Me: *fluffs out my fur as I sit by a fire pit in the garden* Brr! This cold weather hit hard, dang it!
Rusty: *shivering* At least you have long fur, I inherited father's short fur! *sneezes*
Me: B-before me and R-r-Rusty fr-freeze solid here's today's trivia. Did you know the term "Hemingway cat" came about for Polydactyls because of the twoleg named Ernest Hemingway? His twoleg den still exists today and is home to over 50 descendants of polydactyl cats and can be visited even today.
Rusty: C-c-cold-ACHOOO! Ugh...I'm going back to my basket at home. *leaves*
Me: Wait, take me with you! *chases after*
Flowingpaw: *peaks out from a bush in woods* Pfft, pansies can't even handle a little snow.
Longtail: Oi, Flow hurry it up!
Flowingpaw: Coming~! Enjoy the story, loners. *dashes off*
Chapter 8
A Monster
~.~.~
Yellowfang yawned as she stretched her stiff, aging limbs that afternoon. She had been enjoying the warmth of the sun on her thick smokey grey pelt. Feeling content for first time in a long time if not for a brief moment. She opened her orange eyes to see a familiar sight of a young cinnamon and white tabby she-cat sulking as she stomped over to where she was and plopped herself right down by the old ex-ShadowClan medicine cat. Instantly she connected the dots.
"Longtail again, kit?"she mewed softly.
Flowingpaw pouted, on the verge of tears as Yellowfang wrapped her tail around her in a motherly fashion. Longtail and her and been getting into fighting more often, like the tom was on purpose trying to seek her out and push her buttons. It aggravated and upset her. But even more were these confusing...feelings she got every time they talked. And just when she had been so excited for the Gathering tonight too.
Yellowfang though had a pretty good idea what was going on. Seemed by some weird twist of fate the Guiding Warrior might be pushing these two together like she did with her and Raggedstar. How odd as on the surface anybody could see they seemed to hate each other to the core. From her talk with Bluestar she learned a lot about this lil' fiery kittypet born apprentice. Seemed Flowingpaw had bested the arrogant, cocky youngster and put him in his place on her first day here. Ever since it seems they had been thorns in each other's sides. Something more seemed to be beginning to very slowly spark, causing this confusion for them both and raising hostilities out of that confusion. "Kits, they don't even realize what's happening."Yellowfang thought in amusement.
"Stay here until you calm down."chirped the persian mix.
Flowingpaw simply just flicked her ear to acknowledge the old she-cat. Feeling much needed comfort from the cranky she-cat's warmth.
Flowingpaw stared with wide eyes, lost for words as they entered the glade of the four ancient oak trees. So many cats all around them and none of them were ThunderClan! She smelt the boggy scent of ShadowClan and the marshy, fishy scent of RiverClan. She looked up eagerly at Bluestar who purred, "Go on, enjoy yourself Flowingpaw. Remember it's alright for you to try and make friends tonight but ThunderClan's loyalty comes first."
"Ok Bluestar!"she chirped in delight before looking over at her friends. "Come on!"
"Right behind yeah!"mewed Greypaw as he dashed after his tabby friend.
"H-Hey wait for me!"Ravenpaw hurried after them without another thought.
Flowingpaw looked over at the huge boulder her mentor made her way to, joining two other cats on top. One was this dark brown, almost black tabby persian mix with cold orange eyes and just covered in scars. The other was a lighter brown tabby tom with grassy green eyes and was much bigger then Bluestar. His jaw was misshaped, maybe from an accident or something? She wasn't sure. But he seemed to be not as frightening as the other tom.
"Who are the toms with Bluestar?"she mewed.
"Oh, that's right you've never seen them before."mewed Greypaw. "The one with the crooked jaw is called Crookedstar. He's RiverClan's leader."
"Th-the scary one with the flat muzzle is Brokenstar. He leads ShadowClan."stuttered Ravenpaw nervously.
Flowingpaw's eyes turned wide as she instantly looked at the scarred dark tabby ShadowClan leader. She felt her pelt puff out just looking at him as she trembled. She felt like a mouse that was being cornered by a viper with those cold, uncaring orange eyes. Now that cat was exactly how her mother described the wildcats in her kit tales...and it frightened her as much as Tigerclaw.
"H-he frightens me..."stuttered Flowingpaw.
"Right? He's got quite the reputation for being rather brutal."mewed Greypaw. "Well, I'm off. I'll catch you guys in a bit."
