Chapter Two
Rainkit opened her eyes groggily and stared into the gray and white face of Streamkit, who was huddling over her.
"Rainkit!" she mewed, "How are you feeling?"
"What happened?" Rainkit asked, still feeling a bit fuzzy. She looked down at her belly, where fresh cobwebs had just been placed.
"A WindClan warrior broke the warrior code, that's what happened," Dawnriver snarled, walking into the den with leaves in her mouth, "A true warrior never attacks kits and never kills unless absolutely necessary."
Rainkit felt a chill as she realized just how close to StarClan she had been.
"Who won?" Rainkit asked, trying to distract herself.
"We did," a gruff mew responded as its owner padded into the medicine cat den. Rainkit gasped in surprise as she looked into the orange eyes of the RiverClan leader. Creekstar! "Though not without a few losses of our own. How are you feeling, Rainkit?"
"I don't know," Rainkit mewed, confused as to why Creekstar himself was visiting her. Her heart was still pounding, but with a sigh of relief she realized her belly wasn't in much pain. Dawnriver had done a good job patching it up. That's why she was the medicine cat.
"It's not life-threatening, Creekstar," Dawnriver assured him, picking out some different leaves and getting ready to leave the den, most likely to treat another injured Clanmate. "It would have been, if that Thorntooth hadn't been stopped. As long as those cobwebs stay on her injury, Rainkit will be fine."
"Will she be ready to travel in three moonrises?" Creekstar asked the black and white medicine cat. Rainkit's ears perked in surprise. Travel? What in StarClan could Creekstar be referring to? The only thing she could think of was the Mooncave but it seemed a little strange that he would want her to make the journey past WindClan territory so soon after the attack, not to mention the fact that Rainkit was still, well, a kit.
"I suppose," Dawnriver replied, sounding as confused as Rainkit felt, "As long as she is very careful not to reopen the wound."
Dawnriver finished with a very pointed look at Rainkit and she glanced down at her paws in embarrassment. She didn't feel well enough to be cheeky today.
"Good," Creekstar purred, "I want her at the Gathering."
Rainkit looked up at him in surprise. The Gathering? It was rare for apprentices to go their first moon after receiving their name, and Rainkit still wasn't even an apprentice! It wasn't the Mooncave, but it would definitely be exciting! And a lot less walking.
Dawnriver opened her mouth as if to protest, but Creekstar wasn't finished.
"I want all the Clans to see WindClan's despicable actions," he snarled, and Rainkit felt a chill as he spoke. "We must follow the warrior code. Without it, we are nothing."
Without another word, Creekstar padded out of the den.
"Rainkit!" Streamkit gasped, "You're so lucky!"
Usually Rainkit would be hopping up and down with much more excitement, but hidden under her initial happiness, she felt very strange. She couldn't get Thorntooth's scent out of her head and the fear she had felt. Rainkit almost felt sick as she remembered his scarred face looking down on her.
"Rainkit!" Blackstripe's voice called frantically as he and Meadowstream padded into the den.
"A 'may we come in' would have been nice," Dawnriver muttered, but did not protest as Rainkit's parents pushed their way to her and frantically licked her ears.
"Are you alright?" Meadowstream mewed, almost strangling Rainkit.
"I'm fine, I'm fine," Rainkit managed to say, wiggling away from her mother and forgetting her fear.
"What were you doing outside of camp?!" Meadowstream asked angrily.
"I was restless," Rainkit muttered, looking down at her paws but also feeling slightly annoyed, "I wasn't going to go far. But then I met Braveheart and he led me around. And then we got attacked!"
"Next time I meet that WindClan piece of crow-food I'll give him more to worry about than a missing ear," Blackstripe hissed, unsheathing his claws. Rainkit smiled.
"Please," Dawnriver sighed, pushing Blackstripe away, "I know you two are very worried about Rainkit, but she's fine. It won't do any good for you to scare her like that. And I daresay the rest of the Clan could use your help fetching the bodies."
"The bodies?" Rainkit repeated, ears standing up. There were bodies? Cats had died?
Before Dawnriver could protest, Rainkit raced out of the den behind her parents where Birdflight, Ravenstorm, and Brightflower were dragging the black and white body of the RiverClan deputy, Loudnose.
Thrushsong buried her nose in Loudnose's fur with grief. Rainkit vaguely remembered some cat mentioning they had grown up together.
Wails of sadness filled the camp as almost every cat emerged from their den to share tongues with the old RiverClan deputy. Rainkit felt a pang in her chest. She hadn't known Loudnose that well, but she knew he had been a great warrior and an even greater deputy. The whole Clan would miss him. Rainkit even noticed Morningrain pad out of the elders' den and put her nose in the patched fur.
"Loudnose, what will I do without you?" Rainkit heard Creekstar mewed as he licked his fur.
