The Dark Forest hurled itself across the few tail-lengths separating it from Starlight. The monster flashed a giant forepaw through the line of cats, giving out a frustrated roar because the cats were too fast and lithe.
Starlight felt her paws knocked out from under her as furry bodies raced around her.
"No!" Yowled Starlight as the dark warrior's claws sliced her back. "I won't let you defeat me that easily!"
All of the Clan cats suddenly jumped at the demon. Jadefall and Redwing both attacked it's legs, while the others forced it backwards with powerful strikes. The Dark Forest roared in fury and threw them off, snarling at any of them trying to attack.
"Okay. I see now." the monster hissed venomously. "You're not going to be beaten that easy."
The dark warrior's tail uncurled into a straight line. Its eyes changed back to emerald green and its fur darkened until it was black, shrinking to normal cat size. When the transformation was over, Hollyleaf sat huddled on the ground.
"H-help me…." She gazed up at them with an expression of pain, batting at her head with her paws. "T-th-they were in-n my head… it hurt so much." She collapsed to the ground, unconscious. Lionblaze carried her to the edge of the clearing.
"Wait, if the cats from the Dark Forest were I her head, where did they go now? I mean, we can't have done enough damage to kill them." said Berrynose.
A cat yowled from the edge of the forest. The patrol turned their gazes to the ginger and gray cat standing there.
"Lakepool! You… you're alive!" said Redwing wondrously.
"But how can you be here? You died! I- I saw it!" said Starlight. Then she looked closely at her sister's face. Her eyes were closed. It was Lakepool, but there was something wrong, something… dark.
"Lakepool, open your eyes." she said. Lakepool remained still. "Lakepool, open your eyes!"
The ginger and gray she- cat laughed.
"If you insist, dear sister." Lakepool slowly raised her eyelids.
They were the shining gold eyes of the Dark Forest monster.