Chapter 3

Petalpaw raced through the forest, feeling the adrenaline course through her. She was surprised at how much of a lead the other cats had had on her, and she struggled to make up the distance between them, realizing she wasn't as fast on her paws as she'd thought.

Petalpaw knew the risk she was taking from moment she stepped foot into WindClan territory. She knew there was a truce tonight, knew that no WindClan warrior would say anything for her being on their territory, but she still knew the risk she was taking. She tread carefully on her paws, careful to remain as close to the lake as possible. She figured the closer she stayed to the lake, the less likely she was to get in any sort of trouble. The scent of WindClan was fresh, overlapping that of ThunderClan, clear that they'd just walked this path as well. Petalpaw figured she was going in the right direction.

She padded in silence, keeping her ears alert, even letting her paws touch the edge of the lake to keep herself concealed. There was something so thrilling about sneaking out of camp. All she hoped was that no cat would notice her absence. She could only imagine the horror that would await her if some cat did discover she was missing. Usually, the punishment that would await would terrify Petalpaw, but this time, it just made her purr with thought was awfully funny.

It was then that Petalpaw realized her pace was slowing, and she quickly picked it up, wanting to make it to the Island on time. She had no clue how long the walk was, but she doubted that it could be too far or else no cat would go. She had a feeling that she was a bit late, seeing that the moon was already full in the sky, so she started to scamper forward a bit faster. The scent of WindClan became fresher as she picked up her pace, and she had a feeling she was gaining on them.

It wasn't long before Petalpaw did spot a few WindClan cats talking, and she couldn't help, but have her mouth gape open in surprise. She'd never had a true encounter with cats from another Clan before. Dropping back as not to be seen, she found that there really wasn't anywhere to hide on the open moor. She walked a bit slower, and then realized that the cats were turning towards the lake. She hurried to catch up and realized that they were crossing onto a fallen tree. Petalpaw assumed that this was the all too famous tree that led to the Gathering place. She watched, observed how they managed to cross without falling off, and once they'd made it to the other side, she followed more cautiously, careful not to be caught. Being on the tree, she felt so exposed as though any cat could turn around and see her and become suspicious. Petalpaw quickly picked up the pace, but slowed as she almost fell off into the lake beside her. She doubted that it was too deep, but she didn't want to take any chances.

When Petalpaw safely approached the other side of the fallen tree, she let out a deep breath, only then realizing that she hadn't breathed the entire way across from fear of being caught and of falling. But Petalpaw twitched her whispers, her eyes glowing with delight at having made it this far without being caught. She weaved her way through the trees on the island, following the scent of cats until she reached a clearing where more cats than Petalpaw could've imagined were gathered together talking. She spotted a large oak in the center where four cats - the leaders - stood. She spotted Hazelstar amongst them, and Petalpaw felt her stomach do a somersault. It then hit her what trouble she'd be in if she got caught.

Petalpaw slipped into the shadows between two trees to avoid being seen. She made sure, however, that there was a gap between the two trees to see the action. She adjusted herself so that she was comfortable and had a nice view; however, she made sure she wouldn't be caught from where she was.

Petalpaw didn't want to be nosy and eavesdrop on other cats' conversations, but she could hear one going on between Iceflower and a cat she didn't recognize the scent of. Petalpaw had a feeling it was RiverClan- the cat smelt of water and fish. They were talking about how glad they were that this greenleaf wasn't exceptionally hot. Bored out of her mind, Petalpaw turned her head away from the conversation, only to see herself staring directly into another cat's eyes.

Petalpaw jumped and had to refrain herself from screaming at the last moment. She had no clue how long the cat had been sitting there for, but she recognized his scent as WindClan. She watched him closely, waiting for him to say something, but he just cocked his head to the side, evidently curious as to what she was doing there. Clearly her hiding place wasn't as great as she'd thought.

"Who're you?" Petalpaw blurted.

The gray tabby tom peered back at Petalpaw with his green eyes, clearly trying to decide if he should answer her honestly. After a brief moment, he asked back, "What're you doing hiding back here?"

"You didn't answer my question," Petalpaw meowed, speaking in as quiet a voice as she could handle so that she didn't seem so suspicious, and so that this cat could still hear her.

"Neither did you."

His response was fair, and Petalpaw looked him up and down. Petalpaw could tell that he was an apprentice as well. He was larger than her, but looked just as innocent. She wondered how Clan hostility had come to be the way it was.

"I'm Breezepaw," he mewed after Petalpaw didn't say anything. He didn't press Petalpaw for more answers. When she didn't say anything, he just shrugged and got settled beside her. "This is a good place to watch." Then, "You scared of the other cats or something?"

"No," Petalpaw meowed cautiously. "Why are you so curious?" Petalpaw knew that Breezepaw was waiting for answers, and that he would probably sit beside her until she gave him some. She figured the quicker she spilled (as little as possible that is), the faster he would leave. "I'm Petalpaw," she mewed.