"Ok, later Greypaw."
Flowingpaw looked over at her more timid friend after they watched their grey scruffy friend run off towards some apprentices in another clan. "What you going to do?"
"I-I think I'm going to go talk to some of the other apprentices. What about you?"mewed Ravenpaw.
Flowingpaw pondered for a bit before giving her charactoristic kind grin. "Probably going to go check out the other clan cats as well. I've never met any other clan cats other then Yellowfang before. I want to learn all I can."
"A-alright, but remember what our mentors told us. Say little."chirped Ravenpaw.
"And listen and observe."the two purred before nuzzling each other in amusement.
The young cinnamon tabby quickly parted ways and started to explore around the clearing. Her gaze landed on a pair russian blue mixes that were casually sharing tongues. One of them was rather pretty with the way her blue-grey fur gleamed silver in the moonlight just like Bluestar's. She decided to go on over to the two blue-grey cats with a wave of greeting from her fluffy tail.
"Well look at this seems we have a new face from ThunderClan."purred the RiverClan tom with a twinkle of interest in his playful skyblue eyes. The tom had a torn right ear and sleek medium length fur and good strong shoulders on him by the way he moved. He wasn't bad looking either and by his scent he was clearly RiverClan.
"I can see that, brother. But don't be rude, you must introduce yourself first you silly furball."giggled the the she-cat beside him. She looked almost identical to her littermate beside her. Flowingpaw couldn't wrap around her flabbergasted mind at just how much she looked like her mentor right down to the wise blue eyes!
"I'm Flowingpaw of ThunderClan. You're both RiverClan right? What're your names?"mewed the cinnamon tabby as she sat down, wrapping her paws with her tail politely.
"I'm Mistyfoot and beside me is my goof of a brother, Stonefur."greeted Mistyfoot with an amused twitch of her whiskers.
"This your first Gathering little one?"mewed Stonefur, earning a nod from the eager apprentice.
"Mistyfoot!"came a meow from a black smoke tom with a nick at the top of his ear.
"Coming, dear!"purred Mistyfoot as she hopped to her paws but stopped to touch noses with Flowingpaw. "I hate to cut our chat short, but I need to go to my mate. It was nice meeting you Flowingpaw."
"Like wise."purred Flowingpaw as she waved farewell to Mistyfoot.
"How are you enjoying yourself?"chirped Stonefur as he turned his attention to the apprentice.
"H-honestly? A bit overwhelming but I'm excited I wanted to meet RiverClan cats since I was apprenticed."meowed Flowingpaw, earning a curious head tilt from Stonefur.
"So you heard of the battle at Sunningrocks then?"Flowingpaw couldn't help but notice that he didn't look proud but hurt at the memory. Did Stonefur loose somebody in that battle over territory?
"O-Our father was the deputy..."he hissed looking up at the stars solemnly.
This made Flowingpaw's ache for the RiverClan siblings. That meant these two were Oakheart's kits and they had lost their father in that battle. "I-I'm sorry...Bluestar and others in my clan always spoke of him in high regard."
Stonefur simply gave a small grin as he touched his nose to Flowingpaw. "Don't be sorry. Mistyfoot and I are proud of him. We'll see him again some day in StarClan."
Flowingpaw watched as the RiverClan warrior left so she decided to explore a bit more. It didn't take her long to lock on to a very familiar scent: Tigerclaw. With a frown something drove her to paws to go over behind the boulder to the group of huge warriors Tigerclaw was chatting with, clearly boasting about his battle at Sunningrocks. "Typical arrogant tom."she thought a scoff as she looked at the stoic tabby. She quickly lost interest and sleeked off at another scent that urged her on. This one far more comforting as it was Greypaw's and it put a eager bounce into her step. In the little group was also Spottedleaf which urged her into an excited run.
"Greypaw! Spottedleaf!"she squeaked in delight.
"Over here Flowingpaw!"waved Greypaw with his classic goofy grin.
"Hello, dear Flowingpaw."purred Spottedleaf as she came over with two toms.
"Still no sign of WindClan?"mewed Flowingpaw as she joined them.
"Sadly, no. I'm quite concerned...Tallstar was never one to not show up."pondered the tortie as she looked to the toms beside her. "What do you think Mudfur? Runningnose?"
