Warriors | A Prophecy Reborn: Book 4. (Hidden In Darkness)

~Hidden In Darkness: Chapter 14~

Russetfire and Spiraltail followed Firpaw through the familiar territory. Russetfire wasn't sure why it seemed familiar to her, but the Spirit Tree led a small glowing trail to a tunnel where StarClan's true territory lay at the end.
This is different to how I imagined it, Russetfire thought. She remembered hearing stories of living cats who had fought the dead only to die in the process. Perhaps our StarClan is different to the one from so many seasons ago?
"Have you spoken to Russetwhisker yet?" Spiraltail asked her suddenly.
"Firpaw says she's been busy," Russetfire replied grumpily. "I know StarClan is having troubles of their own, but it would be nice if they could give us an idea as to what they're doing, or at the very least a hint."
"Hmm," Spiraltail hummed thoughtfully. "Have you come across Redpelt yet?"
Russetfire was surprised Spiraltail mentioned Redpelt before Grayfur. "He's not in StarClan territory, Firpaw tells me."
"Redpelt isn't in StarClan?" Spiraltail asked, shocked. "He can't have gone to the Dark Forest! He was a good warrior."
"Strange things have been happening in the land of the dead, Spiraltail," Firpaw said, looking over his shoulder to briefly face her before looking back again. "Good cats have been replaced by the bad. We assume this is Half-Sight's doing. Half-Sight and whoever is working with him."
"We haven't heard from Half-Sight or any of ShadowClan in a while," Spiraltail pointed out. "What do you think they're up to?"
"Plotting, most likely," Firpaw stated. Russetfire knew that her brother, even in death, hated ShadowClan. "I don't know what they're up to because the cats who have gone there either haven't returned or aren't prepared to tell anyone connected to ThunderClan."
"Yes, we know, ShadowClan is set on wiping us out," Russetfire grumbled. "The medicine cats are innocent though. The kits and apprentices more than likely are as well."
"That doesn't mean the ones who will attack you will think twice," Firpaw pointed out. "Some may be good souls, but most are indecisive or untrustworthy."
Russetfire bit back her reply. No use in arguing with the O Mighty Firpaw, she thought angrily. Yes, you're dead, but it doesn't make you any more special than you were when you were alive.
Firpaw's tail lashed with annoyance, but he said nothing.
Eventually, they came across a darker part of the forest in StarClan. The air here reeked of dead carcasses. Russetfire thought she spotted the remains of a vole nearby.
"What's over there?" Spiraltail asked. Russetfire was surprised her voice wasn't shaking! It was colder than the previous leaf-bare!
"I've never been into that part of the forest," Firpaw admitted. "Nobody has, as far as I'm aware. Aside from some of the older cats here, or cats who have been dead longer, nobody else that I know has been here."
Russetfire felt shivers run up and down her spine as she stared deeper into the tangled undergrowth. It was disturbing to look at.
Trees with bare branches, completely stripped of any leaves, entwined with each other and their roots knotted around rocks or burrowed deep into the ground. The branches and roots were all twisted and the trees stood tall and dark in the forest.
"Firpaw, is this-" Russetfire started, but Firpaw was already nodding and trotting ahead. Looking over his shoulder, he told her, "Yes, and we need to leave and find Darkclaw now."
"Wait!" Spiraltail said immediately. Firpaw stopped. "What is it?" he said frustratedly.
"Shh! Do you smell that?"
Russetfire and Firpaw stopped to sniff the air. It smelled of dead. However, in between that stench came the brief and faint scent of Darkclaw.
Darkclaw was somewhere in the Dark Forest.
"We have to go in!" Russetfire urged. She and Spiraltail were already running toward the forest, but they were stopped in their tracks by a furious Firpaw running to stand in front of them, a disappointed, worried and outraged look on his face.
"Let us pass, Firpaw!" Spiraltail demanded. "My brother's in there!"
"You're not going!" Firpaw yelled. "You won't come out again if you do, and we need you to stay alive!"
"Why?" Spiraltail demanded. "You won't even tell us what you need us to do! Who's going to hear you, Half-Sight?"
Firpaw sighed. He faltered as he slowly stood aside. "I'll let you go if you follow my lead," he said. "I can't afford to tell you. You'll need to find out for yourselves. Only the other Clan knows what must happen."
"What other Clan?" Russetfire asked. "WindClan? RiverClan?"
Reluctantly, Firpaw said, "No... SkyClan, the lost Clan."
Russetfire stiffened. SkyClan had been wiped out long ago by twoleg monsters. The abandoned Twolegplace where Firpaw died had been their old camp, as far as she knew. How long have they been gone? What will they do when they find us?
She knew that the other Clans had refused to help in finding new territory for the lost Clan. She knew that the lost Clan would probably be furious with ThunderClan especially, as the two leaders were apparently rather close.
How could the ThunderClan leader at the time betray one of the closest thing he or she had to an ally? How could WindClan, RiverClan and ShadowClan stand there and watch as SkyClan fell apart and was forced to flee?
"You know," Firpaw said, "we actually have one SkyClan cat here in StarClan."
"Flowertail," Spiraltail guessed. Firpaw nodded.
"I can't say much before we leave, but some of our dead will guide the kits, queens and elders of the Clans' Refuge and ThunderClan and ShadowClan if needed.
"In another three moons or so, you will be met by two strangers, two cats, from the lost Clan. They will guide you to the territory they live in. There are kittypets and twolegs, but there is more woodland and moorland than anything else. It will be perfect for all five Clans."
"Is there a lake or stream?" Russetfire interjected.
"RiverClan will have a place there as well," Firpaw confirmed. "You will come across struggles as you travel with the guides," Firpaw said, facing Spiraltail. "Any kittypets, rogues and loners you take with you will also have a place there if they do not wish to join a Clan."
Firpaw led the way toward Darkclaw's scent. They swerved past many large rocks and boulders that could possibly prove dangerous were they to move.
"There should be Dark Forest cats everywhere, shouldn't there?" Spiraltail asked.
"Not if they're plotting something," Russetfire pointed out.
"Hmm." Spiraltail looked worried. Russetfire knew how hard it was to lose a sibling. Even though Spiraltail was at least a few moons older than Stripedfur and Darkclaw, they were still kin. Losing family was a great loss, and she had already lost her mother and father.
Which reminded Russetfire. Didn't Grayfur have a sister?
"Firpaw!" she said, speeding up to run alongside him.
"Yes?"
"Have you seen a white cat called Snow anywhere in StarClan?"
"She's not dead!" Firpaw insisted. "She's gone off to gather kittypets."
"What for?"
"The battle," Firpaw said grimly. "A battle will spawn while some of ThunderClan's cats follow the SkyClan guides."
Russetfire heard a yowl of pain coming from up ahead. Darkclaw! She surged forward, followed closely by Spiraltail, Firpaw bringing up the rear, and not far from where they were, Darkclaw was lying on his side with a scarred flank and a bloodied hind leg.