AN: Wow, new chapter already! Well, thanks to the only to reviewers I had. Koraki and Nightkill, you both get Willowshine plushies for reviewing!

-Chapter 4-

His whiskers twitched each time he took a step into the murky water. Darkness had crept over the already blackened forest, sending a familiar shudder down his spine. He'd come here many times before back when he was an apprentice. It had been his dream to become one of the best fighters in RiverClan, and that dream had come true when he came here.

The cat lifted his muzzle when he heard the rough voice of another. He spotted a dark figure looming in the shadows ahead. With his chest puffed out he moved forward like a ghost catching the wind. The creature looming in the shadows did not see him until he was a whisker-length away.

"Mapleshade, it is good to see you again," he meowed with a dip of his head when the cat emerged.

Her pelt was an ugly shade of black, brown and what had once been white. Mapleshade's fur had grown ragged and torn since joining the ranks of the Place Of No Stars. The tom narrowed his eyes when she glared at him coldly. She knew exactly what he was thinking. She lifted her own muzzle and gave him a sharp look.

"I see you have found your way back," she hissed.

The tom tilted his head to one side. "Yes," he replied calmly.

He couldn't help but wonder why there was disappointment in her eyes. She shook her head and muttered something under her breath as she led the way towards the place where he'd trained as an apprentice.

Now he was a warrior, and had come for extra training just in case. Battles were never that far away, especially since RiverClan was close to the ShadowClan border. He'd seen what the ShadowClan warriors could do. He'd trained with some of the warriors that were once his rivals. Once again he tried to recall the names of those warriors that had shared battle moves with him. They were his friends now in some of the Clans, and he often went to them during Gatherings to swap stories or ideas of how they could become stronger.

Mapleshade remained silent while he became lost in thought. He knew many of the cats that were lurking in the darkness as well. Some of them were easily spotted, while others hid in the gloomy mist. The tom barely acknowledged them as he was led into a clearing. A larger cat stood in the center of this clearing. He'd seen the cat before; it was the same one that had brought him here the first time as an apprentice. The tom's icy blue eyes met his own, and once again he felt a shudder run down his spine.

A grin spread across the darker warrior's muzzle when he saw that the RiverClan warrior was shaking. He waved his tail for Mapleshade to leave them alone. The dark-furred tortoiseshell gave him a cold glare before she left them. The tom glanced over his shoulder to see her disappear into the mist. She was followed closely by other cats that refused to show themselves.

"So good to see you again," the dark furred tom meowed. "I was wondering if you had forgotten our cause." He flicked his tail towards the lighter part of the forest, where the cats who lived here could never reach. "You do remember why I've brought you here in the first place, don't you?" the tom asked when he noticed the unease that fell upon them.

"Yes, Hawkfrost," the tom stammered. "I do remember, it's just that. . ." He sighed before he found the right answer. He didn't want Hawkfrost to think of him as disloyal. If the former RiverClan warrior knew the real reason, he would be killed in a heartbeat. "I've been busy working to gain the trust of my Clanmates," he explained.

Amusement gleamed within Hawkfrost's eyes. The tom felt himself shudder once more at the eerie look that Hawkfrost gave him. It suddenly made him wish that he was anywhere but here. Yet something had drawn him to this place. His dreams told him that there was more to this dark forest than even Hawkfrost knew.

"Good," Hawkfrost growled after contemplating over what the tom had said. "Gaining trust is always a good thing, especially if you plan on leading your Clan in the future."

The tom took a step back in surprise. He'd never expected that this would lead him into taking over RiverClan. All he wanted was to become stronger and defend his Clan, like he'd promised. Yet the words Hawkfrost whispered made him rethink his plan. If he became the leader, than RiverClan wouldn't be considered a bunch of soft fish-eaters any longer. He would make sure the other Clans respected his own Clan.

Hawkfrost watched his expressions change several times over. There were times when the tom would look happy while he thought of the future that prospered ahead. And than the tom would frown as he imagined how he became the leader. He would need to not only kill Reedwhisker, but Mistystar as well. And that notion was enough to make the tom feel as though his belly had stones in it.

"You have a choice to make, young warrior," Hawkfrost growled. "Either become the deputy when Reedwhisker is killed, or kill Mistystar so that he chooses you as his deputy."

The tom glanced down at his paws. He knew that Hawkfrost had a point. Already he could see images flashing by of him leading the future of RiverClan. Decisions would have to be made, and raw choices would be fulfilled. If he wanted to become the leader, he would have to kill Mistystar. That thought was enough to make him feel as though he'd tasted mousebile.

