I sighed almost dramatically as I awoke to the darkness and my nose was met with the smell of what I could only describe as rotting flesh. The red black haze around this place covers my sight as I blinked my amber eyes awake. I flick my ear, sometimes I can never tell whether it is night or day in this dark place for the sun barely even peeked a beam down here. Around me, Tigerstar and his son, Hawkfrost are practicing fighting with one another. The two large tabby toms were so close to one another when it came to skills in fighting, that I lost track of whom won the most of these fights. I looked around some more and saw Brokenstar was somewhere within the shadows, hiding within the thick overgrowth of black skeleton-like plants doing something. He was the most active of us all, milling around all over the place.
Mapleshade and Thistleclaw were verbally fighting with one another with a series of hisses and snarls, tails fluffed out, claws extended. I was kind of curious of what the fight was about, but when either of the two are angry, you do not want to hang around for long. That's one thing you have to learn in the Dark Forest. No one's your friend, especially when their in a bad mood.
Not even Tigerstar is considered my friend anymore, if he ever was. It made me angry. I went through it all. I betrayed my own mother and father by poisoning my little half-sister with the death berries. I died in the war he caused, and I left what had always been my home only to realize I'm stuck here and that I was nothing but a pawn in his games.
I felt kind of sad all of the sudden at the thought of my mother and father. They probably don't even miss me. I can't say I really blame them. My actions were horrible, I would be ashamed myself, but still, the thought stung like a nettle. I flattened my ears a little and look out over the place. It must be day since none of the cats we are training were here except for Antpelt, who seemed sad here ever since he had been killed. Then again, he left his mate and family for this place. Can't say I would be to happy here either if I lost all that.
Slowly, I padded away from our group without a word. I needed to walk around a little. The red and black haze that we called a sky and the ghastly fog surrounded the area around me in a wide expanse as I slipped through the dark black bushes, losing tufts of fur from their thorns. Eyes of curious or war hungry cats eyed me suspiciously. I didn't recognize any of them, so I continued to walk without a word, head low.
Suddenly I froze at the sight of a cat walking along the path. I did happen to recognize him. He was a small pure black tom with a white left foot that stood out significantly in this dark place. Scourge. I almost didn't recognize him without his collar or dog and cat teeth covered claws. I froze in place and tried to find a way out, but if I went within the bushes, I was sure to be attacked by a group of cats hidden there if they were willing to pick a fight. I sighed, I'm just going to have to hope he doesn't murder me right here. I tried to avoid eye contact as he approached.
The small black tom walked past me, well, pushed past me, a sneer formed on his lips as he went past. I released a breath of relief out that I didn't know I was holding as I watched him pass by and disappear within the shadows. If he was strong enough to kill Tigerstar, ripping his nine lives right out of him, I certainly had no business to pick a fight with him. I might not be as strong as the other cats here, but I'm smart. I feel bad for the poor cat who challenged that brute. I shuddered at the thought.
I walked along the path, jumping at every sound that emitted from the place . Cats here were smarter to find a group because when your alone, you were just known as easy pickings for these cats. I then ran across where the StarClan and Dark Forest border met, looking over the border into the sunlit area where the StarClan cats stayed longingly. As long as I stayed near the border, I couldn't get in trouble. They never noticed me anyway. I tried to look out and see if my mother was near here. Yellowfang and Morningflower were together talking animatedly with one another and Runningwind was running across the ground after what looked like a rabbit. Oh I wish I could hunt.
I quickly snap myself out of my miniature trance and resumed to look for my mother. But Willowpelt was nowhere to be seen, I sigh, disappointed, ears flattened. I really don't know what I would do if I ever saw her or even considered how she would react if she saw me, but I wanted to see her. At least apologize or if I wasn't brave enough to do that, just ask if she even missed me or if father was proud of me…
I sigh and mentally punish myself. 'Stop dreaming…you belong here…lose all connections. How many mates or she-cats did Tigerstar have? He doesn't care about them. Just move on…" But the feeling remained within me as I started walking back. The looming feeling remained with me even as I was going through the bushes back to the path I took, strong and sharp. Finally I couldn't take it, I take one last look back at the entrance of StarClan. I was then caught by surprise when the silhouetted figure of Swiftpaw and Longtail together entered on Dark Forest territory. My apprentice caught me by utter surprise. What was he doing here?
