Gathering
SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG! I hope the length makes up for the lack of publishing for foreveeeeeeeeeeeeeeer (at least, it felt like that...) I hope you like it!
Nightpaw slipped back into camp. No-cat noticed her, despite the plump mouse hanging from her jaw.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" Thinstar yowled, and slowly ThunderClan padded towards him, all knowing what was coming.
"About time, too." Nightpaw heard Spottedheart sigh.
After she deposited the mouse on the fresh-kill pile, Nightpaw gracefully sat down, her ears pricked. The obvious reason for this Clan meeting was for the Gathering.
When everyone was settled, Thinstar began: "Tonight is the Gathering, and I have decided who shall be coming. Those cats are: Goldenclaw, Daypaw- "
Perfect Daypaw… Nightpaw thought bitterly, looking at her brother.
"- Spottedheart, Darkfang, Firepool, Badgerpaw, Owl-leap, and Featherwing. I suggest you all eat well, and I will meet you all by the camp entrance when the moon has risen." Thinstar made to jump off the Highledge.
He didn't say me! Nightpaw knew why, but that didn't stop the flood of anger pour through her. Before she could stop herself, she hissed:
"I'm coming to the Gathering too!"
Cats looked disgustedly at her.
"I- No, you're not, Nightpaw." Thinstar looked coldly at her.
"Yes, I am!" Nightpaw growled. Subconsciously, she unsheathed her claws, drew her teeth back into a snarl, and fluffed up her fur so she looked bigger.
The look of revolution on ThunderClan cat's faces turned to fear.
Good. Thought Nightpaw. I deserve to go to the gathering too!
"Uh- "Thinstar sent a panicked look to his deputy.
Goldenclaw looked nervously to Thinstar, unsure about how he would react to her idea. "M- Maybe she should come, Thinstar. Then you could keep an eye on her…"
As much as Nightpaw detested the reason, the fact that Thinstar considered it made her keep her mouth shut.
Thinstar sighed. "If you think so…" He turned away, calling behind him, "Nightpaw, Silentsong, you can come too."
XXXXXXXX
Nightpaw had often seen the island by day, but it was completely different by night. Thinstar lead the way to the tree, dipping his head to the ShadowClan leader on his way by. Daypaw eagerly ran across the bridge, yet still looking dignified. Nightpaw made to follow him, but was shoved to the side by a panicked looking Featherwing.
What does she think I'm going to do- knock my brother off the tree-bridge? Nightpaw snorted, padding across the old tree-trunk. Actually yes, she probably does.
She jumped off the tree, and followed Thinstar through the trees.
Woah.
Countless cats, all with weird, yet recognisable scents, were sharing news and stories, and creating friendships. Nightpaw spied a group off cats, about the size of apprentices, and started over to them. After a few pawsteps though, she saw Daypaw, amusing them all with a (probably untrue) tale. She stopped, and walked back to Silentsong.
Her mentor licked Nightpaw's head affectionately, but then continued to search the island. Nightpaw waited patiently, but eagerly.
Silentsong caught the eye of another cat, and bounded over to her. Nightpaw followed quickly.
The she-cat was a golden-brown, with dark tufts poking out her abnormally large ears, and a dark patch on the tip of her long tail. Her long, thin legs made her taller than Silentsong. One of her paws had half of its toes missing, and the rest of the foot was covered with countless scars. Her amber eyes were warm towards Silentsong, and her short whiskers seemed to tremble with happiness.
"Silentsong!" She mewed happily, as they approached. "And who are you?" She added, spying Nightpaw.
Nightpaw opened her mouth to say her name, when she saw Silentsong twitch her head slightly. She closed her mouth.
The she-cat saw Nightpaw's hesitation, and decided that this tiny black cat must be shy.
"I'm Nettleskip," She explained. "WindClan's medicine cat. Are you Silentsong's apprentice?"
Nightpaw nodded slowly. Nettleskip frowned. "Already? Silentsong, you've only been a warrior for just over a moon!"
Silentsong shrugged non-committedly.
For a moment, the group was silent.
"Why are you called Nettleskip?" Nightpaw finally asked. The thought had been nagging her for a while now.
Nettleskip forced back a growl of annoyance, though she didn't completely accomplish it.
