Disclaimer: I do not own the Warriors series or any of its characters.
A cat stumbled through the forest. Shadows danced around her paws as she headed toward the light. She had been following it tirelessly for days now, maybe even moons. She knew it was the only way to get out of this dark place. She ran ahead, and for the first time in her journey the light seemed to grow closer. She could sense its warmth radiating through the edge of this dark forest, dappling the leaves with its silvery glow. She knew this was the way out. She had to reach it. It steadily grew closer, until it was nearly blinding. White light filled all of her vision, and she flung herself at it.
BAM! The cat felt as she had run into a wall. She was brutally flung back as she shrieked in shock. As she shakily rose to her paws, she glanced nervously around. The brightness had dimmed from her vision, and what she saw astonished her. Right beyond her paws stretched acres of grassy hills, illuminated by the sun shining down from a clear blue sky. Starry cats padded playfully through lush forests and rolling green hills. Other cats meowed greeting to one another from sunny rocks dotted along the shimmering blue river or amongst grand pines. But beneath her own paws and behind her stretched a dark gloomy forest. She didn't understand. She was so close! The cat reached out a forepaw, barely stretching across the border. She yanked it back as it was shocked, almost like as if lightning had struck it.
"So, you want to join StarClan, do you?" a voice rumbled from the other side. "You like you need some help. Nasty shock you just got there." The cat looked up. Before her stood a dark she-cat, battle scars visible amongst her thick pelt.
"I'm Yellowfang." she growled. "Who are you?"
"Does it matter anymore? It's been so long." the cat said from her side of the border, shaking her cinnamon-colored tabby pelt.
"All names matter." Yellowfang grumbled. "But that can wait. So you are the cat forbidden to join StarClan?" The other cat nodded.
"Yes, but I would do anything to get out of this dark place." she said, glancing behind her. "I want to live in the happy place across the border where you are standing, StarClan." Yellowfang fixed the cat in her deep amber stare.
"You think it's that easy? You just waltz over the border and live a cheery life?" she hissed. "No. It requires being loyal and truthful to your clan, being noble and brave and following the warrior code." Yellowfang padded a step closer to the border. "So, why are you over there? In the Dark Forest, I mean?"
"What I did was long ago! The clans have forgotten all I have done! Why can't I just come to StarClan? I've wandered through the horrible clan for many lifetimes." the cat hissed back.
"Oh, so you are the cat I am looking for." Yellowfang purred. "Follow me. You can cross the border if you've been invited." As the dark cat stepped away, the tabby she-cat took a tentative step across. Nothing happened. Letting out a sigh of relief, she scrambled across and ran to catch up with Yellowfang. They passed many other starry cats. Most just ignored the pair, but a few hissed.
"Don't mind them," Yellowfang murmured. "They just don't agree with what I'm doing."
"What are you doing?" asked the tabby cat. "Where are you taking me, anyway?"
"You'll see." Yellowfang replied. The two cats had arrived at a deep hollow, with a round pool of water at the bottom. At one side of the hollow, there was a rock cliff, down which roared a thundering waterfall. The dark she cat settled herself in the dusty ground beside the pool.
"You're going to need a name, you know." she meowed, eyeing the other cat's cinnamon fur. "How about Lightleaf?" The other cat shook her head. "Cloverwind? Dawnheart?" The she-cat shook her head once more. "Softfur?" she guessed, noticing the cat's fluffy pelt.
"That'll do." Softfur said, sitting down next to Yellowfang. "Now, what do I have to do to join StarClan?" she mewed excitedly.
"Keep quiet and let me explain." Yellowfang snapped. "This is no walk in the woods, Softfur. Like I said, you were in the Dark Forest, or the Place of No Stars. Those forests are where the darkest cats walk. No cat has ever crossed over to StarClan before."
"Didn't I just do that?" Softfur asked. Yellowfang shook her head.
"No. This is only temporarily, and you are my guest right now. The only way for a cat to join StarClan is to commit noble acts of bravery for your clan, so that is what you're going to do." Ignoring Softfur's look of confusion, she continued. "What you must do is very risky, but it is the only way for you to get into StarClan." Yellowfang's amber eyes glowed. "You must travel back in time and right all the wrongdoings of the past. Set straight all the injustices and unfairness. All the cats who suffered, all the cats who were hurt. That is your mission." Softfur stumbled back in surprise.
"Travel to the past? I can't do that! How am I supposed to set straight what happened so many moons ago? I don't know how to do that!" she screeched, the words tumbling out like a waterfall. Yellowfang touched her tail to Softfur's shoulder.
"The mission itself shall be risky, but it is the only way to get what you want." It sounded like she said more, but it was too low to be heard. "Touch the crystal, in the pool over there. Then, close your eyes and imagine your destination. When you open up your eyes, you shall be in the past. Do the same to come back." Yellowfang instructed. "But before you do anything," she said. "I must give you an extra life. It is not to use for yourself, but to use for the cats you shall help. Come forward." Softfur took a tentative step toward Yellowfang, and she touched Softfur's nose is reply. "There. Now you can touch the crystal." Yellowfang said. Softfur did as instructed, and lay down at the edge of the pool. She stretched out a paw, and images of a smoke-covered forest filled her mind. She closed her eyes, and let the sounds of the pool fill her mind.