Hello everyone! Updates may be a little slow for the next few weeks because I have yet another huge project. I have to write a story! I'm either very lucky or very stressed because I'm trying to juggle WARRIORS HIGH SCHOOL, WARRIORS POETRY and just school right now. Let me just say, I'm not very skilled at juggling! :3

Props to Azrakatz and Duskspiral for reviewing! Thank you!

QQA: Appledusk!

Hawkfrost

You know what I like about the Dark Forest? It's satisfying. Whenever I get bored, I'll just wait by the edge of thhe woods for some idiot to walk too close and jump out with my knife. Plenty of prey in the forest. I have developed a taste for fish especially.

Our leader is fantastic. Well, two leaders. One of them is powerful, ruthless and AWESOME and the other is cold, grumpy and... well... shady. No one dares get in his way. Honestly, he could probably beat our other leader in a battle. He has no soul. Then again, does anyone have a soul here? This is for those who see the true glory in life. Taking other life. It makes you feared. It gives you power. All those other weaklings are pathectic and useless. May all there feathery bones turn to dust.

Yes, the Dark Forest is truly a wonderful place to be.

I said this to my friend Thistleclaw one day as we were relaxing in the shade beneath an oak tree. The forest is almost completely shade and trees with the exception of the Darkpool. It's in the center of the only clearing in the forest where we gather each night of the full moon and the spirits of our great ancestors who discovered the Dark Forest come to speak with us. There are contests to see who is the best fighter and joking and feasting.

Anyway, Thistleclaw agreed with me. We were both elite warriors in the Dark Forest. You gain the title of elite by becoming one of the best fighters. Each meeting at the Darkpool, if there are two apprentices who are ready to become warriors, as we call them, they must succeed in defeating a current warrior. They fight with unsheathed claws but no killing so as to keep our numbers great. If the apprentice passes the test, they recieve a warrior name or gain the title of a warrior if they already have their full name.

However, to become an elite warrior, it's different. Two warriors fight at the Darkpool but this time, it's to the death. It's the only way to truly prove yourself. By showing you will kill anyone to stay with the Dark Forest. You also cannot take the test for elite warrior before having an apprentice of your own. It shows that you can give orders and command others whenever necessary.

Thistleclaw and I were incharge of watching the apprentices and warriors to decide which ones were ready for their tests. We were discussing this when strawberry-haired girl pushed her way through the trees. I recognized her as Amberpaw. "Thistleclaw. Hawkfrost," she greeted us with a polite bow before gesturing towards the bushes behind her. "I found two more. They want to join the Dark Forest," she declared.

Thistleclaw narrowed his eyes. "Did they seem alright?"

Amberpaw nodded. "Nightwhisker, he hates people. They were cruel to him and he wants to learn how to make them pay for it. Violetshadow said the outside world is boring. Said she was hoping there'd be more fun stuff to do here."

I nodded slowly. "These two are where?"

Amberpaw glanced over her shoulder as a boy emerged, followed closely by a girl. He had a nervous shiver to him as he walked, but determination shone in his eyes. And the girl, the tamest word I could think of was hostile.

Amberpaw turned to them. "This is Thistleclaw and Hawkfrost, two of our elite warriors. They can take you to Tigerstar."

The girl nodded.

"Why have you come here?" Thistleclaw hissed.

To my surprise, the girl retorted ina sharp, tight tone, "None of your business."

"It is my business if you're going to end up staying here," Thistleclaw growled.

The girl lifted her chin. "You're not the leader here, so you don't have the right to tell me what to do."

"I am an elite warrior!" Thistleclaw exclaimed, anger burning in his eyes. "I most certainly have right to tell you what to do!"

"You command your apprentices and fellow warriors. I'm not one of them yet, so for now, I'll command myself."

I couldn't help snorting with amusement. This was someone I could work with. Thistleclaw whipped around and glared at me. "Aren't you going to agree with me?"

"Why would I side with someone who's wrong?" I snorted.

The girl gestured to her companion. "I'm Violetshadow. This is Nightwhisker. We want to join you. Amberpaw said that Tigerstar can grant this to us."

"What will you do if we don't take you to him?" Thistleclaw smirked. I could tell he was testing them, trying to find a weakness.

Violetshadow opened her mouth to respond but I held up my hand. "Actually, I want to hear what he has to say." So far, this Nightwhisker had just stood there, not uttering a single word.

Violetshadow nodded to Nightwhisker and he stepped forward. Thistleclaw turned to him. "So? What will you do?"

Nightwhisker thought for a moment before replying: "This Tigerstar sounds powerful. He probably wants his numbers as great as possible, yes?"

Thistleclaw nodded. "What does that matter?"

Nightwhisker smiled. "How will he react when he finds out you discovered two new recruits and turned them away?"

Thistleclaw stepped back, surprised. Amberpaw let out a muffled giggle. "I say we take them to the Darkpool tonight. It'll be a full moon. It's the perfect oppertunity to test them," I said.

"What's the test?" Violetshadow asked.

I smiled. "Simple. All you have to do to become an apprentice is fight a warrior."

Violetshadow snorted. "What kind of dumb test is that?"

Amberpaw stared at her. "The warriors here are very well trained and highly skilled in battle. You don't just have to fight one of them. You have to win."

Not one of my best chapters. I'm just trying to build up the drama. Here's one spoiler: Something interesting happens at the Darkpool.

QQ: DappledleafTheBootiful says: Who was Appledusk's RiverClan mate?

-Silver Speaker