"It's about time you got here!" Moonbeam heard the StoneClan leader's rough voice as she pushed through the bushes into the clearing were the gathering was held. Shadestar merely dipped his head to Badgerstar's comment and went over to the Great Rock. The silver tabby felt her sisters pelt brush against hers as she ran over to the other medicine cats, brushing muzzles with them briefly. "C'mon lets go brag to some WhisperClan warriors before the gathering starts." Mossheart whispered. Moonbeam nodded and followed her toward a group of young warriors.
"I bet you can't run faster than me!" She heard a pale ginger tom boasting to Deertail from StoneClan. "The only reason WhisperClan cats are so fast is because they run away from everything." The brown and white tom shot his pelt bristling.
"At least we don't hide in caves all day!" the ginger tom replied sliding his claw in and out slowly. They aren't seriously going to fight at a Gathering are they? Moonbeam thought she looked over at Mossheart who was watching the scene with wide eyes.
Moonbeam saw Deertail was ready to shred the smaller tom. WhisperClan has a bad problem of starting fights they can't finish
"Alright that's enough." She heard a deep voice sound behind her. The she-cat looked over her shoulder to see a handsome black tom with white ears standing beside her. "You two are acting like kits now go join you clans."
"Yes Stormheart." The ginger said softly before turning to join his Clanmates in front of the Great Rock. Moonbeam felt her heart do a little skip as Stormheart's pelt brushed against hers. "Sorry about Hawkfear. He was always a trouble maker." It took Moonbeam a few heartbeats to realize he was talking to her.
"Oh, that's alright. I'm sure Deertail would have taught him a lesson." Moonbeam meowed looking into Stormheart's gray eyes. The tom purred in amusement. "Yes you're probably right. Well I've got to go sit with the other deputies it's was nice talking to you." with that the black tom turned and trotted away leaving Moonbeam to stare after him. He's a deputy? Moonbeam thought dazed her head was swimming.
Mossheart nudged her gently. "Let's go find a place to sit." Moonbeam spotted an empty place near the left of the Great Rock and she and Mossheart weaved their way among the many cats.
"WhisperClan has good news." Moonbeam winced as Loudstar started speaking her high pitch voice echoing through the silent clearing. "We have two new warriors, Deertail and Heatherstep. Also we have three new apprentices Redpaw, Flamepaw, and Softpaw." The clans yowled their approval and congratulations to the young cats before Loudstar waved her tail for silence. "Hunting is good and our clan is well prepared for leaf-fall. "Badgerstar?" The ginger and white leader nodded to Badgerstar then went back to sit with Shadestar.
Badgerstar stood and padded forward a few step. He looked down at the cats with piercing amber eyes. "DreamClan has gone too far." He announced. Moonbeam felt her pelt start to rise. How dare he! Shadestar gave the StoneClan leader a questioning look. "How so, Badgerstar?" He asked calmly. "Don't act innocent Shadestar, one of our cats is horrifically wounded and we scented DreamClan inside out borders." The striped warrior growled, his claws glowed in the moonlight.
The DreamClan leader looked confused. "I had no knowledge of this Badgerstar. I am sorry for what happened but none of my warriors would do such a thing." Badgerstar snarled at the gray tom before going to sit with Loudstar, his eyes boiled with anger.
Shadestar stood and began to speak. "DreamClan is doing well, Silverfur has moved into the nursery and hunting is good." Moonbeam could see that he was calm and collected again as if what Badgerstar had said never happened.
"Then this gathering is over." Loudstar squeaked and the three cats leaped down from the Great Rock. The other cats slowly started forming into their groups to go back to camp.
Moonbeam felt Mossheart brush against her. "I wonder why Badgerstar was so furious." She whispered to the ginger she-cat. "I don't know if this is true but I overheard Hollowpaw saying that it was Badgerstar's son who was attacked."
"It was his son." Moonbeam heard Starshine's voice. "Blackfeather told us about it." The tortoiseshell cat fell in beside her sister as the clan made their way out of the clearing into the forest.
They were almost to the camp when Starshine froze her eyes wide with shock. "What is it?" Mossheart asked nudging the she-cat gently. "I smell blood!" She cried before racing off toward the Training hollow. Moonbeam and Mossheart exchanged glances before running after her, stumbling over rocks and tree roots in the darkness. When they caught up to the Medicine cat she was crouched over a small figure its white fur glowing in the moonlight.
"Daypaw…" Mossheart gasped quietly. Moonbeam could see deep claw marks covered the young cats' body. She padded over to get sister. "Is he…dead?" she whispered a chill ran through her. "No" Starshine answered after examining the apprentice. "But we must hurry. Mossheart run and tell Shadestar quickly!" The ginger cat nodded ounce and took off through the ferns.
"Is there anything I can do?" Moonbeam asked anxiously pacing back and forth. Starshine nodded. "Help me carry him back to camp." Moonbeam picked up the white tom by his scruff and the two sisters began carrying Daypaw back to camp.