Storytime With Snowfoot #1: The Dark Forest (open)

Snowfoot sat outside the elders’ den, head shaking sadly as she surveyed the camp. Several warriors were gone, and many more injured, grief-stricken, or both. The next generation needed to be better. “Storytime!” she called. She knew kits and apprentices would mostly come, but this was open to all.

Swiftheart glanced up at the elders call. She smiled and nodded slowly going to join by her friends side.


Swiftheart was not a kit or apprentice even if times she still had their energy. But, maybe a story would be good to get her mind off all the things of recent events.

It was the raised voice of an elder that had caught Beetlepaw's attention, although they didn't know who had spoke until they exited the apprentice den, finding a small crowd of cats somewhere enar the elder den. They hadn't heard exactly what Snowfoot had said, but by the lack of urgency, and connecting what little they had heard, it could be assumed that the elder would be telling some kind of story. Conveniently, Beetlepaw wasn't doing anything, and wasn't meant to go out until later. Quickly crossing camp, they approached the elder, looking up to her with wide, curious eyes.

One of Blackpaw’s fondest memories of her kithood was listening to Snowfoot’s tales, and so, as soon as she heard the elder’s voice, the young apprentice immediately trotted over, finding a place near the back. What would it be this time? She had already heard the tale of Murkystar, a strong she-cat with a soul that blazed like the stars themselves. What could Snowfoot possibly have to top that- unless, of course, she wished to speak of what she herself had done. Stories were always more enjoyable when heard directly from the cat who had lived them.

Snowfoot smiled at the small group that gathered. Two apprentices and Swiftheart. Okay, no need to soften this one for small kits, though she hoped it wouldn’t hurt Swiftheart too badly to hear it told.

“Long ago, there was a cat named Dawnhawk of SkyClan, whose heart was filled with anger and hate. He hated his own family so much that he did something awful that got him exiled. We in ShadowClan may never know what he did then, but we know what he did after. When I was just a kit, he raised up an army of rogues and stormed ShadowClan out of his hate for all the clans. I remember hearing the fighting from the nursery, and I remember going to the Gathering and trying to look like we weren’t doing that badly. Maybe if we’d shown our own weakness, the other clans would have taken the danger more seriously. Or, maybe they’d have just attacked us, I don’t know what politics were like then.

Regardless, Dawnhawk went quiet for a moon or two and I thought I’d seen the last of him. Then, at the Gathering, the most awful thing I’ve ever seen happened. The stars disappeared from the night, and Dawnhawk charged into Fourtrees with an army of Dark Forest cats, awful cruel monsters with no right to be living. They told all five clans that StarClan was dead and that we would cooperate, or else face destruction. A few cats stood up against them and were slain. Remember the names of Loudnose and Ratrunner. They were our clanmates and kin, and they died far too soon.

We came home, with a number of Dark Forest cats in tow, and they remained a constant terror in our lives. For moons, the nights were unimaginably dark without the stars and we were not permitted to hold Gatherings. Our medicine cat at the time, Basilbloom, desperately tried to reach StarClan for a sign, but to no avail. Many cats who were apprentices then had no Moonstone trip, including myself.

And then, just when we thought things couldn’t be worse, our leader, Murkystar, died in kitting. She still had lives to spare, but without StarClan she was unable to return to us. Finally, after moons of living under thicker shadows than even we were meant for, bright lights began to flash across the sky as StarClan returned to us! However, it came at a price. Remember the names of Deerleap and Sootwhisker. They gave their lives to bring the stars back to us. A StarClan cat called Redwing gave up her place among the stars for good to lead our fight, and then, so did Murkystar. She gave up all remaining lives and everything she had and was for us. Remember the names of Redwing and Murkystar. Our memories are the only way they can live on.

Our fight to rid ourselves of the Dark Forest filth was fierce. I fought alongside a sister of mine, Dappledlight, to protect our father. We all fought bravely and won, but it would have been so much better if the Dark Forest cats had never come. I hope you remember this, and never go to such horrible extremes as Dawnhawk did for the sake of revenge.”

"Hm." The small apprentice considered Snowfoot's story. It seemed scary, but they couldn't help but wonder if that was the point - if the elder had made it seem worse than it was for the sake of simply telling a scary story. "Surely the Dark Forest isn't that bad. They aren't even around anymore, what could make them that strong to begin with?" Their tone was riddled with suspicion. Even Beetlepaw knew that elders tended to exaggerate. "How would you remember that well if you were so young?"

Snowfoot smiled, a little sadly. “I’m not as old as I seem, Beetlepaw. I retired partly because of injuries, not just from age alone. I’m not the oldest cat in ShadowClan either. There are several cats still here who were already warriors at the time. As for how they got so strong, well, chalk it up to Dawnhawk’s hate. The Dark Forest still exists, which is why I’m telling you all now. It would only take one Dawnhawk to stir them up again.”