He lapped up a few drops from the Moonpool, shivering as he entered the darkness.

He strode forward, looking around. The forest was dark, and water sloshed around below him. Slimy water.

He kept walking forward. This wasn't like StarClan. This was like-

"Welcome to the Dark Forest," a sly voice meowed, echoing his thoughts.

He whirled around, fur bristling. That was the voice that was in his head all the time.

"Woah, slow down, Reignclaw. Like you could hurt me anyway," the voice meowed.

"Are you in my head?" he mumbled.

"Head? No. He's here, guys!" the cat yowled.

The cat in his head, the cat with the sly note in the edge of her voice slid out. She was a pretty tortoiseshell with amber eyes. She was slim and calm as she approached him.

"Welcome, Reignclaw. My name was Petalflower. I used to be a ThunderClan medicine cat," she licked a blood-soaked paw.

Medicine cat? She's way too fierce for a medicine cat! And that blood...that's not medicine catlike! Unless that's the blood of a cat she healed? Or... Reignclaw stared at her.

"I'm not weak, you know," Petalflower growled, "don't underestimate me!"

More cats piled into the clearing.

He looked around. "What are you guys doing here anyway?"

"Here to give you your lives duh," growled one.

"Alright, let's start," announced Petalflower, "With this life, I give you vengeance. Revenge yourself always. She touched her nose to his.

"With this life, I give you power," Sharpfang stepped forward, "Use this power to rule the forest. I would kill you for getting beaten by a kittypet, but impressive enough you beat the ShadowClan leader. I'll let it go for now." His eyes hardened. "Should this happen again, you'd better watch out."

"With this life, I give you ambition. Use this ambition to take over the forest," a black tom with green eyes meowed.

"With this life, I give you battle-thirst. Use this battle-thirst well," a silver she-cat meowed.

"With this life, I give you cleverness. Use your cleverness to defeat StarClan supporters," a golden she-cat with amber eyes meowed.

"With this life, I give you determination. Use this determination so you succeed," a white she-cat meowed.

"With this life, I give you strength. Use this strength in battle wisely," a ginger cat meowed.

"With this life, I give you battle skills. Use these battle skills to defeat your enemies," a dark ginger cat meowed.

A cat with splotches all over spoke next, "With this life, I give you courage. Use this courage always.

Every time he was given a life, pain flooded through him.

"Great! So I'm Reignstar now?" Reignclaw leaped to his claws.

"Ah, nuh, nuh! Star is what StarClan blesses you with. Do you really want that?" Petalflower asked.

He stared at her, names racking his mind. "How about shortening it just to Reign?"

"Much better," Petalflower sat back. "I hail you by your new name, Reign. Your old life is no more. You have now received the nine lives of a leader, and the Dark Forest grants you the guardianship of ShadowClan. Fight well. Attack Clans. Do anything to succeed in your plans. Don't hesitate to kill!"

He bowed his head. "Thank you, Petalflower."

His eyes snapped open.

"Looks like you've had a good time with the Dark Forest," growled a gray and white tom.

"If you know what's good for you, you'll shut your jaw about this, Breezewind," he growled.

The cat looked up at him. "Sure."

"Let's go back to camp then. Oh, I have a plan for vengeance," he smiled. The vengeance life started to pump up in him. "We'll be destroying ThudnerClan with foxes!"

He looked up calmly. "Alright. Let's go."

The two cats started padding back to camp, a bolt of uneasiness in Reign as he remembered Breezewind's careless expression. What could he be up to?