I was going to wait to release this chapter, but I was feeling it today, so here it is. Thanks for all the reviews last chapter, y'all rock!
REVIEWS:
"Darkbreezee" - Yeah, Shadowstar's one of the best leaders from DOTC. For some reason I really love Clear Sky too, even though he was a pretty terrible cat. Thanks for pointing out that inconsistency, that's super helpful and I'd totally overlooked that!
"Mad Hat Dragon" - Thank you so much! Crookedstar is literally the best. I read Crookedstar's Promise many years ago, and it still makes me cry.
"Carry On My Wayward Willow" - Yeah, I love writing rivalries. Tallstar is the best. He's such a even-headed, wise leader. I loved Onestar as a warrior, but he just totally lacked Tallstar's leadership.
Anyways, onto the story, enjoy y'all!
Redpaw had been training for nearly a moon. He was just as bad of a hunter as he'd been on his first day, but he was slowly growing into one of the better fighters in the clan. Tonight was a special night. The full moon shone brightly in the clearing, which meant that it was time for all four clans to meet for a Gathering. On his first day of apprenticeship, Cloudstar had mentioned that Redpaw would come, but the red tabby still found himself nervous as the leader emerged from his den to announce the cats who'd go.
"Tonight is a full moon, which means that we will meet for a gathering. Stonepool, Bluewhisker, Volefoot, Tangleclaw, Leafbreeze, Doeleap, Icetail, Littlear, Cherrypelt, Adderleaf, Rainheart, Marshpaw, Fernpaw, Silverpaw, Sunpaw, and Redpaw will all attend." Redpaw's stomach flipped with a nervous excitement. He exchanged a happy glance with Silverpaw.
"All the apprentices?" Applesplash called out. "Shouldn't you give priority to the warriors?" Brambleflight murmured in agreement with her brother. They'd both been left out of the patrol, Redpaw noticed.
"We need warriors to guard the camp," Cloudstar answered plainly.
"More like he doesn't want Applesplash flirting with Fallowleap," Fernpaw muttered in Redpaw's ear.
"Really?" He mewed back in disbelief. Applesplash was one of the best, most loyal cats in the clan. Redpaw found it hard to believe that the tom would be padding after a WindClan she-cat.
"Oh yeah," Fernpaw fell into pace with him. The gathering patrol set off in the night, the full moon illuminating the way. "I get all the gossip, Icetail's my mentor." She had a point. Icetail and Cherrypelt were the biggest gossips in ThunderClan.
"Redpaw, wait up!" Silverpaw rushed up to the apprentices, standing so close to him that their pelts brushed as they walked. Fernpaw's whiskers twitched, and Redpaw felt suddenly uncomfortable. He didn't want the tabby she-cat gossiping about him.
The patrol was quiet most of the way to the island. Redpaw's heart skipped when he saw the other clans for the first time. The rancid-smelling ShadowClan slunk out of the pines, led by a massive battle scarred tabby that must have been Timberstar. Minnowstar led RiverClan, recognizable by their fish-stink and sleek fur. From the moor, Sagestar led WindClan. Her clan was long legged and thin, with wind ruffled fur. Cloudstar nodded to his fellow leaders. The four patrols merged together, bombarding Redpaw with unfamiliar scents and voices.
"You'll have to climb across a downed tree to get to the gathering," Fernpaw told him. "Whatever you do, don't fall in."
"Did you?" Redpaw asked.
"No," she mewed back. "But Marshpaw did. Reedfoot, the RiverClan deputy had to fish him out."
When it was his turn to cross, Redpaw sunk his claws as deep into the tree as he could, and slunk along the wood. He was grateful for his extra toes. Marshpaw was doing the same, he realized, and he had to stifle a purr. He was grateful to feel solid ground under his feet when he leapt off the downed oak.
"Welcome to your first gathering," Rainheart mewed in his ear. "Pretty amazing, right?" The apprentice nodded slowly, his eyes were as wide as the full moon.
"Redpaw, c'mon!" The shout came from Marshpaw. Redpaw followed his clanmate to the edge of the island where the other apprentices were waiting. They all looked friendly, even the ShadowClan cats.
