[image description: Mapleshade grinning in a shadowy forest]

Analyzing the Dark Forest by Prowlclaw

Prowlclaw analyses the Dark Forest and what it might be.

Hello! Prowlclaw here with another article concerning the Dark Forest. Last article, I explained that Starclan can actually heal cats that are mentally ill. (ie. Ashfur.) So around the same time I was writing that article, I had a sudden fascination with the Dark Forest and how it worked/ came to be. When I was brainstorming for an article, I was originally going to compare it with the Christian Hell, because I was raised up with that religion. I don’t know what religion the Erins are but I know there have been a good couple mistakes referring to heaven. (Ex. Cinderpaw looked up at the heavens.) So when reading this I assumed one of the Erins were one of the religions concerning God. But even then, I highly doubt that they meant to base Starclan off of that. In fact, when I made a chart comparing the two, the Dark Forest shares a surprising amount of similarities with Hades, not the Christian Hell. But that was not the idea I was going to base my article around, this was kind of just a little fun fact for the readers. So, let me share my main article with you, the reader.

First off, let me present you with the definition of the Dark Forest by the Warrior’s Wiki: (The Place of No Stars ((informally known as the Dark Forest)) is the opposite of StarClan’s hunting grounds. It is a place where cats that have committed great crimes against their Clans and against the Warrior Code go when they die. However, cats who commit crimes but believe they are following the Warrior Code by doing them can usually join the ranks of StarClan instead, like Mudclaw or Ashfur.) So with that definition, I can point out one flaw. The last section about cats who believe they are following the warrior code is wrong because Tigerstar thought he was doing the will of Starclan when he killed all those cats, but he was actually doing the will of the Dark Forest unknowingly. But, back to the subject, that definition gives us nothing to go on about the Dark Forest. So, let me give you a proper analysis and theory about the Dark Forest.

Oh boy, where do I start? The Dark Forest is all over the place with its restrictions and functions, but I’ll start here. The Dark Forest isn’t a place of eternal suffering to punish bad cats. In fact, it takes care of all their basic needs like hunger and thirst, which is strange, considering they’re there to be punished. But you may say, “Prowlclaw, the terrain sucks, the water is a grey muddy color and the trees are dead, it’s a terrible place to live!” To that I say, since when do the Dark Forest cats care? They seem so blind with rage that they can’t see what’s in front of them. But cats like Darkstripe are so surprised and scared when they go there, they tremble with fear. You may conclude this contradicts my statement, but hear me out. I believe that if you haven’t gone mad to a certain extent, you see the Dark Forest for what it is. As I explained in my last article, you go insane the longer you stay there. So this means cats who were already mad or had trained there didn’t see it as a terrible place.

Another thing that showed that the Dark Forest wasn’t a place of eternal suffering was the fact that Dark Forest cats could LEAVE THE DARK FOREST! Why? I have some clue, so let me show you my theory.

I have a theory that a Dark Forest cat created the Dark Forest. A lot of evidence suggests this is true, such as the fact the cats can leave and enter the forest, plus all there needs are taken care of. But instead of my last article referring to it as a storage place, it is actually a trap for the living. You may be asking, “What does that mean?” Well my friend, the Dark Forest is a trap for lost or depressed cats who feel rejected by their clan. They go there unknowingly because a Dark Forest cat finds them and tells them the Dark Forest can help them, ultimately leading them into the trap. However, they can leave, but the Dark Forest cats are reluctant to let that happen. Why? The Dark Forest cats want to have warriors to go against the clans, that’s easy enough to see, but why didn’t they start recruiting earlier than Omen of The Stars? Well, I have an answer to that. They simply didn’t have enough dead supposedly evil cats to go. Let me explain. I believe if they don’t have enough cats that live in the Dark Forest, they can’t leave to go to war. It makes sense because they could’ve left if they started recruiting sooner, but there wasn’t as many Dark Forest cats then than there was now. If a Dark Forest cat created the Dark Forest, they probably wanted to go to war at one point and if a Starclan cat made it, why would they implement those features? With that it’s time for me to wrap up this article.

In conclusion, I believe the Dark Forest is actually a place Dark Forest cats thrive, not a place of eternal suffering as punishment. If you like this article, stay tuned for my next one on social rules within the clan. May Starclan light your path!

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