Chapter 15:

Firepaw nodded firmly and left her side to crouch in the shadows near the camp entrance. He held his breath as Bluestar entered the camp with Lionheart at her side. Frostfur pushed her way into the camp right behind them and immediately tore away from the patrol to search the nursery in panic. Tigerclaw and Darkstripe entered together, looking grim as they set for the prisoner's den.

As he spotted his friends enter the camp lastly, Firepaw crept out to join them. He finally pocketed the rock as he came up to them, whipping his sweaty palms on his shorts.

"You went to warn Yellowfang, didn't you?" Graypaw whispered and Ravenpaw gave a sigh of relief at the sight of his friend.

"I did," Firepaw admitted, "But she won't leave. She believes that Bluestar will give her a fair trial. Did anyone notice that I was missing?"

"Only us," replied Ravenpaw.

Around the camp, those who had stayed behind began to gather in the camp, having been startled awake by the noise of the returning patrol. Several of the warriors held weapons in their hands as they sensed the hostility upon their arrival. One of the children in the nursery began to cry as it was woken up.

"What happened?" Demanded Runningwind, with his favorite slingshot in hand.

"Brokenstar has demanded the rights for ShadowClan to hunt in our territory!" Longtail announced for all to hear.

"And he warned us that a rogue will harm our kits!" Willowpelt added fretfully, "It must be Yellowfang!"

The voices of those who had stayed in camp joined with those who had gone to the Gathering, increasing the anger and fear. Thankfully, it only took Bluestar a moment to catch her Clan's attention.

"Silence! I've had enough!" She shouted from her position on the Highrock. Instinctively, her warriors gathered around her to listen. They quieted down as they did so, only trading whispers and glances now. Firepaw's heart pounded as silence enveloped the clearing. Bluestar was standing atop the rock, still cloaked in the magnificent Lion's pelt as she looked down at them all.

An angry yell broke the silence as Tigerclaw and Darkstripe hauled Yellowfang into the open. She shrieked furiously and tried to escape from their grasp, but the two men held onto her arms tight. Nearing the Highrock, Darkstripe let go and Tigerclaw threw her to the ground. She lay collapsed in the dust, panting and pained.

Firepaw felt anger bubble within him as he watched how Yellowfang was treated. His hands balled into fists, and Graypaw must have sensed his short temper for he placed a warning hand on his shoulder. "Let Bluestar handle this," he said in a whisper.

"What's going on?" Bluestar demanded, dropping down from the Highrock to stand between Yellowfang and her outraged Clan. "I gave no orders to attack our prisoner!"

Yellowfang getting back to her feet now and glaring despite the fact that she was using the Highrock for balance. She spat on the ground hotly. Firepaw's temper flared again as he realized that she'd likely have bruises the next day.

Frostfur appeared in the entrance to the nursery with Brightkit held tightly in her arms. The young girl was in tears, but her mother paid no mind to it as she announced, "We got back in time! All of the kits are safe."

"Of course they are!" snapped Bluestar.

Frostfur seemed taken aback, "But… you are going to throw out Yellowfang, aren't you?" she asked with a surprised expression.

"Throw her out?" Darkstripe growled. He had retrieved his club from beside his sleeping mat and was now brandishing it dangerously. "We should kill her now!"

Bluestar met his gaze bravely, "And what has she done?" she asked with an icy calm.

Firepaw held his breath as Darkstripe argued. "You were at the Gathering too! Brokenstar said-"

"Brokenstar said only that there is a rogue somewhere in the woods. He did not

mention Yellowfang by name. The children are safe. For as long as she is in my Clan, Yellowfang will not be harmed in any way. Besides, Yellowfang left ShadowClan moons ago. Why would Brokenstar have waited until now to bring up her exile? There must be another warrior that he has exiled."

Bluestar's words were met with silence, and Firepaw heaved a sigh of relief. It looks like her words were being considered with reason.

Yellowfang dipped her head respectfully to Bluestar. "I will leave now, if you wish it, Bluestar." She had one hand pressed on the Highrock still as she continued to recover from Tigerclaw and Darkstripe's rough handling.

"There is no need," Bluestar replied, giving a respectful nod in return. "You have done nothing wrong. You will be safe here." She turned now and assessed her Clanmates with a sharp glare, "It is time we discussed the real threat to our Clan- Brokenstar. We have already begun to prepare for an attack by ShadowClan. We'll carry on with those preparations and patrol our borders more frequently. WindClan has been driven from their home, and RiverClan has surrendered hunting rights to the ShadowClan warriors. ThunderClan stands alone against Brokenstar."

A murmur of defiance rippled through the Clan, and Firepaw felt the need to run and grab his weapon. His mind raced, realizing that they'd have no idea when ShadowClan might attack. Who knew what would provoke Brokenstar and his warriors? He stayed sitting with his friends however, continuing to listen as the warriors spoke.

"Then we're not going to agree to Brokenstar's demands?" questioned Tigerclaw.

