Okay, here's the next chapter! What will happen to Tawnypaw? Will she live, or will she die? It's in the paws of StarClan…haha! Actually, it's up to me!
Howlpaw pushed her way through her clanmates and into the clearing. Bramblestar had just called a clan meeting, and it was for the Gathering tonight. Looking up above, Howlpaw saw bright stars starting to form in the bloodred sky. She prayed to StarClan that among those stars, somewhere Tawnypaw was not there, and wouldn't be there for many moons to come.
She found her brother, who gestured her to sit. She planted her rump right next to him, brushing her pelt with his. He put his tail on her shoulder, and then Bramblestar started to speak.
"Tonight is the Gathering, and I have chosen who shall come to represent ThunderClan. If I call your name, once the meeting is over, go over to the thorn barrier." He paused, making sure that everyone listened, his words echoing off the stony walls of the camp. "Lionblaze, Brackenfur, Hazeltail, Foxleap, Swiftpaw, Hailpaw, Ravenpaw, Lightpaw, Howlpaw, Wolfpaw, Graystripe, Dustpelt, Jayfeather, and Leafpool and Squirrelflight." Without another word, Bramblestar jumped off of Highledge and vanished through the thorn tunnel, waiting on the other side in the forest.
Before Howlpaw could go anywhere, she felt something sharp at the base of her tail. Whirling around, she saw Russetkit, Webkit, and Stormkit, all playing with her tail. Next to her was Swiftpaw, who had an amused expression on her face.
"Promise you tell us all about the Gathering!" Squeaked Russetkit. Her bright eyes gleamed with excitement, clearly all three kits wanted to know what would happen at the Gathering.
Howlpaw nodded at them, then lightly batted at Webkit, who had dug his tiny claws into her tail. It stung only a little bit, but the kit was only being playful. "Now, get back to your mother. I need to get going!" The kits mewed their goodbyes', and Howlpaw headed out of the camp with Swiftpaw and Wolfpaw beside her.
As they made their way around the Lake, she heard several warriors talking about what Bramblestar would say at the Gathering. "I wonder if he'll mention anything about Tawnypaw." Hazeltail murmured, her belly heavy with kits. Howlpaw was surprised that Bramblestar had chosen her to make the journey. Next to her, her mate Foxleap nuzzled at her head.
"Well, whatever he says, it's not really any of the clans business." mewed Foxleap, and Hazeltail just nodded.
But Hailpaw seemed to take up their conversation. "I don't think he should say it; it'll make us sound weak." The young apprentice said, his voice rigid.
Swiftpaw looked at her brother discouragingly. "Does it really make us weak if one of our apprentices is injured? And you're sister, too! She'll recover, so how will it make us seem weak? Bramblestar would just be passing on news!" She practically spat at her brother.
Howlpaw blinked. She had never expected Swiftpaw-the kind, caring cat she was-to score at anyone with her tongue, especially her own brother. But, then again, Hailpaw wasn't being to kind towards his sister or his leader.
But Hailpaw just shrugged, and moved on to walk alone. Swiftpaw grunted. "Good riddance." She murmured.
Howlpaw looked up at her. "But, he's your brother!" She protested. "Don't you love him enough to be kind?" Howlpaw said, before she even knew what she was going to say. Holding back, afraid Swiftpaw would yell at her too, Howlpaw closed her eyes tight.
But Swiftpaw only sighed. "I would think so too, but, lately he's been such a bossy and mean furball. He thinks he the most senior warrior, and talks like he's deputy. He really hasn't been very kind; either if it's towards me, warriors, our father, or even Tawnypaw's accident. He even practically yells at Ravenpaw everyday, telling him he's useless. Jayfeather doesn't say a word about it, though. He just says that sometimes cats can be angry a lot." The older apprentice seemed hopeless.
Howlpaw nudged her. "Hey, it's gonna be okay. Everything turns out okay. I'm sure Tawnypaw will be perfectly fine." Her words of encouragement seemed to brighten the white, gray and black apprentice, and they continued the journey to the Island.
Soon, they came to the Treebridge, and the scents of RiverClan, WindClan, and ShadowClan touched her nose. "We're the last clan." She whispered to Wolfpaw, and he nodded. Together, they crossed the Treebridge and into the Island.
This was her second Gathering, but crossing the fallen tree still seemed to get easier, and the Island never ceased to tingle her paws with excitement when she journeyed onto it's grounds. Here, the clans could be together in peace.
Right as she ands her brother, along with Swiftpaw and Ravenpaw, got onto the island, Swiftpaw and Ravenpaw were greeted by several young warriors. It was a she-cat and two toms; who smelled of WindClan. Out of the corner of her eye, Howlpaw saw Wolfpaw head off with the senior warriors.
The she-cat was black with gray stripes, and one of the toms was gray. The other tom was black, and was looking at Howlpaw.
Swiftpaw touched noses with the three cats. "Rainpaw! Rockpaw! Shadowpaw!" greeted Swiftpaw, and the three cats flicked their ears.
The she-cat, Rainpaw, informed Swiftpaw, "we're not apprentices any more, silly! I'm now Rainstripe, Rockpaw is Rocktooth, and Shadowpaw is now Shadowclaw!" Shadowclaw, the black tom, smiled at Howlpaw.
"Who're your friends, Swiftpaw? Or do you have your warrior name?" Shadowclaw asked, still eying Howlpaw. She felt uncomfortable under his watchful gaze.
Swiftpaw held her head. "No, Bramblestar still hasn't granted us our warrior names. It's being…postponed." Then her voice lightened. "This is Wolfpaw, and this is his sister, Howlpaw."
