Chapter 9

Sparrowfire led her Clan toward the Gathering rock. She hadn't yet received her name and many of her warriors were there to protect her. The silver tabby felt uncertainty flowing through her. Her first act that day had fulfilled Lion and Shadow's requests. She had made them apprentices of MistClan. Lionpaw was apprenticed to Wolfpelt, while Shadowpaw was apprenticed to Junipertail. The two new apprentices were following Sparrowfire, talking to one another in low, excited whispers.

Sparrowfire glanced over her shoulder at the cats behind her. She could still see the shock registering on their faces from the sight of Robinstar's bleeding body. However, the cats were following her obediently. Now that it had been up to Sparrowfire, she allowed the Tribe cats refuge in the Clan, and some were asking to become warriors of both FireClan and MistClan.

Sparrowfire climbed up the hill to see Tigerstar already standing on top of the Gathering rock. Jaystar bristled beside Sparrowfire and whispered to her, "What are you going to tell them?"

Sparrowfire narrowed her eyes. "Nothing. I will tell them that Robinstar is sick and I am taking his place for a while. Next Gathering, when I have my leader name, I will tell them that Robinstar has passed from sickness, nothing else," Sparrowfire mewed to the blue-silver tom.

Jaystar nodded and led the FireClan cats apart from MistClan. Sparrowfire and Jaystar leaped onto the Gathering rock side-by-side, the cats assembling below them. Sparrowfire turned and her eyes widened as she realized that the gaze of every cat was turned on her. Nervous energy flowed through her as she stared down at the masses.

You're making everyone stare at you by bristling like that! Quit it, Waspstorm hissed in Sparrowfire's ear. Sparrowfire forced her fur to lie flat and calmly took in the cats below her. Despite Jaystar's attempt, MistClan and FireClan sat side-by-side while ShadeClan and HeartClan lay side-by-side and the opposite side of the clearing.

Foxcry stared up at Sparrowfire encouragingly, and the silver tabby raised her head high.

"I shall begin," Tigerstar growled, although it was more of an order.

Sparrowfire and Jaystar turned expectantly to him, but as Tigerstar was about to meow something, a yowl cut through his words. The three leaders turned to see a black tom with icy blue eyes, cats filing in behind him. The black cat leaped on top of the Gathering rock.

"Pinefrost," Tigerstar snarled, "what are you doing here, you rat?!"

"Pinestar," Pinestar corrected, "leader of ShadeClan."

"ShadeClan doesn't exist anymore!" Tigerstar snarled angrily.

"Stop this!" Jaystar snarled. "Who is that?" He indicated his tail at a brown tabby tom with glowing amber eyes. Sparrowfire bristled, she knew the cat!

"Flamingspirit," Pinestar replied calmly. "He has joined our ranks after almost being slaughtered by Snaketail of MistClan."

Snaketail bristled and stood. The MistClan cats bristled and snarled retorts.

"But," Pinestar went on, "we aren't looking for trouble from MistClan, so we shall not spend this Gathering throwing threats around." Sparrowfire dipped her head but couldn't help but bristle at the feeling of Flamingspirit's burning gaze.

"I shall begin now," Jaystar announced, cutting ahead of Tigerstar. The fox-colored tabby snarled but remained mostly silent. "FireClan is recovering quickly and are nearly ready to return home. Brightfrost has many times over investigated the scene and she says that everything appears fine."

How does everything appear fine? I saw the ground continue to crack, Sparrowfire wondered, confusion welling up inside of her.

Jaystar went on, "Icepaw and Dawnpaw are showing excellent potential and we look forward to their warrior ceremony." Jaystar dipped his head, signaling for Sparrowfire to begin.

Sparrowfire stepped forward to look once more at the cats below. Once again, she felt nervous and sick from the amount of gazes trained on her. She took a deep breath and began, slightly stuttering, but her voice became stronger with every word, "Mist-MistClan is doing r-rather fine. We have two new apprentices, Lionpaw and Shadowpaw, apprenticed to Junipertail and Wolfpelt. Spottedfrost had three new kits, Adderkit, Thrushkit, and Blazekit, and we have welcomed them happily into the Clan with proud father, Flameclaw."

Now, it's time to teach Tigerstar a lesson! Waspstorm hissed once more in Sparrowfire's ear.

"Of course, our patrols have strengthened and in every way we are prepared for the threat of HeartClan," Sparrowfire announced.

It's not enough! Threaten them! Waspstorm's voice rang in Sparrowfire's ears and uncertainty shadowed her like a cloud. Should she threaten Tigerstar? How would it affect MistClan? Well, they've never steered me wrong before, Sparrowfire decided.

"Of course, if HeartClan even takes one paw step onto MistClan territory, they'll be fleeing back to their mothers before they even knew it," Sparrowfire mewed with a cool calm.

Tigerstar bristled and growled, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, nothing. I don't think that your tiny brain would be able to comprehend it," Sparrowfire smiled as she said this. She was good at taunting cats. Having learned it in her kithood, Sparrowfire could taunt any cat and get away with it.

Tigerstar's growl escalated into a snarl, "You insolent cat!"

"What are you going to do?" Sparrowfire asked calmly, closing her eyes, but bracing herself for any attack. "You can't attack me in the truce. Particularly when you are outnumbered."

Tigerstar snarled, "You fool! Your insolence will most definitely serve your head before my paws!"

"Is that a threat?" Lionpaw snarled from below. Sparrowfire looked down to see him turn from Tigerstar to look at her. I know what you're doing, and it won't work, Lionpaw's gaze told her. Sparrowfire took a deep breath and dipped her head obediently, then caught herself in the process. She was so used to those same familiar eyes and pelt, she was acting as though Lionpaw was Brackenstar!

Sparrowfire quickly shook her head, trying to make it seem as though she had dipped her head to try to get a burr out of her ear, or something. Tigerstar padded forward, cutting Sparrowfire off.

"HeartClan is doing much better it seems, compared to MistClan. With the death of Robinstar, it's not a surprise Sparrowfire is angry. The shock is obvious on your faces," Tigerstar called out, a smirk upon his face.

Jaystar, Sparrowfire, and Pinestar bristled indignantly. Jaystar growled, "That was you, wasn't it? You killed Robinstar!"

Tigerstar chuckled, "Well, at least Jaystar's smart."

Lightning crackled overhead and rain came down in sheets. "StarClan is angry!" Firecloud somewhere cried. Sparrowfire leaped from the Gathering rock and called to MistClan and FireClan. Jaystar came down to Sparrowfire's side. The silver tabby led the cats on, far off of the Gathering rock. The MistClan and FireClan cats scrambled behind her and Palebranch hurried over to Sparrowfire's side.

By the time the MistClan cats returned, they were all drenched from the rain, and Sparrowfire's pelt clung to her body. Sparrowfire sprang away to the leader's den, preparing for the next day when she would leave to gain her name and return as Sparrowstar.

Me: Well, it did not take long to make this chapter. I knew precisely what I was going to do. Okay, the song Fairytail is starting to grow on me...

I do not own, or claim to own, Warriors, Erin Hunter does.