Chapter Eleven
"ThunderClan is finally here." Breezepaw narrowed his eyes when he spotted the ThunderClan cats. They didn't look too thrilled. Then again Breezepaw wondered why they were late to begin with. From what he had heard, it wasn't like them to be this late.
He watched as two young cats joined their small group of apprentices. The ThunderClan cats looked indifferent towards the other Clans as they formed a group on one side of the island. Tension crackled in the air when Hollystar jumped onto the tree where leaders held their announcements.
Breezepaw could suddenly understand why everyone was so worried. If things were this bad already, there was no telling what would happen when the Gathering actually began. The Clans appeared to be divided into groups. And it made Breezepaw wonder what in StarClan's name was going on.
"I'm Blazepaw," the ginger tom boasted when he approached their small group. Sitting beside him was a small looking tabby she-cat with bright amber eyes. She looked more annoyed than anything else. "And the cat with an attitude problem here is Poppypaw," he added, glancing at his Clanmate. Poppypaw's lip curled almost at once before she looked away angrily.
"I can speak for myself, mousebrain!" Poppypaw suddenly snapped. Everyone seemed to back off as she glared at her Clanmate. Blazepaw didn't even seem fazed by her reaction. "I didn't want to be here in the first place," she muttered under her breath.
"Really?" asked Fadepaw in shock. "But it's a Gathering! This is one of the most exciting events of our lives." Her eyes were bright with excitement as she looked between cats. Breezepaw only rolled his eyes at Fadepaw's carefree attitude.
"Ignore her," Blazepaw meowed. "She's just had a bad day." Breezepaw caught the look in Poppypaw's eyes. He had a feeling there was more to it than that. But he didn't press as they all introduced themselves.
"Why did they put us all together?" Hailpaw suddenly asked. Her ears were flattened in confusion and annoyance as she looked at the divided Clans. Breezepaw was thankful that he wasn't the only one to notice. Clearly something was going on between them.
He remembered what Nightpaw had said about the Clans making their decisions. What exactly were those so called 'decisions'? Breezepaw's fur bristled with confusion and anger. He wished they would tell them what was going on. There weren't any other apprentices besides them here.
"It is time for the Gathering to begin!" Breezepaw looked up in time to see an elderly looking dark gray tom standing on the branch. He was nothing but skin and bones as far as Breezepaw was concerned. It looked as though one gust of wind would knock the old tom off his perch. "I think we all know why we are here tonight." His yellow eyes blazed as he looked at the other three leaders.
"Must we really make this decision?" A light golden she-cat had spoken up, sitting on the branch beside the old gray tom. She looked almost as old, but she still held an air of authority about her as she raised her chin. "They have only just become apprentices. They won't know how to defend themselves."
"I say we get rid of them now while they're young!" yowled a massive light brown tabby tom. Breezepaw narrowed his eyes at the cat who'd spoken up. He had his own group of cats who were agreeing with him. Clearly they had been waiting for this moment. But Breezepaw wasn't sure what 'this moment' was.
"Enough!" the dark gray tom snapped. "As my deputy I expect you to respect the other leaders, or will I have to claw your ears off again, Wolfheart?" Breezepaw couldn't help but smirk when the tabby glared back at his leader. He had a feeling those two were always fighting.
"We must make a decision by tonight," meowed Oatstar. He didn't seem too pleased with having to make any decisions. "I say we cast a vote to decide their fate." Other cats murmured in reluctant agreement. Breezepaw stiffened when he noticed how much larger Wolfheart's group had suddenly gotten, in just those few heartbeats.
"They do not even know why we are holding this meeting tonight," a pretty looking silver she-cat with blue eyes pointed out. "They have every right as apprentices to understand what we are doing to them."
"Streamstar is right," agreed the light golden she-cat. "They are our future, after all." Streamstar and the other leaders nodded in agreement. Breezepaw tilted his head in confusion once again. What exactly were they talking about?
"Hollystar, I believe you should tell them what is happening," Streamstar murmured. "You believe that they should be allowed to live." Breezepaw stiffened when she said that.
Allowed to live? What was that supposed to mean? Breezepaw glanced anxiously at the other apprentices. They all shared the same confused look. These leaders knew something that they didn't, and Breezepaw wanted to know what it was.
"About six moons ago, our queens gave birth to kits at the same time," Hollystar began. "Around that time we did not know what future these kits would pose on the Clans. We made a choice to decide whether or not they should live, for the safety of our Clans." Breezepaw found himself getting angrier and angrier when she continued speaking. If that was the case than why weren't there other apprentices here tonight? "Eight of you were brought here because of something that you hold: Gifts from StarClan themselves."
"Or curses," Wolfheart sneered, cutting her off. "How do we know these kits won't destroy the Clans?" Yowls of agreement followed his words, while others shot retorts about protecting the apprentices.
Breezepaw suddenly found himself growing more wary by the heartbeat. What did they mean by gifts? Were they talking about how Hazelpaw was able to go from one place to the other without even moving? He exchanged a fearful look with Hazelpaw. If these Clans wanted to kill them, than he would defend them with his life. That much he had already promised.
...
"They are still just apprentices," yowled some ThunderClan warrior. Hazelpaw flinched when she realized that everyone was struggling to decide what they should do with them. She didn't miss the fact that her father was siding with Wolfheart. His movement might as well have killed her right than and there.
"I don't care if they were sent here from StarClan themselves," spat Harefoot. "They deserve to die for what they have done." The ferocity in his voice made her flinch once again. Hazelpaw suddenly wished that she had never gone. She didn't want to hear those cruel words.
"Enough!" Hollystar's yowl rang across the clearing, silencing all cats who were protesting. "We will vote for whether or not they should live." As the other leaders meowed in agreement, a cat approached the group of apprentices. Hazelpaw found herself pressing against Breezepaw, her eyes wide with fear.
