5Disclaimer:
Hi there, NanixLanix here. I wanted to explain my story before everyone started reading it. First of all, when I finally finished the whole Warriors arc including every other arc to The Last Hope, I came to the conclusion that I absolutely hate everything about the second series of the books and so on. The abrupt change in POV to Brambleclaw, the inconsistency of time and events from The Darkest Hour to Midnight, the lack and loss in each of the characters' development, charm, and personality, and loss of tradition and familiarity we saw in the first series of books. It's irritated me so much, that I decided to write my own take on what I believe the second series could have been like. I really hope you enjoy it. I'm sticking to the original cast and I'm trying avoid inconsistency by sticking to realistic time-lengths and sequence of events. If you have any questions please email me or review. Your reviews and criticism are very appreciated!
Just to quickly clarify, this story takes place after The Darkest Hour but is in no way related to the second series and onward. In my version, there is no SkyClan, tribe cats, ancient lake cats, or talking badgers. This is completely my adaptation of the continuation of the Warriors story; as I said before, please enjoy!
Erin Hunter (c) Warriors
I own nothing.
Allegiances
ThunderClan
Leader: Firestar-handsome ginger tom
Apprentice, Bramblepaw
Deputy: Graystripe-long-haired gray tom
Medicine Cat: Cinderpelt-dark gray she-cat
Warriors:
Mousefur-small dusky brown she-cat
Longtail-pale tabby tom with dark black stripes
Apprentice, Fernpaw
Dustpelt-dark brown tabby tom
Apprentice, Ashpaw
Brackenfur-golden brown tabby tom
Brightheart-she-cat, white with ginger splotches
Cloudtail-long-haired white tom
Thornclaw-golden brown tabby tom
Frostfur-beautiful white she-cat and blue eyes
Goldenflower-pale ginger she-cat
Apprentices:
Fernpaw-pale gray (with darker flecks) she-cat, pale green eyes
Ashpaw-pale gray (with darker flecks) tom, dark blue eyes
Bramblepaw- dark brown tabby tom, amber eyes
Queens:
Sandstorm-pale ginger she-cat (Kits: Squirrelkit, Leafkit)
Willowpelt-very pale gray she-cat with unusual blue eyes (Kits: Sorrelkit, Rainkit, Sootkit)
Elders:
One-eye-pale gray she-cat, the oldest she-cat in ThunderClan, virtually blind and deaf
Smallear-gray tom with very small ears; the oldest tom in ThunderClan
Dappletail-once pretty tortoiseshell she-cat with a lovely dappled coat
Speckletail-pale tabby she-cat
ShadowClan
Leader: Blackstar-large white tom with huge jet black paws, formerly a rogue cat
Deputy: Russetfur-dark-ginger she-cat, formerly a rogue cat
Medicine Cat: Runningnose-small gray-and-white tom
Apprentice, Littlecloud
Warriors:
Oakfur-small brown tom
Apprentice, Tawnypaw
Cedarheart-dark gray tom
Apprentice, Smokepaw
Rowanclaw-ginger tom
Apprentice, Talonpaw
Tallpoppy-long-legged light brown tabby she-cat
Apprentices:
Littlecloud-very small tabby tom
Tawnypaw-tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes, formerly of ThunderClan
Talonpaw-black tom. amber eyes
Smokepaw-dark gray tom
Elders:
Boulder-skinny gray tom, formerly a rogue cat
WindClan
Leader: Tallstar-black-and-white tom with a very long tail
Deputy: Mudclaw-mottled dark brown tom
Apprentice, Crowpaw
Medicine Cat: Barkface-short-tailed brown tom
Warriors:
Webfoot-dark gray tabby tom
Tornear-tabby tom
Tawnfur-golden brown she-cat
Onewhisker-brown tabby tom
Runningbrook-light gray she-cat
Whitetail-small white she-cat
Ashfur-gray she-cat
Apprentices:
Crowpaw-dark smoky gray, almost black, tom with blue eyes
Queens:
Morningflower-tortoiseshell queen
Elders:
Deadfoot-black tom with a twisted paw, former WindClan deputy
RiverClan
Leader: Leopardstar-unusually spotted golden tabby she-cat
Deputy: Mistyfoot-gray she-cat with blue eyes
Apprentice, Featherpaw
Medicine Cats: Mudfur-long-haired light brown tom
Apprentice, Mothpaw
Warriors:
Blackclaw-smoky black tom
Apprentice, Hawkpaw
Heavystep-thickset tabby tom
Apprentice, Stormpaw
Loudbelly-dark brown tom
Mosspelt-tortoiseshell she-cat
Apprentice:
Featherpaw-light gray she-cat with blue eyes
Stormpaw-dark gray tom with amber eyes
Mothpaw-beautiful golden tabby she-cat with amber eyes
Hawkpaw-broad-shouldered dark brown tom
Queens:
Dawnflower-pale gray queen
Sasha-sleek-furred tawny-colored she-cat, bright blue eyes
Elders:
Shadepelt-very dark gray she-cat
Loudbelly-dark brown tom
Prologue
The faint outline of craggy, leafless trees were blank against the darkness. A darkness that seemed to go on forever. No stars shone here, not even a moon existed in this place of blackness; just an endless sky, if there even was one. Not a creature seemed to stir, there was no breeze to buffet the dark bushes. Only a cold, dead silence.
