The Place of No Stars

As Thornstar approached her, she flexed her claws into the cold, marshy earth. "Well that was productive." She said. Thornstar didn't reply. "So, who will you choose as your heir? Two more possibilities have just been born. Quailfeather's kits. Their mother died during the process."

Darkwing slunk away from the StarClan border and stretched, "we could have done better," she yawned.

"My heir.." Thornstar muttered in thought, "my heir indeed"

Blacknettle tossed a leaf with her paw, and sliced it into shreds mid-air. "Wildfire is strong. But I sense strength in Fallowkit as well. Earthpaw is worthless." She approached Thornstar slowly, whispering in his ear, "but of course, in the end it's your choise... your prophecy."

"Indeed, Wildfire is strong, but Fallowkit has a fresh mind, untainted by the clan's weakness" Thornstar muttered, "though, the tom River has a strong mind as well."

Blacknettle felt her tail curl. "Yes... although he shared Kittypet blood," she said with ahiss of disgust, "his mind is not filled with the poison of clan law and loyalty. He will be easy to convince."

"Yes, but think, his father did nothing to stop his mother from being driven away, that will strengthen his mind towards kittypets" Thornstar pointed out, "but Fallowkit, his mother died during birth, we could explain how his clan didn't save her," he added.

"Yes... Fallowkit would be my choice. He should be the chosen one. But, I do think it is worth talking to River in his dreams as well."

"Fallowkit is my decision, the others will be trained but Fallowkit first and foremost," Thornstar mewed, "I shall visit my heir tonight."

Blacknettle laid her ears back. "But he's too young, he hasn't been alive for a day yet!" She stopped herself. She couldn't let her strong mothering side show. It was her only weakness, because before she had met Thornstar, and shortly afterward, kits had been her life.

(Thronstar probably wouldn't like her for that. He would know that was her weakness, and would try to break it out of her.)

"So he is fresh and untainted by his clan," Thornstar mewed, "or had you forgotten our goal."

"But he's still a kit... what do you plan to do with him before he has even opened his eyes? Can kits that young even have dreams!?" She tried deprately to hide her worry for the kit, but she knew she had failed miserably. "No, I have not forgotten our plan... my love."

"You must forget your weaknesses Blacknettle, then, and only then can you discover your true power," Thornstar mewed.

"Of course." Blacknettle said, dipping her head. At this very moment for the first time in her life, she felt as though she were in the power of Thornstar, rather than having power over others along his side. It wasn't a nice feeling.

((What time of day is it?))

"Now, it is nearly sundown, I must go meet my heir" Thornstar mewed.

Blacknettle could feel the full moon even though she could not see one. Rousing from a half-sleep, she licked Thornstar's ear before silently making her way through the forest, winding through the trees as smoothly as a fish.
Finally she sat down, and listened to the cats at the gathering. She felt tension between the clans, and realised it was Heronstar, the leader of her clan. He was making a fool of MarshClan! How dare he! She let out a hiss, and nearly leapt to her feet in alarm when she felt a silent presence behind her.
It was Kestrelstar of MountainClan. He looked at her unblinkingly, no emotion in his eyes. "Reputation doesn't matter, as long as the true strength is there."
If it had been any other cat, she would have spat back, "Reputation is strength you fool!" But because it was Kestrelstar, she stayed silent.
The massive, ancient cat, his pelt so see-through he was merely a ghostly wisp of mist, his feet drifting across the ground without stirring a blade of grass.
Kestrelstar had been given a respect that Blacknettle didn't understand. He had once been a StarClan cat, but had chosen a life as a Dark Forest cat, despite having done no evil in his life.
"Kestrelstar, you know so much. You are so old, that there is a rumour you were alive when Mountain still ruled the clan, only moons after the clans were first created. Why don't you help us? Be on our side?"
Kestrelstar's expression never changed as he spoke. "I do not take sides, Blacknettle. That was a decision I made long ago. I am not good, nor evil. My purpose was simply to live in my clan, and for my clan."
Blacknettle despised his vagueness. "Well, at least help me judge his decisions?"
Kestrelstar shifted positions, so he was lying on his forepaws. "You doubt his decision to choose that kit to fulfil the prophecy." He stated.
Blacknettle narrowed her eyes, although avoiding his piercing gaze, one that seemed to see right into every secret you held. How had he known this? "No, I don't doubt who he chose, I doubt how old he has chosen to begin training. He's only a kit..."
Kestrelstar closed his eyes. "Your mother-sense is holding you back from what you really want. You a blind unless you put that behind you."
Blacknettle thought. "So you think that he should be doing this? I am I just being a weak fool by feeling this?"
Kestrelstar's whisker's twitched. "I never said that. Blacknettle, some would say your mother-sense is the only non-evil part of you. I was there when the ancients were deciding your fate. I helped. If it had been my choice, I would have put you in StarClan."
Blacknettle stood, trying to make sense of what he was saying. She soon gave up, annoyed. "Well, thank you Kestrelstar. Good night."

((EDIT: Wow this is a big post.))

Nightwing heard hushed voices as she strolled through the Dark Forest. She followed the sound cautiously, seen only by the star-less sky. She could scent her sister over the dank mossy smell of the forest. "Sister?" she mewed, her voice barely more than a whisper.

Blacknettle greeted her sister with a glare. "I was talking with Kesterlstar. He thinks... nothing."
She clawed at the moss, agrivated. "Have you seen the allies recently?"

((just go along with it. Let's make the plot up as we go.))

"Does he ever think anything?" Nightwing mewed. "And my answer to your question depends on who's allies you speak of."

"Thornstar's.. Nightwing I worry about your loyalty sometimes. You can't be split between two sides." Blacknettle whispered, lowering her breath to little than a stir in the air.

((Um... Just making it up as I go along. Is this okay?))

"You know my loyalties lie wherever your's do, Sister. I was merely pointing out how vague your question was." Nightwing mewed calmly.

((Nightwing just went to the Dark Forest because she was loyal to her sister, she wasn't actually evil, 'kay?))

Blacknettle didn't reply and moved on. "But Ivystripe's league? How are they doing?" She said in a sarcastic manner, refeering to Ivystripe, the Dark Forest cat who had different ideas about certain things.

((You can roleplay her if you want? And decide on her "different ideas"))

"I have seen Ivystripe passing through the trees but you know I am loyal only to you," Nightwing mewed.

"Thank you sister." Blacknettle licked her sister's ear warmly, and then put her chin on her paws to rest.