Shadowclaw then turned to Swiftpaw, after several more moments of looking at Howlpaw. "How old are they?"
Swiftpaw's whisker's twitched. "They're two moons younger than us, since we're the same age." Then she eyed him curiously. "Why? Do you have a liking to Howlpaw?"
Howlpaw tucked her ears flat against her head, embarrassed to take the spotlight in front of these new warriors. Shadowclaw ducked in embarrassment, then pretended to clout at her ear. "Never, stupid furball! I'm WindClan through and through!"
But Swiftpaw still purred almost silently in her throat. Then Rocktooth cleared his throat, breaking the tension. "So, how's things in WindClan doing?"
Rainstripe flicked her ears, her gaze turning to the Oak trees. "You'll find out soon enough."
Bramblestar, Onestar, Rowanstar, and Mistystar were all on top of the tree. At the base was Lionblaze, Dawnpelt, Reedwhisker, and a cat that Howlpaw didn't recognize. But, she did see her father talking to the cat, and saw that his muscles had tensed. Then he looked up at the tree, listening to leaders, although a scowl was still on his face.
Rowanstar went first. "We have one new warrior, Badgerclaw." He paused, letting the clans cheer his name, then continued. "We chased out a young fox upstream; and am sure that it won't return." Then the russet-colored tom backed up, dipping his head towards Mistystar.
The RiverClan leader stepped forward, her blue eyes gleaming in the moonlight. "RiverClan is doing well in leaf-bare. The water had supplied us with fish, and we have a new elder. Mosspelt has now retired." The clans cheered her name, and Howlpaw noticed that Mosspelt wasn't here, although she did seem well-liked.
Bramblestar stepped forward, and Howlpaw felt her stomach clench. Would he speak of Tawnypaw? "We are also doing well in this leaf-bare. However, one of our elders, Millie, has died in her sleep. She was an honorable warrior, and will be remembered for many moons to come." The clans cheered her name, honoring her, and Howlpaw realized that most cats from the other clans knew Millie. She had come back with Graystripe from the old forest during a Gathering, so many cats must've known her. Nearby, she also saw Graystripe stifle a sob.
And then when Onestar stepped forward, the clench around Howlpaw's belly released. He hadn't spoken of Tawnypaw.
"WindClan is doing well, but leaf-bare has also taken one of our clanmates. My deputy, Ashfoot, has died of greencough." He bowed his head for a moment, honoring the deputy. Howlpaw recalled seeing her at her last Gathering, and remembered that she shared the elderly WindClan cat's blood.
"Our new deputy is Heathertail."
As the clans were cheering Heathertail's name, Howlpaw saw her father. It seemed his gaze was fixated on the mysterious cat at the base of the tree, who must be Heathertail. I wonder what they were talking about. Wondered Howlpaw. Then Onestar went on. "We also have three new warriors; Rainstripe, Shadowclaw, and Rocktooth." The clans cheered their names, and Howlpaw felt Shadowclaw's gaze burning into her pelt.
All she could focus on was the WindClan warrior's dark gaze, fixated onto her fur, for the rest of the Gathering. When every cat was dismissed, she once again saw her father and Heathertail argue again, but then another cat's voice made her concentration shatter.
"Your father is Lionblaze, right?"
She whirled around to see Shadowclaw staring intently at her. Howlpaw nodded.
He smiled, his eyes gleaming. "My parents are Heathertail and Gorsetail, but to be honest, I don't think Heathertail really likes him." As Howlpaw turned to look into his dark brown eyes, he said something that surprised her, completely off topic.
"You have pretty eyes." He murmured, and got so close their noses almost touched.
A shiver ran down her spine. For whatever reason, something deep inside her told herself to not trust this tom. Suddenly her father's angry yowl shattered the lock that wasd between the twos' gaze.
"Howlpaw! Come on!" Her father sounded angry.
She took one last glance at Shadowclaw, and, before she could protest, he quickly licked her ear. "Go on," his breath was in her ear. "I'll look forward to seeing you next time."
Without another glance, Howlpaw turned and ran after her father. Chills ran up and down her spine. What did Shadowclaw want? Was he just being friendly? No, she told herself. That was more than being friendly. Does he…like me?
Another voice told her, well, he did say you have pretty eyes.
Howlpaw hissed at it though. Enough! She scolded it. I can't like him; he's WindClan, I'm ThunderClan! It's that simple!
Linelinelineline
When Howlpaw caught up to her father, she could tell he was fuming. Trying to shake away the thoughts of Shadowcalw, she asked him, "Father?"
Lionblaze turned to his daughter. "Yes?" His amber eyes seared anger.
Howlpaw sucked in her breath. Lionblaze looked absolutely terrifying. His eyes blazed, and Howlpaw felt scared for a moment, but she quickly shook it away. He's my father, for StarClan's sake! I have no reason to fear him!
She shook her fur, then asked him, "What were you and Heathertail talking about? You seemed angry at her."
Her father sighed. "It's…complicated." He mewed, his voice stressed. "I-I'll tell you when you're older, okay? I'm sorry, it's just, I'm tired, and…" He trailed off.
But Howlpaw nodded, completely understanding. "Of course." She mewed, and walked back to camp, Wolfpaw's tail on her back the whole time, his pelt brushing hers. It comforted her, but she still would never be able to get the image of Shadowclaw's mesmerizing gaze, and his voice, from her mind. She shivered once more, then headed back to camp.
Did you like? If this was people, Shadowclaw would be a creepy dude…Anyways, I hope you guys like! I was actually hoping to add more to this, but since its five pages right now, I'll use another chapter. Don't forget to press that little lonely button down below, people! *hint hint hint*