Flowingpaw and Greypaw looked towards the two toms with Spottedleaf. The first tom was a dusty, earthy brown fluffy cat with honey golden eyes. The other was this thin grey and white patched grizzled tom with messy fur, a damp dark nose, and amber eyes.
"It is odd."agreed the grizzled tom.
"Yes, it's worrisome. Barkface wasn't at the meeting at Mothermouth either."huffed the brown tom.
"Who are these two toms? And who's Barkface? What's Mothermouth?"meowed Flowingpaw in clearly interest and confusion.
"Oh, right you don't know them. The brown one's RiverClan's medicine cat, Mudfur."meowed Greypaw, earning a nod of greeting from the older tom as he looked at the grizzled tom next. "And I'm guessing you're ShadowClan's new medicine cat, right?"
"I am. My name's Runningnose."greeted the messy furred tom.
"Barkface is WindClan's medicine cat. Mothermouth is the entrance to a cave we medicine cats go every half moon to meet and share tongues with the ancestors. It's sacred ground, just like here, at Four Trees."explained Spottedleaf before she left with the other medicine cats.
Well that was a bear's den worth of information she wasn't expecting. Actually it was practically making smoke come out of her poor ears from the information overload. It seemed the more she discovered the more the more there was to learn about the clans all at once. Flowingpaw's ears perked at the sight of a rather small tabby tom listening in on the medicine cats and some queens talking about the clans of old that elders loved telling stories about: TigerClan, LionClan, LeopardClan, and CheetahClan. But what bothered her was the apprentice's size. He was way too small to be six moons, his pelt was still downy even!
It made her feel very uncomfortable as she recalled one of the laws that were drilled into her skull since her arrival moons ago into ThunderClan. Kits had to be at least six moons old before they were apprenticed. But that little ShadowClan tom...something wasn't right. Her instincts screamed it so.
"G-Greypaw..."she whispered in hushed tones, not taking her eyes off the tiny apprentice.
"What's got you so tense?"asked Greypaw softly, his friendly subltely motioning to the tiny tabby. He knew intently.
"Doesn't he seem too young to be apprenticed?"she whispered.
Greypaw frowned as his shaggy tail flicked about as his eyes watched the sight. Now that his friend mentioned it a lot of ShadowClan's apprentices were rather small. Defiantly younger then six moons. And it made his heart jump into his throat as he realized what his tabby friend was implying and WHY she looked so horrified. These were KITS! Kits that should still be at their mothers' bellies, nestled safe and warm without a care in the world. Was Brokenstar breaking the code by apprenticing kittens!?
"I-I don't like this...lets go see if we can find Ravenpaw."Flowingpaw flicked her ear in agreement.
Quickly they bounded off together and soon found their shy black pelted friend with a group of apprentices more around their age. If not maybe some of them being a bit older. They were trying to get him to tell his account of the battle at sunningrocks. Calmly they listened as Ravenpaw told the story in rather impressive detail, captivating his listeners.
"Who knew Ravenpaw had quite the silver tongue for stories."Greypaw mewed.
Flowingpaw though was deep in thought as this story and Tigerclaw's seemd to condredict each other. It felt very troubling but even more so when she felt a frigid stare which made her glance away over her shoulder behind them. There standing and listening was Tigerclaw. Ravenpaw hadn't seemed to notice and neither had Greypaw for that matter. But Flowingpaw, being as sensitive as she was had. It was brief and very faint but she could have sworn she saw the stoic tom's face contort into horror then fury over the scarred tabby's face. Flowingpaw's pupils turned into wide moons as she quickly looked away.
Did she imagine it?
She was about to say something when the leaders on the boulder yowled a signal. Were they starting without WindClan cause the night was growing old? It seemed likely to her. Something in her though urged her to move and sit beside Ravenpaw, wrapping her tail around her shy friend that looked at her in confusion. She simply just gave a gentle smile that said, "We'll talk later." on it. Ravenpaw nodded as they turned their gazes to the leaders. Voices of protest of the meeting starting without WindClan echoed through the crowd as well.
It was Bluestar that stepped forward, her fur shining silver in the moonlight as she began, "Cats of the clans, welcome,"her voice boomed, clear and powerful across the clearing. "It's true WindClan is not here but Brokenstar wishes to speak anyways."
The dark tabby persian mix stepped soundlessly to stand tall beside Bluestar's lean built, his voice to Flowingpaw was deep and grainy like claws on the thunderpath as he spoke. "Friends, I've come to you tonight to speak of the needs of ShadowClan-" But impatient yowls were fast to cut him off in their impatience.
