Slimy earth slid between Sweettooth's toes as no stars glimmered above. Even if there were any, Sweettooth couldn't see them beyond the tall trees that let only feathers of the dark sky through.
Where am I? Sweettooth thoughts grew anxious. And where are my kits? They were sleeping right beside me!
"Hello Sweettooth," An unfamiliar voice rang in Sweettooth's ears. "I'm so glad you're finally here."
Sweettooth saw a tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat emerging from between the trees. There were unsettling things about the she-cat, both the strange scent she carried, and the way he could see the trees behind her, bewildered Sweettooth.
"Where is here?" Sweettooth demanded defensively. "And where are my kits?"
"It's only polite to say thank you," The she-cat scolded. "I thought they taught you better in RiverClan. Well, you probably don't know me and what I did for you." The she-cat cleared her throat and fixed her posture before continuing. "I'm Mapleshade," Mapleshade announced. "And I'm the reason why Fluttercloud can't tell anyone you've killed him."
"You killed Fluttercloud?" Sweettooth was angered by Mapleshade's crimes. "You're evil! And this is probably The Place of No Stars, I've heard enough about it."
"You're asking if I killed Fluttercloud?" Mapleshade retorted. "You're the one who killed him! And how can you call me evil? You ate a cat for StarClan's sake! You deserve to be here as much as I do." Mapleshade took a short pause examining Sweettooth with disdain and regret. "Naming a kit after me isn't enough, you need to do more in return." Mapleshade did not wait for a response, opting to resume her speech. "A long time ago, I was wronged by a cat called Appledusk. He was a treacherous cat, and together with the slimy Reedshine he had three of the ugliest kits I have ever seen. Thankfully, only one of them had a kit of her own. Unfortunately, The line continued, but now there is only one cat in the clans who keeps that blood alive. Sweettooth, you must kill Reedstar before I fade, and complete my vengeance!"
"Kill Reedstar?" Sweettooth was baffled by the insane suggestion. "I never promised you a thing!"
"Ungrateful fox!" Mapleshade hissed at Sweettooth. "You wouldn't have been anything without me! Now, use your respected place in the clan as a queen and a medicine cat, and kill Reedstar. If you don't do it before the next sunset I'll lead Fluttercloud back to StarClan and he will tell all the clans of your crimes!"
"Do it! why should Fluttercloud suffer here?"
"Mouse-brain!" Mapleshade finished and leaped at Sweettooth, claws unsheathed.
Sweettooth used a fore-paw to deflect Mapleshade's attack aside. Thanks to his long legs, Sweettooth could keep the rest of his paws on the ground, and initiate a counter-attack immediately.
Sweettooth leaped onto Mapleshade's flank and landed a strong bite on the back of her neck.
Mapleshade let out a loud screech and wriggled free of Sweettooth's hold. Now a fox-length away from Sweettooth, Mapleshade was left panting and standing feebly.
Sweettooth took the opportunity and charged head on to attack the injured cat. After rearing up Mapleshade landed a shallow scratch that didn't stop Sweettooth. Sweettooth knocked Mapleshade down, and battered and scratched her belly with his hind-legs.
After a few strong hits to her uncovered belly, Mapleshade became more transparent, and eventually faded entirely, leaving Sweettooth alone on the slimy forest ground.
"You're bleeding Sweettooth," Sweettooth woke up, back in his nest in the nursery, to the cute voice of Maplekit. "It's not a deep scratch though, do you want me to clean it?"
"Sure Maplekit." Sweettooth stretched inside his nest and let his kit clean the new scratch he scored.
As Maplekit lapped at the scratch gently, Silverkit and Torrentkit began to wake.
"Sweettooth you're scratched," Silverkit noticed while still sleepy. "Is there a thorn in our nest? Shelldawn always cleared out the thorns."
"There aren't any thorns in our nest," Sweettooth replied. "I might have scratched myself while asleep." Sweettooth hated lying to his kits. "Let's go check if the dawn patrol left yet, Shelldawn would be glad to see you before she leaves."
