Anonymous

Slowly, I looked around. All around me were familiar landmarks and smells. I didn't understand why it all felt so... different. Then, as I squinted and looked closer, I saw why.

Everything here was coated in silver and starlight. The grass rippled in the soft, fresh-smelling breeze and the trees glittered like a thousand diamonds. I'd heard of this place since the moment I could understand words, though I'd never seen it until now. This was the place where spirits went, when their time with the living was over. This wasn't home. This wasn't where I wanted to be.

Gasping, I planted my palms on the ground and pushed myself up. Panting with fear, I stumbled to the edge of the clearing and peered into the trees. Suddenly, I froze. Glancing down, I gasped. I was... walking? But... how? Wasn't I supposed to be... My thoughts trailed off as a looked around in amazement.

Right. Of course. I was dead. I'd been killed, so I was dead. And when you die, StarClan heals you. Everyone knows that. So of course I could walk. Of course there wasn't a knife sticking out of my chest. I shuddered as an image of that girl's horrid grin flashed across my mind. Who was she? Did she go to Starlake High? Why didn't I recognize her? And why had she killed me?

Looking back, my breath caught in my throat, almost causing me to choke. Right where I'd be standing a moment earlier was a small pool of water covered in a silver sheen of starlight. I whipped around, half expecting someone to materialize from out of nowhere, like in all those old legends and folktales. Where was StarClan? Why hadn't anyone come to me? Was I not welcome?

Nervously, I crept towards the pool, my shoes ruffling the perfect green grass and beautiful, yellow buttercups. Creeping to the water's edge, I looked down, my eyes widening in shock. The starlight began to fade here, slowly evaporating into the water until a clear image glittered in the surface. It was Dovewing and Leafpool's dorm! And everyone was gathered in the small space with their eyes trained on the TV. Narrowing my eyes, I saw a girl I didn't recognize speaking to them through the screen. She looked cold and uninviting and she kept glancing behind her at a dark, shadowy forest.

For a moment, I thought it was the same girl who had killed me, but then I realized this one had short, silver hair, not like my killer. Studying my friend's faces, I saw them creasing with worry and concern as the mysterious girl continued to speak. "...Guys?" I called softly, wondering if they could here me. After a moment's pause, I tred again. "Guys? Can you hear me? It's me, I- I was murdered. I don't know why or who-" I broke off as I realized there had been no reaction. They couldn't hear me.

Sighing, I knelt in front of the pool, blinking back tears. Why? Why had I been murdered? Why would anyone do such a thing? What had I ever done? I was so confused, so scared, so unsure. There was still no sign of any StarClan warriors, only the faint whistle of the cool breeze.

Resentment and fear clawed at my belly as I gazed down at my friend's once more. Part of me wanted to brush my hand against the surface, perhaps hoping they'd notice. That it'd bring me closer to them. But I didn't want to risk disturbing the image and making it disappear.

I was so focused on my friends and my haunted thought of the stranger girl that it was by mere chance that I glimpsed the figure emerging from the open door. Everyone else was huddled around the TV and didn't see the figure, but I did. It only took me a second to recognize my killer. I gasped and jumped to my feet, waving my arms and calling their names. "Blossomfall! Sandstorm! Graystripe! Everyone! Behind you!" Still no reaction.

I watched with frozen horror as the evil girl crept closer. Two razor-sharp daggers were sheathed to her belt, just like the one she'd killed me with. I held my breath and choked back a sob as tears streamed down my face. She was probably going to kill someone. Maybe mulitple. Maybe all of them. I mean, what could stop her? She had daggers and she knew how to use them. My friends would be too shocked and scared to fight. I covered my face with my hands and waited to hear screams of horror.

Silence.

Slowly, I took my hands down and gawked. Crowfeather had turned around and spotted her! He'd raise the alarm now! My friends would be fine. I was about to crumple with relief when, yet again, something stopped me. Crowfeather, he was just... looking at her. Fury and suspicion flashed across his face before it drained of all emotion. His eyes darted to the knives on her belt and I shivered. Had she wanted to be spotted? Would she strike now? Was it some sort of trap? Why wasn't she moving? And... why wasn't Crowfeather?

Then I saw it.

She had the upper hand with her weapons. If Crowfeather alerted the others, she'd attack. Who knows how many she'd kill before someone managed to pin her down. Who knew if they'd even be able to defeat her? Crowfeather had to remain silent, and he knew it.

I watched in horror as she slowly motioned him towards her. I couldn't see her face, but I was guessing she was either grinning maliciously or looking menacing.

After a moment's hesitation and another glance at her belt, Crowfeather walked forward. His muscles tensed and his icy blue eyes were hard and cold. The girl withdrew a knife from her belt and gently pushed him out the door.

I could see the image beginning to fade from the pond and started to panic. I had to go with them, I was worried about Crowfeather. He could be killed, trapped, taken in as a hostage, anything! Suddenly, the ground vanished from beneath me and I screamed, terrified of plummeting out of the sky. Instead, I stayed right where I was. My feet felt secure as if they were still on the ground, but it was just air. Looking down, I spotted Crowfeather and that girl exiting the building. I still couldn't see her face, no matter how hard I tried to get at the right angle. They were just too small from so far below.

They started off in one direction with me walking with them. I follow them for multiple miles before we finally stopped at a huge forest. I shuddered. It was dark and tightly packed, with tall, smooth trees that reach to the sky. The cloud above it were gray and uninviting, and it was surrounded by an invisible web of a feeling that just felt... wrong.

The look on Crowfeather's face grew dark as the girl forced him forward. I jumped and hurried after them, only to be stopped by something I couldn't quite explain. It was a horrible, nagging sensation that yanked me back to StarClan and shoved me away from the forest. I couldn't bring my feet to take another step forward, but going backward was easy and almost relieving. In a flash, I understood.

I couldn't go there, not now anyway. Whatever that dark, creepy forest was, StarClan wanted nothing to do with it. Which meant neither did I. I watched helplessly as Crowfeather was pushed forward yet again, closely follow by the knife-bearing killer. As they entered the trees and were swallowed by the shadows, I fell to my knees and began to cry.