After a strange Gathering where an entity whispered into the ears of the Clan cats, they were directed to come to the Moonpool on the next full moon. Only a pawful of cats decided to attend, as it may be a trap: Bearstar, Lionpelt, Shrewpaw, and Leafcatcher of ThunderClan; Sootsky and Thistlerose of ShadowClan; Snakebite, Kelpwave, and Houndflame of RiverClan; and Goosestar, Hailclaw, and Glassypaw of WindClan.

ShadowClan arrived first, then ThunderClan, RiverClan, and finally WindClan. As they all settled down to wait for the “Gathering” to take place, a change began to happen…

The Moonpool, calm and clear just moments before, began to bubble. The cats stared at it and from its center spread a dark, ink-like corruption that turned the entire pool black. From the black water emerged three Dark Forest cats: Nightfright, Ruinsong, and Ravenspark. They claimed to know what had happened to the missing Clan cats, and said they could show them their friends and families that had been lost. The Clan cats were understandable doubtful, but the Dark Forest cats claimed they watched as StarClan stole their family members, from kits to elders, and give little more than vague answers.

Nightfright promised to guide them to their missing cats, though they might not be as they remember. He could not promise they would be able to return to the way they were, but they could help bring them home.

The cats were led through a thicket of trees until they came upon them… The Missing.

Some sat, some laid, but they all shared a blank look, staring off into nothing. They didn’t react to the group approaching them. Some looked ghastly thin, but they did not react to anything. Among them were Goosestar’s mate, Doeflake, and two of his kits, Kestrelkit and Strikekit. This essentially broke him.

Bearstar asked what the Dark Forest had done to these cats, and Nightfright insisted they had nothing to do with it, that StarClan was the ones allowing the cats to rot away into nothingness. They ask the cats to follow them again, and find the truth. Many cats decide to leave: Sootsky, Glassypaw, Lionpelt, Shrewpaw, Leafcatcher, and Hailclaw. The rest stay to find out what has happened and how they can help.

Once the cats are led back to the Moonpool, they are instructed to sleep next to it. As they do, they are sucked into the Dark Forest, where the grass is wilted and the trees are leafless and twisted. A new cat appears: Fidgetfang.

He asks the cats their opinion on StarClan, and after a moment says that even StarClan is capable of committing mistakes. He insists that some cats there were misjudged and sent to the Dark Forest instead of where they truly belonged in StarClan. Some of the Dark Forest cats share their stories, which seem to make them out to be misplaced in the dark realm.

Thistlerose pipes up and asks what they could possibly do against StarClan, who seemed all-powerful. To this it was suggested to not run a Clan as StarClan has decreed—Goosestar is willing to try it, but Snakebite insists on them clearly explaining what exactly they want from the gathered cats. The Dark Forest decides to be ominous, though, and doesn't give a clear answer before plunging the cats back into the living world.