"Where's WindClan?"
"Why isn't Tallstar here?"
Brokenstar let out a furious snarl, silencing the crowd below as he stretched to his full hieght bristling and crooked tail lashing. "As leader of ShadowClan I hold every right to address you here!"
An unease, fearful tension hanged in the air as Flowingpaw found she couldn't take her eyes off the huge brute. It took everything for her not to shrink and hide in her fear of this leader. He was nothing like Bluestar, whom was loved and respected even outside her clan. Ravenpaw could smell her fear though and his eyes looked at his best friend with sympathy. He, more then anyone could understand her feelings at this moment as Brokenstar had something about him that demanded all look to him or pay the price.
Brokenstar growled once more, "We all know that this difficult leafbare and a late newleaf has left very little prey in our territories. But we also know that WindClan, RiverClan, and Thunderclan all lost many kits to the freezing, unforgiving weather that came late this season. However, ShadowClan has not lost kits. We are hardened by the north winds and as such our kits are stronger then yours from the moment they are born. And so, we find ourselves with many mouths to feed and too little prey to feed them."
Anxious tension began to thicken through the silent crowd.
"The needs of ShadowClan are a simple one. We need to expand our territory in order to survive. That is why I insist on the other clans allowing ShadowClan warriors to hunt in your territories."
Shocked cries and yowls of outrage bellowed across the clearing and Flowingpaw was surprised. Did this leader not care for the laws at all? Again and again her clan mates had drilled these laws into her skull. Driving home everything of importance including how little prey there was to go around in every territory. Flowingpaw did feel some sympathy but she also knew this didn't feel right to her at the same time. Such a conflicting sea of emotions knocking around her head and heart right now.
"Share our hunting grounds!?"snarled Tigerclaw.
"It's unprecedented! The clans have never shared hunting grounds, it's against our laws!"called out a tortioseshell RiverClan queen.
"Must ShadowClan suffer because our young have flourished?"yowled Brokenstar. "Do you want our young to starve? You all must share what you have with us."
"Must?"snapped Smallear furiously from the back with some of the other elders.
[ost - FE Three Houses OST - 142. At What Cost? (Rain)]
Oh boy, this was bad if they managed to anger the old tom. Flowingpaw knew this all too well as she was close with the elders in her clan since day one. They had welcomed her with open paws like Greypaw, Bluestar, Whitestorm, Lionheart, and Spottedleaf. She frowned as the enraged yowls and caterwauls grew and voiced their protests. But the threat that came from Brokenstar instantly silenced them. Flowingpaw's eyes widened in horror as her fur bristled but she wasn't sure but she could have sworn Brokenstar was covered in blood as she felt a ghostly pelt brush by her for the briefest moments. "H-he's a monster..."she thought as she began to tremble like a frightened, cornered hare. She felt like she was staring right into the eyes of a viper as the tom's words continued on and the horrified gasps from RiverClan from Crookedstar's agreement to permit ShadowClan to hunt in RiverClan.
"Have you too agreed to these outragous demands, Bluestar?"hissed Smallear.
Bluestar simply locked eyes with the old tom, "I have made no such agreement other then I will discuss it with my clan after the Gathering."
"Ha! At least we'll show them we're not gona roll over like those soft yellow bellied RiverClanners."snorted Greypaw soft to his friends beside him.
Brokenstar, having clearly grown arrogant after RiverClan's surrender continued on, "I also bring news that's of the utmost importance to the safety of your kits. A ShadowClan cat has turned rogue and turned against the warrior code. We've chased her out of the clan, but we do not know of her current whereabouts. She looks like a mangy, old creature but she has a bite like TigerClan."
Flowingpaw's blood ran cold as ice as she bolted up to her paws, her ears pressed to her skull and her tail lashed with anxiety. Yellowfang...h-he wasn't talking about her was he!? Yes Yellowfang wasn't fond of kits but she'd never seen her lay a claw on them at all. The rest of Brokenstar's words were drowned out from her as she frantically looked around to the clearing to every spot her clan mates were. To her horror she could see the looks in their eyes and faces spoke volumes among many of them.
They thought it was Yellowfang!
As soon as the Gathering was over Flowingpaw raced over as Bluestar jumped down to her side. "Bluestar..."she hissed softly, a pleading desperation on the young tabby mollie's face.
