Goldleaf

When Goldleaf woke again, he was in a dark forest he didn't recognize. By dark, he meant really, totally, completely dark, to the point where he, who had excellent night vision, couldn't see anything through the gloom.

Then his vision cleared, and he could see a little bit clearer through the darkness. He saw a cat making their way towards him, and immediately, his survival instincts kicked in, and he unsheathed his claws and tried to roll into a standing position. Even this small movement made his head pound, and he swallowed thickly, trying to get his painful head to stop hurting.

"So, our honored guest awakens?" A cat meowed. Goldleaf narrowed his eyes. He felt like he knew that voice... it was stirring something in his memory...

It was Applestar's.

"Applestar," he ground out. "Where are we?"

Two more cats approached and flanked her on either side, the fog making their features and bodies seem distorted. Neither of them were cats he recognized.

"Oh," Applestar clucked, sounding disappointed. "Don't you know? I'm sure you've heard dozens of nursery stories. Some of the most illustrious evil cats in history have come here after death. Aspentail. Nightfrost. Tornclaw. You know. The Dark Forest."

Vaguely, Goldleaf remembered some nursery story he'd heard moons ago, when he'd been alive. Applestar was right in saying that dozens of evil cats had come here after death. He supposed it made sense that they were communicating with living cats, like Applestar, because StarClan did the same.

"Alright," he groaned. His head hurt so bad! "Whatever. Doesn't surprise me that you're in here."

Applestar's eyes flashed. "Watch what you're saying, Goldleaf. There's a simple way I can shut you up forever."

"But you won't," Goldleaf mewed slowly. "If you took the trouble of getting me out of StarClan - which must have been difficult with the boudaries, and all that fun stuff - then you need me for something. I don't know why, but you wouldn't have purposely taken me from StarClan if you didn't need me."

"Maybe we just wanted something to do," Applestar suggested.

"You're not like that," Goldleaf countered. "You don't like to hard things unless a reward'll come from it. What is it this time, Applestar? What could you possibly want that would go this deep?"

Applestar placed her tail very gently under his chin and leaned close. There was an odd emotion in her eyes. "Power," she informed him. Then she stepped back. "Right! Shall we crack down to business, then? Let's make some introductions."

She pointed to the tom on her right. "This is Lionscar," she meowed. "He's the tom who brought you from StarClan. Lovely tom, yes indeed."

Lionscar dipped his head. Goldleaf deduced that his pelt was black, and not just hidden by shadows. When he lowered his head to Goldleaf's level, Goldleaf saw his eyes were crystal blue, unnervingly unique. "Welcome to the Dark Forest."

"Don't scare him too much," Applestar meowed mildly.

"I'm not scared," Goldleaf snarled, childishly.

"Anyway," Applestar continued. "I have someone else for you to meet." Turning, she flicked her tail at the she-cat on her right. Her pure white pelt shone like moonlight through the shadows, disconcertingly, and unstereotypically, bright. "This," Applestar said, "is Snowdust."

"Greetings," Snowdust purred, flicking her snowy tail around behind her. "I hope you enjoy your stay here, in our lovely home."

She spoke with an enunciated delicacy on every word. Her frame was also delicate and fine-boned. Goldleaf suddenly realized that she was very pretty - honestly, much more so than Sunpool. But he wasn't about to fall for some Dark Forest cat, because his heart belonged to Sunpool, and Sunpool only. Besides, he'd had experience with a Dark Forest mate... and it wasn't something he wanted to have ever again.

Although, as he was dead, how he was going to have another mate was quite honestly beyond him.

"Snowdust, would you mind informing Goldleaf of what you did to deserve your place here in the Dark Forest?" Applestar asked. "Just so he isn't confused. Or... maybe even given false hope."

"Certainly, Applestar," Snowdust said agreeably. "You see, Goldleaf, I killed almost all of the cats in my Clan. The only one left was the leader, who was only able to best me because he had six more lives, where I only had one. I was unstoppable. I wiped out an entire Clan- IceClan."

"Oh." Goldleaf's mouth suddenly felt oddly dry.

"Yes," Snowdust replied, unconcernedly. "But don't worry. It's almost certain that I won't do the same to you." She smiled chillingly at him.

"Why do you want me here?" Goldleaf hissed at Applestar, turning from Snowdust.

"We need you as a hostage," Lionscar said bluntly. "If we want to kill Sunpool, then we'll need something she cares about to lure her into the trap. Duh. It's really quite simple."

Goldleaf felt a smile spreading over his face. "Well, you'll have to find someone else to fill the role," he informed them. "Sunpool doesn't care about me. She hates me. She would never risk her life for me. Why should she? I let her think I didn't love her." He felt a rush of regret fill him.

"Ah, yes," Applestar purred, smiling. "Little Sunpool. I'll let you know that she's been downright depressed since you died. Or, as far as I can tell." She shrugged in a fluid movement. "So, yes, I do think we have the right cat."

"Whatever you say," Goldleaf meowed.

"Come on, now," Applestar said. She looked over at Snowdust and Lionscar. "You know enough for now. Time for you to go back to your... den, until we need you again." She nudged him with her toe, and Goldleaf's head pounded again. Fox-dung. He'd forgotten about that.

"Applestar," Snowdust meowed. "He's injured. The-" She stopped, and smirked. "Poor dear."

"Ah, right, that," Applestar tsked. "Did you really have to hit him that hard, Lionscar?" She asked reproachfully of the black tom.

"At least I got him," Lionscar defended himself.

"All right. I suppose we'll just have to knock him out until further notice," Applestar sighed.

Snowdust's delicate white paw came down in front of his eyes, and his eyes slipped shut and he fell into darkness.

-=-=-

Heyyy there folks...

I UPDATED YEEEEEEEEEEEY

BE AMAZED

I love Snowdust lol

And I loved Applestar in this chapter. I need her with a mustache. Like, right now. In fact, art contest! Draw Applestar talking to Goldleaf with a mustache with Snowdust and Lionscar on either side. Whoever wins gets... a dedication on the next chapter. *Thumbs up* Post it on an art book, and PM me the book. I want it due on... Monday, the 20th!

:D

~Rainfeather

(PS: Is anyone else confused with the new layout for My Works? I am...)