"And you snuck out of ThunderClan camp to get here, didn't you?" he prompted, having figured out her situation.

"No!" Petalpaw lied, replying way too fast. "Of course not!"

"You're a terrible liar," Breezepaw scoffed, but it wasn't a scoff of annoyance. He almost seemed to be teasing her. He looked surprised and shocked, but his gaze was definitely just curious as to why she'd decided to sneak to the Gathering. "What got you sneaking out?"

Petalpaw knew that she wasn't supposed to discuss Clan weaknesses or strengths during the Gathering, and she doubted that discussing Stormcloud's evils to another cat - let alone a WindClan cat - was a good idea. She just gave Breezepaw, a long, hard look.

Breezepaw seemed uncomfortable with the silence, but didn't push her to continue. Once again, he respected her silence and just mewed, "I wonder when the Gathering will start."

Why couldn't he just leave her alone? Petalpaw was starting to worry that there was no way this was going to go in the right direction, and she thumped her tail quietly on the ground. She had no clue why Breezepaw was still there, and the next moment, there was a rustling beside them, which made Petalpaw's fur stand up on her back. It couldn't be a ThunderClan cat; she would be dead before she got off the Island if it was.

"Breezepaw, who are you talking to?"

As the cat came closer, Petalpaw realized that he, too, was from WindClan. When Breezepaw didn't reply, the new cat poked into the bushes next to them, and Petalpaw was ready to crawl away and hide.

"What're you doing back here?" the cat asked, and Breezepaw twitched his ears uncertainly.

"Just… observing," Breezepaw mewed awkwardly. Then, as though the other cat was waiting for introduction, he added, "Birchpaw, this is Petalpaw. Petalpaw, Birchpaw."

"Hi," Petalpaw and Birchpaw mewed simultaneously, making the situation that much more awkward.

"You're tiny," Birchpaw mewed rudely, and Petalpaw glared at him.

"I'm an apprentice for a reason," she retorted.

"Sorry, don't mean to get under your fur." Birchpaw rolled his eyes before there was another voice that made the fur on Petalpaw's pelt rise again.

"Birchpaw! Who are you talking to? The Gathering is about to start."

"Uh, no one Honeystripe," he mewed, turning his head towards the she-cat to reply. "I'm coming!" Then, he lowered his voice as he looked at Breezepaw. "Whatever you two are up to, just make it fast. I don't think any warriors will be pleased to find you camping out gossiping."

Birchpaw disappeared the next moment, and Petalpaw let out a breath, relaxing. She saw that Breezepaw was looking at her again, but this time he seemed more concerned. "Sorry about that," he muttered, actually sounding like he was.

Petalpaw didn't have time to reply as there was a yowl from on top of the oak tree. Petalpaw turned to see that one of the leaders, not Hazelstar, had made the motion to start the Gathering. Petalpaw looked around to make sure that no one was watching, and luckily, no one was. Even Breezepaw had his gaze focused towards the leaders.

A small black-and-white she-cat spoke first, and Petalpaw immediately recognized her from what she'd heard. She was Sedgestar, the ShadowClan leader. "Our Clan is doing well," she began. "Greenleaf has thankfully given us bountiful prey. The Twoleg paths have been crowded with Twolegs enjoying the greenleaf sun, but we've been able to easily avoid them. Besides, they aren't any harm to us," she added quickly, not trying to seem weak. "Deerleap and Snakeheart helped to drive off a badger," she continued. "But no other Clans need to worry about it. It went away from your territory, not towards it." She paused for a moment as the cats took in the news. "We also have a new apprentice, Starlingpaw."

The cats began calling out Starlingpaw's name, and even Breezepaw joined in, which made Petalpaw want to shrink back. She didn't want Breezepaw's congratulations to draw attention to them. Fortunately, no other cat seemed to notice. Petalpaw glanced around to see if Starlingpaw was at the Gathering, and not to her surprise, the apprentice wasn't. Guilt was beginning to rack Petalpaw.

Sedgestar stepped back to signal that she was finished, and the RiverClan leader, Rainstar, stepped forward to deliver her announcement when all of a sudden, Petalpaw heard a snarling, inquisitive, and suspicious voice on her other side.

"I thought you weren't supposed to be at this Gathering."

Fox-dung! Petalpaw thought, realizing she'd been caught. Terror began to shoot through her, and she knew that she was going to have to cover, but how could she? She was caught right in the middle of her lie.

"Duskpaw," she mewed evenly, yet quietly, turning to where he was beside her. Of course Duskpaw would be the cat to rat her out.

"Stormcloud said that you couldn't come," Duskpaw mewed. He seemed more curious than like he was going to tell on her. "I don't think he'll be pleased to find you here."

"And I don't think Swiftheart will be too pleased to know his apprentice isn't paying attention," Petalpaw shot back quietly.