"Go, hurry."she hissed softly to her apprentice.
Flowingpaw wasted no time, running off on ahead, thankful her mentor was allowing her to run on ahead. She ran with the speed of CheetahClan in her paws, her paws barely staying on the ground. She had to warn her, she had to find out Yellowfang's side of the story before they got to camp. For her intuition was screaming in her head if she didn't...it'd be Yellowfang's blood they would be screaming for.
[end ost]
Flowingpaw did not stop despite how her body protested and begged her to do so. The dew on the damp forest floor made the run difficult, making her slip and crash right through the camp's thorny tunnel. But still she persisted as she hurried to her paws, panting as she rushed to where Yellowfang's nest was by the log. "Yellowfang!"she squeaked, frantically shaking the scarred medicine cat. "Yellowfang, wake up!"
Yellowfang's orange eyes opened, reflecting the moonlight that dappled through the canopy above into the ravine of the camp. "I wasn't sleeping, kit. What's got you looking like just crashed into a pit full of adders?"
"G-Gathering."panted Flowingpaw began. Yellowfang instantly sighed, a knowing look in her eyes.
"Then you know. That means Brokenstar kept his word."blinked Yellowfang as she looked away.
"What word? What do you mean?"mewed Flowingpaw. "Whatever it is I don't think you did it."
Yellowfang looked at her in a moment of brief surprise but touched her nose to the spirited cinnamon tabby. "That means a lot coming from you, kit. Now take a deep breath and tell me what happened."
Flowingpaw did as she was told and took a second to calm her nerves before she tried again. "Brokenstar told everyone at the Gathering our kittens would be in danger as long as we sheltered a ShadowClan rogue. You gotta get out of here and fast, you're not safe here!"
"You mean they believed him!?"hissed Yellowfang, her ears flattening as her tail lashed in fury. Flowingpaw nodded.
Flowingpaw dreaded what Darkstripe and Tigerclaw and the others that believed him would do to her. She wasted no time as the old cat stiffy got to her paws and helped her up. "Why would he say you're a danger to kits? W-would you...really do that?"
Yellowfang growled, "I would what exactly?"
"Harm the kittens..."
Yellowfang could see the distress on the younger she-cat's face as her nostrils flared, locking defiant orange with soulful aqua green. "Do you believe I would?"
"No. I see the way you look at them, you don't want them to be harmed."mewed Flowingpaw softly.
Yellowfang froze in her steps with wide eyes that melted into a rare shine of wamrth and gratitiude. "If you believe my innonce then others might as well." Yellowfang sat down where she stood. "I'm old, Flowingpaw I can't run away forever. I'll stay and wait what your clan decides for me."
Flowingpaw was growing frantic and Yellowfang anxious as the smell of aggressive and furious cats came closer. "Please you gotta go now, I won't be able to stand it if Tigerclaw or some other cat were to hurt you...I care about you too much!"pleaed Flowingpaw.
Yellowfang gave a rumbling purr as she in a rare show of affection licked the young apprentice between the ears. "It'll be alright. I trust Bluestar to give me a fair hearing."
"But Tigerclaw-"Yellowfang quickly cut her off with a snort of amusement.
"Tigerclaw does hold sway over many with his power and charisma, but not even he would be foolish enough to disobey Bluestar."mewed Yellowfang.
Rustling from the bush quickly told them the cats from the gathering would be here any moment now. Yellowfang was fast to get Flowingpaw to hurry away, which she with great reluctance did and hurried to crouch just outside the nursery to groom her now messed up fur. Anxiously she watched as one by one cats entered the camp after Bluestar. Frostfur raced over to the nursery, her white tail bristling in her alarm. Flowingpaw peaked in and saw her doing a head count on her kittens, only relaxing when she saw they were all there unharmed.
"Hey, there you are."Flowingpaw looked up to see Ravenpaw and Greypaw join her.
'You ran off after talking to Bluestar."mewed Ravenpaw in concern.
"Yeah, I had to try and warn Yellowfang. But she trusts Bluestar will be fair towards her."she mewed softly as she cleaned her face. "Anyone miss me?"
"Just us."chirped Greypaw.
The clan began to stir as slumbering cats woke and camp out of their dens. The entire clan was a stir as word already spread through the crowd. They must have smelt the aggression from their clan mates that had returned.