"It's okay!" Nightpaw backtracked. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to!"
Nettleskip sighed. "You'll find out soon enough."
"Cats of all Clans!" A cat screeched. Nightpaw turned to see a brown-red tom on the huge oak tree in the middle of the island.
"That's Burntstar, ShadowClan's leader," Nettleskip murmured. "And that's Crowflight, his deputy." She waved her tail to a smoky black cat.
A grey she-cat with dark stripes leapt up next to him.
"She's Ripplestar, from RiverClan, and Clawedpelt, her deputy."
The reason of Clawedpelt's name was clear: his dark fur was riddled with claw-marks.
A she-cat with long fur fluffed up all over the place and cold blue eyes bounded onto the tree, and a silver-grey she-cat joined the deputies. This time Nettleskip didn't explain who they were. Finally, Thinstar climbed onto the wide branch.
"Burntstar, would you like to start?" Thinstar asked, but was cut off.
"Actually, I would like to go first, if that is okay with you?" The WindClan leader said curtly, and without waiting for an answer, continued. "Snowstar lost his last life fighting a fox. His death is a great loss to WindClan, but I have been to the Moonpool and received my nine lives. Mistycloud is my deputy."
Every cat suddenly called out: "Pricklestar! Pricklestar! Pricklestar!"
That name make sense. Nightpaw thought to herself. Her fur does look rather prickly!
"In other news, the fox was chased off our territory, and is not coming back. The prey is running well, and every WindClan warrior, queen, elder and apprentice is well fed." She dipped her head to Burntstar.
"ShadowClan is also well fed. We have a warrior to announce too: Dappledcloud."
"Dappledcloud!" The cats yowled.
"Everything is calm in the RiverClan camp," Ripplestar mewed. "The fish are swimming quickly, but my warriors are catching them faster."
Thinstar stood up. "ThunderClan has two apprentices to announce. Daypaw and- "He forced himself to say it. "Nightpaw are here tonight."
The Clans broke out in whispers. Leaders looked at medicine cats; medicine cats looked at leaders. Apprentices looked at mentors; warriors looked at leaders.
Determinedly Thinstar yowled: "Daypaw! Daypaw! Nightpaw… Daypaw!"
The odd cat echoed him, but most continued to whisper.
"The Gathering is over!" Thinstar announced. "ThunderClan!"
"WindClan!"
"RiverClan!"
"ShadowClan!"
Nightpaw stood up to leave, but froze when she saw Nettleskip.
"You're. Name. Is. NIGHTPAW!" She growled, her eyes filled with anger.
"Uh- I- "
"Silentsong!" Nettleskip shrieked.
"Nettleskip!" Nettleskip turned to see Pricklestar waiting for her.
"This isn't over!" The WindClan cat hissed, then ran up to her Clan.
She runs weirdly. Nightpaw observed. Sort of a skip. I think that's why she is named after it. Well, I don't blame her for being angry about her name. I wouldn't like to be named after a weakness. But… I don't think I can forgive her for acting like that, just because of my name. Wait-
"Silentsong?" Nightpaw asked. Silentsong looked at him. "Do all the other Clan know about the prophecy? Why were they all acting like that when Thinstar said my name?"
Silentsong nudged Nightpaw over to Daypaw. Confused, Nightpaw turned around, but then she heard Daypaw ask:
"- Do all the other Clans know about the prophecy?"
She listened in, intently.
"Yes, Daypaw. Each of the medicine cats heard prophecy, but they received it at the moonstone the time after you both had been born, whilst Icytail received it in the camp."
That must be why Nettleskip was so shocked! I didn't realise, but she was sitting with the other medicine cats when I met her, and I have heard Hollyburn and Icytail talk about her before, now that I think about it!
She must have made some noise, because Daypaw and Thinstar jerked their heads towards her.
"Were you eavesdropping?" Thinstar growled.
"I- No- Yes- I- "Nightpaw panicked.
Thinstar snorted. "It starts off with the small things…" He muttered under his breath.
Fury rang in Nightpaw's ears again, but instead of clawing her leader into itty-bitty shreds like her claws itched to do, she put that energy into her legs, and ran.
She just wished she could run from herself.