Kitten of the Dark Forest

Prologue

Mapleshade paced angrily. Every so often, she raked her claws through the dead forest floor, growling and hissing. Nearby, Silverhawk and Maggottail were watching anxiously, every once in a while glancing at each other in unease. They had never seen Mapleshade so agitated. Silverhawk gulped, and said, "Mapleshade, you need to calm down. You're making everyone uneasy, and that says a lot here. You don't want them to turn on you, do you? How about you take a walk or attack a patch of moss or something?" Mapleshade turned and glared furiously at Silverhawk and began to walk toward him. Silverhawk, who was now fearfully regretting his words, shrank back as he now was face-to-face with the vengeful Mapleshade. "You think this is a game?" Mapleshade spat. "We, the Dark Forest, have just lost against those pitiful Clan cats and some of it's finest members with it, and you want me to scamper and play like a kit? How dare you! As one of my first partners, I thought you would know better! Why, Tigerstar lost his life defeating that kittypet Firestar, and I didn't see one hair of your hide out there! In fact, your old apprentice Thistleclaw didn't do much better, as he ran back here with his tail in between his legs as soon as the going got tough! While I stayed out there until it was either flee or die! So, Silverhawk, I suggest you either go and sit with your failure of an apprentice Thistleclaw over there, or I'll tear your throat out for the sheer fun of it!" Silverhawk grew angry at Mapleshade's words and retorted, "And I suppose your apprentice Crookedstar did any better? You could have transformed him into a worthy Dark Forest cat, but you only thought of yourself and went for vengeance instead! You're no better than me, Mapleshade, and that's a fact!" Silverhawk started away from Mapleshade toward the other Dark Forest cats, but was suddenly attached from behind. Mapleshade jumped on him in a frenzied fury, raking his pelt with her claws and trying to get toward his neck for the killing blow. Silverhawk yowled and tried to defend himself, but as he was nowhere near as strong a Mapleshade, she soon had him pinned down on his back, raising her claws for the killing blow.  But before she could strike, Mapleshade felt claws in her back as she was pulled off Silverhawk. Turning, she saw the cat to be Maggottail, nervously glancing around despite having bravely saved Silverhawk. "Now Mapleshade," he started. "we've known each other for some time, so I know that you're stressed and angry about our loss. I am too, and that's okay. But you know as well as I that all of these other cats are stressed and angry too, so they need something to take out all of those emotions on. And if they see you as too much of a threat, well...no more Mapleshade. And since we would both hate for that to happen, why don't you take a walk to cool off a bit? It might help. But don't go too far, or else you might not be able to find your way back, okay?" Mapleshade looked at Maggottail's hopeful expression and sighed in resignation. "Fine. But don't expect me to enjoy it." And with that, Mapleshade turned and walked away from Maggottail, into the eerie silence of the dank, dark gray trees and the damp, wreathing fog. She walked for awhile, having no location in mind. However, she soon noticed that she was heading in one direction in particular, as though something was guiding her paws. Wondering what was going on, Mapleshade stopped to think. "What 's happening?" Mapleshade thought. But confused as she was, Mapleshade shrugged and continued, wondering what the destination was. Suddenly, a thick, choking mist swirled in front of her, as though blocking her from whatever lied ahead. Mapleshade swallowed nervously, and walked through the thick fog. When she thought she had gone too far and was now lost among the mist, Mapleshade gasped as the fog quickly cleared unexpectedly, revealing a small clearing. In the middle of the clearing, it's back facing her, sat a small kit.