Crystalkit's POV

  Crystalkit bounded forwards to the rolling green hills in the distance, where it was paradise. The skies were always blue there, and birds chirped, the sweet scent of flowers wafting through the air.

  But no matter how she tried, she couldn't get there.

  She was stuck in a dark, slimy forest with tall slender trees stretching to the sky, blocking out any light-if there was any in the first place.

  Crystalkit, once again, tried running towards the rolling green hills and the lovely lake. Somehow in her heart, she knew she didn't belong there. But she didn't belong here either.

  And somehow in her heart, she knew that was StarClan...and this was the Dark Forest.

  Suddenly a screech filled with pain split the night air, causing her fur to bristle and her ears to prick. Someone's in trouble! she panicked, dashing toward the sound.

  She sped through the dark trees, shapes and sights blurring behind her as she picked up pace. She stopped short when she saw where the sounds had been coming from.

  "Tigerpaw?"she gasped, tears welling up in her eyes. The handsome, brave apprentice's flank had been ripped, his muzzle slashed, ear tip torn. Tigerpaw raised his head to look at Crystalkit. His eyes filled with relief, then with horror.

  "Go!"he rasped, causing more blood to flow from his wounds. "It's a trap! Go before they find you!"

  But Crystalkit was frozen in place, crying with tears streaming down her cheeks, staring at the only tom who really understood her.

  "Well, well, well,"a dark, forbidding voice sneered. Crystalkit whipped around to see a pair of amber eyes glowing from the shadows. "I wondered when I'd be seeing you."

  Crystalkit gasped."Who-who are you?"she trembled, tears flowing even faster.

  "You may call me Shadeheart,"she she-cat chuckled softly. "Such a weak, pathetic little thing... Look how she cries... I don't understand why I ever wanted you as my apprentice."

  "What?"she breathed, shocked. "You wanted me to be your apprentice?"

  "I did,"Shadeheart admitted. "But no more. For I have found an even better apprentice. He or she has great potential, more than you could ever have." She sneered. 

  Who is her apprentice?

  As if she had heard her thoughts, Shadeheart smirked terrifyingly. "Now, I can't go giving away my secrets, can I?" she crooned, amber eyes unblinking and fixated on Crystalkit. "But I can give you a little clue-my apprentice will betray LakeClan."

  Crystalkit blinked. A LakeClan cat would betray them! Who would be so evil! She shuddered in disgust. 

  "Crystalkit!"the voice came from far away. Suddenly, she felt out of breath, her heart throbbing with fear as her paws began to shimmer and blink, like they were disappearing. Panic pounded at her chest. What's happening to me?Shadeheart looked slightly shocked, but a moment later she smirked slyly. "I'll see you again," she breathed sneeringly in Crystalpaw's ear, causing her to shiver in fear. "Sooner than you think."

  "Crystalkit!"

  She heard that voice again, and she thought of an angel in disguise. They're coming to save me, she thought in relief.

  She blinked her eyes open to the LakeClan medicine cats' den, Dawndrop's surprised face over hers. "You're awake!"

  Crystalkit blinked groggily, trying to refocus on her current state. Her flank was wrapped with cobwebs and sticky poultice stuck to her skin, and her frame was distinctly thinner, like she hadn't eaten in a moon.

  She hadn't eaten in a moon.

  Dawndrop exhaled in relief. "You're finally, finally awake."

  "Why am I in the medicine cats' den?" she asked, senses coming back. "Why am I injured?"

  "Because Shadowpaw clawed you pretty nastily,"Dawndrop replied. "Remember? Good news, by the way. You're my apprentice now."

  Crystalkit had very mixed feelings about this. On one paw, she was honored; but on the other paw, she would never fulfill her dream of becoming leader-ever.

  "So..."she rasped, then tried again. "So... I'm your apprentice."

  Dawndrop nodded, eyes gleaming. "I should tell Ripplestar you're awake. Then he'll hold your ceremony at sundown."

  "What...time is it?"Crystalkit questioned.

  "Sunrise,"Dawndrop told her. "Ripplestar called a meeting at sunhigh discussing the battle."

  "Wait...What battle?"Crystalpaw blinked. Dawndrop grimaced. "A bloody one for sure. Tigerpaw found some hawk bones over at the border with MountainClan, and Ripplestar wants us to attack tomorrow at sunrise."

  Tigerpaw. The name warmed her chest.

  "Can I go out?"she asked eagerly, sounding like a 2 moon old little kit. To her disappointment, Dawndrop shook her head firmly. "Only if you eat your carp first. You do realise you haven't eaten in a month, do you?"

  When Crystalkit shook her head, Dawndrop rolled her eyes. "Such a daft apprentice,"she muttered. "Just eat." 

