blankly stare at her, and tell them to go after her, which they do. Berrynose and Steamleaf start catching up to her. Bristlefrost attacks Ashfur to distract him and Berrynose and Steamleaf start slipping, but he flings her off. By that time, however, Needletail has vanished. Ashfur tells Bristlefrost, Maggottail, Redwillow and Sparrowfeather that they will pay for this, the 3 Dark Forest cats draw close together and Bristlefrost sees that they would never defend her against Ashfur. But Maggottail and the others dart to her side against Ashfur, much to Bristlefrost’s gratitude, Sparrowfeather going, “Let’s kill him”.

The spirit cats fall back to Ashfur and Bristlefrost notes they are not outnumbered now. Ashfur looks at them in triumph and has his cats attack them. She is attacked by Willowshine and wonders how a medicine cat can have so much strength. She is able to break Ashfur’s hold on her by telling her about the barrier, but it is short lived. She tells the 3 Dark Forest cats to retreat. They run away but the spirits still are able to catch up to them, Bristlefrost and the others are going super fast and barely manage to stop when they see a ditch with water in front of them, but Redwillow falls in to his death. They are able to leap the ditch and Needletail, from up a tree, tells them to climb up the trees. Ashfur sends his spirits to climb the trees to find them and Berrynose approaches Bristlefrost but she attacks him and Needletail pins him down. She has Maggottail do the same with Steamleaf and Sparrowpelt Willowshine> Ashfur angrily asks the spirits why they haven’t found them. He concludes they must have escaped over the rise and takes Conefoot and Rosepetal with him. Ashfur no longer controls Berrynose, Willowshine or Stemleaf. Willowshine suggests they go back to the barrier. But the others point out Ashfur might be heading there too. From behind, Rootspring tells them they will need more cats.

Needletail asks who Silverhawk is, Maggottail tells her and asks Silverhawk if he joined them too, who replies he didn’t have much choice as Rootspring is a good fighter and killed Darkstripe. Bristelfrost echoes his name in disbelief and Rootspring tells her Firestar took over his body and he says Firestar is still with him now when Bristlefrost asks. Bristlefrost says they have nothing to worry about if Firestar is with them. Needletail has them all go back to the barrier now that they have enough cats to take on Ashfur

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO

i've hated TBC since the beginning but even im just sitting here thinking how awful this ending is. some of my predictions sounded more plausible than what we got and i dont even like this stupid arc...heck, even *i* was interested in spotfur's kits and i dont even like spotfur!

I forgot about spotfur and bristlefrost for a second, NOOOOOO :-((((((((

welp...i may SAY i dont like spotfur, but what u just posted here made me feel a bit bad now......