Two chapters in a row! Yes! If someone reviews tonight, I might make the last one 3,000 words or more!
Chapter 17: A Better Gathering
It is Leaffall again and the leaves were changing color. I was out in forest with my two best friends along with Splashpaw and Icepaw. It's just a normal routine border patrol. I am senior apprentice in the den. So close to being a warrior that when I was with Honeysky and Oakfang, I was one. They became warriors before me. I had to train longer due to my injuries. I didn't mind. The younger apprentices look up to me. They make sure that my nest is always in the middle, clean, and soft. I have to keep reminding them that I'm not the leader, an elder, a kit, or a queen. I'm an apprentice just the same as them. I think it just goes in one ear and out the other.
Icepaw and Splashpaw are following right behind my friends and I. They are talking quietly amongst themselbes. Which is fine for right now, we aren't near the border yet. I glanced over at Honeysky. "Are you going to the gathering?" I murmured as I made it look like I was focused on reaching the Shadowclan boundary.
My golden furred friend shook her head. "Not this time. I get to guard the camp. Though when they call my name there, I know youll be shouting it loud and proud." I snorted softly along with Oakfang.
"You know we always do." He teased before turning to tell the apprentices to pipe down. "Hey! Enemy border. If they can hear you, then they can definitly smell you. Let's give them one less advantage."
I rolled my eye as he scared the younger two and went to go mark the border. I turned to look at Icepaw and Splashpaw. "Well come on. You two will have to do this eventually."
The two apprentices ran forward and sprayed a bush and a tree between them. Honeysky chuckled. "I think Oakfang has duly scared them." I rolled my eye again.
We stopped when a Shadowclan patrol stepped out of the bushes. Berryheart, their deputy was in the lead. I recognized several members of the patrol. There was Berryheart, Yarrowflower, and Beesting with whom I presume to be their apprentices. Berryheart stepped forward and dipped her head in greeting. "Good afternoon, Thunderclan. How's the prey running?" While Oakfang and Honeysky conversed with the patrol, I kept an eye on the apprentices. Splashpaw and Icepaw were talking with the Shadowclan apprentices. I strolled up and politely asked them how they were doing. Icepaw looked up at me. "Firepaw this is Lionpaw and Nightpaw. They're our friends from the last gathering!"
Nightpaw and his clanmate traded glances and they looked up at me. "I was just telling them that we can't be friends now. It's not the full moon. And no matter how friendly I am towards them, I will not go easy on them in battle. Nightpaw said as he puffed out his chest.
I dipped my head admiringly towards the young tom. "Wise words, little warrior." I glanced over to where both sides were finishing up. "Well, I think we are fixing to carry on, so tell them goodbye." I waited until they had said their farewells before turning to follow my friends. When we were a ways from the border, I turned to the pair. "You two do know that even if they are your friends, you may have to face them in battle one day. The clan has to trust that you'll put your friendship aside." They nodded seriously. After the border was marked we headed back to camp to make our report. I left the apprentices at the freshkill pile to eat so I could go with my friends.
I raced across the tree trunk that led to the gathering. I did it with much more ease than I did at my first gathering. Cliffpaw, Shadepaw, Splashpaw, Fallpaw, and Icepaw all followed me into the clearing. I turned to them with Sorrelberry at my heels. "Okay. So here's how it's going to go. You six are going to find apprentices in the other clans your own age and mingle with them. Don't tell them our secrets or weaknesses and you'll be fine. Make friends with them but remember that you may have to face them in battle one day." They all nodded seriously and watched as I walked off with Sorrelberry. I turned towards her and sighed. "I guess it must be harder being a medicine cat apprentice huh?"
She smiled and shook her head. "Even with my full name, I'm still his apprentice learning. There is always something to learn from those two." I nodded in agreement and watched her walk off to join the other medicine cats. I searched the crowds of cats until I spotted a friend from past gatherings.
"Fallowfern!" I called as I weaved through the mass. The silver she-cat turned and scanned around for who called until she spootted me walking towards her.
She met me in a small space in the throng and smiled. "Firepaw! It's so great to see you! Or is it Firenose now?"
I laughed as she said the nickname she gave me when I couldn't stop sneezing one gathering when I had caught a chill there. "No, still Firepaw. I think I'll be getting my warrior name soon though. Brightheart has been dropping hints lately about it." My Windclan friend nodded. "So how is Windclan?" I asked.
She tilted her head to one side thoughtfully. "The rabbits are running good. We have three new warriors. One of them is here now." She gestured to a tall brown tom who was showing his apprentice to a group of apprentices. "That is Brownthorn. The cat with him is a new apprentice. Brownthorn's actually. He is Grasspaw." I nodded. Fallowfern turned back to me. "So how's the prey running in Thunderclan?"
It took me a minute to think on that one. "It's still running well despite it being leaffall. Nursery is still full. We lost one warrior. Larkwing. He was Oakfang's brother. Other than that, Thunderclan is as strong as ever." We chattled like that for a while before the gathering actually started. It was very nice to get to talk to her.
The other leaders did similar reportings that I heard Fallowfern give. Windclan had two new queens move into the nursery and three new apprentices and three new warriors. We cheered Brownthorn's name and his two brothers' who were unable to come. In Shadowclan, one queen moved into the nursery. In Riverclan, three new kits were born and three new apprentices. In Thunderclan there were three new warriors only Larkwing died of a falling branch during a storm. We cheered for Honeysky, Oakfang, and Larkwing's names as well as held a moment of silence for Larkwing. All the leaders said that prey was running well in their territories. Which was true for right now, it was only the beginning of leaffall.
At the end of the gathering, I bid Fallowfern goodbye and started looking for my clan. I found Fallpaw chatting away with a Shadowclan apprentice and I had to call him away. When I reminded him of the Warrior Code, he blushed and said that she was just a friend. I smiled and shook my head in amusement.
When we got back to camp, I ushered all the apprentices back to camp, reminding Shadepaw and Fallpaw that they had Dawnpatrol in the morning.