Lost Hope: Book 5: Forest of Vipers

Chapter 10

Forestpaw did visit Amberpaw the next night, or what she perceived to be night time, since it was hard to keep track of time in the Dark Forest. They only further discussed their plan and polished it. Amberpaw would unearth her body, as mildly disgusting as it sounded to both of them, and Forestpaw had to find a way out of the Dark Forest.

    So while Amberpaw was doing that, Forestpaw went exploring again.

Viperfang hadn't come to visit her in days and there had been a lack of moderation on her den recently, so she took advantage of that to sneak out.

It had started to get a little easier for her to get her bearings. She was a little more used to the Dark Forest, and therefore not as freaked out by the trees and bloody grass.

She took a different path from the one to StarClan's prison. She desperately wanted to free them, but she knew she would have to save herself first and find out as much as possible about the Dark Forest.

Forestpaw veered left and found herself walking alongside a murky river. She saw chunks moving around in it and she cringed away, having no desire to inspect it closer.

The river led up a steep incline, evidently from which it was flowing from. Forestpaw began the climb and emerged on top of a stony hill. There was more crumbly hills that looked like small mountains and caverns with large mouths. In one of them though, the center, came a faint glow. She walked in a bit, intrigued.

There was a portal type entrance, it was bright and swirling, and if Forestpaw looked closely, she thought she could see what appeared to be StarClan's hunting grounds within. Was this the boundary between this world and that?

It looked as if someone had crossed a bunch of branches and vines over it, and then tore it all down, there were remnants of it scattered about the little cave. Viperfang. She broke into StarClan and captured everyone. I'm not sure how she did it, but I will help right what was done wrong.

And then, with a little glance behind herself, she stepped through.

It was like falling into a pond, but more peaceful and calming, and when she opened her eyes, she was in the beautiful starlit clearing. It was completely devoid of cats and life though. It was just. . . . empty. Forestpaw shivered a little, and started to wander around.

The place really was beautiful, one million times better than the Dark Forest, with tall shining trees and the softest grass you cold imagine. Forestpaw was overcome by it all, and an immense desire to stay here forever.

But I have to get back to the real world, I don't belong here just yet.

Forestpaw bounded around, searching for clues that might help her get back to her Clan, when she was suddenly standing right in front of the answer.

It was the Startree. But it was a more illuminating version of it, the one in StarClan.

She approached it carefully, respectfully almost, and observed it. Another difference between this one and the real one, is that this one had a similar swirling portal close to the bottom of the trunk. And in the center of this one was the Star Hollow clearing. But it looked like she was observing it as if she was the tree itself.

I've found it! she thought giddily. This is exactly what I need. A portal back to the real world. She almost stepped through it right then and there, and then realized she didn't have a body to go back to. She'd have to tell Amberpaw to drag her body over to the tree. She wasn't sure how easy or difficult it wold prove to be, but she didn't want to take too many risks when she didn't fully understand the mechanics of this magic.

But we are one step closer to figuring it out.