(Cat above is Yarrowleaf)

"Are we ready to begin?" Creekstar mewed.

Losttail sat beside Berryseed, an uneasy feeling gnawing at her stomach. She glanced over at Yarrowleaf who sat a few pawsteps away from them, his head down and fur slightly bristled. According to the other medicine cats, he had isolated himself the minute he got there and he hadn't said one word to any cat.

She padded over to him at sat down. "Yarrowleaf, are you okay?"

"No." Yarrowleaf answered, not looking up.

"What's bothering you?"

Yarrowleaf let his fur lie flat. "Everything. I never wanted to see the Dark Forest return." He glanced over at Berryseed. "I want what Berryseed wants; a chance to avenge my family."

Losttail gently rested a paw on his shoulder. "What happened?"

"Meet me here tomorrow night. I'll tell you everything."

*

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*

Losttail paced anxiously in the medicine den. Just as she feared, the other three clans had all lost at least one warrior in the past few days. ShadowClan lost Shellpatch, WindClan lost Bushytail and RiverClan lost Vixenwish.

She stuck her head out of the den and gazed at the sun. Tonight she would be heading back to fourtrees to meet with Yarrowleaf. Why does he want to avenge his family?

Ducking back into the medicine den, she saw Berryseed dozing in his nest. Gazing at him, Losttail noticed injuries on him she hadn't before. His shoulders were marked with a few scars, one ear had a nick in it, and his legs also had a few scars. Those must be from the last battle with the Dark Forest.

Since her mentor was asleep, Losttail padded around and looked for Tigergrowl. She spotted her father sitting with Mossshade a few tail-lengths away from the warriors' den. Since her mother's death, Losttail found comfort in the black she cat. She had been amazed at how much Mossshade and her mother were alike, which made sense since Mossshade was her aunt.

Losttail padded over to them, flashing them both a small smile. Tigergrowl gave her ear an affectionate lick while Mossshade laid her tail over her back.

"How are you?" Mossshade asked.

Losttail opened her mouth to answer but she soon closed it. "What's bothering you?" Tigergrowl mewed.

"...I can't do it," Losttail whispered. "I can't defeat them. They keep taunting me, killing warriors."

"Then don't listen to them."

Losttail looked over her shoulder to find Nighthowl joining them. His eyes shone with compassion, care, support and his smile was full of sympathy. "If they taunt you, ignore them. You're stronger than them. You may not be leader but you'll lead the clans into the battle against the Dark Forest and I'll stand beside you and I'll be there every pawstep of the way."

Losttail smiled. Rule or no rule this was why she loved Nighthowl and she had to tell him. But not right now, she thought.

"We all will." Tigergrowl added.

"Thank you." Losttail mewed.

She snapped her head around when she heard the rustling of the medicine den as Berryseed's gray bengal pelt emerged. She excused herself from the three warriors and ran over to meet him.

"Berryseed," Losttail meowed. "I must go into the forest tonight."

"Why?" The ThunderClan medicine cat asked. "Who are you meeting?"

Losttail starred at him for a moment. How does he know I'm meeting someone?! "I'm going to fourtrees to meet with Yarrowleaf."

Berryseed lowered his head. "He said he never wanted to talk about it." He whispered.

"Talk about what?" Losttail asked lowering her head so she could meet her mentor's eyes.

Berryseed looked up. "You need to hear it from him."

Losttail closed her eyes and thought back to what Yarrowleaf told her. I want what Berryseed wants; a chance to avenge my family. When she opened her eyes, Berryseed was no longer in front of her, but ducking into Rabbitstar's den.

Losttail padded back to the medicine den and curled up to rest, preparing for her journey and meeting with Yarrowleaf.

*

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*

Losttail's paws silently crept forward. She was crouched low to the ground as she made her way to fourtrees. The forest was silent except for the quiet blowing of the wind and rustling of the leaves.

Before long, she made it to the fallen tree her clan had cross to get to fourtrees. She leapt onto it and gracefully jumped to the other side. A couple of pawsteps later, the big oaks of fourtrees came into view.

Yarrowleaf was waiting in the clearing, his head down and eyes closed. Losttail cautiously padded up to him, not wanting to disturb him.

"You're alone, right?" Yarrowleaf asked, not opening his eyes.

"Yes." Losttail answered. "What do you have to tell me?"

Yarrowleaf opened his eyes. Sadness and anger shone in the medicine cat's green eyes. "That day," He meowed quietly. "My sister was killed along with our foster mother. I mourned, didn't smile, just as Berryseed did but not as long."

Losttail felt a pang of sympathy for the snowy white cat. It appeared that he was reliving something he wanted to forget. Then she turned her head, confused. Foster mother?

"What do you mean 'foster mother'?" Losttail asked, sitting down next to him.

Yarrowleaf let out a deep sigh. "My sister and I were not raised by our parents." He began. "Our mother died during our birth and our father died shortly after during a badger attack. So we we given to one our our queens who had recently had her kits." He wrapped his tail around his paws. "Do you know Shelltail, Quailleap, and Ivywing?"

Losttail nodded. She remembered seeing the three gray siblings at gatherings. They were some of the finest warriors in RiverClan.

"Well, they along with Creekstar are my foster siblings." Yarrowleaf heaved a sigh from the depths of his chest. "Stonefall and Silvesong loved me and Snowpaw like we were their own."

Losttail's heart swelled with sympathy. The dark forest had taken so much from Berryseed, Yarrowleaf and most likely the other clans. Her anger with the dark forest strengthened, but she pushed it aside for the moment.

"Anyway," Yarrowleaf continued, "I witnessed that battle; four clans against the dark forest. I stood by with the medicine cats and watched my clanmates and other warriors and apprentices die. I saw Berryseed sitting by his family with his head bowed in pain and grief. Once I saw his pain, my own came when one of my clanmates told me Snowpaw and Silversong were dead."

Losttail stared at the medicine cat. She had never experienced such great sorrow. The only grief she ever felt was her mother's death. She focused her eyes on the white cat and then on the stars. I will stop the Dark Forest! No cat should ever have to experience loss like this.

Yarrowleaf sensed what she thinking. "You can do it." He mewed, getting up. "All the clans will follow you, be beside you, and protect you when the time comes."

He flicked his tail in acknowledgment before bounding away. Losttail stood there, alone. She turned around and made her way back to camp, figuring she could still manage to get some sleep before dawn. However, she  nearly jumped out of her fur when she heard a cat call her name.

"Losttail."

Losttail whipped around. Standing there was a black tom with a white paw. His pelt had a ghostly outline. Losttail he could see right through it and barely make out his fur color.

"Who are you?" She asked.

The ghostly tom didnt reply. Losttail could see his yellow eyes study her. After a couple of heartbeats, he spoke. "My name is Nightcloud."

He sat down and unsheathed his claws.
"I'm from the dark forest."

Dun dun dun( ending's not that dramatic). Sorry I haven't updated in a while. Been busy with school and brainstorming where I'm going with this story. Chapters should be coming more often now that school's almost over and I've got good ideas for chapters.

See ya guys!🐾🐾🐾🐾