The kits scrambled out of the nest and headed for the nursery's exit, Sweettooth right behind them. Following the trotting kits, Sweettooth reached the warriors' den where Shelldawn was sitting next to Iceclaw.
"Hi kits!" Shelldawn greeted her kits happily. "How was your sleep?"
"I dreamt I was chasing a frog!" Torrentkit meowed excitedly.
"You don't even know what frogs look like." Shelldawn purred.
"I know they're green." Torrentkit replied indignantly.
"Sweettooth scratched himself while asleep." Silverkit mentioned, bringing a suspicious reaction to Iceclaw's expression.
"Shelldawn would you like to play with the kits for a bit?" Sweettooth suggested. "I need to talk with Iceclaw."
"Who's Iceclaw?" Silverkit asked.
"Sweettooth meant Icewing." Shelldawn answered. "Come kits, Let's play Escape the Twoleg."
"Why were you in The Dark Forest, Sweettooth?" Icewing questioned Sweettooth with calm anger when the kits were far enough. "You were told the tales about it, did you forget them too?"
"No," Sweettooth objected. "I understood it was The Dark Forest so I didn't listen to anything the she-cat told me."
"What she-cat?" Icewing's tone softened.
"Maplepelt, I think." Sweettooth tried to remember the name of his attacker. "I'm sure about the Maple part because it's like Maplekit."
"What did Mapleshade want from you?"
"She wanted me to kill Reedwhisker," Sweettooth answered. "But I refused."
"Mapleshade can be very tempting," The white she-cat meowed. "It's great that you managed to resist her. Did she attack you after rejecting her proposal?"
"Yes, but after I bit and scratched her a few times she disappeared. It was like she was never there."
"You did well Sweettooth," Icewing finished. "But you should forget about the whole thing. There is no need to tell anyone about it. If you have a problem with anything, come speak to me." Icewing flicked her tail, relieving Sweettooth from the conversation.
Sweettooth padded over to where his kits were purring and rubbing their heads against Shelldawn's legs.
Sweettooth was sitting together with Mistfeather and Frostfur under the sun—not yet at its highest, eating a few small minnows while the kits played Mossball.
"So Sweettooth," Mistfeather turned to Sweettooth with an interrogating gaze. "Did Shelldawn tell you anything about Mudstripe? Something about joining the nursery soon or the kits' father?"
"I don't think she'll be nursing kits soon," Sweettooth answered. "Shelldawn didn't tell me anything but Grayfoot said they're just friends."
"That's what he told us as well," Frostfur grunted. "But we don't believe him for a heartbeat. He's probably just too much of a scaredy cat to ask Mudstripe to be his mate."
"Remember when we told him Sweettooth is actually a badger?" Mistfeather purred, and then turned to Sweettooth. "He didn't dare enter the nursery until Dappletuft told him we're kin.", Mistfeather paused to continue laughing with her sister. "You probably don't remember it. You haven't even opened your eyes yet."
As the queens reminiscenced about their own time as kits, Curlpelt and Podtail approached them.
"How are the clan queens getting along?" Curlpelt asked. "I see you're having a nice feed."
"We're alright," Frostfur answered for them all. "We're just talking about kits."
"Curlfeather," Mistfeather caught her mother's attention. "Have you ever thought about staying in the nursery after we were apprenticed? I know some ThunderClan queens did that and I don't think it's such a bad idea."
"No, it didn't cross my mind." Curlfeather meowed back. "I was just happy all of you were apprenticed to good mentors."
"You bet I was a good mentor." Podtail boasted, causing Frostfur to chuckle in reaction.
"Well I think I'm going to ask Reedstar if I can stay a queen." Mistfeather continued. "Being a warrior was fun but I like it here better. I could also help future queens deliver and nurse their own kits."
"I'm already missing warrior duties," Frostfur did not agree with her littermate. "And I've only been here for a moon. I'll pass on the opportunity, though It will be great having you here even after your kits are apprentices."
Sweettooth watched as Maplekit hurled the ball of moss directly towards where Torrentkit was able to reach without it being intercepted, and smiled, proud of his kits' success.