"What happened?"called a light brown warrior.
Flowingpaw knew him instantly by his lithe built and long legs that would mistake him as being WindClan born. He had short dusty brown tabby fur that was lighter then Dustpaw's and big ears like a bat almost. This was Runningwind, one of the warriors that tended to keep mostly to himself. So she hadn't really spoken to him much honestly.
"Brokenstar demanded hunting rights in our territory!"snarled Longtail loudly enough for the entire clan to hear.
Flowingpaw rolled her eyes at the pale tabby, yet again he always had to get the first word in it seemed. The clan's angry yowls and chatter echoed through the camp like crackling thunder. She didn't like what had happened anymore ten Longtail and the others but did he have to always be such an annoyance!
"SILENCE!"
The clan instantly grew quiet at their leader's yowl from the highrock. But at hearing the furious screech of Yellowfang, Flowingpaw swiftly looked over to see Darkstripe and Tigerclaw dragging out the old persian mix in a not so gentle manner. Greypaw had to grab Flowingpaw's tail to keep her from racing out to pounce at Yellowfang's persecutors.
"Let me go, they're hurting her!"hissed Flowingpaw.
"Calm down, let's allow Bluestar to handle this."hissed Greypaw softly, relasing his friend once she calmed down a bit.
Bluestar though was not impressed by the two tabby warriors' treatment of the aging medicine cat. It showed clearly on her face as her tail lashed in her displeasure as she jumped down. "What in the Guiding Warrior's Light is the meaning of this? I gave no order to attack our prisioner!"
Darkstripe and Tigerclaw instantly let go of Yellowfang, dropping her in the dirt as she hissed and spat her defiance at her attackers. Frostfur pushed her way through the crowd from the nursery around this time as well. "We made it in time, the kits are safe."
"Of course they are!"snapped Bluestar sternly.
Frostfur looked stunned by her leader's outburst, "B-But you are gonna chase out Yellowfang...aren't you?" The white queen's eyes were wide in dismay.
"Tsk, chase her out? we should kill her where she stands!"growled Darkstripe as he unsheathed his claws.
Flowingpaw's fur bristled at his statement, unaware of the breath she was holding in as she went into a nervous crouch. She wouldn't let anybody harm Yellowfang.
"Enough, Darkstripe. Just what exactly has she done?"Bluestar's piercing gaze easily kept the dark tabby tom in his place as his claws dug into the earth, her voice menacingly quiet. "Brokenstar only warned us of a rogue loose in the forest, he never mentioned Yellowfang by name. The kits are safe and as long as she's here in my clan, no cat shall lay a claw on her."
Flowingpaw instantly found herself relaxing and letting out the breath she had been holding.
Yellowfang looked up at the russian blue mix with calm eyes out of respect. "If you wish it, Bluestar, I will leave."
"You've done nothing wrong, Yellowfang. You have my word that you are safe here."mewed Bluestar before turning her gaze back to her clan mates. "It's time we discuss the real threat here to ThunderClan: Brokenstar. We already begun preperation for an attack from ShadowClan. We will continue doing this and patrol our borders more often. WindClan has been exiled and RiverClan has given in to ShadowClan's demands for hunting rights. Our clan stands along against Brokenstar."
Mumurs and mews of defiance rippled through the cats like a rain drop falling in a pool of water. She could just feel the tension in the air even from herself.
"So we won't be agreeing to Brokenstar's demands?"chirped Tigerclaw.
"The clans have never shared hunting rights. I see no reason to start now since we've always managed to support ourselves in our own territories."Tigerclaw nodded in approval at her words.
"But will be able to defend ourselves against ShadowClan? WindClan couldn't and RiverClan are too cowardly to even try."piped up Smallear.
Bluestar met the elder's gaze with steady and determined eyes, "We still must try. We will not give up one paw print of territory without a fight."
Yowls of agreement rang through the crowd at her words, a fire seemingly having been ignited in her cats as they agreed with their leader. It was decided Bluestar would go to share tongues with StarClan at the moonstone. Her ears perked at those words as the cats were dismissed and Bluestar went to speak with her deputy.
"Greypaw, what's the moonstone?"chirped Flowingpaw softly.
"It's this huge rock deep underground that shines in the dark."Greypaw began."All I know is that all clan leaders go there to share with them when they are chosen."
"Share what exactly?"chirped Flowingpaw.
