Dawntail's POV
Dawntail padded along beside Ivystar as they neared the island. Glancing back at her Clanmates she noted the dull expressions on their faces.
Ivystar leaped up onto the tree-bridge and crossed carefully. Dustypelt followed then Dawntail.
Creeping through the bushes Dawntail studied the faces of ShadowClan and RiverClan who were already there. RiverClan looked cautious and ShadowClan had some friendly expressions here and there but mostly worn out.
Ivystar darted up the huge tree where the leaders sat and Dustypelt picked his way through the crowd to the roots of the tree. Dawntail carefully picked her way over to the other medicine cats. "Greetings," she mewed.
Flamefur and Rosepaw both smiled and Featherwing dipped her head in a silent greeting.
"Where is WindClan?" Brushstar yowled from his perch in the tree.
Ivystar shook her head and Rainfall–who was sitting on the branch instead of Darkstar–shifted uncomfortably.
"Wait! WindClan is here!" someone called from the crowd.
Seconds later Sandstar burst through the bushes with her patrol spilling into the clearing behind her. Dawntail watched WindClan's hostile expression. Sandstar's face was grim as she examined the other Clans.
Blackears picked his way over to the other medicine cats and sat down, a fox-length away from the others.
Rosepaw hesitated then padded over to him and meowed a peppy greeting.
"What happened to Darkstar?" Dawntail whispered.
Featherwing's ears drooped, "You'll find out," she muttered darkly.
"Let the Gathering begin!" Brushstar yowled, his voice carrying a snarl. "Ivystar would you care to speak first?" she asked.
Ivystar nodded and Dawntail pricked her ears.
Ivystar stood and waved her tail back and forth, "ThunderClan will admit it has not been doing well. One of our loyal warriors, Lilyblossom, died in the middle of the night a few days ago. She woke up screaming and choking on her own blood, her wounds were badly fatal. We do not know the cause of these wounds though."
Brushstar rose to his paws, "One of our warriors, Quietbreeze, was also killed under these same conditions!"
Sandstar narrowed her eyes, "Same for WindClan; one of our queens, Waterlily, is dead!"
RiverClan stood on their paws yowling loudly, "Darkstar was killed as well!"
Dawntail narrowed her eyes and glanced at Featherwing and Rosepaw who were staring at their paws. What has happened? A cat from each Clan has died . . . as a warning?
Rainfall stood up, "How can this be? Do we have a murderer among us?" she called out.
Ivystar growled, "There is no traitor in ThunderClan. I am positive of that!"
Brushstar hissed furiously and his hackles rose, "ShadowClan has no murderer!"
Dawntail looked around in panic; cats of every Clan seemed to be glared furiously at each other, some with claws out. The only cats that were calm seemed to be the medicine cats and Sandstar.
Blackears raised his voice, "Look! Clouds cover the moon!"
"StarClan is angry! Have we not forgotten SkyClan's fate if we are all against each other and fail to help?" Sandstar said patiently from her branch. "Listen to yourselves! Shouldn't we focus on working together instead of accusing each other?" she asked.
Rainfall snarled, "RiverClan enough!"
The RiverClan warriors seemed to calm down and some said a quiet, "Yes Rainstar."
Brushstar lashed his tail and immediately in reaction ShadowClan quieted down.
Sandstar flicked her tail, "The apprentices, Emberpaw, Acaciapaw, Lunarpaw, and Lightningpaw have set off for SkyClan already. I suggest that we wait until the day after half-moon to set off, until then we should choose the cats that are going," Sandstar suggested.
Rainstar nodded, "Very well, I agree. However one of our apprentices, Mosspaw, has disappeared without a trace. She disappeared on the day scheduled for the WindClan and SkyClan apprentices. Perhaps she joined them? If not has any other cats seen her?" she asked.
Brushstar shook his head, "ShadowClan has not."
Ivystar shrugged, "We live on the other side of the lake, we have never seen a trace of her," she mumbled.
Dawntail pricked her ears as Sandstar opened her mouth to speak.
Sandstar looked at her paws, "I should have sent word, Rainstar, forgive me. We did scent RiverClan in our territory; it was mixed with WindClan and SkyClan scent."
Rainstar looked relieved. "Thank StarClan!"
Brushstar looked a little annoyed, "Now may we continue with the Gathering?" he asked. Ivystar, Sandstar, and Rainstar nodded in agreement.
Brushstar nodded, "Good. ShadowClan has had good hunting this season. We have two new warriors, Rockfall and Foxwhisker. Also we have four new apprentices, Silverpaw, Scratchpaw, Midnightpaw, and Cloverpaw."
"Cloverpaw! Rockfall! Scratchpaw! Midnightpaw! Foxwhisker! Silverpaw!" The Clans cheered.
Dawntail glanced at Flamefur and Splashpaw, "Congratulations," she whispered.
Splashpaw puffed his chest with pride, "Foxwhisker is my sister! I can't wait until I get my full name now!" he said happily. Dawntail smiled weakly.
Rainstar spoke next, "RiverClan has managed this moon. We have a new deputy, Iceclaw," she said, speaking short and sweetly.
Sandstar rose, "ThunderClan has done fine this moon. We have a new apprentice, Jaypaw."
"Jaypaw! Jaypaw!" the Clans cheered.
Ivystar flicked her tail, "The Gathering is over! When we see each other again may we be strong enough to defeat whoever these cats are that threaten SkyClan."
Dawntail dipped her head to the other medicine cats and disappeared with her Clan.
I'm going to try and update this story as much as I can but I'm not sure if I can keep on my normal pattern of update because I am planning on starting another story, "Searching."
It's about Scourge's kits and it takes place right after the battle with BloodClan. So yep if you want to check it out it should be up today or tomorrow.
Review?
~Stormfeather