Within the midst of the ominous place, a tom was frantically staring about, whipping his head back and forth in desperation. Every anxious breath he took was a shuddering gasp of horror; his silver chest heaved in continuation, as if he was losing his very mind; yet, indeed, he was.
Finally, the silver tabby could take no more of his inward horror and screamed out, frantically charging himself into layers of bushes and thick undergrowth. He didn't care if the thorns pricked at his fur or poked at his wide, terribly intense eyes. He couldn't stand this place any longer. He could feel it, he could feel it like like a fresh battle wound. The realization that StarClan was not here. He couldn't sense there presence at all. It had to be the most horrible feeling he'd ever felt. The realization of it made his heart lurch and pound in terror and his gasps become even more frantic. The feeling of abandonment was too great for him, it drove him wild. It drove him insane.
His horror grew when he came to the terrifying realization that every tree, bramble, or bush he passed was exactly the same as the one he'd pass next. There were no stars to give him direction, just blank nothingness; he could be going in circles or going nowhere, or never going anywhere at all. The tom hollered in horror and anguish. He was alone, trapped in this horror-induced place. He wanted to kill himself, but he was already dead.
Suddenly, he crashed into something, someone rather. For it grunted in surprise and stepped back from the silver tabby. Stunned but still entranced with fear, he looked up to see a huge dark tabby tom towering over him. His amber eyes widened in mixture of shock and scorn.
"Darkstripe?" the dark tabby inquired.
Relief and joy immediately flew over Darkstripe, making him tremble uncontrollably. "Tigerstar!"
Darkstripe bounded over to the large warrior and rubbed his muzzle into his tabby fur, purring and letting out muffled yowls. "I never thought I'd see you again! And then I was put in this place. This horrible place! Oh, Tigerstar, whatever shall we do?"
"Get off me you dithering fool and stop acting like a mere kit," Tigerstar spat, shaking Darkstripe off. Darkstripe stared up at the former TigerClan leader with hurt and shock reflected in his eyes, but Tigerstar continued. "This is the dark forest. We walk its endless path now."
Darkstripe wildly shook his head, panic rising his in voice once more. "No! No! I don't want to! I don't want to walk here, I want to walk amongst StarClan! But I can't feel them anywhere! There presence is totally gone!"
"I know that, mousebrain," Tigerstar growled. "That's why we're here. During our time of living we never honored the warrior code and so in turn never honored StarClan. It makes sense that we both ended up here."
"B-but, t-there must've been a mistake..." Darkstripe stammered in fear. "I've always honored the code!"
Tigerstar gave him a cruel scoff, "No, fool, you've always honored me."
Darkstripe stared into Tigerstar's narrowed dark eyes with his wide ones. He looked no more than a scrawny kit comparison to Tigerstar's huge looming shape.
Tigerstar snorted, "You would have rather followed me to the pits of darkness than follow StarClan, and you did. You've earned your fate Darkstripe." He lowered his muzzle into his face. "Deal with it."
Darkstripe swallowed in horror. Despite everything Tigerstar said, he couldn't help but feel desperation, as if he possibly had a chance to redeem himself. "I can't deal with with it, I'll lose my mind! I want to go to StarClan! Where is StarClan!?"
