Firepaw! The story is heating up!
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Firepaw followed beside Owlpaw as they sprinted through the trees, in the center of the group of ThunderClan cats, streaming behind Lionstar and Scarletspirit as they traveled on toward the little island where the Gathering would be held.
"I wonder if Windpaw will be there…" meowed Ravenpaw hopefully, racing alongside Firepaw and Owlpaw. Firepaw winced and nodded.
"I'd really like to see him. He wasn't at the last Gathering, or so Tallpaw says."Ravenpaw nodded in reply, disappearing behind a thorn bush as they ran on. She reappeared a moment later, her black paws dancing across the moist earth, matching Firepaw's pace pawstep for pawstep.
"Why doesn't he try to return?" Owlpaw put in, glancing sideways at Firepaw. She looked up at him, her blue eyes glinting. Ravenpaw stumbled a little, and a tiny gasp squeezed out of her throat. Firepaw looked at the ground again.
"I don't know," she replied quietly. Owlpaw did not have a chance to comment, because Lionstar suddenly stopped running, waving his tail. The apprentices halted quickly, joining the group of ThunderClan cats in a semicircle at their leader's flank.
They waited for a long moment, the night air pressing down, casting dim starlight on the fur of the lingering warriors. Then, "Come," Lionstar murmured, and like a great snake they started off once again, streaking among the ferns in the darkness, eyes alight.
Firepaw sped up and left Owlpaw behind, racing to her father's shoulder. He ran quickly, though his limp that still remained from the long ago battle with ShadowClan seemed to be getting worse. Firepaw did not say anything, and Redstorm's eyes followed her as she dashed along beside him.
Pairs of paws darted across the log, claws gripping the damp wooden bark, and fleeting shadows skipped across the thick, frothing river below. Finally, Lionstar led his band of warriors into the meadow, and they fanned out, mingling with cats from other Clans. Firepaw and Ravenpaw padded through the crowd, their sharp eyes alert for a single presence that each she-cat longed for with all their heart.
"He's not here, is he?" mewed Ravenpaw quietly. Her eyes scanned the throng of cats, pain lingering in their glittering depths.
Firepaw blinked once, twice, her tired paws kneading the ground in agitation. "No."
A loud sigh escaped the black apprentice's jaws, and Firepaw's heart clenched at the sight of her best friend so distressed.
"Come on, let's find Rabbitpaw and show her around." Firepaw led her miserable friend through the horde of excited cats, and mewed a greeting to Rabbitpaw as they approached.
"Great StarClan am I glad to see you two," mewed the ginger she-cat, hurrying over. "All the ThunderClan cats just disappeared, and I don't know where to go, or, or-"
Firepaw rested her tail on Rabbitpaw's shoulders and flashed a smile. "Relax. It's your first Gathering – I was scared too."
It was mostly Firepaw who led the younger apprentice around the hollow. Ravenpaw trailed dejectedly behind them, her gaze trained on the ground.
"What's biting her?" Rabbitpaw asked quietly, so only Firepaw could hear. Firepaw shrugged.
"Nothing really."
Rabbitpaw rolled her eyes and cast a suspicious glance back at Ravenpaw, who was cautiously eyeing a group of ShadowClan apprentices. Windpaw wasn't there.
"Cats of all Clans! That Gathering commences!" Firepaw jumped at the sound of Froststar's yowl, whirling around to face the Great Tree. The four leaders were perched on their respective branches, with the four deputies circled at the base of the tree.
"This is so cool," Rabbitpaw breathed. "Look at them, they look like StarClan cats."
Firepaw nodded, the fond memory of her first Gathering coming back to her, and thinking the exact same thing when she caught her first glimpse of the four Clan leaders, strong and proud, their fur glittering with starlight like fallen ancestors.
"RiverClan has nothing to report – the fish are jumping, and the Twolegs have not yet arrived at the lake shores for newleaf. We have a new apprentice here tonight – Youngpaw."
A timid gray she-cat raised her head above the crowd, and some of the cats around her murmured congratulations.
"That is all," Froststar concluded. "Tanglestar?"
The black and brown tom stepped forward, and began to rattle off the usual – the Clan was dong well, no problems with Twolegs, new kits, etc. etc. Firepaw hardly listened, until Gravelstar came forward to speak. Her ears perked up, and both she and Ravenpaw leaned forward to catch every word that left the gray tomcat's jaws.
"ShadowClan prospers with the coming of newleaf – prey is running in the pine forests. We have also named two new warriors – "
Firepaw could practically feel Ravenpaw's heart beat faster at the mention of new warriors.
"They are Whiteface and Windfoot."
A shudder went down Ravenpaw's spine, and Firepaw let out a great sigh, emptying her lungs of what seemed like a breath she had held for moons.
"Great StarClan…" meowed Ravenpaw breathlessly. "He's a warrior. StarClan bless…I thought I'd never hear another word of him."
Firepaw said nothing – so Windfoot was a warrior before her, even though she'd become an apprentice before he had. But not by much, she reasoned, although she couldn't ignore the sting.
