Warriors : Heart of a True Warrior

Chapter 2 : Hope

No! Bristlefrost fell through, while unable to see anything. Suddenly, she found herself sinking in a pool of water, bringing panic beside her. No! I cannot die like this! As pain went through her lung as, she found herself inside a long cave. Where am I? Bristlefrost wasn't adapted to the place yet. Why am I at this cave with the dark water? Why does it exist at all? Bristlefrost never wanted to see that water again. Here is the Place of Lost Stars. This water no longer exists, so it is here. I never want to see it again. You will, later though. Bristlefrost walked on, ignoring what the soul said. Bristlefrost soon found herself inside a large cave with a single large rock, that was shining from the brightest moon in the sky. Wow. 

"Hello?" A voice echoed through the cave, alarming Bristlefrost. What is that? Who is it? "Bristlefrost, why are you here?" She heard the voice again, seeming to be closer.

"Snowtuft? Why are you here?" Bristlefrost wondered how he came here, when there was 1 entrance.

"I thought you would be here. I know you want to go home. So I came here, to see if you are here. I never thought there would be the Moonstone here." Bristlefrost now understood why this rock was glowing from the moonlight. It was the Moonstone. Snowtuft broke the silence. "Hey, if you're gonna leave now, I wont stop you. Just come back, so that this world will last longer. We can't live without a home, right?"

"That seems right. I'll come back, at all costs."

Bristlefrost woke up, in the exact cave, but without the dark tunnel and water, but a short tunnel. Where am I now? Is this StarClan? Bristlefrost checked the lands, to see the sky showing a brief image of the living world. If this is StarClan, why are there no cats? Wait. They are over there. Bristlefrost rushed through, but couldn't feel herself closer to them. Why can't I get there? Bristlefrost stopped, to think about the reason she wasn't getting closer. Maybe StarClan added a barrier from stopping Dark Forest cats from coming through this way? I heard they went to the living world before the Great Battle. Bristlefrost decided to stay here, and check what happened.

Leafpool felt a cat coming into the hunting grounds of StarClan. Who is the cat? Or what is it? Leafpool went to the tunnel that leads to the Dark Forest, to find Juniperclaw guarding the place without rest. Did he let someone in? I know he wouldn't.

"Juniperclaw, did you let someone in this place?"Leafpool asked, while believing in him.

"No! I would never let anyone through this place, unless they are asked to from the other side." Leafpool knew he wouldn't lie, as he had swore to guard and stop cats from coming in here. Maybe I should check the other ground? Leafpool knew a cat wouldn't come here from the Moonpool, so she went to the old hunting grounds. It seems empty... Leafpool stopped. there was a cat, on the top of the cave!

"Hello?" Leafpool soon recognized the gray pelt she was approaching. "Bristlefrost? Is that you?" Leafpool stood with disbelief.

"Yes, it is me." Bristlefrost was relieved by the presence of the she-cat. She wanted to find. a way back, to be with him.

"How did you get here? I thought you were dead." Leafpool was relieved, but also confused of Bristlefrost's life.

"Well, it's a long story short. I was sent to the Place of Lost Stars, a place in which every lost thing is in." Bristlefrost started explaining. 

"What is that place? Why do I not know about it?"

"StarClan does not want any other afterlife than the two. They almost destroyed themselves during the war. The Dark Forest is just for balancing, and the Place of Lost Stars was one of the victims. As StarClan lost balance by Ashfur, the Place of Lost Stars broke free from the oppression they were under. However, the cats in there became lost souls, wandering without a spirit body."

"I didn't know StarClan would do this!"

"They drove out SkyClan, remember?" Bristlefrost calmed Leafpool down. "When it broke free, all the lost things were here, such as the old Clan territories, and the dark water." Bristlefrost was trying her best to hide the fear when she said the word. "It seems like StarClan forgot about them, and the Place of Lost Stars are here, feeding on memories of the inhabitants. If all the cats are forgotten, the oppression will engulf the place, leaving nothing behind. Also, I came here using the Moonstone, which is obvious as I'm here, not their current hunting grounds."

"I think I remember how to go back to the Clans. I will tell you this later, as I will teach you a way to live in the Place of Lost Stars without going crazy."

"Tell me how."