He took his place by Silverpaw and Sunpaw. "Redpaw," Fernpaw mewed. "Meet Ryepaw and Sootpaw of WindClan," she flicked her tail at a light brown tabby tom and a sooty grey she-cat. "Brackenpaw, Ivypaw, and Snailpaw of ShadowClan," she nodded to each in turn. "And Sweetpaw and Smudgepaw of RiverClan."
"Hi," Redpaw muttered, overwhelmed by all the new cats. "Are these all the apprentices?"
"Yep!" Snailpaw echoed brightly. "Even Ivypaw, she's a medicine cat but we still let her talk to us." Ivypaw gave her littermate a good natured shove.
"These first gatherings are always tough," Sweetpaw empathized. "There's so many clan cats, and it's hard to remember all their names. Us apprentices are pretty friendly with each other, though," she said.
"Those cats are the medicine cats," Ryepaw said, flicking his tail at a group of cats at the end of the clearing where Bluewhisker sat. "Fennelnose of ShadowClan is the grey tabby, Grousefoot of WindClan is next to him, and opposite of her is Feathershine of RiverClan."
"I should probably be with them," Ivypaw admitted sheepishly.
"You probably know the leaders," Ryepaw carried on. "The deputies are Hazelfall of ShadowClan, Reedfoot of RiverClan, and Yellowclaw of WindClan. You'll know the elders when you see them," Ryepaw continued, "And you'll slowly get to know the other warriors. Some are more vocal during the gatherings than others."
"Like Oneclaw," Fernpaw put in. "He's the big, battle scarred ShadowClan tabby," she told Redpaw, flicking her tail at the tomcat from across the clearing. "He likes to interrupt the leaders every five seconds."
Ivypaw sighed. "He's nowhere as bad as Tangleclaw." Redpaw turned his gaze to the black and white ThunderClan warrior. He was opinionated, sure, but one of the best warriors in ThunderClan.
"Tangleclaw's mellowed since he and Doeleap became mates," Fernpaw said. Redpaw's ears perked. He wasn't a big fan of gossip, but he couldn't see the grumpy old tom with the bubbly young she-cat. "I'd wouldn't be surprised if she announced she was expecting kits any day now."
"Yeah, whenever she takes me out on patrol, he always comes," Silverpaw mewed. Redpaw couldn't help but be a little surprised. Silverpaw didn't seem like the type to be concerned with gossip. "They're all over each other all the time." He was glad to see that Sunpaw looked just as lost as him. Maybe they both could stand to pay a little more attention to their clanmates.
"So all the apprentices are really close, huh?" Sunpaw butted in.
"Yeah, we're all friends," said Fernpaw, leaning into Sweetpaw affectionately. Silverpaw narrowed her eyes, and Redpaw knew exactly what she was thinking. These cats were too close. Who would they betray on the battlefield, their clan, or their friends? Still, they seemed friendly enough, and Redpaw didn't devote himself to the warrior code the way that Silverpaw did. A few harmless friendships wouldn't really hurt anyone.
"Let the gathering begin!" The shout came from Cloudstar, who scurried up the side of the great oak, followed by the other leaders. One day I might be sitting there. The thought made him swell with pride. The apprentices muttered a quick goodbye and sat with their clans. He found a seat between Leafbreeze and Rainheart, and the other apprentices filed in behind him. "ThunderClan is thankful for the plentiful new-leaf. All the prey has returned to the forest after leaf-bare, and hunting has been better than ever." Redpaw shuddered, remembering the bitter leaf-bare that'd ravaged the clan when he was a kit. He could almost still feel the hungry ache in his stomach. "A badger and her cubs wandered through our territory, but they were driven off our land by Applesplash, Icetail, and Tangleclaw. All clans should keep an eye out for the her. We drove her off past the Twolegplace, but she may return." He paused for a moment, and Redpaw's heart skipped a beat when he added, "ThunderClan is proud to add three new apprentices to our ranks, Sunpaw, Silverpaw, and Redpaw."
