One fateful night, Olivestar stood atop of the great cliff, announcing recent GaleClan news to the cats below. The moon shone on her white fur, making her seem like the embodiment of light.

"Recently, two of our kits have become apprentices," her elegant tail flicked to point out two small, giddy cats. "Marapaw and Milkypaw!"

Cats all around cheered with glee the young cat's names. Milkypaw rasped his tongue over his chest, clearly nervous while Marapaw stood tall. The two cats were the kits of a group of loners who had joined GaleClan a few moons earlier, and since then they had fit into the clan quite well.

Olivestar's green gaze found their father Winstongaze chatting with a couple of RowanClan warriors, while his mate Pearlfur and her brother Chadstorm communicated with the medicine cats of all five clans.

The white-furred leader continued speaking to the crowd. "We've noticed that the winds have picked up, and have become stronger than usual," she spoke with a hint of concern in her voice. "We worry that a terrible storm may be approaching our clan, so we've had to move our camp into the gorge, where no debris should wreck our most vulnerable clanmates,"

"I've also noticed the winds as well," Falconstar of MaelstromClan added. "Are there anymore gorges near yours that we could use in the worst case scenario?"

Olivestar thought carefully. "There were two other pits, not quite as large as ours, but still fit enough for another clan," she turned to look at Falconstar. "And if it's not enough, GaleClan would be more than welcome to let you in,"

The dark brown leader nodded, while Egretstar of RowanClan rolled her eyes. "Trust GaleClan to suck up to the other clans," she muttered bitterly.

Olivestar stepped back, and a shadow fell over the cats. She looked up to see that clouds had fallen over the moon. Clouds? But no cat did anything wrong... she thought with worry.

"This gathering is at an end!" Egretstar declared, and she leaped off the Great Cliff.

Falconstar, Laurelstar, and Goatstar followed not long after. Olivestar hesitated, gazing up at the clouded moon one last time before leaping off the cliff. "GaleClan!" She called. The group of cats she had brought with her followed as she lead them out of the gathering hollow.

Her deputy, Lappingwave, strided up to walk by his leader's side. His blue eyes held concern. "Olivestar, might we wanna hustle so we can get home? I smell a rainstorm on the way,"

"Perhaps," she whispered. "But keep in mind we have young cats with us. And a pregnant one," he tail flicked towards Polarisfoot, her sister who was expecting.

Lappingwave sighed. "True, but what if the wind picks up again? I don't want to risk Polarisfoot's life, and surely you don't either. As the clan deputy and her mate, it's my duty to keep everyone involved safe,"

"We'll be fine," Olivestar reassured the grey tomcat. She kept guiding her clan as they left the trees.

The environment shifted, and a loud clap of thunder was heard. The group halted, and glanced at the sky. Heavy rains began to pour down on them, and the wind whistled and howled, threatening to blow them off their paws.

"GaleClan!" Olivestar cried. "To me!"

The cats bundled closer to their leader, worried and fretting amongst themselves. The clan's medicine cat, Punpkinnose, approached Olivestar. "Something isn't right," she whispered fiercely. "This... this doesn't feel like a storm sent from StarClan,"

"Then who is it? The Place of No Stars?" Olivestar questioned, feeling doubtful.

Pumpkinnose fell silent, hurrying over to assist Polarisfoot.

Olivestar felt sick to her stomach. Would the Dark Forest cats really dare to try and harm her clan with this storm? Are they even strong enough to do that?

Her eyes darted to the entrance to one of the nearby underground tunnels. Feeling confident, she raised her tail to alert the clan. "GaleClan! Until the storm calms down, we will wait inside the underground caves. There should be enough room for everyone inside,"

She looked at her deputy. "Lappingwave. Can you run back to the camp to alert the others? You can stay there for the night, if you wish, or take some cats hunting. Your call,"

Lappingwave hesitated, his blue eyes flashing towards his mate. Polarisfoot purred. "I'll be fine, dear. It's just a tunnel, it isn't going to kill me or the kits!"

Finally, the deputy sighed in submission. "I'll go," he decided, and soon sprinted towards camp in the midst of the storm.

Meanwhile, Olivestar stood at the entrance of the stone tunnel, beckoning everyone to climb in. "Pumpkinnose, Polarisfoot and the apprentices should go first," she instructed. "Everyone else will climb in after. Head to the main cave with the opening. Understood?"

Pumpkinnose nodded, and ushered the others to follow her. Olivestar peaked her head into the hole. "How is it in there?" She called, her voice echoing.

She heard her medicine cat's voice call back. "It's all stone in here. Nobody should be able to die of a collapse or anything. It's a little chilly, but it's not like we'll be in here for long,"

Olivestar glanced back at her clan. The warriors were glancing uneasily at each other, as though they didn't want to go in.

"You all may as well follow them," she told her warriors. "I'll follow you in once I'm sure that my clan is safe and sound,"

As the warriors slowly filed in, Myrtlehop, one of Olivestar's most trusted warriors, approached her. "What about Lappingwave?" He asked.

The white-pelted leader sighed. "I'll sleep by the entrance and wait for him to come with a patrol. You should really go with the others, Myrtlehop. I'll be okay,"

Hesitantly, the Siamese tom followed his clan mates inside. The stone was close to touch, but the warmth of her clan mates bodies standing close certainly helped. She followed them through the tunnel, her tail brushing the cave walls.

Up ahead, she swore she saw a shred of light. In the main cave, there was a small crack in the ceiling that let a little bit of daylight in. Hope flickered in her chest. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad.

Suddenly, one of the younger cats let out a screech. Before Olivestar could correct their behaviour, the light in the cave went out, leaving the clan cats in pitch black. Some warriors hissed, while others cowered close to their kin.

