Longtail padded along in the daunting darkness of the forest that surrounded him and seemed to swallow him whole,
was he still blind? Surely StarClan wouldn't be so cruel!
But he was confused none the less, this place was nothing like the great and wonderful-sounding StarClan that he had been promised came with death since kit-hood.
Suddenly he paused and his ears twitched in the direction of what sounded like a branch being stepped on.
Was that a stick I just heard snap?
"It was" came the spoken reply from behind him.
Longtail jumped and spun around, his facial expression that of pure shock as he slowly made out the features of the powerful dark tabby standing before him.
"Tigerstar?" the dark tabby nodded in the darkness
"What are you doing here?" Longtail spat at his former clan deputy, who had tried to murder their leader, Bluestar, and had brought nothing bad evil and death with him wherever he went.
"I highly doubt StarClan allowed a murderous traitor like you to join them!"
Tigerstar just purred with amusement. There was a glint of something in his eyes, pity? Longtail wasn't sure.
"Well?" Longtail prompted, frantically wanting to figure out what in StarClan's name was going on.
Am I mistaken? Am I not dead? But just in some nightmare?
Finally Tigerstar meowed "We aren't in StarClan Longtail."
The newly-dead blood in Longtail's body froze, "W-w-what do you mean we aren't in StarClan? I'm dead. Atleast..I think I am. And you're dead for sure! There isn't anywhere else we could be!"
an eerily disturbing chuckle rumbled out of Tigerstar's throat "Ah, but there is" Tigerstar mewed. "StarClan doesn't tell us everything mouse-brain! This is the Dark Forest. Where so-called "evil" cats like you and me get to spend the rest of eternity"
Longtail's fur was sticking out in every direction, like a spooked kit. "I am nothing like you!" Longtail spat.
The ferns next to Tigerstar rustled and another cat appeared in the clearing. Longtail tasted the air "Darkstripe?" "Greetings Longtail, it's been awhile"
"Not long enough if you ask me! I never thought I'd see your vile face again"
Tigerstar jumped between the two snarling tom-cats "Now, now. No need for such harsh words, we're all clan mates here"
Longtail shivered. "I don't understand. I shouldn't be here! I never murdered another cat, I served my clanmates to the best of my abilities, and I was an honorable warrior, so I should be in StarClan!" his yowls echoed in the seemingly never-ending blackness.
"But Longtail. You do belong here. Surely you haven't forgotten?"
Longtail felt as if a thorn had just pierced his heart, of course! Of course StarClan knew of my great secret. And it has followed me, even in death.
"But that wasn't my fault Darkstripe! I was following your orders!"
"Do you honestly think StarClan cares? You made your choice Longtail. And this is your punishment"
Longtail's whole body went numb with this news. I deserve this. He murmured quietly.
Just as he was about to accept his fate and follow Tigerstar into the great black abyss a sudden burst of light erupted in the clearing.
Tigerstar and Darkstripe stopped and turned back "What in StarClan..?"just as fast as the light had appeared, it vanished, but in its place were two familiar looking cats that Longtail was very happy to see.
"Bluestar? And..it can't be.. Poppydawn?"
there was a happy look in the old she-cats eyes "Hello Longtail" Poppydawn purred "It's nice to see you again"
this was not what Longtail had been expecting from his former elder when he found her in StarClan, he had expected hatred for what he had done.
"What do you think you're doing here?" Tigerstar growled at Bluestar
"This is no place for StarClan's warriors"
Bluestar gave him a curt nod "Exactly, which is why we have come to fetch Longtail"
A giant weight was lifted off of Longtail's heart. They had come to rescue him!
"Longtail's place is here with us" sneered Darkstripe "He deserves to be here just as much as we do"
Bluestar shook her head "No. he does not. What happened was not his fault, and he will not be punished for it."
She turned away from the Dark Forest cats "Now come along Longtail, unless of course you wish to stay with your former allies?"
Longtail quickly found his paws and raced next to Bluestar's side "No! Of course not. I'm coming with you Bluestar"
she purred "Wise choice" another blast of light sent the darkness flying to the farthest corners of Longtail's vision, and suddenly he found himself in the most beautiful place he had ever seen
"Now this is more what I was expecting" he mewed to Bluestar.
"Of course it was, now I must be off, you and Poppydawn have some unfinished business to take care of"
She raced off towards the trees. Off hunting, I suppose.
"Longtail" Poppydawn called. Rats! I was hoping she may have forgotten and walked off somewhere.
He gulped and turned to face Poppydawn
"I'm sorry!" he blurted out before she had a chance to yell at him.
She purred, "Oh Longtail, I'm sorry you have had to carry the burden of my death with you for so long, but now you must know the truth"
she paused "Your actions had nothing to do with my death, had you brought me back any fresh-kill or not, I would have gone to join my warrior ancestors in StarClan, it was simply my time"
Longtail slowly let out the giant breath of air he had been holding in "Really?" the she-cat nodded"Really. You still should not have done what you did; the clan should always be fed first. But StarClan has forgiven you Longtail. Welcome home."