Okay, thanks to Theonewhothinks, Swiftpaw of WindClan, Black-wolf-warrior, and flareon200! You actually reviewed! Okay, even though you reviewed, no one voted on my poll, so I just had to make it up! Anyways, thanks to all who let me use their cats, or gave me names that I could use.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Warriors, just the MoonClan cats, and Fallenstar. All the other cats at the gathering, other people own!!
Stonepaw blinked open her stone-gray eyes, and arched her back in a luxurious stretch. Looking around the apprentice's cave, she saw the green-eyed Goldpaw glaring at her. The young she-cat's tawny fur blended into the dark cave, but Goldpaw's eyes glowed with a certain hatred that couldn't be contained. Stonepaw glared back, summoning a fierce pride and will into her own blue eyes.
Baring her teeth, she stood up, and avoiding the other nests, stalked out of the den. Out in the open cavern, Stonepaw licked her black, heart-shaped chest fur, then began giving herself a thorough grooming. When her fur gleamed with perfection, Stonepaw thought of what happened the night before in Ripplestar's den. Stupid Fallenstar! He is a big of a tawny furred idiot as Goldpaw! Ugg!! Stonepaw bared her teeth, seeing the look of surprise on Tigerstripe's face as she did so.
"Did I do something wrong?" The dark tabby warrior asked as he padded up to Stonepaw and sat next to the young apprentice.
"No, no, just a thought!"Tigerstripe glanced down at her with an amused look in his eyes.
"Anyways, Ripplestar wants you in his den." Nodding, Stonepaw stood, and grabbed two mice, one for herself, and one for her light gray mentor. Jumping up onto the stones that led to the Cave ledge, she padded into Ripplestar's den.
"I brought you fresh kill," Stonepaw mewed respectfully. Ripplestar nodded thankfully, then began devouring the mouse ravenously. When it was nothing but bones and skin, Ripplestar looked up again.
"Are you sure about what you think?" the MoonClan leader asked.
"Yes," Stonepaw nodded. "If we gave away territory to DuskClan, sure, they may owe us, but SkyClan knows if they would repay that debt. Also, that would leave little territory for ourselves, and what happens if we become starving? No, if we gave territory to DuskClan, SunClan would also press us, and vice versa, so that eventually, we would be a bunch of rogues without a home! My decision stands firm! We shall not give Fallenstar territory!" Stonepaw began pacing the den, casting shadows into the MoonClan camp beyond the den.
Ripplestar nodded in agreement. "You have made a wise decision, and I am proud of you. A leader must always think of the benefit of his or her clan before doing something this dramatic." The light-gray leader's rasping meow filled Stonepaw's ears, and his well-muscled pelt rippled with the deep purrs. Stonepaw beamed under Ripplestar's gaze, and her mentor bent his head down to touch noses with his apprentice.
"Go, now. Windsong has been instructed to take you and Fleetpaw out for some battle training. I am sorry that I can not come, but I must speak with Darkfang on who is to come to the Gathering." Ripplestar motioned with his tail that Stonepaw was to leave. Nodding her head, the young apprentice did just that, and dashed out of the den, leaping almost on top of Windsong. Snowfeather lashed her brown tail in amusement as her friend was pushed to the ground.
"Uh... Sorry, Windsong! I didn't mean to-" Stonepaw's pleading mew was cut off by Windsong's playful cuff over the gray she-cat's ear. Stonepaw looked down embarrassed, and licked her black heart-shaped fur.
"Well, I can see you're busy," Snowfeather said, "I will go find Birdwing to see if she wants to go hunting," Windsong nodded, then turned to Stonepaw.
"Go wake your brother, he is trying my patience," Wow, Windsong, impatient? Fleetpaw must have done something REALLY bad to upset her this much! Stonepaw nodded, then raced off to the apprentice's den, almost running into Moonpaw and Thornpaw. The two were bristling at each other, and the two almost attacked Stonepaw when she ran into them. Thornpaw, realizing who "attacked" him, shook his reddish brown pelt and purred in amusement at Stonepaw. Moonpaw glared at Thornpaw, and then padded away to sit by the fresh kill pile, still staring at Thornpaw and Stonepaw.
"Sorry, I am not having the greatest day," Stonepaw appologized. Thornpaw chuckled, and licked the apprentice's ruffled pelt.
"That is okay, we all get like that," Stonepaw nodded thankfully, and pushed her way into the apprentice's cave. Jumping over a few nests, she noticed that Fleetpaw was the only one who was actually still sleeping.
"Oofffff," Fleetpaw spun around, scattering his nest all over the apprentice's den when Stonepaw jumped on him.
"Come one, sleepy furball! Windsong is waiting!" Fleetpaw's eyes widened, and he rushed out of the apprentice's den.
"Wait for me!" Stonepaw yowled, then ran after her brother. Stonepaw skidded to a halt, almost running into her black brother as he stopped suddenly in front of his mentor. Windsong growled playfully, then nodded her head for the apprentices to lead the way. Stonepaw jumped up and dashed out of the camp, her quicker brother not far behind. The trio ran into the dense forest that was MoonClan territory, and wove their way through thick undergrowth until they reached a grassy clearing.
"Train hard today, Ripplestar is choosing who gets to go to the gathering tonight!" Fleetpaw's eyes widened, while Stonepaw desperately tried to remain calm. Oh, how I want to go so badly!I'd even be willing to clean out the elder's den for a week! Windsong nodded as she saw her apprentice's eager face, then began teaching the excited pair some basic battle moves.
When Stonepaw and Fleetpaw padded back into the camp, their gray and black tails dragged in the sand on the bottom of the cave. Stonepaw turned towards the fresh kill pile, and Fleetpaw turned towards the apprentice's cave. Picking out a thrush, Stonepaw heard pawsteps behind her.
