CHAPTER THREE

Redstar's words still echoed in Dracofang's head days after they had been said. He was still thinking about them when the new deputy, Heronstorm, brought him and Amberclaw a message.

"Redstar has chosen both of you to come to the Gathering tonight at moonhigh." Before they could respond, the speckled tom bounded off to tell the other chosen warriors that they had been picked. "Humph," Amberclaw scoffed, "It would take him 5 seconds longer to at least chat with us about it… Ugh, why are all males so impatient nowadays?"

Dracofang didn't respond, despite the fact that her remark applied to him too. He knew that by doing so, he'd only get her going into a very long, highly insulting speech about toms like him. They'd known each other long enough for him to know that there were no exceptions to this rule. So he just sighed quietly and padded off to the warriors' den.

Batwings greeted him at the entrance. "So, Dracofang, I heard you got picked to go to the Gathering." Was that a hint of envy in his voice? "Tell me about it when you get back."

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A yowl from Redstar silenced the pointless chatter beneath and signaled the start of the Gathering. His crimson eyes glowed with grief and rage as he delivered the terrrible news to the other Clans. "FrostClan lost Eveningstar recently to an unidentified rogue cat. I have taken her place as leader." EmberClan's leader, Smolderstar snorted half-amusedly. "So she's dead? I heard she clung to her ninth life for quite some time, if I'm correct."

Redstar looked at him suspiciously. What was he trying to say?

"She began to seem almost immortal, did she not? And yet still… She's dead."

Nettlestar, StoneClan's leader, was bristling. "Why do you torment them? Not only Redstar, but also every cat in FrostClan has suffered a great loss! And yet still, here you are taunting them and trying to provoke a fight!"

Mews of agreement rose from almost every cat gathered. However, the EmberClan cats stayed strangely quiet…

Brightstar, leader of WoodClan, cleared his throat loudly to grab their attention. "We are all very sorry for your Clan, Redstar. Some of us just show it less than others." Smolderstar bared his teeth, but Brightstar didn't appear to take any notice. "On a happier note, Foxnose of my Clan has had her kits. The four of them are healthy and we hope they will grow into strong warriors.

Redstar took a deep breath. "Before Eveningstar's death, she appointed three new warriors. Their names are Dracofang, Batwings, and Songbird."

"Don't you guys have anything interesting to talk about?!" Smolderstar snapped. "EmberClan's territory is being steadily destroyed, and here you are babbling about the so-called future of the forest! Don't you realize that there isn't going to be a forest anymore if we don't stand up and do something about it?!"

Brightstar's blue eyes shone with concern. "Smolderstar, calm down. What do you mean your territory is being destroyed?"

"I mean exactly what I said! The Twolegs are taking over our hunting grounds!"

"That's terrible," the white leader of WoodClan mewed comfortingly. "Is there anything my Clan can do to help you?"

"Don't even offer," Nettlestar meowed. "It's probably just a lie he's telling so he can steal your prey."

Before Smolderstar could bark something back, Brightstar spoke. "Nonsense! I can see the truthfulness in his face. He and his Clan are hungry, and WoodClan has plenty of food to spare. Smolderstar, I give EmberClan hunting patrols permission to use our territory if need be."

Smolderstar grinned, Redstar growled deep in his throat, Nettlestar muttered something under her breath, and the assembled EmberClan warriors yowled their glee while the cats from other Clans yowled at an equal intensity their disapproval.