Yellowfang's Point of View
Yellowfang and the other tributes were taken to the Moonstone – or the Shadowstone, now. Ever since the Dark Forest had taken over, the Moonstone had become an oily, death-like black. Several Dark Forest cats led them into Mothermouth.
Yellowfang was not afraid. She had taken this journey many times before, but others were not so appeased. They looked frightened. There was no concealing their horror at being chosen. None of them were killers and none of them were servants of the Dark Forest.
What would happen to her now? She would certainly not make it. She cast her gaze around the throng of cats as they padded into the darkness, their claws clicking against the stone. She considered possible allies…she had seen the first Hunger Games on the magical screen the Dark Forest had projected into every Clan's camps. Who had come out on top? She couldn't remember.
Of course, she would take Russetfur as an ally – all of the ThunderClan she-cats, too. She trusted them. She knew them, even though she didn't know Russetfur as well. She narrowed her eyes at Blackfoot. If he became leader, ShadowClan would continue its reputation for being foul and arrogant. She wouldn't trust him in a million seasons.
The only way Yellowfang knew they had come to the Shadowstone was when they came into the room with the hole in the roof, fresh air sweeping in. She saw the faint, black glint of the Shadowstone and narrowed her eyes. This was an abuse of everything good and pure.
"Touch your noses to the Shadowstone, Clanmates," hissed Brokenstar. Yellowfang's stomach tightened as the sound of her son.
He's become so evil! You went from an innocent Brokenkit to a Brokenpaw, and then to a revolting Brokentail to a merciless, wrathful Brokenstar…
Yellowfang had no choice but to obey. These cats could kill her with a single strike if they so desired…she pressed her nose to the obsidian surface.
She blinked, and Mothermouth was gone.
Yellowfang gawked.
This…this was beyond the Clans!
Yellowfang would later learn that she was in the new Dark Forest, but it was called the "Capitol" instead. Everything was made of material Yellowfang knew of but had never seen it being put to this use. There were marble floors and strange things called "couches" and wooden floors in other places and steel walls and doors that automatically pulled back for a cat. Stairs intertwined to more floors, higher than Yellowfang had ever known, and like the Hunger Games projected onto magical screens, there were the same screens in some places and glass windows…everything was built as the Twolegs would. From the murmuring of the other cats, she knew that they, too, were shocked to see this wondrous place.
"Welcome to the Dark Forest," announced Mapleshade, stalking forward and facing them. Her transparent pelt seemed to come into focus and then fade again. "This is the Capitol. The Dark Warriors are so powerful that we made this heavenly place inspired by Twolegs, yet much more advanced than them today."
Yellowfang remembered to snap her mouth shut before she looked undesirable – even she wasn't undesirable-looking enough already.
"As the guidelines are for the Hunger Games, you will be given interviews. All of you have already had warrior training, so there will be no need for training. Tomorrow a cat will come to your bedrooms and take you to where the interviews will be held. Beforehand, you will meet your stylist and they will touch you up a bit – they'll make those with ugly faces look stunning." Mapleshade smirked. "Be prepared, all of you. You are given only two days to prepare – the rest of today and tomorrow. On your third day here, the Hunger Games will begin!"
Yellowfang swallowed. There was no chance of her survival.
"Here are some rules – last Hunger Games, we had some rule-breaking. We are determined to not have that this year." Mapleshade cackled. Yellowfang was certain that the Dark Forest she-cat was absolutely mad. "There will be no fighting between the tributes! We want you in top shape for your deaths. Also, there are no two winners. Some cats thought it was…funny to refuse to kill each other and we had to wipe them out in the end."
Yes, Yellowfang knew this. If she picked up any allies, she would have to abandon them before there were too few tributes left in the arena – the place where the Hunger Games took place.
"Your survival and your success in the Hunger Games depend on your awareness, quickness, and skill. If you have no skill…then you better practice in your rooms." For a moment, Mapleshade looked as if she was going to laugh again, but then she continued on. "You should be relieved to know that your Clanmates back home will not be injured for whatever you do in the Games. Outsmarting the others is not going to hurt anyone…if you are not in the arena." This time, she did guffaw.
"Now…Ivylight? Take them to their rooms."