Curate, connect, and discover
Before I touch on the allegiances and begin the fic, I wanted to touch on the part of the AU that's going to be important for the second protagonist:the Dark Forest, i.e. her home before Thunderclan.
Before the Dark Forest, cats like One'eye and Nettletail roamed about the edges of Starclan. Then Mapleshade came, her and her surviving kit being persecuted unfairly by Starclan. In her fathoming anger, grass began to die around her paws, a thin red outline graced her pelt, and her eyes turned black, with piercing yellow pupils. Suddenly, a dark and gloomy forest burst from around her, sending Starclan cats fleeing as the ground began to crumble and crack open. Beneath it, scorching molten fire split the ground apart, sending cats plunging into a firey second death.
One of these cats was Oakstar, who burned beneath the dying grasses. As he felt his spirit fade away, his essence began to gather. Many moons later, this essence would reform into another Thunderclan tom, to reform Oakstar's spirit in the light of reincarnation.
Meanwhile, the Dark Forest grew as the evil cats at the border began to flock to Mapleshade and her kit's new hunting grounds. In this forest, cats no longer aged, and Starclan could send the evil and vile cats to rot forever in pain.
Now, in the twisted and dark trees, organs of cats hang askew for all to see. Blood drips down the blackened branches, and charred remnants of leaves occasionally fall to the ground. Cats wallow in pain and suffering, avoiding the dark pools filled with blood and grime. Some say that large scaly creatures with claw-sharp teeth will grab cats and drag them into the depths, where they tear their bodies apart. Some also say that large water snakes swim in there as well, and will electrify the grimy water with lightning when they have caught their prey.
When you enter the Dark Forest in your dreams, the only way to leave is through a dark tunnel with a bright light at the end. If you stay in for too long, your real body will wither away into ashes, and your spirit will be stuck in the Dark Forest forever, your fur charred and burnt like the ground beneath your paws.
There is always the chance that you will slip through one of the cracks and fall into the molten fire. If you do, your death will be painfully slow, as Mapleshade has found a way to manipulate it to do so. All the while, the essence of twice dead Dark Forest spirits will taunt you and cheer as you slowly die.
Anyways, past the gory stuff, thanks for reading! The allegiances will most likely come out later today, but it may be tomorrow if I'm too busy.