  She rolled a carp towards her with a paw, and Crystalkit, anxious to get up, devoured the carp in a few bites and dashed out of the medicine cat's den.

  "Crystalkit!"

  Coral greeted her, racing over and swiping her tongue over her kit's body. "You're finally awake!"

  Crystalkit ducked away, embarrased. "Mom!"

  "Sorry, sorry, darling!" Coral straightened up. "It's all mummy's fault. I'm sorry. You're finally awake! How are you feeling?"

  "Good,"Crystalkit muttered, edging around her mother. "Bye!"

  She took off running, ignoring the cries of shock and welcome from her fellow LakeClan clanmates. She was desperate to get away from her overprotective mother. Maybe Shadowkit is better off, after all...she thought bitterly.

  At that moment, she crashed into a muscle-hardened black pelt.

  "Shadowkit!"

  Crystalkit started slowly backing away, knees trembling with fear. "S-Stay away!" she cried, looking for help.

  There was none. They were in a secluded corner of the camp.

  Shadowkit leaned over her, amber eyes slits of hatred and poised confidently.

  "You stay away from me,"Shadowkit hissed. "Believe me when I say I'm not the same timid kit I was."

  Shadowkit straightened up, snarling with fury, claws unsheathed, fangs bared. "By the way," she breathed in Crystalkit's ear. "It's Shadowpaw now. And I will have my revenge on you."

  With that, she smirked and strode away.

  Crystalkit shuddered with fear. Visions of cats with red eyes and slavering jaws swam before her eyes, and she choked, digging her claws into the ground. "What happened since I was out?" she breathed in horror.

Shadowpaw's POV

  Shadowpaw hated Crystalkit. She should have died in that medicine cat's den.

  Which meant Shadowpaw had to work harder to succeed in her revenge, whatever it would be. And by working harder, the first step she would have to take was going to the MountainClan battle briefing.

  She hurried into the center of the clearing. The LakeClan cats had already gathered there, are were waiting, heads tilted upwards, to the HighBranch Hollow where Ripplestar lived in.

  Soon, as the hunting patrol returned from Bluewater Lake carrying all kinds of prey- carp, pike, trout- Ripplestar finally emerged from the hollow and stared down imperiously on his clan.

  Shadowpaw snorted. What kind of leader was the last one to elect Ripplestar, of all cats, as deputy? But, in his own way, he is a respected leader, Shadowpaw admitted grudgingly. He's just rather bias.

  "Let all cats old enough to fish and swim gather here beneath the HighBranch for a clan meeting!" Ripplestar's yowl brought her back to reality, and she pricked up her ears to listen intently, so she could report back to Cloudstar.

  "As you all know," Ripplestar began, once they had all settled down, "We are here to talk about the attack plans of the upcoming war with MountainClan, who have been caught prey-stealing."

  At once, yowl and caterwauls broke out among the LakeClan cats, some hissing for revenge, some for justice. "Quiet!" Ripplestar hissed. "Wildsky and I together have decided the best way to attack is stealthily. We will not invade them, because our cats haven't been trained for mountain fighting."

  Oh, yes, Shadowpaw thought scathingly. Ripplestar just doesn't want to admit we can't attack MountainClan because we're not strong enough.

  "So,"Ripplestar continued. "Tomorrow, at sunrise, we will send our strongest few fighters to confront the dawn patrol. Grassflame, Lightwhisper, Cedarpelt and Wildsky, you shall confront their dawn patrol that we know about the prey stealing. If they refuse, you attack. If they say it is true, it means they don't follow the warrior code, so to bring back justice, we shall attack as well. Meanwhile, two battle patrols will be hiding behind you in the grass. If you can't deal with them, we shall send one battle patrol out from the grass. That should be enough to hold them captive so one of the MountainClan cats can go warn Cloudstar."

  Ripplestar paused. Just as I predicted, thought Shadowpaw. A sneak attack. "Then, once Cloudstar arrives, the first patrol shall attack them. Once you've tired them out, the second battle patrol will join you and the war shall be won. We will prevail!"

  "We will prevail!" Shadowpaw's clanmates yowled. "We will prevail!"

  "The first battle patrol will be led by me, and will be hiding to the right of Grassflame's patrol," Ripplestar explained. "The cats in my patrol are Lightningblaze, Minnowpaw, Adderstrike, Sandfrost and Tigerpaw. The other patrol, hiding to the left, will be led by Pineflower, and the cats in it will be Wavepaw, Brackenstorm, Birchwave, Coral... and Shadowpaw, I suppose," Ripplestar looked down at his apprentice with a sneer. He wants me to get killed. "I don't think anybody will try to attack the camp while we're out," Ripplestar said. "So we won't spare any warriors. Dawndrop, you should also come with us to tend to any wounded cat."