"Lionstar."
The growl interrupted Firepaw's thoughts, and she looked up, her eyes resting on Gravelstar. The ShadowClan leader had fixed his hard stare on Lionstar, and his lips were curled in a snarl. "I have a demand for you and your Clan."
Firepaw's fur bristled. Lionstar frowned, his eyes darkening. "What kind of demand, Gravelstar?"
"I demand that you hand over the warriors Darkfang and Sootstreak to their rightful Clan - ShadowClan."
A few outraged cries broke out among the ThunderClan cats – Sootstreak had risen to her paws, a look of defiance and anger on her pretty gray face.
Lionstar's hackles rose, and he gazed out at the sea of watching cats for a moment, before shifting his eyes to Gravelstar again.
"What is the meaning of this demand?" he hissed, his neck fur rising. Gravelstar assumed a casual, nonchalant stance, not meeting Lionstar's eyes.
"There mother was born a ShadowClan cat – was it not the decree of the great Lionstar of old that kits born to Half-Clan parents must remain in their mother's Clan? I see no reason for you to oppose me on this matter. Give me the warriors, or I will make sure that you feel the loss another way."
"StarClan curse you, Gravelstar!" yowled Sootstreak from the crowd. "I will never leave ThunderClan, moreover join your Clan of cowards and traitors! My mother is an honorable warrior of ThunderClan – as I will always be!"
Lionstar nodded to her and the enraged gray warrior held her chin higher, facing Gravelstar with fangs bared. Firepaw could not help but notice with a shiver that Darkfang did nothing more than sit placidly by his sister's side, his glittering blue eyes watching calmly as Gravelstar attempted to question his loyalties.
Gravelstar did not react to Sootstreak's yowls, but merely lifted a paw to his ear and began to wash. After a moment he stopped, and looked around at the other leaders and their gathered Clans.
"Very well," he addressed Lionstar, but this time his face was twisted in a malicious smile. "My warriors have been sharpening their claws – prepare to meet ShadowClan in battle in four suns. On the sunrise of the fifth day, we will come and take them from you, Lionstar Bloodbringer. Don't forget to teach your kits to fight."
With a sneer, Gravelstar waved his tail, beckoning his warriors to him. "This Gathering is over," he yowled, and within a moment ShadowClan had disappeared into the undergrowth, leaving three shocked leaders in their wake.
"Lionstar…" Froststar began.
"We will meet ShadowClan in battle," cried the golden tom, getting to his feet and standing tall on his tree limb. "We will not give up without a fight."
Firepaw shivered, and watched as her leader dropped down from the Great Tree, calling to his warriors. She followed, falling behind to run beside Ravenpaw again.
"Great StarClan – a battle with ShadowClan…" whispered Rabbitpaw. "Boy do I have something to tell Nettlepaw when we get back."
Firepaw didn't laugh, and watched as Rabbitpaw raced ahead to speak with her mentor. Suddenly, Graypaw and Owlpaw were beside them – one on either side. Firepaw couldn't help but notice how Graypaw pressed his pelt against Ravenpaw – she didn't move away.
"So, a battle with ShadowClan," Owlpaw murmured, his eyes deep and worried.
"What's his deal?" growled Graypaw, gnashing his teeth. "Why are all ShadowClan leaders so StarClan-cursed evil?"
"There's always got to be one Clan, you know," Firepaw put in, shaking her head. "Lucky it isn't always ours."
They all nodded, and jogged along in silence until they reached camp. Lionstar ordered each warrior to get some fresh kill, and then called a Clan meeting to announce the battle. He assigned senior warriors the duty of patching up the camp wall, and ordered Dovewing to prepare the kits and elders for a fight. Eagletalon oversaw extra apprentice training, while Scarletspirit made sure that Bloomfrost and Mistystone were ready, and that all the warriors were in top fighting shape. ThunderClan was preparing for battle with a fierce energy, and Firepaw felt new energy rush into her veins.
After a long night, Lionstar finally allowed the apprentices to head to their dens, and as Firepaw settled into her nest, she noticed, again, Ghostpaw standing at the entrance to the den, speaking fervently with Darkfang. She shuddered, then got up and moved closer.
"…everything's in order. They all agreed with the plan, and it's being put into motion soon." It was Darkfang.
Ghostpaw nodded. "And where will you be?"
Darkfang smiled, his ivory fangs glowing garishly in the moonlight.
"Tigerstar has a special task for me, to prove my loyalty to TigerClan."
Ghostpaw shivered, his eyes full of a frightening eagerness that sent a sweep of cold fear down Firepaw's spine. "What? What is it?"
But Firepaw never heard the rest of the conversation. All of a sudden, like the roar of an oncoming monster, a thousand voices seemed meow in Firepaw's head all at once, crying out almost in fear: In the darkness there is fear, and before the red dawn, when light may shine, all must be brave! Be brave, Firepaw, be brave! Fire alone can save the Clan!