"No where!" Tigerstar snarled, lashing his tail. "They don't exist here, and they never will. It's like you said before, their presence can't be felt."
"Then aren't you afraid?"
Tigerstar stopped, and his muscles became tense at Darkstripe's question.
When he didn't answer right away, Darkstripe, shivering, pressed him. "Aren't you afraid of being here forever without our warrior ancestors and no one around, except pure darkness?"
Tigerstar hesitated, staring at the ground near his huge paws, then he lifted his head to glare at Darkstripe once more. "No, I'm not afraid. When I died, I was terrified. I was losing everything, my plans, my ambitions... And my lives. It was happening so quickly. StarClan couldn't fix the wound that foxdung scrap of fur, Scourge implanted on me. In fact, I don't even think they tried." He eyes narrowed coldly. "They just left me to die. They wanted me to die! They all wanted me to die and be ridden of the forest forever in cold blood!"
Darkstripe looked at Tigerstar with genuine sympathy in his eyes; he could detect the measure of hurt in his voice.
Tigerstar looked up, heaving a huge sigh, his muscles rippling. "I could hear the words that kittypet, Firestar, said to me. 'We need your strength.'. He grieved for me, despite everything I had done to him and the Clans. He grieved for me! Such weakness, as I'd expect from a kittypet."
"You're actually grateful for him doing that, aren't you?" Darkstripe asked. He didn't say it out loud, but he was actually surprised that the dark warrior was still referring to Firestar scornfully as a kittypet when he'd shone him sympathy.
Tigerstar glanced at him, an emotion wavered into his eyes, but he quickly blinked it away to be replaced by fury. "No, I am not grateful. I'm insulted. My greatest enemy and he watched me die so pathetically!" Tigerstar's hiss was full of self-hatred and scorn. "I was supposed to destroy Firestar! I was supposed to rule over the forest! And I refuse to let death stand in my way!"
Darkstripe's eyes widened at Tigerstar's words.
"I will seek my revenge. I will make Firestar suffer for this. And I will take back what should be mine," he snarled darkly. Tigerstar turned his back on the silver tabby and marched away.
"Wait!" Darkstripe called. Tigerstar stopped and turned back toward him in irritation. "How do you plan on doing that? How can you possibly get into the real world again?"
Tigerstar's eyes narrowed. "The more I've stayed here, the more I realized I have methods of walking into the land of the living," he growled. "I'm learning how to step into the real world so I can break the Clans down and shake them to their roots. Not physically, but spirituality. There's only so much I can do however."
His amber eyes studied Darkstripe closely for a moment. "I could use your help."
Darkstripe perked up and took a step closer. "Really? What can I do?"
"Follow me," Tigerstar meowed simply. "That's what you can do for me. Follow my every whim. Of course," Tigerstar added, gazing around at the darkness, "That's all you can do now in a place like this."
But Darkstripe suddenly looked distraught, as if he just couldn't make up his mind. Would he follow Tigerstar, the cat that he had let blind him so much that he ended up here, forever in the dark forest? Or would he walk the endless dark forest alone forever? The questions were so excruciating that he let out a low wail and sank to the ground as if he were suffering from a painful stomachache.
Tigerstar smirked darkly. "What choice do you have?" When Darkstripe didn't answer, he purred silkily. "You don't think StarClan will ever except you now, do you?"
Darkstripe sat up in alarm. "T-they won't? B-b-but I thought I could possibly have another chance, or I could beg loud enough..."
"Oh, Darkstripe," Tigerstar laughed in scorn. "Don't be such a fool. StarClan can't hear a traitor like you matter how loud you scream."
Darkstripe stared, horrified at Tigerstar.
Then Tigerstar ceased in his cruel laughter and flicked his tail for Darkstripe to follow him. "Come, unless you want to left alone in the darkness forever."
Shivering from the heavy feeling of pain and fear in his heart, Darkstripe slowly followed after Tigerstar, his tail low to the ground and his lithe body making him seem all the more defeated. He stopped for a brief second and lifted his head to stare into the blackness of the sky above. His eyes scanned it, searching desperately for a little glimmer of hope that StarClan was there. But no star twinkled, and Darkstripe lowered his head, dejected. He couldn't feel his warrior ancestors at all, and even though Tigerstar's words of StarClan not existing here and not being able to rescue him from this hell lingered in his ears, he realized that deep down, he never believed in it in the first place.