Another yowl filled the clearing as Codwhisker, Dustclaw, Meadowstream, and Blackstripe emerged in the camp dragging a ginger and white body between them. Rainkit could barely process what was going on as a silver shape raced up to the dead cat's body with grief in her tone.
Rainkit's heart seemed to stop as she recognized who it was.
"Braveheart!" Silentstep yowled, running up to lick her beloved on his head for the last time.
Braveheart? Braveheart? It couldn't be Braveheart! Braveheart was still alive, he was going to be her mentor! Braveheart couldn't be dead!
Rainkit raced over to the dead warrior, who was covered in wounds. He stared back at her with empty green eyes. But she had just seen him. She had just talked to Braveheart. He couldn't be dead!
"Braveheart!" Silentstep wept bitterly, "You can't be dead! I was going to tell you my good news as soon as we returned to camp. I'm expecting your kits, Braveheart!"
A murmur of sympathy washed through the camp. Rainkit felt her heart drop farther than she ever could have expected.
"Silentstep, I am so sorry," Snowstorm mewed, wrapping her tail around the apprentice.
"He can't be dead," Silentstep wailed, looking down, "He just can't be dead."
"You were going to be my mentor," Rainkit squeaked, trying not to cry, "You told me curiosity wasn't a bad thing. You can't just die after telling me that!"
"Braveheart, Braveheart," Birdsong, his mother, mewed softly, "Oh, Braveheart. How could you leave me so soon?"
"Everyone gather for a Clan meeting," Creekstar announced suddenly, and every cat looked up. His fierce orange eyes shined with pain. "We will have time to grieve and hold vigil tonight. But before then, there are things I must do first."
He stared first at Loudnose's unmoving body, before looking at Braveheart's, whiskers twitching with sorrow.
"WindClan attacked us unprovoked and unjustly," he proclaimed, letting his gaze rest on every RiverClan cat, and especially on Rainkit, "We will not forget this great injustice! We will not let WindClan get away with this! I will announce to all the Clans at the Gathering what a bunch of rabbit-eating crow-food-smelling foxhearts they all are!"
All the cats yowled in agreement, and Rainkit joined them, feeling her anger at WindClan grow.
"But before that," Creekstar mewed, silencing the crowd with his tail, "There is some business to get to.
He looked down at Loudnose's body.
"I say these words before StarClan so that the spirit of Loudnose may hear and approve of my choice," Creekstar turned to look at where Ravenstorm was sitting next to the former deputy's body. "Ravenstorm will be the RiverClan deputy."
Ravenstorm looked taken aback by Creekstar but he only bowed his head in respect.
"It will be difficult to fill Loudnose's great paw-steps," he murmured, "But I shall do my best."
"Ravenstorm! Ravenstorm! Ravenstorm!" the Clan cheered, and despite Rainkit's fatigue, she joined in.
Creekstar silenced them with his tail. Then he looked where Silentstep still stood near Braveheart's body, and then where Yewpaw lay with bad cuts treated by Dawnriver.
"One apprentice showed incredible bravery in the fight today," Creekstar murmured as the whole Clan looked at the dark ginger tom and as Rainkit glanced at all of his wounds, she realized he must have fought hard. "Yewpaw, step forward."
Yewpaw slowly got up and padded forward in front of the Tallrock.
"I, Creekstar, leader of RiverClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice," he began, "He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to warrior in his turn."
Creekstar looked at Yewpaw, who sat stoically in front of him.
"Yewpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?" he asked.
Yewpaw nodded his head solemnly.
"I do," he mewed.
"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Yewpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Yewclaw. StarClan honors your courage and determination to serve your Clan, and we welcome you as a full warrior of RiverClan."
"Yewclaw! Yewclaw!" the Clan chanted. Silentstep's nose was still buried in Braveheart's fur, but she lifted it up to chant her old denmate's name. Rainkit saw tears in Yewclaw's eyes.
But Creekstar was still not finished.
"Fernkit, Graykit, and Rainkit!" he yowled and Rainkit almost jumped out of her fur. She hadn't seen her littermates since the battle, but now she saw them emerge from where Silvergaze was sitting with Stormkit, and Streamkit, who must have already left the medicine cat den. Seedtail was sitting with Rockkit not far behind. Meadowstream and Blackstripe were still next to Braveheart's fallen body, and Rainkit felt a tongue lick her head as Meadowstream leaned over her.
With a new burst of determination fueled by grief, Rainkit stepped forward. She heard a few gasps from her Clanmates, and realized that her stomach was still covered in cobwebs and she probably smelled like blood. Without bristling, she stood at the base of the Highrock, next to where Graykit and Fernkit were already sitting.
"I had hoped your ceremony would not be in the midst of so much pain and heartache," Creekstar told them, and Rainkit felt her whiskers drooping. Their leader's gaze rested on the unmoving body of Braveheart before continuing. "And I had hoped to give Braveheart his first apprentice."