  Dawndrop dipped her head. "Of course, Ripplestar," she meowed. "I shall prepare my herbs immediately after the meeting."

  Ripplestar gave Dawndrop a brief, curt nod. "This meeting is over. Clan dismissed!" he announced, and slipped back into the shade of HighBranch Hollow.

  Shadowpaw's dark amber eyes gleamed in the sun. Good. This was just the information she needed. As the clan disbanded, Shadowpaw walked up to Wildsky and dipped her head, eyes downcast in a display of meekness. "Pardon me, Wildsky," she lisped. "Could I please go on a hunting patrol?"

  "You're getting on well," the deputy praised. She looked over the heads of all the cats. "Well, every cat is too busy either celebrating or sharing tongues right now, so I suppose you can go by yourself."

  Shadowpaw cheered inwardly. This was what she had been waiting for. "Thank you, Wildsky," she purred, and shot of like a trail of smoke.

  She dashed towards the MountainClan border, skimming across erocks. Soon she was well into the heart of their territory. "I recognize that weird trio of rocks over there," she murmered to herself. "And that small patch of moss. I'm getting close to the cave."

  So the apprentice bounded on, soon arriving at the cave entrance. She squeezed into the tunnel on the right and entered the camp, dipping her head and responding as some of the MountainClan cats called out friendly greetings, hailing her.

  "Greetings again, Taloncry," she nodded to the large tabby deputy. "I'm here to report to Cloudstar."

  "Greetings," Taloncry replied. "I'll escort you there."

  Shadowpaw followed Taloncry to Cloudstar's small but comfy den, and reported the afternoon's happenings to the leader. After she finished, Cloudstar nodded. "thank you for telling me all of this, Shadowpaw. You may stay for a meal , and then go."

  Shadowpaw thanked the leader in gratitude, and grabbed a mouse from the fresh-kill pile. "Thank you for your hospitality, but I must leave now," she told Taloncry. Wildsky will begin to get suspicious."

  "Of course," Taloncry mewed. "Blazebloom, Leafspring, escort Shadowpaw back to Pinemoss Boulders," he instructed. "Until we meet again. May StarClan light your path."

  "And yours as well," Shadowpaw meowed, and turned to follow the two warriors. When they arrived at Pinemoss Boulders(they were all covered in pine leaves and moss), Shadowpaw thanked them. "Good luck," Shadowpaw meowed quietly, then leaped over the border, back to camp.

Crystalkit's POV

  "Let all cats old enough to fish and swim gather here beneath the HighBranch for a clan meeting!" Ripplestar called loudly. Crystalkit leaped up with a jump. Her apprentice ceremony! "Keep still," Coral scolded, swiping her wet tongue over Crystalkit's pelt, smoothing down ruffles and causing it to gleam in the setting sun.

  "As we all know by now, Crystalkit, who has been in the medicine cat's den for a moon, has finally healed!" Ripplestar meowed, shooting a poisonous glare at Shadowpaw, who smirked back up at him. "Now it is time for her to become an apprentice!"

  Coral stepped backwards and Crystalkit rose up onto her legs at the words,"Crystalkit, come forwards."

  "Crystalkit,"Ripplestar announced,"From this day, until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Crystalpaw, an apprentice of LakeClan. Dawndrop," he went on, swivelling his gray head to loom at the medicine cat,"Do you take this apprentice as yours?"

  "I do,"she said with pride, nodding slightly at Crystalpaw.

  "StarClan,"Ripplestar continued, "I ask you to guide this new apprentice. Please watch over her and guide her paws along the path of becoming a full medicine cat. Welcome, Crystalpaw."

  "Crystalpaw! Crystalpaw!" all the LakeClan cats yowled, blinking affectionately at her. All of Crystalpaw's clanmates were looking at her with pride and joy, excpet for one.

  Shadowpaw was glaring at her, hate and fury swirling in the depths of her amber orbs.

  What happened before I was injured?

  She only remembered bits of it- Shadowpaw biting her shoulder, clawing her flank and belly, backflip-kicking and tearing her muzzle-

  She reeled in shock. Where had Shadowpaw learned those moves? She was only a kit then...

  No...It can't be...

  Shadowpaw was the LakeClan traitor.

Riddle:

How are Graystripe, Firestar and Bluestar all related? Explain in detail. DON'T SEARCH IT ONLINE or it will not be a fair game.

OMG 2301 WORDS???? NEVER EVER WRITTEN ANYTHING SO LONG :O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O

Wow. No wonder I won't be posting Chapter 10 for so long.