Hawkfrost seemed to notice that his thoughts were churning. The former RiverClan warrior waved his tail. The tom glanced over his shoulder to see another cat padding forward.

This was a cat that he barely knew. Yet he'd seen the cat several times when he came here. Patches of fur had gone missing from moons of endless darkness. The cat's eyes were clouded over due to failing sight. Yet muscles pulsed beneath a thick layer of skin. The cat narrowed his eyes when he noticed the tom standing in front of Hawkfrost.

"Who is this piece of foxdung?" the cat demanded on a raspy breath.

"His name does not matter," Hawkfrost replied. "What does matter, is that he has not made up his mind. I would like you to take him."

The tom's eyes widened in disbelief as the cat padded forward. His lips curled in disgust when rancid breath met his lungs. "My name is Seedtail, if you must know," he meowed. "Hawkfrost must think big of you if he wants me to take you."

All the tom could do was glance at Hawkfrost, who was already leaving them behind. Seedtail seemed unaware of the uneasy feeling that clenched at his belly. The black-furred cat led the way without another word.

Seedtail kept up a fast pace as they traveled across the rough terrain. Dead grass pricked at the tom's pads, cutting up the skin underneath. He tried not to hiss in pain as he ducked under a fallen branch from a tree that had been bent over from strong torrents of wind. The area around them was changing rapidly as they approached a marshy area. Here there were trees of a different sort that grew around the black water's edge.

The two cats leaped over a wide channel of water. Seedtail didn't hesitate after the tom landed beside him in a thud. His teeth clenched together as pain flared within his legs. He wasn't used to this kind of traveling. His life had been spent scouring the soft sandy shores of RiverClan territory, and his paws had become softer because of it. Somehow that made him regret living his life in RiverClan.

When Seedtail finally managed to stop near an old willow tree, the tom was gasping for breath. Seedtail glanced at the tom, still unnamed by Hawkfrost. His yellow eyes were brimming with amusement when he saw how exhausted the tom looked.

"You're not used to traveling, are you?" he asked.

"No," the tom replied scathingly.

"Well, once we're finished here, you'll get used to it," Seedtail chirped.

Fear began to worm its way through the tom's belly. What exactly did Seedtail have in mind?

He didn't have time to think about it. The black warrior was already running at full pelt once more, straight into the willow tree. The tom hesitated for a few heartbeats. Was it really wise to follow a cat that had vanished like mist? The tom shook his head and tried to regather his wits. This was not the time to hesitate, especially when he himself could be attacked like the tree itself.

Without a second thought the tom ran into the tree head on. But instead of feeling a burst of pain, the tom found himself falling. He yowled in shock when his paws swiped through the air. He heard Seedtail's dark chuckle of amusement as he landed on the ground in a heavy thud.

The black warrior looked at him coolly as the tom regathered himself. He glared at Seedtail before he realized where they were.

An overwhelming sense of darkness began to seep through the tom. He was surprised at how bitter it tasted when he opened his jaws. The darkness itself seemed to take over like a pool of water when it rained. The tom shuddered when he felt the icy grip of claws stream down his back.

"What is this place?" he wheezed.

"Only the darkest of souls come here," Seedtail replied grimly. "You can find the spirits of warriors that never found their way to StarClan here. Other, more violent spirits live in this place. They feed on the spirits of living cats who were desperate for power."

The tom took a fearful step back. What did Seedtail mean by that? He tried to come up with an answer himself, but nothing came to mind. Instead, he felt a need for power. One that made him wonder if he could kill Mistystar on his own, or if he would have to murder her son, Reedwhisker.

"Now, step forward and touch the mist with your muzzle," Seedtail instructed after the tom's mind was made up for him.

A wide grin spread across Seedtail's face. He knew that the spirits were already taking over the tom's mind, controlling what he thought was right. This was the Dark Forest's way of gaining power. Any cat who was foolish enough to come back would be taken to this place and fall under the spirit's darkness.

By now the tom was already stepping forward with his muzzle lifted. His mind had already been made up. He knew now that becoming the future leader of RiverClan was important. Far more important than following that precious warrior code that had been formed generations ago.

Without warning a sudden bolt of pain flashed within the tom's body. He shrieked when it coursed through his limbs, causing them to fall under his weight. The tom writhed under the pressure of a light that seemed to feed into his body. Seedtail watched emotionally until the light drained away, swallowed by the darkness that surrounded him.

Seedtail rose to his paws after the initial project was finished. His job was completed, and now the Dark Forest had a new recruit. One that would serve them without question.