"How am I suppose to know? I'm no medicine cat!"pouted Greypaw. "All I know is when they wake up they have nine lives and take the name 'star' once it's done."
Flowingpaw shrugged as she got to her paws and watched Yellowfang return to her nest. That rough treatment from those brutes probably aggrovated her old wounds. She frowned and made a mental note to ask Spottedleaf for something to help her later as she made her way for the apprentices' den. She was tired and the run her left her muscle screaming for rest.
"So what happened?"Flowingpaw gave a startled squeak at seeing Dustpaw poking his head out of the den. Seemed the dusty brown tom had forgotten his dislike for her in his eagerness to find out about the Gathering.
"It's like Longtail said, Brokenstar demanded hunting rights."chirped Greypaw as he joined them.
Flowingpaw let Greypaw explain things as she was too tired to deal with the duo of Sandpaw and Dustpaw. Instead her gaze wandered over the the camp's tunnel where to, no surprise, poor Ravenpaw was being chewed out again by Tigerclaw. "Poor Ravenpaw...I wish his mentor would give him a break."she thought as she watched her friend come in dragging his tail. She wanted to say something to him but now didn't seem to be a good time anymore. Not with how crestfallen her friend looked. So she would just let him sleep instead and talk with him tomorrow. She let out a yawn as Lionheart came over to the den.
"Hello Lionheart."greeted Flowingpaw tiredly.
"Hello, young ones."he greeted. "It would seem Flowingpaw, Ravenpaw, and Grepaw have reached the next important milestone in their training."
This instantly got Greypaw and Flowingpaw's attentions while Sandpaw and Dustpaw listened in.
"Ooo! What is it?"squeaked Greypaw excitedly.
"Bluestar wants you three to join her on her trip to the moonstone!"the deputy didn't miss the looks of disappointment of the two older apprentices' faces and the excited ones on young Flowingpaw and Greypaw. "Don't you two fret, you'll get to make the journey yourselves soon enough. For now the clan needs your skill and strength here at camp, I will remain as well."
Flowingpaw looked over the golden tom to spot her mentor going around giving out orders to her warriors. From how the medicine cats and Greypaw described it and from their reactions this trip was a huge deal. But why pick them over the older apprentices, Sandpaw and Dustpaw who had been training longer? She wasn't sure.
"She wants you to rest. But first you should go to Spottedleaf for some herbs. You'll need them to quell your appetite and give you strength as there will be little time for hunting."instructed Lionheart.
Flowingpaw nodded and got to her paws, stretching her sore limbs. "I'll go fetch them. Spottedleaf should still be awake, right?"
"She is. But where's Ravenpaw?"mewed the deputy.
"Oh he's in his nest sleeping."chirped Greypaw.
"Good, let him rest. You leave at dawn, rest well now."mewed Lionheart before he left.
"Well then,"there was not a speck of hostility in Sandpaw's voice as she yawned. "You better go see Spottedleaf."
"Yes, good night Sandpaw. Good night Greypaw and Dustpaw."she chirped as she left the den.
"Hn."
"Good night."
By the time she arrived the lichen curtain that hid away the medicine den Spottedleaf was already waiting for her. "Ah there you are Flowingpaw. Come for some traveling herbs?"
"Yeah. Do you have Ravenpaw and Greypaw's as well? I'll bring them over to them."chirped Flowingpaw as she was handed a leafy bundle.
"Yeah I have them. Here"Spottedleaf set two more bundles at the little she-cat's paws. "I'm guessing the Gathering tired them out?"
"Yeah. I'm tired myself too. But before I forget do you think you could go help Yellowfang? I think her wounds are bothering her after being treated so roughly."mewed Flowingpaw as she gathered the three bundles to her.
"I can certainly go take a look before I retire for the night."agreed Spottedleaf, nuzzling the younger she-cat. Her sister figure's scent was a welcome comfort to the tired apprentice after such a crazy night.
Spottedleaf then went on to quickly explain the herbs in the little leaf bundles before bidding her a safe trip. Exhausted, Flowingpaw grabbed the bundles and went back to the den to get some sleep for the night. As she set the bundles down by each of her snoring friends and took her own to her nest her thoughts wondered. How far her old life seemed now. What would her littermates and mother think if they saw her now? Wild and free. Her first Gathering and now a trip tomorrow to the moonstone. So much had happened these past moons.
What would tomorrow bring?
To Be Continued...