Heronwing was wandering through a deep fog, the misty tendrils curling around his paws. He called again, though his voice was weary now.
"Fallowsong! Mother! This isn't funny!"
He may have been a warrior, but he and his mother were very close. She had been terrible sad when I left to be a warrior, he thought.
Blue eyes hid wihin the dark, peering at him, pupils wide. He padded towards the eyes, as he eventually made out a ginger she-cat.
"Quickly!" she hissed. Heronwing's whiskers twitched as he stared at the stranger bemusedly.
"Who are you? Where is-"
"Not time!" she hissed, gripping the small tom with her scruff as she sprinted into the woods. Dead trees surrounded them, and Heronwing felt a chill build up his spine.
As the strange cat dropped him he coughed awkwardly. "I'm not a kit, you know."
"Really? You're small enough to be one," another voice sounded. Another pair of eyes staring at me. Judging me...
Soon he was surrounded by a small group of cats, pelts shimmering like starlight and eyes huge with hope.
"Where am I?" he growled, taking a few pawsteps back.
"I'm Reedshine," the ginger queen announced. "The huge tom is Oakstar, and that little softie over there is Sweetbriar. You are her niece, and I'm afraid that means we need your help."
Oakstar's voice was commanding, and deep, too. "I exiled Mapleshade many moons ago, and ever since, the Dark Forest has flourished. She may haunt Reedshine's bloodline, but my line is safe. We have a mission, and we have chosen you and your siblings to help us."
Sweetbriar spoke next, a soft smile spread across her muzzle. "Perhaps, if we bring Mapleshade her kits, we may convince her spirit to rest. We can't have her in StarClan, of course, but perhaps we can convince her to go somewhere where she can't recruit new trainees anymore."
Heronwing took in a deep breath. This season has been incredibly difficult- Doestar is dead, and so many other cats are, too, from all Clans. I would hate for long-dead cats to make more trouble for us.
"Okay," he meowed finally. "Let's go."