The darkening sky glowed with the light of the moon as the sun set on the horizon. Nightfeather sighed as She stared out at the dark lake, eyes dull. Her fur was unkempt and dirty. She was belly deep into the freezing water. The black she-cat closed her eyes as it pulled at her fur. It had been a day since Fawnfur's death, and the memory of her was fresh in her mind. It haunted her every where she went.
Nightfeather stared at her reflection. Her dark blue eyes flashed.

A tail wrapped around her shoulders, and she felt familiar whiskers brush against her cheek. "Nightfeather," Sparrowwing murmured.

Nightfeather avoided his gaze. "What?" She rasped.

"Sweetie, I'm worried about you. You haven't been attending any of the battle planning meetings." He meowed, giving her cheek a loving lick.

Nightfeather sighed. "It's hard," she whimpered. She hadn't meant for it to come out sounding so weak, but it had. "I miss her so, so much."

Sparrowwing didn't respond for a moment. Nightfeather turned her head to stare at him. His yellow eyes stared back at hers.

"I know. But she wouldn't have wanted you to remember her like this. Right?" He inquired, voice gentle as he pulled her closer.

Nightfeather closed her eyed as she sank into his fur. "No," she admitted.

Sparrowwing's head bobbed above hers. "Exactly. She'd want you to avenge her."

Nightfeather twisted around until her head was buried into his fur. "That isn't going to make her come back." Came her muffled meow. "How'd you do it? How'd you get over it?"

Sparrowwing gently pushed her so she was sitting across from him. "I didn't get over it. I accepted that, in the future, I would get to see her again. And that she'd be waiting for me."

Nightfeather nodded and took a deep breath. "Okay. I'll try." She swallowed and got up. "Let's get back to the clearing."

Sparrowwing gave her a smile. "Let's."

》》》》》》》》》》》》

Nightfeather padded into the clearing, side by side with Sparrowwing. She froze as the scent of WindClan hit her, thick in the air.

Sparrowwing quickly left her side to sprint over to his brother. It almost seemed as if he didn't want to be seen with her. Nightfeather rolled her eyes and approached Foxfang instead. The red medicine cat brightened at the sight of her. Probably happy I'm finally showing my face, Nightfeather thought bitterly.

"Nightfeather! Flamestar showed up with a patrol of WindClan cats. Shadestar is talking to her now." Foxfang reported, tail twitching.

Nightfeather sat down and curled her tail around her paws. "How did she know we were here?"

Foxfang shrugged. "I dunno. I think she might have seen us from the lake. We're not that hard to miss."

Nightfeather narrowed her eyes and didn't respond. She had never really liked Foxfang's attitude. It seemed to swing every which way in a few seconds. The black she-cat's whiskers twitched as she thought of the word. Two-faced. Personally, she preferred stability. She didn't like things to change.

Nightfeather turned her attention back to the tree. A russet she-cat had just stepped out, followed by a white tom. Rabbitwhisker. Nightfeather immediately recognized the WindClan deputy and his leader. Next followed a white tortoise-shell she-cat and finally, a dark cream tom.

Shadestar and Mistflower followed, both looking quite cheerful. Flamestar dipped her head to the ShadowClan leader. He smiled and took his place on one of the branches. She followed.

"Cats of ShadowClan!" Shadestar began, raising his tail. The clearing immediately quieted. "WindClan has agreed to ally with us against Rosestar."

Flamestar flicked her tail and stood on the branch. "That is correct. Rosestar must be stopped, for StarClan would never approve." Her gaze hardened, and Nightfeather felt a shiver run up her spine. "She is a cruel and heartless leader. I will bring a battle patrol tomorrow, and we will attack."

Nightfeather dug her claws into the ground. If it wasn't for Rosestar, her mother would still be alive. She would enjoy revenge.

The WindClan cats began to file out of the clearing. Many of the ShadowClan cats cast them cool glances. The others refused to look at them at all. Nightfeather winced. Not every cat seemed to trust WindClan.

Once they were out of earshot, Addertooth immediately stepped forward, fur bristling. "How do we know we can trust them?" He growled.

Mistflower lashed her tail. "We don't really have a choice, now do we?"

Rainheart joined in. "We could take on RiverClan by ourselves."

Nightfeather bit back a hiss and stepped forward to face the tabby tom. "Please, do you honestly believe RiverClan still exists?" Her mind shifted back to the scene of starving cats. "Rosestar isn't going to give up so easily. It's now or never."

Rainheart let out a snarl. "Oh yeah, that's so like you, Nightfeather. Acting like you're so smart."

Nightfeather unseated her claws. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Rainheart sank into a crouch. "What do you think it's supposed to mean? You act like you know Rosestar so well, and that as long as the Clan follows you, we'll be fine. Well guess what? We're not going to be fine!"

Nightfeather bunched her muscles, ready to leap at the arrogant mousebrain. In a flash of gray fur, Mistflower stepped between them both.

"Calm down," she meowed crisply. "We're not here to fight each other. We're here to fight Rosestar."

Nightfeather let out a frustrated hiss and turned around to pad away. Who did he think he was? She was just trying to help.

Sparrowwing's pace matched hers as he curled his tail around hers. "Calm down."

Nightfeather stepped away from his tail. "No! Don't tell me to calm down when it's your brother insulting me!" The words seemed to burst out without her consent, and she clamped her jaws shut. "Sparrowwing, I-"

The tabby tom cut her off. "No, it's fine. If that's how you feel." He meowed coldly.

Nightfeather watched as her mate padded away and bit back a screech. Why was everything going so wrong? Fine. If that's how he wants it, Nightfeather thought furiously. She whipped around and nearly bumped into a sad-looking Lily.

