The Dark Forest was always a part of me, ever since I became an apprentice. My family was good to me, and Adderfang was a wise and worthy mentor, but I couldn't help but feel that I was destined for more. That's when Shredtail found me. He persuaded me to train with him. It was brutal and somewhat unexpected the first time through. But he told me that, if I wanted to achieve my goals, I had to remain strong and determined. Training helped me do that, so I allowed Shredtail to disturb my sleep as often as possible.
      Shredtail was never much for conversation, but he felt obliged to inform me on where exactly I was. He explained his home to me. He told me that The Dark Forest had more power than StarClan, but they believed in relying on their instincts and sticking to the shadows, rather than putting themselves out in the open and making themselves a target for the weaklings that needed help. He told me that the cats there were bonded together, united by their one shared goal. I asked him many times what that was. It should have been a red flag that he never said. I sort of knew that I was digging myself into a hole that would be difficult to climb out of if need be, but I couldn't help but trust Shredtail. His words about the strong community of the Dark Forest made me all the more determined to join them one day. He made it sound like they'd always have each others' backs.

      I guess that's why I didn't expect him to betray me.

      In spite of being there many moons more than most cats that you would know about, I was never an important warrior in the Dark Forest. Even so, I was valued more than my fading mentor. Shredtail didn't like that. He had been the one to set this fire in motion, and it was enraging to him that he received no recognition. He attacked me, trying to scare off and, preferably, kill the competition. If you've ever wondered why Shredtail never seems to make an appearance after a certain point in time, I would be the reason for that.

     I miss him sometimes.

      Believe it or not, I had other friends than my family and my two mentors. Snowfur. Oh how I miss her... You know, many cats believe that I was reunited with her; that I went to StarClan, too, and then Bluefur chased me out. Though false, these rumors are not too far-fetched. I never even killed anyone. I did what I was taught. Was that so wrong? How could a cat with no intention other than to grow old with a good friend end up like this? Heh... The funny thing is, back before I was killed the second time, when I was a permanent resident of the Dark Forest, regret and bitterness like this would have never even crossed my mind. No cat thought about their past, except to find fault in lost chances and to remember their hatred for their enemies. Our minds are corrupted. And I doesn't matter who you are or where you came from. That forest could turn a kittypet into a rabid killing machine.
      But I've long since left the Place of No Stars.

      Where I am, you ask? How am I talking to you?

      ...Does it matter?

I always sorta felt bad for Thistleclaw, so I felt like I should give him a chance to defend himself and his choices, through my words.
This is not cannon!!