"Did you actually think you could sneak out of camp to watch the Gathering?" Duskpaw was clearly stunned. "Great StarClan, you're mouse-brained."

"Shut up!" Petalpaw exclaimed, forgetting to keep quiet.

Silence fell over the clearing, and Petalpaw realized that Rainstar had stopped speaking, evidently hearing something coming from her direction. Petalpaw knew what she was in for next. She could consider fleeing, but she knew that she would never get away without being caught. She knew that her best option would be to crawl out of her hiding spot and admit that she was wrong, but she hated the thought of having to do it in front of everyone.

"Who's there?" Rainstar asked. There was murmuring amongst the cats and shuffling, as they turned to where Petalpaw was.

Petalpaw turned to Breezepaw to see if he would back her up, but he was gone. Duskpaw was, too. She felt terrible. She didn't know how she really could have been this mouse-brained. Poking her head out of her hiding place, she emerged, revealing herself. She deliberately turned away from where Stormcloud was resting at the bottom of the tree with the other deputies.

"Petalpaw." Hazelstar's voice was quiet, but Petalpaw could hear it from where she was. The ThunderClan leader did not look pleased.

Petalpaw wished that she could get away from the stares of all the other cats looking at her, but none of them seemed to have any intention of turning away from her. There was silence, as though everyone was waiting for her to speak. When she didn't, Hazelstar cleared her throat and spoke up. "I think ThunderClan, at this time, should head back home." This just made Petalpaw feel worse. The leaders could've finished the Gathering, and then Hazelstar could've punished her later. But to make the Gathering end? Petalpaw thought this was all a bit unfair. All instincts from before, telling her this was a bad idea were back, now mocking her, saying, We told you so!

No other leader objected to Hazelstar's words, not wanting to get involved in ThunderClan business, but Petalpaw saw Sedgestar turn to Hazelstar and whisper something. Petalpaw assumed it would be something that told Hazelstar to control her apprentices. Petalpaw didn't want to know. She'd brought utter humiliation to the Clan.

The Clans dispersed in silence with no cat daring to speak to Petalpaw. She hurried ahead, not wanting to have to confront Hazelstar or Stormcloud or Pouncefoot or any other cat before she had to. She wanted to save the punishments for when they were already back in camp, and she was dreading what they would be.

"What in StarClan's name were you thinking?" Hazelstar asked. Her voice was angry, but there was something deeper in it that Petalpaw almost thought was understanding. Maybe she understood her motive.

Petalpaw was stuck inside of Hazelstar's den, never ever having expected to be in there for something as bad as this. She looked down at her paws, not sure what to say. She really wasn't thinking. She was selfish, only thinking of what she wanted and not what was probably the best thing for her to do. She had no idea how she could've been so stupid.

"Petalpaw?" Hazelstar's voice was still angry, clearly waiting for an answer.

"Hazelstar, this is my fault." Petalpaw turned to see Pouncefoot standing by the entrance to the den looking down. When he realized that he had their attention, he continued. "After her work today, I was so impressed that I told her she should come. Stormcloud said she wasn't ready and that she couldn't. I should never have suggested the idea in the first place. Apprentices never go to their first Gatherings."

Pouncefoot's explanation seemed to have cleared the air, and Hazelstar's anger lifted slightly, but she was still upset. She addressed Pouncefoot first. "Please send Stormcloud to me. I'd like to speak with him." Once he was gone, Hazelstar turned to Petalpaw. "This is not, by any means, acceptable. You know that. I've always known you to be one to follow the rules, and you've just humiliated the entirety of the Clan at your first Gathering. Do you know how bad this makes ThunderClan look?"

Petalpaw didn't even bother protesting. She was so ashamed that she just looked up, barely making eye contact, and murmured, "Yes, Hazelstar."

"I feel bad punishing you, but you can't get away with things like this. For the next half-moon, you are confined to camp to think about your actions. I'd like to see you clearing out the elder's den and nursery daily. I also want for you to help out in the medicine cat den. I think it might do you some good." When Petalpaw didn't object, Hazelstar flicked her tail. "You're dismissed."

As Petalpaw headed out of the den, she saw that not many cats were still in the camp, but those who were looked up immediately as she came out. She wanted to avoid all of them, just to go away and pretend that the entire night hadn't happened, but Stormcloud was walking up to her, evidently having gotten the word from Pouncefoot to see Hazelstar. He stopped her, standing in front of her. He towered over her, anger in his amber eyes.

"Petalpaw, I have never been more disappointed," he hissed. "You'll be sure to pay the price for this." And with that, he stalked past Petalpaw towards Hazelstar's den, leaving Petalpaw to contemplate the threat he'd just laid upon her.

A/N: Thanks to everyone who has read, reviewed, followed, favorited, etc. thus far. It's much appreciated. The next chapter should (hopefully) be up next week if all goes swell.

xx. Fi