Featherstar's POV

Featherstar stretched open her eyes.

They were standing in a marsh. Mud oozed down from a rock, turning the clear water a dull brown. Fallen down trees were everywhere; their twigs and branches trapping Featherstar and Snowsong. The air was mushy and humid - it smelled...strange. As though it was unwelcoming. Whatever the scent was, Featherstar didn't like it. She looked up. The sky was jet black - there were no stars that night.

"C'mon, let's get a move on." Snowsong meowed.

"Is this...the Dark Forest?" Featherstar whispered as they trudged through the marsh.

Snowsong shook her head, her eyebrows scrunched together. "Nope. This is just another place the very first Snowsong abducted. Captured. Taken over. This used to be the Prisoner Meadows. It used to be acres and acres of grassy fields, with a few purple flowers."

"Prisoner Meadows?" Featherstar frowned. "What's that?"

"Its where cats that really went evil are sent," Snowsong's voice was lowered to a whisper. "Too evil to be sent to the Dark Forest. Rosestar lives her, along with Lark-" She suddenly halted, staring at a patch of grass on the ground.

"Wh-what's wrong?" Featherstar meowed.

"The prisoners," Snowsong whispered, her eyes wide with horror. "They've escaped! Snowsong...she must have released them while she was on her 'road to victory'."

Featherstar stared at the patch of grass as well. In her mind, there was nothing wrong with it. It looked normal. "What's her road to victory?" she asked.

Snowsong fixed her gaze at Featherstar. "She's attempting to go to the Cave of Evaluate, where she will fully restore Darkstar's body. And when this is done, I might...disappear."

Featherstar's eyes widened. "When you mean restore the body, do you mean..."

Snowsong nodded gravely. "In order for Darkstar to actually come back to StarClan, Claire has to gather enough life energy. To get life energy, you need souls. And the souls..."

"...are going to be Icestar and Sunstar!" Featherstar finished. "Wow...lets hurry up and go!"

As the two she-cats ran towards the Cave of Evaluate, Claire Cassidy watched them from the forest nearby the marsh. She cackled.

Featherstar and Snowsong were never going to see day again.

Snowsong's POV

I wrap my tail around my paws. Featherstar and I decided to head into a cave for the night as night falls. Claire Cassidy is strongest at that time - especially since she has darkness on her side.

We just returned from hunting a mouse and a sparrow. We eat our prey in silence.

Finally, I bring up a question that has been bugging me all day.

"Featherstar...why did you come looking for me?"

Featherstar raises her head. "Well...I need to find out DarkClan's history. I know they're lying about truly being in ElementClan, but I can't be so sure...I was hoping you would have some information."

I blink. "I do!" I tell her everything - how Darkpelt had approached Sunclaw and Icefeather, asking for help. How they struck a bargain. How Snowsong had been given over to Sunclaw.

Featherstar's eyes are wide. "And only the DarkClan leaders and deputies have known this?"

I nod. "This secret has been passed down for many generations."

"But..." Featherstar begins, but then falters and shakes her head. "Whatever. I've got to report back to the Clans...soon after this. I think I'll go to sleep. Good night, Snowsong."

"Good night." I reply.

Featherstar snuggles into a makeshift nest that we created. It doesn't take her long for her to fall asleep.

I sit there, watching Featherstar's flank gently rise and fall, when I hear my name.

"Snowsong!" I snap my head around.

Dread fills my heart. Not now...not this time...never...

Hawktalon steps out of the darkness, his eyes wide.

"Snowsong!" he hisses once more.

Why.

Did.

This.

Happen.