Mosstail was in total blackness. All she could sense was a terrible throbbing in the back of her head. It was the most excruciating pain she had ever endured. It traveled from the middle of her head down to the base of her neck. She felt like she was in a deep trench upside down, trying to wrench herself free of its grasp. She wanted to open her eyes, and maybe she could reach the surface. She fought and fought, just wanting to be back to the real world again. Wanting to be free of the downward spiral her body was in.
She suddenly felt a wave of calmness, and soothing wash over her, freeing her body of the pain she was enduring, and the sensations of falling stopped. She lay still, fighting off the last of the horrors, and let herself sink back down into her dark abyss.
Mosstail blinked her eyes open to the horrible fighting scene of bloodshed, she had now seen dozens of times, and knew she was dreaming. This time however Troutstar was nowhere to be seen. She gazed around the clearing looking for the cat that killed her mother. She couldn't spot him anywhere and had a bad feeling in the pit of her belly.
Mosstail could smell the putrid stench of blood all around her. It bathed her tongue and filled her nostrils, gagging her. The scent started to grow stronger and stronger until Mosstail couldn't take it anymore. She felt as if she were drowning in it. She then came to realize that she was.
She fought hard to keep at the surface. There was a river of the thick, sticky liquid engulfing her, clinging to her pelt and skin. Her head went under and blood filled her nose. She tried to fight to the surface but it was too thick for her paws to churn efficiently. Her lungs were screaming for air as she slowly started to lose herself once more. She then lost herself completely, welcoming the darkness once more, happy to be out of the terrible dream.
Mosstail opened her eyes once more, her lungs still screamed and her head still ached. She now found herself in a gloomy, misty, forest. The trees were like black shadows and the ground underfoot felt like rotting wood. Every now and then she saw dark shapes slink by her in the shadows of the trees. Mosstail realized she must be in the Dark Forest.
She had only padded a few paces before stopping dead. In front of her was Troutstar, pelt barely a shadow, but still recognizable. His scent bathed Mosstail's tongue and she felt her hair pricking at the sight of him. He took a few menacing paw steps closer to her, there was a gleam in his eyes that Mosstail had never seen in any sane cat before.
"Well, Mosstail, what do you think of my work? I was clever wasn't I? I have been planning this ever since I was banished. I have slowly been planning how to get revenge on the clans. I've done a marvelous job so far don't you think?" Troutstars eyes were burning with sheer gloating. He knew he had the power over her right now.
Mosstail drew back her lips and let out a hiss. "Why are you doing this?" she spat. "I will stop you!"
He let out a caterwaul of laughter. "You mean like you did before? You didn't think I would let you tell anyone about this do you?"
Mosstail gaped in astonishment. "It was you that hit me? How were you not seen?" Mosstail shivered with the thought of him watching her.
"You are foolish, Mosstail. Your precious clans took all but my last life remember? It wasn't difficult really. I just simply had to lose my last to become part of the Dark Forest." Troutstar looked smug, like he was the cleverest cat in existence.
Mosstail's eyes widened, "You killed yourself, all just to ruin our lives. To ruin my life... and to take my mothers." She hung her head in the thought of her mother's death.
Mosstail heard a familiar mew and looked to see the shape of her mother. Oakwhisker looked confused on her whereabouts. She had a star like appearance and was almost translucent. Mosstail let out a wail of happiness. "You have made it to Starclan!" She saw her mother nod slowly before Troutstar was on top of her. Sinking his teeth deep into her throat.
"No!" Mosstail wailed and ran to her mother's aid. But as she outstretched her claws Troutstar disappeared, leaving Mosstail with her mother's lifeless, fading body. Mosstail sat crouched and shaking at her mother's side. Oakwhisker slowly faded and then was gone. Mosstail stayed where she was. She could not force herself to stop trembling.
The Dark Forest melted around her and was replaced by a lush green forest. It had birds singing in every direction and the scent of prey engulfed the area.
Mosstail stayed crouched not moving from her position. A big white tom padded up to her and nudged her to her paws. "Listen young one. You have go back to your clan now. There is a great war coming and you must be ready."
Mosstail looked at her speaker and mewed shakily, "Where is my mother? Did she make it back here?" She was not confident in what her answer would be.
The tom shook his head sadly. "No Mosstail. When a cat is killed after they have already been admitted to Starclan, they are gone forever. I am sorry she could not be here when you join us." Mosstail hung her head in pure defeat. Hating the fact her mother will not be here to welcome her.
"You must wake up now Mosstail. Your destiny awaits. Wake up." He was beginning to fade slowly.
Mosstail wailed, "Don't go! What is my destiny?" She searched him for answers. He whispered the reply, "Your destiny is what you make it." And he was gone.
Mosstail woke with a start to find herself in the medicine den. She was in a soft moss nest lined with goose feathers. Her head was pounding and she almost fainted with the pain. She let out a moan and closed her eyes, not caring about getting herbs to get past the pain.
Dapplemoon slid into the den and brightened when she saw Mosstail awake. "You are awake! You have been out for six sunrises!" She ran to a cleft where she kept her herbs and pulled out a bundle of poppy seeds and a few other herbs that Mosstail didn't recognize.
"Here eat these." Dapplemoon mewed. Mosstail obeyed and she lay in her nest again. Thought streamed through her head. One kept replaying over and over, What am I going to do?