I slowly pad up to them, not knowing what to expect or what to say. My instincts were telling me to either chase them off or kill them again. But my mind was telling me to approach them. I forced myself to come out of the cover of the bushes and face them.
"What are you doing here?" I ask steadily, not knowing what to expect. What did StarClan want to come here for? Especially since it's so close to the war? Were they spying? I wasn't going to let that happen. I unsheathed my claws just in case. I didn't want to fight with them, and I really had serious doubts with myself that I could take on two cats, but I can't let them ruin the plans.
Longtail looked at me and waved his tail, "Sheath your claws Darkstripe. We're here only to talk to you. That's all." For some reason, my body obeyed silently. I sheathed my claws in and faced them. Swiftpaw, who looked a lot older since I last saw him, kept his claws sheathed, but he fluffed his fur, preparing to spring if I did anything bad to his previous mentor.
My concentration on Swiftpaw was suddenly broken when Longtail started speaking, "Darkstripe, StarClan has decided to propose an offer to you. And only you." I blink at this comment but nod, not knowing what to say. I'm really lost for words today aren't I?
Longtail continued on when he saw that I didn't have a reply, "'We've seen you look out in the
StarClan border for quite a while now…" They actually saw? I began to feel hot and uncomfortable in my pelt as he once again continued, "And we were wondering if you wanted to join."
The question caught me by surprise and I asked, "Really?" Longtail nodded, "You seem to really want to join and willing to do anything to do it." Excitement bubbled within me at the thought. I actually got a chance to join StarClan! This was a one in a million chance. I was about to open my mouth and agree to all of this, when suddenly, Longtail's next words made my excitement crash like a falling rock, "But there is a catch if you agree."
Great. I really should've known that there would be a catch to all this. Life and luxury don't come without consequences. I grimace, but keep my ears pricked, wondering what I had to do. I knew it was not going to be pleasant. That always seemed to happen in deals like these.
"We need you to convince the cats training under the Dark Forest right now, to switch sides. Convince him to fight for us. Fight for the Clans, to convince them that what they're doing is wrong." I looked at him with a look of incredibility. If I got caught, I would be slaughtered. I shuddered at the thought. Plus, how was I going to do that? I wanted to yell these things at them, but kept my haws shut. He was giving me a choice after all. I didn't have to agree with this. I look at him steadily, waiting for what he was going to say next.
"We'll leave you for now to decide, for we know it's a large risk on your part. But if you are agreeing to it all, then you must come back here during the full moon and meet us here. We'll take it as a yes." said Swiftpaw. He looked older and sounded more grown up. He must've grown since he was in StarClan. I nod in agreement. The full moon was arriving tomorrow.
Longtail then nodded, and said, "Take it into consideration Darkstripe. It's a great chance. Now we bid you farewell." He gave me a curt nod before leaving with Swiftpaw quietly following behind. They both looked relieved to be leaving the area as they went across their border, and I couldn't blame them. I stood there for a while, my mind numb. You know how I said I wouldn't let them stop the war? Well, in this situation, if I agreed. I would be the one stopping the war. Or…at least trying to stop the war. For if I agreed and got caught…my death was for certain.
I sighed and walked back. The choice was mine. Risk death and get to go to StarClan, earning possible redemption, or stay here and be killed by some other cat or just live all eternity rotting here? Oh why StarClan must you make things so hard?
A/N: So here it is! I wanted to do something with Darkstripe, who I kind of like and make him a main character in a story. What will he do? Critique is wanted.