"Mother, are they really going to kill us?" asked Poppypaw. The gray and ginger dappled she-cat shook her head sadly.
"I don't know," she admitted. "But I want you to protect yourselves if the worst should happen. I believe you have a far greater destiny than even these mousebrains can figure out." Poppypaw nodded in understanding and nuzzled her mother affectionately.
What if I'm able to make us disappear? Hazelpaw suddenly wondered. Or at least make them disappear. She knew that she didn't deserve to live. Not after what had happened to her mother. But these apprentices had a better future ahead of them. She couldn't let them die if she could save them.
"The voting shall begin now," Streamstar meowed. "Those who wish for their deaths," her voice had become hollow when she said that, "shall stay where Wolfheart is." The light brown tabby raised his chin proudly, and Hazelpaw's ears flattened at the sight. "And those who wish for them to live, shall stay where Fernshadow is."
The voting was a landslide. Hazelpaw couldn't help but wince when she noticed how many cats sided with Wolfheart. Most of them were from ShadowClan and WindClan. A few from RiverClan had joined them. And one warrior from ThunderClan as well.
Hazelpaw narrowed her eyes when she realized what that meant. They were going to kill them. One way or another they would find some way to kill the other apprentices. And she had to find a way to stop them.
"What do we do?" Otterpaw asked fearfully. She was sitting closer to Blazepaw, her eyes wide with fear. Hazelpaw glanced at Breezepaw, whose expression was harder to read.
"We can't let them do this!" Hailpaw hissed, digging her claws into the ground. Hazelpaw nodded in agreement and closed her eyes, wishing that the yowls of excitement would go away. Everyone who had sided with Wolfheart were cheering.
StarClan, give me strength, she begged silently. When she opened her eyes again, she realized that the four leaders were arguing amongst themselves. It gave her the chance to distract the other apprentices sitting around her.
"Guys, I think I know what to do," she whispered, ignoring the hostile glares Harefoot kept giving her. The others looked at her with renewed interest as she took a deep breath. "Fadepaw and Otterpaw know what I can do," she began. "But maybe my ability can extend to all of us, if I concentrate enough."
"That might work," Breezepaw replied thoughtfully. "But are you sure you can do it? What happens if we can't get away from here?" Hazelpaw ignored his anxiety as she locked gazes with the other apprentices. She closed her eyes and tried to focus on the apprentices surrounding her. She wasn't going to let them die, not if she could save them.
Let this work, please…. Her heart swelled with hope as she felt her power envelope the other apprentices. She could hear the warriors who had voted for their deaths complaining about moving along already. She could also hear Cherryfoot spitting curses at Harefoot, calling him a fox-hearted coward every now and than.
She didn't care where her powers took them. Just as long as they were away from the island. They would be safe away from the Clans. But eventually they would have to return. This much Hazelpaw knew.
Finally the voices around her had begun to die down. Hazelpaw slowly opened her eyes again to find herself standing in the middle of an empty field. To her surprise, and relief, the others were with her. Breezepaw pressed himself against her comfortingly, and her shoulders sagged.
"Great, you got us to the horseplace," Hailpaw grumbled. "Now we just have to wait until the others find us." Hazelpaw resisted the urge to roll her eyes, then she looked at Nightpaw and Fadepaw.
"I'm sorry," was all she could murmur. "You didn't get the chance to say goodbye."
"We're probably better off away from the Clans," Fadepaw mewed sympathetically.
"It already felt like we were saying goodbye earlier tonight," Nightpaw added.
"That doesn't solve our first problem," Hailpaw hissed when an awkward silence followed. "What are we supposed to do now? Sit around and wait for them to find us and kill us?"
"Hailpaw, please…." Otterpaw murmured, her voice growing softer and more anxious. Hailpaw only ignored her and glared at the others.
"No, I'm not staying here," she snapped. "You all can do whatever it is you plan, but I'm leaving." Otterpaw looked like she was ready to say something when Hailpaw stopped her. "And don't try to stop me. I never belonged in that Clan anyways."
Hailpaw ignored the looks that followed and bounded off towards the mountains, leaving them behind. Everyone fell into awkward silence at that. Worry seeped through Hazelpaw as she wondered what had made Hailpaw change her mind. She hoped that it wasn't her fault. Or that Otterpaw would blame her for what just happened.
"Just let her be," Blazepaw meowed when Otterpaw was ready to give chase. "She's probably just angry with what happened tonight."
"We need to leave this place soon," Nightpaw murmured. "I wouldn't be surprised if Wolfheart sent out search parties right away." Hazelpaw glanced at the black tom anxiously before realizing that he was right.
Wolfheart wasn't alone now. He had other cats who wanted them gone. Hazelpaw knew that her father would relentlessly hunt her down. She had to get away from here as soon as she could. Otherwise she might put the others at risk.
AN: Ah more drama. So, was anyone surprised? I hope so, because Otterpaw and Hailpaw are up next. And Hailpaw's journey will certainly be an interesting one... Also, we're getting hammered by snow! Hopefully we'll get the six-twelve inches they were calling for!
QOTD: Are you surprised that Hailpaw left? I know I would be!
Blue1272000 - Thank you! This was certainly an interesting aftermath, but it isn't over yet :) I plan on making this a fairly long FF, hopefully over thirty chapters if all goes according to the plot :)
Nightfrost-of-ShadowClan - XD I suppose you're right. Nightpaw's powers are kind of complicated, but I do plan on giving an explanation as to what they are :)
Silverbird22 - That's a good thing! ;) And I think this chapter kind of spoke for itself as to what will happen to Poppypaw next.