"Sorry," Nightfeather said. She flicked her tail. "What's wrong?"

Lily sighed, gaze darkening. "I'm worried." She murmured. "What if Thistle hurts someone else?"

Nightfeather gave the queen a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. He won't."

Lily turned around to pad away, but Nightfeather heard her tiny whisper.

"You don't know that."

》》》》》》》》》

A dark sky greeted Nightfeather as soon as she opened her eyes. Her nose wrinkled as the scent of blood hit her nostrils. She struggled to her paws as she scanned the clearing. It seemed to be small break from the usual trail. Large trees bordered it, their roots covered by thick bushes. Nightfeather bit back a screech. She could recognize this place anywhere.

The Dark Forest.

She dug her claws into the slimy ground and narrowed her eyes. A faint shadow had begun to form in front of her. The black she-cat watched as it took on the shape of a large, white tom. One of his paws was black.

"Who are you?" Nightfeather inquired softly. His pelt had begun to sparkle with stars. What was a StarClan cat doing in the Dark Forest?

"Beware of the cat who's pelt is covered in blood. She will storm through the Clans. Beware of the night. She's not what she seems."

Nightfeather felt her breath catch in her throat. A strange wind had started, scattering the leaves on the ground. "What? What do you mean?!" She shouted against the roar of the wind. "Come back!"

"Blackstar! Stop scaring my daughter!"

Nightfeather whipped around, just to be met with a sight she hadn't seen for so long.

Beetlewing leaped forward, and the storm died down in an instant. Blackstar was gone. He turned back to her, eyes warm. His pelt glimmered with stars.

"Dad?" Nightfeather choked out, eyes wide with shock.

Beetlewing stepped forward to rub his cheek against her. "Its been so long," he rumbled. "I've missed you."

Nightfeather felt her vision begin to blur. "Where's Fawnfur?"

A throaty sigh sounded against her fur. "Your mother is still making her way to StarClan." Her father murmured.

Nightfeather felt tears drip down her muzzle. "I miss her so much," she whispered.

Beetlewing pulled away from her. "I know. But I'm sure she wouldn't want you to be like this."

Nightfeather felt rage bubble in her throat. "Everybody keeps telling me that, but what if I'm not strong enough to be what she wants? What if I dissapoint her?"

Beetlewing's voice was soft as he faded into the background. "Don't worry. You won't."

Nightfeather blinked her tears away, watching as the bushes rustled. A ginger she-cat stepped out, green eyes cold as they landed on her.

"There you are," she snapped. "I've been looking everywhere for you. We need to go."

Nightfeather dug her claws into the ground. "Who...are you?" She questioned hesitantly. She didn't want to provoke the she-cat any further.

"I'm Finchwing. I presume Breezepelt told you about me? It's been hard to find you, especially with all those barriers around you." Finchwing's voice suddenly turned sickly-sweet. "But I've found you now. Come on."

Nightfeather sighed and sprinted after the ginger she-cat, her paws slamming onto the forest floor with each bound. She hissed as the ground below her suddenly turned hard, scraping her paws. She glanced back at the trail of blood she had left on the stone.

Finchwing seemed amused as she pointed her tail towards a pool of water under a rocky overhang. Nightfeather peered closer into the shadows and gasped as a few cats came into view, their bodies nearly invisble.

"Welcome, Nightfeather, daughter of Beetlewing and Fawnfur." The cats all meowed in unison. "We welcome you into the ranks of the Dark Forest."

Finchwing stepped next to the pool. "Yes, yes, all that stuff. Anyway, we have a special... gift for you."

Nightfeather glanced at her. "What kind of gift?" She asked, tone weary.

Finchwing smiled sweetly. "Oh, nothing much. Don't you worry your pretty little head. Just drink from the pool, and all will be revealed."

Nightfeather cast her a cool glare. She sensed something wasn't right. "What is it?" She repeated firmly. She wasn't stupid.

Finchwing sighed. "Please don't be difficult, darling." She frowned. "We recently discovered that, within this very pool, was a spirit. It requested the cat of night. So here you are."

Nightfeather began to back away, confused. Did they even know what it was? "What?! No! That's crazy!"

Finchwing grinned, tail low. "I thought I told you not to worry. It's just going to rest in the back of your mind, safe and sound."

Nightfeather swallowed as the ginger she-cat weaved around her, tone lazy. "I know how numb you are. How you can't feel." Her tail rested on Nightfeather's chest, on the exact spot her heart raced madly. "I was once like that. It'll help, I promise."

Nightfeather slowly made her way forward, side by side with Finchwing.

"What's the point anyway? The Clan all hates you. You're bitter. They don't let it show, but you scare them. You're so much like Rosestar. Those same eyes." Finchwing whispered, bending down with Nightfeather. "You can be whoever you want to be. Just let go. It's your destiny."

Nightfeather closed her eyes as Finchwing's harsh tone filled her head. She reluctantly lapped at the water, almost gagging at the taste. It was salty and bitter. The black she-cat raised her head to face Finchwing, who was looking smug as ever.

Nightfeather felt the change immediately. It was as if she was feeling the world in a different way. Her heart, it felt colder. And her mind kept tugging towards strange thoughts. She glanced back at her reflection and nearly gasped out loud. Her dark blue eyes were cold and hard, just like those of the Dark Forest's.

Finchwing gave her a smile, eyes flashing. "Perfect. The change will be gradual, but it will come. And when it does, it will be glorious." Her raspy purr filled the air.

"You've made a choice you won't regret, Nightfeather."

Wow! Character development! Lol XD

Question: Do you like Finchwing?

Also! Questions answered next chapter! So ask in the comments :3

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