"I really get to go?" Maplepaw asked.
"Of course," Silverfur meowed.
"Will the clans fight?" Maplepaw wanted to know.
"They better not," Silverfur meowed.
"Will they like me?"
"Not like you. They'll be friendly tonight, but any other time they won't hesitate to claw your ears off if you anger them."
"Are we fishing again?"
"No. You need to rest."
Maplepaw padded back to her den, but she knew she wouldn't sleep. Troutfang was bent on training her every time she closed her eyes. If Maplepaw asked for a rest Troutfang clawed her nose and growled, "Don't you trust me?". Maplepaw had broken the habit immediately. She couldn't stand to see the huge tom right now.
"Hi, Maplepaw!" Applepaw called.
"Hi," Maplepaw meowed stiffly.
"Are you going to the gathering tonight?" Applepaw asked.
"Yes. Are you?"
"No."
"What training activity are you doing?"
"Warrior assessment. If I pass, I get to be made a full Warrior!" Applepaw meowed excitedly.
"That's great!" Maplepaw meowed, adding to herself, "And I won't have to share a den with him for three moons!"
"I have to go." Applepaw darted off.
Maplepaw sat down outside her den, and started washing. She washed slowly, enjoying her free time.
"Hey! Applepaw says your going to the gathering!" it was Webpaw.
"Don't you have training?" Maplepaw asked him. She was glad of the company, but didn't want to get him in trouble.
"No. I'm also going to the Gathering. I have to rest all day. You think our mentors would let us hunt or something?" Webpaw asked.
"Silverfur won't." Maplepaw meowed.
"Why not?" Webpaw asked.
"She thinks I have a crush on Applepaw and that I'll try to help him," Maplepaw meowed, remembering her mentor's playful teasing.
"You don't, do you?"
"Of course not!" Maplepaw gasped.
"Didn't think so."
"Where did Silverfur get the idea, anyway?" Maplepaw asked.
"You're always at his throat. That's often a sign of love." Webpaw replied.
"I don't have a crush on him," Maplepaw said.
"I didn't think so," Webpaw meowed.
"Do you like anyone?" Maplepaw asked.
"No. Your great and everything, but your more my sister than my mate,"
"Good. Anyone else?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because I'm too young."
"Not to interrupt, but I could use some clean moss," Flowerlight snuck up on them and spoke in a demanding tone.
"Silverfur told me to rest," Maplepaw meowed.
"I've already talked to her. Now, both of you, get me the moss!" Flowerlight hissed, and stalked off.
"Let's go," Webpaw meowed, making a face.
"Okay," Maplepaw also made a face.
"At least we're not getting rid of the old moss!" Webpaw meowed.
"We're not?"
"Stormpaw and Fernpaw are doing that!"
What about the Elders?" Maplepaw asked.
"Mousepaw and I cleaned their den out yesterday."
The task went quickly with four apprentices and three kits helping. Glenkit, Toadkit, and Featherkit were surprisingly good helpers. If only Moonkit was there. He was off doing StarClan knew what.
"Not bad. You kits should get out from under the apprentices' paws, though," Flowerlight growled.
"They're fine," Maplepaw meowed. The other apprentices nodded.
"Fine. Better them help than get in trouble," Flowerlight meowed, and flopped into her nest.
"You all did well," Streamfoot told her nervous kits.
"Let's let the queens rest and go play outside," Maplepaw suggested.
"Can we, Streamfoot?" the kits begged.
"Yes. Will you look for Moonkit?" Streamfoot meowed.
"Sure," Fernpaw promised.
Moonkit was munching loudly on a fat Carp. He looked up as Maplepaw and Fernpaw led his siblings over.
"Hi," he mumbled through a huge mouthful.
"Shouldn't you share that with us?" Glenkit asked.
"There's plenty on the pile. I was hungry." Moonkit replied, fish dangling from the corners of his over stuffed mouth.
"How many fish have you had?" Fernpaw asked.
"This is my first," Moonkit meowed, now spewing chewed carp.
"It's not going anywhere," Maplepaw meowed, wondering how she could have been hungry just a few moments ago.
"Like I said, I'm hungry," Moonkit belched.
"Streamfoot was looking for you," Fernpaw told him.
"Tell her I'm busy. Can't you see I have a fish to finish?" Moonkit meowed, and just to prove it he started to chew even more loudly.
"I'll go tell her," Maplepaw meowed.
Maplepaw found Streamfoot washing in her nest.
"What can I do for you?" Streamfoot asked.
"Moonkit's eating."
"Thanks. Tell the others to eat too."
"Yes Streamfoot," Maplepaw meowed and left.
"It's time!" Fishstar called from the camp entrance.
The chosen cats lined up behind him. They headed out into the forest.
"Are you ready?" Silverfur asked.
"Yes! It's going to be fun!" Maplepaw said.
"Don't give anything important away. Don't talk to any warriors unless they talk to you first," Silverfur instructed.
"Yes, Silverfur," Maplepaw meowed.
The cats entered the clearing. ThunderClan was already there, stinking of forests and mice. Maplepaw saw a ThunderClan tom who was sitting by himself.
"Hi. I'm Maplepaw. What's your name?" Maplepaw asked.
"I'm Lightningpaw," the tom replied.
Maplepaw noticed how handsome he was. He was a ginger tabby with green eyes. She found that she wanted to stare at him forever, taking him in. "So your from ThunderClan?" Maplepaw forced the words out of her mouth.
"Yes. Your from RiverClan?" Lightning paw asked.
"Yes. I've eaten mice, though," Maplepaw meowed.
"From our territory?" Lightningpaw was on guard now.
"I caught one in our forest and Silverfur told me I could eat it," Maplepaw meowed quickly. She didn't want to anger Lightningpaw.
"Good. Silverfur is your mentor?" Lightningpaw was warming up again.
"She is. Who's yours?"
"Leaffur," Lightningpaw flicked his tail toward a small white she-cat.
"She doesn't look much like a leaf," Maplepaw observed.
"Her mother chose the Leaf part and StarClan knows why Lakestar chose the Fur part," purred Lightningpaw.
"Let the gathering begin!" called a gray she-cat from the Great Stump.
"That's Lakestar," Lightningpaw whispered.
Maplepaw gave him a nod. She recognised all the leaders, deputies and medicine cats from stories.
Mudstar was the leader of ShadowClan. He had thick brown fur, yellow eyes, and a scowl. Brightstar was a white she-cat with light green eyes. Lakestar was gray and white. Fishstar was brown and white. Silverfur's silver coat glowed in the moonlight. Darkpelt, ThunderClan's deputy was a motionless black and brown mass. ShadowClan's deputy Breezenose was a gray she-cat with broken teeth. The deputy of WindClan, Hopfoot was light brown. Fogheart with her thick gray pelt was sitting with Wingtail, the blue-gray medicine cat of ThunderClan, Raintooth, the dark gray tom who was the medicine cat of ShadowClan, and Lionfoot, the ginger medicine cat of WindClan.
Maplepaw was too busy looking around to pay attention to any of the reports. As time passed she and Lightningpaw stared at each other more and more.
"It was nice talking with you," Maplepaw meowed at the end of the gathering.
"You too. I hope we see each other again." Lightningpaw meowed.
They went their separate ways. Maplepaw knew she'd made a friend. A dangerous friend, but still a friend.
A/N: I am so sorry for not updateing in so long. Once summer starts I'll try to update once a week.
Pebblewish: Thank you!
What do you think Stormpaw's warrior name should be? Stormjaw doesn't work, and I'm keeping Maplepaw's name Mapleshade.
Don't forget to review!
See you next time!
