"Yes, thank you," Littlestar meowed. "The death of Cinderstar surprised all of ShadowClan. We do not know how he died currently."
Yowls erupted from the cats of other Clans, and Darkstripe froze. RiverClan, ShadowClan, and WindClan seemed to be screeching at ThunderClan.
"A patrol led by Darkflower found him dead on the border with ThunderClan," Littlestar continued. "The claw marks on him looked too big to be a cat, but there have been no badger or fox sightings lately." His eyes flashed in the moonlight, and the cold of leaf-bare was gone in the fire of the hate of the Clans.
"We assure you, whoever murdered our leader, whoever took those seven lives he had left, will be discovered," Littlestar promised. "Runningnose's apprentice, Whitethroat, is surveying our old leader's body tonight to search for any clues. Otherwise, ShadowClan is alright." He dipped his head to Leopardstar. "You may speak, my friend."
Leopardstar dipped her head, and did not hesitate when she yowled, "Cats of all Clans, RiverClan too have a death to report." Darkstripe's eyes flashed to Graystripe, and the gray warrior looked like he was in pain when Leopardstar said this.
"His name was Stonefur," Leopardstar meowed sadly. "He was a wonderful deputy and would have made a powerful leader of RiverClan one day." She was silent for one moment, and then meowed powerfully, "My new deputy is Mistyfoot. If any cat knows how her brother died, speak up now." When no cat spoke, she hissed, "Fine. If the murderer does not wish to reveal themselves, then I shall tell you all what RiverClan suspects. ThunderClan is responsible for Stonefur's murder!"
Darkstripe sprang to his paws to yowl his protest against Leopardstar's accusation. But then he paused, seeing Graystripe's mourning face. The gray tom murmured to Fireheart, "I was in that patrol that found him. He had ThunderClan scent all over him."
"I'm sorry," Fireheart murmured. "I know nothing of this, I assure you."
"Of course," Graystripe replied, sniffling. "You're an honorable warrior."
Leopardstar spoke over the protesting ThunderClan cats. She did not even look at Tigerstar to see what he'd say. She only spoke to Tallstar. "It is your turn."
The old black-and-white tom leaped to the front. His amber eyes flashed with anger. "ThunderClan has killed a cat in every other Clan! For one of my warriors, Onewhisker, is dead as well!"
The caterwauls of the other Clans were deafening. One cat pressed against Darkstripe's pelt. He looked to the left to see Mousefur next to him. He was horrified. How could she be so open in front of every Clan. But he understood. Why would any cat be looking at them any different? No other Clan knew of Tigerstar's ridiculous laws, and other ThunderClan warriors were too busy defending themselves.
"Not to forget they killed Deadfoot last Greenleaf," Mudclaw, the WindClan deputy, added in a loud growl. "And attacked us within our camp for no reason."
"Fox dung!" Cloudheart yowled. "ThunderClan murdered no one and you WindClan cats stole from us."
"Is that any excuse to murder our Clan mates?" a RiverClan queen, Mosspelt, screeched back.
"This is bad," Mousefur whispered to Darkstripe. "I'm going to try to speak." The dusky brown warrior leaped onto an elevating stone, somewhat above the Clans. "Silence!" she shrieked, and the Clans looked up to her. Her yellow eyes blazed. "This is all too soon to blame ThunderClan! What proof do you really have?"
Leopardstar's eyes smoldered. "The proof was all over Stonefur's pelt!"
Mousefur was calm, all for her voice, which rang out bravely. "If Stonefur patrolled the ThunderClan border, he could have picked up stray fur from one of our warriors who were there earlier in his claws!"
"Or a ThunderClan cat could have murdered him!" a WindClan elder hissed.
Mousefur continued. "And as for Cinderstar, even ThunderClan grieves for ShadowClan's loss. We all know how hard he worked to rebuild ShadowClan after the sickness. What would ThunderClan gain out of taking his lives, all seven?"
"Prey, territory!" the creamy warrior Oakfur of ShadowClan roared.
"We are warriors, not rogues!" Mousefur hissed, and Darkstripe's heart was shining with pride. What a leader she would make. "Cinderstar was on the ThunderClan border, for StarClan's sake! Of course there was ThunderClan scent on him!"
"As for WindClan, we are sorry for Onewhisker. He was a good warrior, but he was not murdered by ThunderClan. Tallstar, do you really have any proof ThunderClan killed Onewhisker?"
"I never said that they did," Tallstar meowed, but the Clans knew the meaning. "And he was on the ThunderClan border."
"Exactly," Mousefur meowed. "We had rogues last new-leaf. Former ShadowClan warriors, and others."
"Are you blaming ShadowClan, Mousefur?" Littlestar meowed calmly but there was spark in his voice.
"No, Littlestar," Mousefur replied respectfully. "The rogues that attacked our camp killed our old leader, Bluestar. Is it possible they would continue their killing?"
The Clans seemed to accept this, muttering approval for the deep brown deputy. She dipped her head, and leaped down next to Darkstripe. "Why did you say the rogues killed Bluestar?" he whispered to her. "You know the didn't."
"It isn't my place to say that here," she murmured softly, but she was more cautious now that the other cats were aware of her. "We must expose Tigerstar on our own first, love, and right now, ThunderClan needn't to be blamed for something the warriors didn't do." Darkstripe nodded, but one thought struck his mind. Mousefur's reply was slanted. She said warriors. Was she implying she suspected Tigerstar of these murders? He hoped it wasn't true, however much he wanted the dark leader gone. It would only mean war with the other Clans, and how many would believe the word of a few warriors when the leader would deny it?
