The Renaissance - Book 1: Rising Sun - Chapter 11

The last chapter was... somewhat intense. This chapter will be even more so!

I don't own Warriors


Chapter Eleven

"Squirrelflight, Jayfeather, Cloudtail, Birchfall, Whitewing, Spiderleg, Blossomfall, Dovewing, Ivypool, Lightpaw, Seedpaw, and Sunpaw, meet me by the camp entrance!" Bramblestar yowled from Highledge.

Sunpaw looked toward the entrance of the apprentices' den then back to her sister. "I gotta go," she meowed remorsefully.

"I know," Hollypaw sighed. "You're so lucky to get to go to a Gathering!"

"Yeah, you better tell us everything that happens!" Finchpaw added glaring at her playfully. "Or else I'll shred you."

Sunpaw flexed her claws playfully. "I'd like to see you try," Sunpaw growled determinedly.

"Come on, Sunpaw!" Seedpaw hissed from the entrance.

She sighed. "I gotta go!" she said again and bounded after the other two apprentices. Most of the patrol was already gathered near the camp entrance. Seedpaw stood next to Squirrelflight and squeezed through the barrier after her mentor. Sunpaw was one of the last ones to pass through the brambles after Lightpaw.

As she pulled herself free of the barrier, Lightpaw was waiting for her. "I thought I'd wait," she meowed simply.

"Thanks," Sunpaw huffed and followed the rest of the patrol.

The two she-cats padded side-by-side at the back of the patrol. Ivypool and Dovewing were chattering a tail-length in front of them and Sunpaw heard Bumblestripe's name mentioned. Lightpaw's whiskers twitched in amusement at the two sisters. "Sometimes I feel more mature than my mother," she jested.

Sunpaw let out a purr of laughter. "Yeah… Lightpaw… is Bumblestripe your father?" she asked in a whisker.

The gray she-cat's eyes clouded with uncertainty. "I don't know, Sunpaw. I think so… but… but Dovewing never says anything about it," she whispered. "I hope it's Bumblestripe. If it's not him… than… than it might be a cat from another Clan."

Sunpaw looked at her curiously, but said no more about it. "So, do you think that the other Clans have experienced the murders too? We know that ShadowClan has… do you think the RiverClan and WindClan cats have been killed too?"

Lightpaw shrugged. "I don't know… I hope not. The Clans have just begun to live in peace. The Great Battle sent them spiraling into an abyss of mistrust and fear… after the battle… things became calm… but at the same time, the wounds were still there. They took a long time to heal, and some became infected… I think that there are still cats—Clan cats—that wish that the Dark Forest would have won and have grudges against the Clans for winning and refusing to be destroyed."

The golden-furred apprentice stared at her friend in shock. She never thought that the killings were repercussions of the Great Battle. She shivered at the thought of Clan cats killing their own Clan-mates. She couldn't imagine ever killing Lightpaw, or Ivypool, or Lionblaze, or Cinderheart… or Hollypaw. "Do you really think so?"

Again, she shrugged. "It's just a theory, but it's a probable one."

ThunderClan was the last Clan to enter the clearing on the island. Bramblestar and Squirrelflight pelted toward the large pine tree where the leaders and deputies sat while the ThunderClan cats began to mingle with the other Clans.

The scents and sounds of the Gathering overwhelmed Sunpaw at first. The mixed scents of the other Clans made her nearly gag. Not knowing any other cats, she stuck close to Lightpaw and other ThunderClan warriors. "Is this your first Gathering?" she asked Lightpaw.

The gray she-cat shook her head. "I was at one once before." Lightpaw then padded off to a group of other apprentices that were clustered nearby.

"Did you hear what happened in ThunderClan?" a ginger tom asked in a hushed voice. "There's been another killing there."

"Who?" a golden tom asked in return.

"Rosepetal," Sunpaw meowed.

The group of apprentices looked up at her with wide eyes. "Really?"

Lightpaw nodded. "We think was a group of rogues, but we can't be sure. Didn't a ShadowClan warrior get killed as well?" she asked.

The ginger tom who had spoken first nodded curtly. "That's right. He was my mentor—Tornclaw."

"I'm sorry," Sunpaw meowed. Her voice was barely above a whisper and she wasn't sure if the ginger tom had even heard her.

He stood up and looked at the two ThunderClan she-cats with amber eyes. "My name's Talonpaw. I'm a ShadowClan apprentice."

Lightpaw nodded in greeting. "I'm Lightpaw, and this is—"

A yowl from the large pine tree cut Lightpaw off and all the cats averted their attention to the four leaders. "The Gathering has begun!" a large white tom with black paws yowled.

"Let's find better seats," Lightpaw whispered. Sunpaw nodded and followed her friend as they crept back to ThunderClan cats. They took a seat next to Birchfall as the Gathering officially commenced.

"Thank you, Blackstar," a brown tabby meowed, dipping his head. "If the other leaders do not object, I wish to speak first." When no cat challenged him, he tabby continued. "WindClan is doing well. We have a new litter of kits to Swallowtail and Emberfoot. Sedgewhisker has also joined the nursery expecting Boulderfur's kits," he announced.

Sunpaw saw as cats around a gray tom with dark paws began to murmur congratulations to him. That must be Emberfoot or Boulderfur, Sunpaw thought.

"WindClan, however, has also lost a fine, brave warrior this past moon. Heathertail was found dead near an old badger set. We thought that a badger had killed her, but the badger scent was stale and we believe that rogues are responsible," the brown tom continued.

Shocked murmurs rippled through the crowd. Sunpaw exchanged a glance with Lightpaw, and then they both looked back to the leaders as a gray she-cat nodded her had.

"RiverClan has also lost a warrior this moon… Reed… Reedwhisker, our deputy, was found dead in the stream yesterday… He had served his Clan well since the time I kitted him when we lived in the old forest all those moons ago. He was a son, he was a mate, he was a father, and most importantly, he was a warrior. He will be missed dearly by all RiverClan," she meowed. "Mintfur is our new deputy."

Bramblestar nodded sadly. "I wish many moons of prosperity and service to Mintfur and all of RiverClan. Indeed, Reedwhisker will be greatly missed, as will Heathertail, Tornclaw and Rosepetal. All Clans have lost cats this past moon. Rosepetal was found dead on ThunderClan territory three days ago, and we can only assume that she was killed by rogues."

Blackstar nodded sharply. "Tornclaw was killed as well! One rogue could not have done this! There must be more, and this rogue, or these rogues must have had incentives for killing a cat from each Clan!" he growled.

"Do you think that they are trying to frighten us?" the she-cat asked. "But why would they?"

"The only thing we could do—have more border patrols and share what we discover with the others," the brown tabby sighed. "We have to put the safety of our Clans first."

Bramblestar nodded in agreement. "We do… If I learn anything, I will share it with the other Clan leaders," he vowed.

"As will I," the gray she-cat meowed.

The other two leaders agreed, and the Gathering came to an end. As Sunpaw followed the other back to ThunderClan territory, she couldn't help the overwhelming feeling of dread that arose inside her. There was a killer in the midst of the Clans.


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