"Hey, Stonepaw, do you want to come eat with us?" Thornpaw's familiar mew filled the gray apprentice's ears, and she slowly nodded. Today, Rainpaw was also sitting with Goldpaw, Moonpaw, Thornpaw, and Stonepaw. When Stonepaw reached the boulder, Moonpaw motioned for her to come sit with him and Goldpaw, while Thornpaw pleaded silently that she not. Snorting, Stonepaw sat with Rainpaw, the two pelts brushing, looking like one.
"Toms are so strange!" Stonepaw mewed, then took a bite of her plump thrush.
"I know, sometimes it makes me happy that I don't have to deal with them!" Rainpaw replied, chewing on a mouse.
"Actually, the whole lot of them are so annoying! Goldpaw seems to hate me, Thornpaw and Moonpaw seem in a constant competition, and I don't know why!" Stonepaw let out an exasperated sigh, then put her head on her paws. Rainpaw lay her long tail on Stonepaw's back, and began grooming her friend. Stonepaw purred happily.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Cave ledge for a clan meeting!" Ripplestar's mew rang out through the cave, and cats began emerging from dens, or they just turned their heads towards their light gray leader.
"I have chosen the cats who will be coming to the gathering tonight!" Ripplestar yowled as soon as everyone was gathered. "Flaretail, Windsong, Leopardear, Birdwing, Stonepaw, Rainpaw, Moonpaw, Fleetpaw, and Stormpaw will be coming! Meet back here at moonrise, and we will set off!" Ripplestar returned to his den.
"Well, we'd better get some rest," Rainpaw mewed, Stonepaw nodded, then slowly stood to go to her nest. Moonpaw padded up behind her, and began mewing happily.
"Wow, a lot of apprentices are coming! I'm so happy! This will be my third gathering, so I'll show you around, and let you know which cats are friendly, and which are not!" Doesn't he EVER shut up?! I just want to stuff a mouse in his mouth! Uhggg. Stonepaw ignored the excited apprentice, and lay down in her nest, welcoming the sleep that engulfed her.
A paw shook Stonepaw from her sleep, and Stormpaw's mew filled the den. "Come one, it's time for the gathering!" Stonepaw nodded, and stretched, then ran out into the cave where the group of cats were standing.
"Come one, lets go!" Ripplestar turned, and raced off into the darkness, Darkfang following close behind. The group of cats raced through the forest, leaping over roots and brambles, weaving their way through the forest to the Waterfalls.
Stonepaw gasped when she first saw the Waterfalls. They were huge, but extremely silent. Stones on one side led to a ledge in the center of the falls, where at least five cats could stand comfortably. Cats from all clans gathered around the base, whispering and sharing tongues.
"Come on, Stonepaw, this way!" Moonpaw mewed, leading Stonepaw off into a group of apprentices and warriors.
"The small tabby there is Thrushpaw, and the big gray she-cat next to him is Graywing. The brown cat with a black mask is Bramblemask, and Mousepaw, the brown one, is next to her. Specklepaw is the dappled she-cat, and Birdpaw is the blue-gray she-cat. Everyone, this is Stonepaw!" Moonpaw introduced. A growl sounded from behind Stonepaw, and she spun around to face a huge, dark brown tom with tufts of fur sticking out. His amber eyes glowed with a fierceness that Stonepaw couldn't match. The tom turned away, and ran to another tom, except gray.
"The dark brown tom is Raggedfur, the deputy of DuskClan, and the gray tom he is standing near is Ashwhisker." Moonpaw's voice filled with fear and awe.
"Who are the others?" Stonepaw nodded her head to a group of cats sitting near the stones that led up to the ledge.
"That small white tom is the deputy of SunClan, his name is Littleblaze. The big golden tom is Lionfur, the deputy of DawnClan." Moonpaw replied.
"Who are the leaders of SunClan and DawnClan?" Stonepaw asked.
"That reddish cat up there on the ledge is Redstar, and the golden, leafy colored one is Leafstar. Redstar is the leader of SunClan, and Leafstar is the leader of DawnClan. Suddenly, a yowl sounded from the ledge, and all the cats turned to where Fallenstar was addressing the group of cats.
"DuskClan is starving! Please, give us some of your territory! Without it, our kits will die! Please!" Fallenstar looked to the other leaders. Ripplestar stepped forward.
"MoonClan has already refused this request," he said, then returned to where the other leaders sat. Redstar stepped forward next.
"We agree with MoonClan, no, Fallenstar, we will not give you our territory!" gasps and murmurs filled the clearing, and Leafstar stepped forward.
"I'm sorry," she mewed, "we cannot give up any of our territory!" Fallenstar gasped at how every leader refused his request.
Redstar stepped forward again. "SunClan has little to report. Twolegs have appeared, but it is nothing that we can't handle. One of our queens has had her kits, and that is all." The reddish tom stepped back, nodding to Ripplestar that he should speak.
"MoonClan is thriving with three new apprentices. Stonepaw, Fleetpaw, and Stormpaw!" The three stood up as cats around the clearing called their names. "We have much fresh kill, as it is the time of greenleaf! That is all," Leafstar stepped up next, her ears twitching.
"DawnClan is doing well, and we have plenty of prey," she mewed. She's lying! Stonepaw realized. Leafstar stepped back, and all of the leaders leaped down the stones to the clearing below.
"MoonClan, come," Ripplestar called, and his cats gathered around their leader. Then, with some silent signal, they raced off again, back to their home.
Leafstar is lying! I have to know why! Stonepaw thought as she raced off into the forest.
Please, please, please review!!! I only need two reviews to write the next chapter!!! Also, vote on my poll to see what Goldpaw's warrior name should be!!(Sorry, I already have names for the others!)Please, please review!!!!