Darkstripe noticed that Tigerstar had not said a word since the Gathering had begun. Not even to defend his Clan. Mousefur was the one who had done that, the deputy of the Clan, soon an ordinary warrior.
Tigerstar padded up to the front of the Rock. "ThunderClan is thriving through leaf-bare. We have many kits in our nursery. Our borders are well-protected and prey is running." Darkstripe's eyes flashed. That was a lie. There was hardly enough prey to feed the queens and elders, let alone the whole Clan. And Mousefur.
"But we do also have something to report," Tigerstar hissed. "RiverClan has been stealing prey!"
Yowls of protest came from the RiverClan warriors, including Graystripe, who sprang to his paws beside Darkstripe and Fireheart. "That's impossible! We've only been catching fish!"
"With your river frozen?" Tigerstar spat down to his old enemy.
"Our river is flowing, Tigerstar," Leopardstar growled. "And you haven't the right to accuse RiverClan of something they haven't done."
"As you just did to ThunderClan," Tigerstar flashed back. Leopardstar's fur bristled and she flexed her claws.
Mousefur stood over the Clans again. "Er, Tigerstar," she called. "You mean WindClan. RiverClan haven't even stepped over our border."
The WindClan cats tried to defend themselves, but it wasn't as powerful as RiverClan. Even Tallstar didn't say anything at first. Leopardstar hissed, "Keep your head straight before you accuse us, Tigerstar."
"WindClan have stolen prey!" Tigerstar yowled, ignoring the RiverClan leader. "We have proof of this!"
The black-and-white WindClan leader yowled, "WindClan felt as if this was payback for our dead warriors. And for the attack on our camp two seasons before."
"The battle was because of your prey-stealing rogues you call warriors!" Tigerstar roared. "And ThunderClan will do it again tomorrow if you defend your pitiful Clan once more!"
Every Clan protested at these words, even the ThunderClan cats. Darkstripe hissed at his adversary. Tigerstar had changed, but not for the better as Darkstripe had thought before. The ambition for his power was blinding him, making his actions senseless. Thistleclaw's rasp was in his ear. Your time is coming, young Darkstripe. ThunderClan is crumbling at Tigerstar's bloody paws.
Shut up! Darkstripe thought. ThunderClan would be rid of Tigerstar once he took power. But he had to wait for Mousefur to leave deputyship. He only hoped Tigerstar wouldn't destroy ThunderClan before then. Hurry, Darkstripe! Fate has no love for personal attachments in its way.
I said shut up! Darkstripe blocked his thoughts of any words of Thistleclaw's. Tigerstar was still talking when he tuned back in. "If you want to declare war, Tallstar, then you shall have war."
"WindClan is not declaring war!" Tallstar bellowed, exasperated. "We have finished the raids. Any actions of WindClan warriors will not be of knowledge to me. And they will be punished if they cross your borders, Tigerstar."
"See to it that that is done!" Tigerstar hissed, and Darkstripe flinched. A leader of another Clan was never supposed to order another leader around.
Tallstar spat at the dark tabby, and yowled, "This Gathering is over! Every cat leave before blood is shed over ThunderClan's actions." The black-and-white tom streaked off the Great Rock, waving his tail to call the WindClan warriors away.
Leopardstar shrieked, "If any ThunderClan cats are found on our territory, Tigerstar, they will be clawed to shreds, no questions asked, Tigerstar. You have found an enemy in RiverClan." She growled, "RiverClan, let's go!" The other RiverClan warriors milled around their leader, and a pretty silver tabby with liquid blue eyes called to Graystripe, "Come on, father!"
Darkstripe's eyes widened. This must have been Graystripe's daughter, Feathertail. He had last seen her as a kit beside her brother Stormfur's side in the ThunderClan nursery in new-leaf. Graystripe touched noses with his friend Fireheart. "Farewell, Fireheart. I hope nothing else happens." Fireheart meowed a sorrowful goodbye to his best friend, and Graystripe turned to Darkstripe. He dipped his head. "Goodbye, Darkstripe. I'm proud to call you my brother again." The big gray warrior streamed away, lost into RiverClan. ShadowClan left behind Littlestar.
Mousefur looked into Darkstripe's eyes for a heartbeat, pouring out everything they could not say aloud with ThunderClan around in her loving gaze, and then sprang to Tigerstar's side. The ThunderClan cats left Fourtrees then, fear and disbelief prickling in every ThunderClan cat's pelt. Bramblepaw and Tawnypaw were staring at their father in shock. Yellowfang was watching her leader with furious eyes, and Cinderpaw stood at her mentor's side, eyes awed and scared.
When the ThunderClan cats walked nearly silently back to camp, Darkstripe heard his mate whisper to Tigerstar warily, "Tigerstar, what of the other Clan's accusations? We must be trying to keep the peace, not starting wars! ThunderClan is not strong enough now…"
Tigerstar's eyes blazed, and he swung one paw on the side of Mousefur's head to cuff her. The beautiful deputy swayed, and Darkstripe sprang forward. That was it. He would kill Tigerstar when he saw the chance. Thistleclaw was right. Tigerstar's time was at end. But Mousefur seemed to be alright, and Tigerstar growled, "If you ever contradict me at a Gathering again, you'll never be a ThunderClan cat again, do you hear?"
Mousefur dipped her head but yellow fear sparked in her eyes. Darkstripe stopped, knowing ThunderClan cats were passing him, but his vivid blue eyes were blazing with dark fury. He lowered his head into shadows, and felt hate pierce his heart. He would not rest until Tigerstar's black blood was flowing on his paws.
