Thank you EVERYONE who has reviewed. I need more kits for the new litters, so if you would like to send in any then that would be great :)
Chapter Ten
Several days passed, until it was the full moon and time for the gathering. In that time, Brownpaw had fulfilled her promise to Sharpfern and gone on a patrol with him, and she had also been hunting a lot with Oakpaw.
'These are the cats that are going to the gathering: Thornclaw, Cloudtail, Toadstep, Cinderheart, Dovewing, Woodblaze, Sharpfern, Cryfall, Brownpaw and Oakpaw. Please eat, we will leave at moon high.' Duststar called out.
Brownpaw felt a tingle of excitement. She was going to the gathering! Finally, after 3 moons of training!
She ate a sparrow with Oakpaw, and chatted a little with Sharpfern before lining up next to Toadstep as Duststar got everyone together.
'Now, when we get there, don't go down until I say.' Toadstep panted as they sprinted across the leafy floor.
'Okay…' Brownpaw answered.
'Brownpaw, come over here!' Oakpaw yowled.
'Brownpaw, want to come and run with me?' Sharpfern said at the same time.
The two toms glowered at each other.
'I think I'll stay here,' Brownpaw replied, wondering whether she had done the right thing. Oakpaw looked disappointed, and was now pointing his tail at Sharpfern and running it across his neck, mouthing 'your dead' at Sharpfern.
Soon they got there, and Brownpaw was shocked at the size of the clearing. So many cats!
'Hey, Oakpaw, can you introduce me to somebody?' She asked hesitantly.
'Sure! The other apprentices are over here.' Oakpaw replied brightly. Sharpfern looked furious.
Oakpaw steered Brownpaw over to where a gaggle of cats were.
'Hi everyone, this is Brownpaw.' He said.
'Hi I'm Creekpaw, I'm from WindClan,' a boisterous looking grey tom said.
'I'm Wavepaw, from RiverClan,' Wavepaw was a gentle, soft spoken silver tabby.
'And I'm Rookpaw, also from WindClan,' A startling black tom mewed.
'Which leader is which?' Brownpaw asked.
'That's Rowanstar, leader of ShadowClan, the ginger one, and-,' Oakpaw was cut off by a loud yowl.
'Let all cats gather. Who would like to start?' Rowanstar said.
'And that's Onestar, the leader of WindClan, and that's Mistystar, leader of RiverClan, she's older then Dustar, can you see her grey hairs!' Oakpaw whispered.
'I'll start,' Onestar said. 'WindClan have had two new apprentices, Rookpaw and Creekpaw! Prey has run well, and one of our queens, Heathertail, has delivered some new kits. There names are Redkit, Lionkit and Gorsekit.'
'Creekpaw, Rookpaw!' Cats from all clans cheered the two new apprentices.
'Is it right to call a kit Lionkit, when theres already a 'Lion' in the forest?'Brownpaw whispered.
'Maybe she's hoping Lionblaze will die.' Oakpaw stifled a laugh as Rowanstar began to speak.
'ShadowClan has had an unfortunate moon. One of our queens kitted, only to lose her kits in a scrape against a badger. Prey is running well.'
'Yeah right, their ribs are sticking out!' Brownpaw said.
'Shush!' Cloudtail swung his head round and glared at the two apprentices.
Duststar stepped onto the branch.
'This moon, we have suffered an attack on a border patrol from ShadowClan.'
All cats grew silent.
'Fortunately, none of our cats were hurt a lot, but I was wondering what ShadowClan thought they were doing on our side of the territory!'
Rowanstar stood up.
'We merely think that have not enough territory. We shall fight tooth and claw for some more. Is it our fault we have queens and elders to feed on our small territory? Why should we not have more?'
'We each have territory suited to us. Would RiverClan stalk mice under trees, would WindClan eat lizards under the pines? No. We shall not let you have our territory!' Duststar said.
'Then we shall attack, and attack, and attack until you beg for us to stop.' Rowanstar said.
'In which case, you will be the end of us all.' A soft voice came from the middle of the clearing. Jayfeather was stood up, his sightless eyes turned on Rowanstar.
'This gathering is over!' Rowanstar shouted.
Cats from all clans muttered angrily, and Brownpaw growled at the unfairness of Rowanstar's words.
'ThunderClan, to me!' Duststar called. Soon they were racing along again. When they arrived back at camp, Greypaw came hurrying out of the Medicine Cat den.
'Jayfeather! Come quickly! Berrynose and Briarfern have caught Greencough,'
Jayfeather ran into the den.
Duststar leapt up onto the High Ledge.
'Every cat old enough to catch their own prey, gather under High Ledge!' He yowled. 'This gathering, we found out the truth of ShadowClan's actions. They want more territory, more hunting land. From us.'
Indignant yowls rang out.
'You didn't say yes?' One particularly loud voice, Ivyfish yowled.
'No, of course not. However, these cats must work on making the nursery better protected. Please can Cinderheart take Woodblaze, Squirrelflight, Mousewhisker, Brownpaw, Lionblaze and Poppyfrost on a patrol to get brambles, when you return start weaving them in with the brambles. Whitewing, Foxleap, Ivyfish, Dovewing, Brightheart and Cloudtail, you go and get moss.'
Duststar paused, and then said. 'Thornclaw sort out more patrols to get brambles for the camp walls.'
Brownpaw could feel her eyes closing, but was roughly jerked awake by Foxleap. The patrol headed out to the forest. Brownpaw slice the brambles up, the picked them up gingerly by the end and started waling to camp.
'Brownpaw! Where are you going?' Cinderheart called.
'Back to camp, I've got some brambles!'
'Stay here until we've all finished, then we can go back.' Cinderheart snapped, as she wrestled with a piece of extremely sharp bramble.
Soon the patrol were done and they went back to camp.
'Oakpaw, come and help Brownpaw with these brambles.'
Oakpaw joined Brownpaw in silence. They weaved the brambles in, whilst Icecloud sat outside with Poolkit, Thistlekit and Mintkit, who had luckily survived. Just as Brownpaw was ready to drop dead from tiredness, a squeal cut through the air.
'Attack! Duststar we've been attacked on the border again!' Sorreltail came bursting through the camp.
'Right take the moss collectors, there back now, Rosepetal and Oakpaw.' Duststar ordered.
The patrol headed off, and Brownpaw went back to her task with a sick feeling in her stomach, that some awful, something dreadful was going to happen.