"Clans have never shared hunting rights before," Bluestar said. "Each Clan has always managed to support themselves by hunting in their own territories and trading for food with another Clan. There is no reason why this should change."

"But can we defend ourselves against a ShadowClan attack?" Smallear asked aloud, "WindClan didn't manage it, and RiverClan won't even try!"

Bluestar met the elder's gaze evenly. "We have to try. We will not give up our territory without a fight."

The Clan began to relax with Bluestar's words. The majority of the anger and fear had dissipated, and now ThunderClan was nodding in agreement with what she said. Several people still looked tense, but they were no longer hostile towards their prisoner. There were whispers still, but Bluestar ignored them.

"I shall travel to the Moonstone tomorrow," She announced. "The warriors of StarClan will give me the strength I need to lead ThunderClan through this dark time. But for now, you must all get your rest. There will be a lot to do when daylight comes. Lionheart, I wish to speak with you in my den now," Without another word, she turned and strode toward her den.

Firepaw looked around at his Clanmates, noticing the awe in their expressions and the excitement in their voices as the Moonstone was mentioned. Having been with the Clan for quite some time now, he recognized the name of the sacred site well. He had never been to visit it before, but he had heard magnificent stories from the elders and during his lessons on Clan history. It was a deep rock underground that shone with all of StarClan's power. When a new leader was to be appointed, they'd travel to the stone and receive their nine lives from it. It was the same stone that medicine practitioners would approach to share dreams with their ancestors during each half-moon.

With the Clan distracted, Firepaw noticed that Yellowfang was taking her chance to limp back to the prisoner's den. It looked like Tigerclaw and Darkstripe's hostility would leave her sore for many days. He made a mental note to ask Spottedleaf for some poppy seeds to give Yellowfang tomorrow morning.

Firepaw turned away from the clearing however, and followed Graypaw back to the apprentices' den. Dustpaw and Sandpaw were waiting, bursting with questions about the Gathering.

"So what happened?" asked Dustpaw eagerly, holding open the door for the others. He seemed to have forgotten how much he resented Firepaw in his eagerness to hear about the Gathering.

"It's like Longtail said. Brokenstar demanded hunting rights…" Graypaw began once they were all settled on their mats.

Sandpaw and Dustpaw listened to the story intently, but Firepaw wasn't paying attention. He had the green stone in his hand once more and was turning it over thoughtfully as he peered through the entrance of the den. With the door only left partway open, he could only make out the warriors' den from where he sat.

There, he could see the small shape of Ravenpaw standing near the entrance of the other den. Tigerclaw stood with him, looming over his apprentice with an expression that Firepaw could not read in the darkness. He didn't need to see it however. The way Ravenpaw flinched from Tigerclaw's searing words had told him enough.

What was he saying to Ravenpaw? Firepaw was just about to slip from his den and creep closer to listen when Ravenpaw backed away, turned, and ran across the clearing.

Firepaw greeted Ravenpaw as he entered the apprentice's den, but Ravenpaw didn't even glance in his direction. Instead, he made his way straight for his mat and began to strip off his clothes. He bundled himself in the blankets and turned away from the others pointedly.

It was just then that Lionheart appeared in the entrance, "Well," started the ThunderClan deputy, interrupting Graypaw's retelling of the Gathering, "It seems that Firepaw, Graypaw, and Ravenpaw are about to reach another important stage in their training."

"What's that?" asked Graypaw, looking excited. Ravenpaw did not turn over to listen, instead bundling deeper into his blankets. He looked as though he was trying to block out all light and sound.

"Bluestar has chosen you three to accompany her on her journey to the Moonstone!" Lionheart announced. He caught Sandpaw and Dustpaw's groans of disappointment and chuckled, "Don't worry, you two; you'll make the journey soon enough. But for now, ThunderClan needs your strength and skill at the camp."

"Bluestar wants you to rest now," Lionheart continued. "But you three should visit Spottedleaf and collect the herbs you will need on this expedition. It's a long way and you will need something to give you strength and quell your appetite. There will be no time for food. Rest well. You leave at dawn." He nodded to the five apprentices and left them for the night.

"Well, then," said Sandpaw as she turned to get settled into her own blankets, "You'd better go and see Spottedleaf." There was no bitterness in her voice, just neutrality, and Firepaw understood why. There was no time for jealousy among Clanmates now. When there was a threat against ThunderClan, each Clanmate must unite to survive.

Firepaw promised Ravenpaw that he'd fetch herbs for him, and Firepaw left the den with Graypaw to visit the medicine woman. The inside of her den was dark without the candles lit, but Spottedleaf seemed to be expecting them, for she was already rifling through her stores as they entered.

"You have come for some traveling herbs," she said, beginning to make bundles from the leaves that she had grabbed.

"Yes, please," Firepaw said. "And I think Yellowfang needs more poppy seeds. I think Tigerclaw hurt her when he took her from her den."

"I will take her some after you have gone," Spottedleaf said, rolling the bundles skillfully. "And your traveling herbs are ready." she handed them over to the apprentices. "There's enough for the three of you. The dark green herb will stop your hunger pangs during the journey. The other will give you strength. Eat them both just before you leave. They're not as good as a warm meal, but the taste won't last long."