"Is everyone alright?" She called to her warriors. The leader's whiskers twitched, and she thought she could feel the cats beside her nodding their heads.

The peace didn't last long as a sudden, violent tremor made the stone caves tremble. The youngest apprentices could be heard squealing as they tried to squeeze through the others.

"Stay here!" Winstongaze snapped at his kits, a slight shakiness in his normally calm voice.

Olivestar's fur prickled as she felt someone breathing on her neck. She yowled, spinning around to be face to face with an unfamiliar cat.

"Hello GaleClan," the mysterious tomcat purred. His pink eyes glowed in the dark, enough for Olivestar to make out what he looked like. It appeared that this cat had purplish-grey and white fur. It's so... unnatural... the leader shivered. He radiated a freezing temperature.

"Hello Olivestar," he stared at her for a moment. The strange cat's gaze travelled the group, even stopping to stare at a few cats.

He stood tall. "Perhaps I should introduce myself. "My name is Umbra. I've roamed these tunnels for more moons than there has been your precious clans. They are my home, and you are trespassing,"

A few of the older warriors hissed. Olivestar swished her tail, hushing them. "I apologize for trespassing," she told this Umbra cat. "Me and my clan were travelling home from a gathering when that storm hit us. If it were a lot gentler perhaps we could've made it home in time,"

She held his gaze, her green eyes determined. "I only wanted to keep my clan mates safe. If I'd known there were cats already living down here I would've never lead my own down here. I'm sorry,"

She lowered her head, hoping that her speech would've convinced the stranger to let them stay.

But instead, he snorted, sounding amused. "You clan cats are all the same," he sneered. "You think you can take my home? Think again. Anyone who comes here lives by my rules,"

Pumpkinnose had weaved her way through the uneasy crowd, standing by her leader's side. "We only wish to stay for the night, Umbra sir. We have young and old cats here, as well as a pregnant one. We have no reason to stay for a long period of time when we already have a home. As soon as the sun rises, we will be gone,"

Olivestar nodded,  and admired Pumpkinnose in that brief moment. She was glad to have such a wise medicine cat by her side.

Umbra growled. "Oh really?" He replied, in an almost dangerously curious tone. "Well that's just unfortunate, now is it? For you, at least. For me, this is actually perfect, just perfect,"

Olivestar felt a chill in the depths of her fur as Umbra bared his teeth at her maliciously. "You see, I'm not what you call a normal cat. I have abilities beyond the scope of any of your clan legends. I don't get visitors very often, but when I do I like to... play little games with them..."

The white-furred leader glared at the grey and white stranger. "What do you mean?"

Umbra stood his ground. "You and your clan mates must live down in my tunnels. You will stay here as long as you live, and use the main cave as your camp. If you are able to adapt and survive in these tunnels, I will consider letting you leave,"

Consider? Olivestar felt sick to her stomach. Who does he think he is, trying to keep us captive like this?

She heard a snarl from one of her senior warriors. "What happens if we try to leave? There's only one of you, and a whole clan of us. You'd very likely die,"

There was a still silence. Umbra'e startling pink eyes flashed in the darkness. He turned to face a cat near the main tunnel. "Let the brown and cream apprentice step forwards," he meowed loudly.

Milkypaw. Olivestar glanced back at the young tomcat's parents. Both of them looked terrified, and Winstongaze was glaring hatefully at Umbra.

The apprentice huddled close to Olivestar, trying to seek warmth in her long fur. She allowed him too, wrapping her tail around the shaking cat.

"Young one," Umbra smiled at him, a smile that was sickly and sweet. "Kindly tell your clan mates what you saw in the tunnel,"

Milkypaw tried to stand still, his fur prickling with visible fear. He shouted shakily aloud words that pierced every cat's hearts.

"I-I saw Lappingwave! H-he was lying on the stone, all injured, and torn up, a-and bloody! I-it's really him!"

Olivestar felt genuine horror. But he left to get help! Oh StarClan, did Umbra find him somehow?

Pumpkinnose seemed to remain calm amongst the chaos. "From my understanding, if we try to leave, we'll be just as mauled as Lappingwave?" She asked.

Umbra's tail flicked. "That, and perhaps worse depending on the mood I'm in when you find me," he spoke eerily. The tomcat flashed his pink gaze over the clan cats one last time before vanishing into the shadows.

Wails echoed across the cave walls as the GaleClan cats panicked.

"He killed my mate!" Polarisfoot cried.

"Our clan deputy! He doesn't deserve a death like this!" Snapfern mewed bitterly.

"Yeah! If this cat is really as strong as he says, then we're up against a tough opponent," his mate Marigoldflick agreed.

Olivestar picked her way through the crowd, standing in front of her distressed clan mates.
"I believe the first thing we should do is get some rest. It's been a tough night, and I think it'd be in everyone's best interest to properly discuss our situation with a clear mind,"

The cats nodded slowly and hesitantly. Although they were soothed, they realized the true danger they were in. They had no option but to comply to whatever wicked scheme Umbra was brewing.

Perhaps with, yes, a clear mind, they may find a way to overcome this...

***

Welcome to In the Dark!

In this command game, you take on the role of Olivestar, the leader of GaleClan. You and several of your clanmates have been trapped in underground tunnels by a mysterious cat named Umbra. You must now adapt to living clan life in these tunnels, or risk death...

This game is very simple. First you'll read a chapter of the story that takes place after this Prolouge. Then, you'll be given a choice, and will have to vote with other readers. The winning choice will be the beginning of the next story, and will determine how and if you survive in the tunnels.

Most times your choices will be restricted to 2-4 options. However, in some cases like with our dead deputy, the readers will have full reign over who to chose. They can pick anyone they want, but be warned that every choice has its consequences...

Good luck, young leaders...