"Sunpaw! Silverpaw! Redpaw!" The three apprentices stood up as the clans called out their names. Redpaw puffed out his chest, and surveyed the clans through a narrow gaze. It was the first time they would hear his name, but they wouldn't ever forget it, he promised himself. The cheers diminished, and his moment of glory faded. Cloudstar nodded to the apprentices, and concluded his report. "ThunderClan looks forward to many more moons of good hunting, and new kits. We are strong as ever." The leader's voice was sharp and surprisingly pointed.
"Thank you, Cloudstar," Minnowstar dipped her head. "RiverClan too is enjoying new-leaf. The ice on the lake has completely melted, and the waters are stocked with fish. We've had a prosperous few moons, and thank StarClan for the good weather. We are pleased to announce that Amberear has moved to the nursery in preparation for the birth of Brushflight's kits. RiverClan is excited to welcome new blood into our ranks." Murmurs of approval swept through the island. "We had some trouble with Twoleg kits on our territory, but it was nothing that our warriors couldn't handle." She wrapped her tail over her paws and looked to Timberstar.
"ShadowClan is doing fine," the leader mewed. "As Cloudstar and Minnowstar said, we are thanking StarClan for the fair weather. Nettletail has given birth to two healthy toms, Ashkit and Darkkit." Meows of congratulations rang out through the clearing. "ShadowClan too is growing stronger by the day, and is pleased to welcome new kits into the clan." He turned to Sagestar, who looked more like an elder than a leader. She was frail and ragged, hunched over her branch with an angry look in her eyes.
"I'm glad all the other clans are doing so well," she said, not sounding genuine in the slightest. "Perhaps they are prospering on the prey that they've stolen from WindClan."
"What?" Tangleclaw was the first to spring to his paws, staring daggers at the old leader. "I suppose you have evidence to base this on?"
"I do," the old leader hissed. "Our warriors have been finding ThunderClan scent marks deep into our territory for the past moon. WindClan will not stand idly by while ThunderClan attempts to take what's ours from underneath our noses," she growled. "The next warrior we catch on the wrong side of the border will regret it dearly."
"But you haven't caught anyone!" Tangleclaw hissed. "You'll need more proof than that before you accuse us of stealing prey. Your clan has been itching for a fight for a long time, we don't have to take any accusation you throw at us seriously!"
A black tomcat unsheathed his claws, digging them into the soft ground. "Why don't you come on over here and say that again?"
"Stand down, Tangleclaw," Cloudstar hissed. Sagestar didn't call off her warrior. She simply watched through slitted eyes, her expression unreadable.
"Oh, I will," Tangleclaw growled as if he hadn't heard the leader. He crossed the clearing in two leaps. "It wasn't long since you were an apprentice, Archstep, do you really think you can beat a seasoned warrior?" His ears were flat to his head, and his teeth were bared at the WindClan warrior.
"I don't start battles I can't finish," Archstep growled. The two toms leapt at each other with an aggression that Redpaw had never seen before. Pure rage fueled Tangleclaw, and he bowled over the younger warrior, sending hard blows to the tom's exposed stomach. The clearing darkened, and Redpaw didn't even have to look up to know that clouds had covered the moon. StarClan was angry. The battling toms didn't stop, however. Tangleclaw dealt a strong blow to Archstep's nose, and the younger tom slashed at his side.
"Get a hold of yourselves, this is not how warriors act!" Stonepool pushed through the crowd, followed closely by Volefoot and Leafbreeze. The three cats worked to restrain the brawling toms, assisted by Yellowclaw and a dark tabby warrior with a scar over his eye.
"This is absolutely unacceptable!" Cloudstar shouted. He leapt down from the Great Oak. "Fighting at gatherings will not be tolerated. You are grown warriors, and you should be able to coexist for one night without trying to rip each other apart in front of our ancestors."
As soon as he spoke, lightning struck a tree at the edge of the island. Thunder boomed in the sky a second later, shaking the ground all around Redpaw. Redpaw's blood turned to ice when he heard the creaking of roots upturned. Screeches and cries echoed throughout the clearing as all the cats came to the same gut-wrenching conclusion. The tree was going to fall!
Thanks for reading, make sure to review!