Pawsteps echoed through the gloomy territory of the Dark Forest as the tortoiseshell she-cat paced back and forth through the smoky clearing. She raked her claws on the ground furiously, muttering under her breath. A gray and white tom watched with mild concern, unsure of how to help.
The tortoiseshell she-cat paused for a moment and let her fur lay flat, calming herself and sitting down in front of the gray and white tom. The tom's whiskers twitched as he stared at the she-cat curiously.
"That's the fastest you've calmed yourself all week, Mapleshade," he commented. Mapleshade shot him a look of mild annoyance, along with the faintest hint of... excitement?
"I've been formulating a plan for the last moon or so, Thistleclaw," she meowed, giving her tail a quick wash. "The only reason I've been so temperamental lately is because I was unsure of how to explain it to you, considering how you may react."
"Oh?" Thistleclaw asked with a slight growl, "And why is that?"
Mapleshade took a deep breath, knowing there was no turning back. "Because in order for my plan to work," she began, "there are a few cats we need to keep alive. I'm not yet sure what they look like, but I'll recognize them when I see them, and let you know as soon as I can."
"And how exactly is that supposed to work out in our favour?" the tom questioned, wondering if Mapleshade had really thought this all the way through.
"I'll explain further when we get to that point, but for now, there are a few other cats I need to retrieve alone," Mapleshade turned to leave, but then quickly added, "cats who are on our side." With that, the she-cat raced out of the clearing, heading in the direction of StarClan's territory. As soon as she set paw in the enemy territory, she dropped into a crouch, making sure she wasn't seen as she looked for the bright pond.
Mapleshade had stumbled upon this pond by accident a moon ago, discovering it led to another world. At first she had planned on taking advantage of that world to get revenge on the Clans, but then she'd realized she could use it for something much more meaningful...
She stepped through the pond and arrived in what she recognized as Canterlot, the capital city of this world, which she remembered was called Equestria. Mapleshade instantly began searching for what she'd come here for: three different creatures who had worked together in an attempt to take over Equestria, and who had been turned to stone as punishment.
Mapleshade was a unicorn in this world, and was therefore able to use magic. She had learned how to cast spells with the help of another pony the first time she was here, and she let the knowledge of magic flow to the front her mind. Once she was ready, she closed her eyes and lit up her horn, preparing to break the stone spell on the three villains...