"Thanks, Spottedleaf," Firepaw brushed hands with her as he took them from her. Her hands were much softer than his own, used to the peaceful work of herb collection instead of Firepaw's demanding training. He remembered with a jolt about the stone he had bought her but realized that he had left it on his sleeping mat back in the apprentice's den.

"Good luck!" Spottedleaf wished for them as they left her den, "Travel safely."

Back at their den, Firepaw stored the herbs near the entrance. He and Graypaw then joined the others in getting ready for the night and bundling into the bedding. "It must be a long way to the Moonstone," he commented as he tucked the stone into its blue cloth and stashed it under his pillow, "We've never been given herbs before. Where is the Moonstone again?"

"It's beyond WindClan's territory and across the Thunderpath, at a place called Highstones." Graypaw yawned, "There, you enter a cave called Mothermouth that leads deep underground."

Firepaw only hummed at this, his tiredness catching up with him too. He had more questions about the mysterious Moonstone, but he doubted that Graypaw could answer them. He knew that none of his denmates had made the journey themselves yet, but that they all would at some point. This was a crucial step in the process of becoming a warrior.

Rolling onto his back and staring up at the roof of their den, Firepaw couldn't help but grin to himself. He'd been with the Clan for three years now, and here he was taking part in their most intimate traditions. Thinking back on all of his training and experiences, Firepaw couldn't feel any further than a kittypet.

That night, as Firepaw finally fell asleep, he was met with chilling darkness. All around him he could smell damp earth, but when he reached out with his hands he could only feel stone. He breathed deeply, filling himself with the cold air.

Suddenly there was a flash of blinding light and Firepaw shied away from it painfully. Shielding his eyes from the dazzling light, his mind thought it was as though a star from the sky had fallen to land right in front of him. But as quickly as the light had appeared, it was gone.

The darkness fell away and Firepaw found himself standing in a green forest. He felt himself relax as the warm sunlight caressed his skin. The rustling of the trees seemed to whisper to him, and Firepaw's attention was captured by a blue jay that called to him from above. The peace didn't last long though.

A dreadful scream tore through the forest and suddenly people burst from the trees. They paid no attention to him as they fled, screaming and sobbing into the forest. Right on their trail, huge warriors were pursuing them. With armor and weapons, the people fleeing were far unmatched. With battle cries and drawn back arrows, the attackers shot down the people as though they were prey.

One particular cry met his ears, and fear shot through Firepaw. Graypaw! He awoke, horrified in the apprentices' den. He sat upright with a startled gasp, his right hand flying up to clasp the WindClan pendant around his neck instinctively.

"Something wrong, Firepaw?"

The deep voice made him whirl around, and he saw that Tigerclaw was standing in the entrance to the den.

"N-No," Firepaw said, trying to calm his racing heart. "Just a dream."

The warrior gave him a semi-curious look, but only said, "Wake the others, would you? We're leaving shortly."

Firepaw scrambled out of his bedding and woke his friends. Together, they dressed and grabbed their weapons in preparation for the upcoming adventure. Firepaw retrieved the green stone from under his pillow and looked at it curiously. It was just a stone, so why was he so drawn to it? There was a strange tugging in his chest, something that made him want to keep it close.

Glancing at Graypaw and Ravenpaw to make sure they weren't looking, he wrapped the stone in its blue cloth and stuffed it into his pocket. For good luck, he told himself. Because that's what it meant, right?

As they came to wait beside the entrance to the camp, Firepaw handed out their bundles of traveling herbs.

"Ugh!" Complained Graypaw as he forced down his share, "I knew they'd be bitter. Why couldn't we just eat a nice warm meal instead?"

Tigerclaw and Bluestar were standing with them, ready to go. The leader gave Graypaw a look and told him, "These herbs will keep your hunger at bay longer and make you strong. We have a long journey ahead of us."

"Have you eaten yours already?" Firepaw asked.

"I cannot eat if I'm going to share dreams with StarClan at the Moonstone tonight," replied Bluestar.

Firepaw nodded at her words and felt the excitement set in again. With the early dawn's light and the familiar voices around him, the terror of his dream was beginning to wash away. All that remained of it was the memory of the brilliant light, which only fueled his excitement for the upcoming adventure.

Bluestar motioned for them to move, and the five people made their way through the gorse tunnel and out of the camp.

Lionheart was just returning with a patrol, making his way down the ravine with several warriors behind him. "Safe journey," he rumbled as they passed.

Bluestar nodded in return, "I know I can trust you to keep the camp safe,"

Lionheart paused as he came to Graypaw's side. "Remember, Graypaw," he said, "you are almost a warrior. Don't forget what I have taught you."

Graypaw looked back at Lionheart with affection. "I will always remember, Lionheart," he promised, grasping his mentor's forearm in their bracing exchange.

Thank you for reading. Remember to follow, favorite, and review!