Disclaimer: Warriors by Erin Hunter

Chapter 35

"I demand the return of one of my warriors," she meowed.

"Who?" Leopardstar asked, confused.

The Clans below murmured to each other, wondering what she was talking about.

"Firestar," Kinkstar meowed turning to the ginger warrior. "I'd like for you to return Needlefur to me."

"He's not mine to return," Firestar meowed.

He looked at Kinkstar as if he suddenly didn't trust her. Darkfire had explained to Firestar about what had happened that day. The ThunderClan leader had expressed sympathy for Needlefur and then asked what would happen.

Darkfire told Firestar that they'd be leaving, but after the Gathering. Hickorypaw wanted so much to see one. Darkfire spoke to Needlefur and the dark brown warrior had meowed in agreement. They could stay a half moon longer. Needlefur seemed to cast the whole problem of ShadowClan out of his mind. After that first gloomy day after being rejected by Kinkstar, Needlefur had gotten back to being his usual self if a bit impatient at times. Darkfire knew he was trying to hide his true feelings.

So now it surprised Darkfire that Kinkstar was asking for her son's return. Had she changed her mind? Was she regreting her earlier decision?

"He is here," Kinkstar meowed. It was not a question.

Darkfire had a feeling one of the ShadowClan cats had told her or she'd seen him from her perch.

"Yes," Firestar meowed.

"Then he is coming back with me."

"No," a defiant voice answered her.

Needlefur stood up from beside Darkfire.

Hickorypaw was currently off with the ThunderClan apprentices. Darkfire hadn't seen her since they got to the island. He hoped she kept safe. He'd wanted to go off with her too. This was his first Gathering. It was as exciting as Dewstep promised.

Darkfire glanced at Needlefur as the dark brown warrior stood. He was tense and his already spiky fur was fluffed out. His eyes burned with anger.

"You are coming back," Kinkstar hissed at him.

"I am not," he growled. "You didn't want me before. Why should I go back to ShadowClan? I am not leaving Redstrike, even for your forgiveness," he spat out.

"Don't argue here," Kinkstar meowed at him. "This is a Gathering. And you wanted to be with us remember?"

Darkfire wondered how she knew about that. Then he realized she'd probably heard the information through Fallingsnow and her ShadowClan mate. He wished Fallingsnow discovered how much trouble it was to have a mate in another Clan. She hadn't even approached him after he'd confronted her. Darkfire knew he had to give her more time. But she was leaking Clan information to enemies.

"Then what about Darkfire?" Needlefur growled. "He was a ShadowClan cat as well. You aren't telling him to come back."

"He didn't ask to," Kinkstar defended.

Needlefur gave a cold laugh.

"I'm not coming back, Kinkstar. I don't care if you banish me. I'm a cat of Summerheat Camp and my only leader is Raven. You can't tell me what to do."

"You wanted to talk to me didn't you?" Kinkstar growled. She was very angry now. Darkfire didn't like where this was going. All of the other cats were silent, listening to them. Darkfire knew this shouldn't have been going on at a Gathering. "Now I want to talk."

"And I don't want to listen."

"By StarClan you will!" Kinkstar yowled.

She stood up ready to jump off of her branch. She looked as if she was going to come down to get Needlefur, to drag him off the island. The rest of ShadowClan looked ready as well. They had their claws out and were slowly walking from their place. Darkfire could see Fallingsnow's mate among them. He looked a bit uncertain had as if he didn't want to be doing this.

"Save this for another time," interrupted Kestrelflight, the medicine cat of WindClan. "The Gathering is not meant for personal matters. StarClan is not pleased."

Darkfire looked up into the sky. Some thick clouds were heading for the full moon.

"Needlefur," Darkfire meowed to his friend.

The warrior reluctantly looked down. Darkfire could see the anger hadn't left his eyes.

"Do this at some other time. If Kinkstar really wants to talk to you, she can send a patrol to speak with Firestar."

All of the cats heard. Darkfire could hear some called agreements.

"Fine," Kinkstar spat. "This Gathering is over."

She jumped from her branch and stalked away. Her Clan followed after in a tight bunch. They glared at Needlefur as they passed.
The former ShadowClan cat glared back and showed his claws. He would not go easily.

The rest of the Clans were preparing to leave. The leaders leaped from the branches to join their Clan. Darkfire sat next to Needlefur as the Clan gathered around them, suddenly worried.

"Do you think she'll start a fight?" Owlface asked, looking at the older warriors.

Many didn't know what to say.

"That depends if she thought she'd win," Brambleclaw was the only one to reply. "It isn't very likely."

"She just might send a patrol," Firestar meowed blinking at Darkfire.

"The best would be if she did nothing at all," Dustpelt meowed.

"Then we wouldn't know what she was planing," Firestar answered.

"Well if these three leave soon, we have nothing to worry about," Lightningwhisker meowed, eyeing Darkfire.

Darkfire knew she'd never forgiven him for besting her once when she was an apprentice and for wining a mock battle with Cloudtail who'd been her mentor. He knew he could never change her mind. He didn't really need to. He wasn't living in the Clan with her. But he had noticed how she treated Fallingsnow on occasion. He wondered if it was some sort of resentment or else just she-cats not getting along.

"We can't force our guest to leave," Firestar reprimanded her. "They are welcome to stay as long as they want."

"We'll be leaving," Needlefur meowed firmly. "I don't care what she wants."

For the second time in his life Darkfire didn't say anything to Needlefur even though he really wanted to. He wanted to tell his friend to talk to Kinkstar. He wanted them to forgive each other. But Darkfire said nothing. It was Needlefur's choice and he wasn't likely to change his mind. Needlefur was a different cat now.

Firestar and Brambleclaw encouraged their cats off of the island. All the other Clans had left. Only RiverClan waited on the other side of the fallen tree.

"You seem to be making enemies everywhere, Firestar," Leopardstar meowed to him. She seemed amused.

"Well," Firestar meowed. "I think WindClan might not fight us again. Your prey thief might be the same one bothering WindClan. Onestar might be convinced it is a rogue by now."

"I wish you luck," Leopardstar meowed.

Then ThunderClan passed them by.

Leopardstar managed to talk to Darkfire as he passed her.

"It's good to see you again," she told him. "I know Dewstep is happy that you're back. You know if you'd joined RiverClan, this might not have happened."

"Probably not," Darkfire agreed.

He wondered what would have happened if he had joined RiverClan instead of ShadowClan. He didn't like to think about ruining another Clan though. That whole leaf-fall hadn't been a good one for him. He was regretting most things from it.

Darkfire waved his tail good bye and followed after ThunderClan. There was now more trouble to overcome because of their coming back. Darkfire knew something had to happen.

What? What's going to happen?!