Chapter 61

Laurelwing for president

## Plot

Laurelwing is teleported into the Dark Forest. She says to herself that its good to be back and decides to goes to her cats to see how her home was doing without her. Laurelwing walks in to two cats, Foxglove and Cardinalstar fighting with each other. They are surprised to see her, saying they thought she died. Laurelwing says it doesn't matter and that they shouldn't be fight either way. She then asks who has been in charge of the Dark Forest while she was gone. Cardinalstar asks if Laurelwing was gonna become the leader since she was back and she answer that that was for the Dark Forest cats to decide. as she leaves.

Laurelwing gets to the base of the Dark Forest. Two cats are arguing during a meeting when she gets there. Lupinestar says that they should kill the Starclan cats they have to solve their problem. Starlingstar disagrees and explains that she is making decisions to help the Dark Forest. Lupinestar says that Laurelwing would think differently and that since she wasn't around there could be a change in power from Starlingstar and that she was a horrible choice as Deputy. The two cats awkwardly notice that Laurelwing was listening to their argument. Lupinestar asks if he could be Deputy next moon and Laurelwing says probably not. The meeting is annouced to be over, with Laurelwing back in charge as the Leader.

In private, Laurelwing asks Starlingstar how many problems they have now. She says that there are more than when she was around. Starlingstar then asks where Laurelwing went. Laurelwing explains that she was ambushed by Starclan cats and turned into a butterfly, but was saved by her grandson and daughter. Laurelwing asks what are the new problems. She says that more Starclan cats and kits were ending up in Darkclan and they were keeping them prisoner. Starlingstar continues to explain that she repurposed the undergrowth to be a nursery for the kits they got and that Yellowdawn was watching them. They see Yellowdawn, but she had put Tickclaw in charge. Starlingstar exclaims that Tickclaw eats kits and they rush to get him away from the kits.

In the undergrowth, Laurelwing confronts Tickclaw asking if he had eaten any of the kits. He says he didn't, which is true. Tickclaw continues and says he on a diet, then immediately announces that his diet is over and tries to eat Lightkit. Before he can, Laurelwing lobs Tickclaw out of the undergrowth and tells Starlingstar to find someone else to watch the kittens. Ginkgokit asks Laurelwing why him and the other kittens were in the Dark Forest and if they were a bad cat. Laurelwing tells him that he's not and Gingokit asks Laurelwing if she is a bad cat. Instead of answering, she askes them if they know how they got to the Dark Forest. Glorykit says that they saw a big glowing white cat, who poked them, causing them to wake up in the Dark Forest. Laurelwing asks if the cat had blue eyes, which Glorykit confirms.

## Characters

### Major

* Laurelwing
* Starlingstar

### Minor

* Foxglove
* Cardinalstar
* Lupinestar
* Yellowdawn
* Tickclaw
* Lightkit
* Ginkgokit

### Mentioned

* Saffronstep (as Laurelwing's grandson)
* Birdbird (as Laurelwing's daughter)« Chapter 60 | Chapter 62 »