Murmurs of sadness rippled through the camp and Rainkit felt new grief wash over her as she realized she would never train with the ginger and white tom in the hollow or fish with him in the river. She didn't even know who her new mentor would be. But it didn't matter. No one would ever be as good as Braveheart.
"Graykit, from this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Graypaw," Creekstar announced and Rainkit felt happy for his brother despite her grief when he puffed out his chest with pride, "Nightwhisper, you are a fine warrior and I hope you pass down all your knowledge onto your brother's son."
Nightwhisper's eyes shone with pride as he stepped forward to touch noses with Graypaw. Rainkit saw Blackstripe gleaming from where he sat.
"Fernkit, from this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Fernpaw," Creekstar continued, as Fernpaw puffed her own chest out. Creekstar turned to look at a light brown tom. "Mousetail, you have learned much in your time as a warrior. You will be mentor to Fernpaw."
Fernpaw's eyes gleamed as she touched noses with her new mentor.
Rainkit could barely stay still. She was next! She was going to be an apprentice!
"And, finally, Rainkit," Creekstar began, staring at the wound on her chest. Rainkit tried to stand still and upright and not make a fish-brain out of herself like always. She wondered once again who her new mentor would be, and felt another pang as she realized once again it would never be Braveheart. "I am sorry that Braveheart is not here to mentor you. He asked for you specifically, you know. But you have experienced the ruthlessness of a warrior that does not follow the code. I trust that you shall remember that in your training and never stray from it."
Rainkit was touched. She had had no idea that Braveheart had asked for her, she had assumed Creekstar had chosen on his own. But Rainkit was also puzzled. Apprentices usually were not given this much guidance at their ceremonies. But as she thought of her behavior in the past few moons, and even that morning, Rainkit couldn't help but wonder if Creekstar knew she needed to be reminded. Rainkit felt a little hot with embarrassment, but she forced her ears to remain upright.
"Rainkit, from this day on until you receive your warrior name, you shall be called Rainpaw," Creekstar said.
Rainpaw! Rainpaw thought. Not Rainkit. Rainpaw! I'm not a kit! I'm an apprentice! An actual apprentice! An apprentice! A 'paw! Not a kit!
"Pinefern!" Creekstar exclaimed, and Rainpaw turned to see the dark tabby sitting nearby. Pinefern? Pinefern was going to be her mentor? She hoped that he would be a good mentor. She didn't know the senior warrior well, but she was excited to learn. She hoped that he didn't remember about her trying to sneak off a few moons ago. She also hoped that Pinefern wouldn't get angry with her when she made a mistake in training. She knew Braveheart wouldn't have. "You are calm, stoic, and forever loyal to the warrior code. I trust that you'll pass on this knowledge to Rainpaw."
Pinefern padded over to Rainpaw and leaned down to touch her on the nose.
"Don't worry," he mewed softly, "I will train you to be the greatest warrior RiverClan has ever seen."
Rainpaw purred. She thought that she would like Pinefern.
"Graypaw! Fernpaw! Rainpaw!" the clan chanted at once and despite Rainpaw's terrible day, she felt energized by the clan unified together, chanting the names of her and her littermates.
"You got your wish, you little sneak," Fernpaw whispered good-naturedly in her ear, "We're apprentices now."
Rainpaw grinned.
She looked around at everyone, from Goldenpaw and Sunpaw who were chanting as loud as they could, to Thrushsong and even Twistedtail, and Morningrain, who still looked as tired as ever. Silentstep called their names, despite her grief at Braveheart. Meadowstream and Blackstripe yowled as loud as they could, and even Seedtail and Dustclaw joined in welcoming the new apprentices.
And then, the chanting stopped. It was time to share tongues with Loudnose and Braveheart one last time. Rainpaw felt unified in her clan and felt the desire to do everything she could to protect it. She caught Silentstep's eye as she mourned Braveheart's passing. But she smiled at Rainpaw, obviously glad she was finally an apprentice. Rainpaw smiled back.
She wondered if Loudnose and Braveheart were watching over them right then.
Rainpaw followed behind Goldenpaw and Sunpaw as RiverClan made their way down to Fivestones. Dawnriver and Pinefern stayed close behind her to make sure her injury wouldn't bother her too badly.
Rainpaw had spent the past three days in the medicine cat den, being watched over by Dawnriver. She was still mourning Braveheart. She asked every day if Dawnriver had seen him in dreams, but Dawnriver told her that she hadn't. StarClan didn't work like that. When Rainpaw asked Dawnriver how StarClan did work, Dawnriver just shook her head in exasperation.
Streamkit and Stormkit kept her company in the lonely den. Streamkit would curl next to Rainpaw as Dawnriver sorted the herbs and would ask the medicine cat questions about them. Dawnriver didn't seem to mind the young gray and white kit's questions as much as Rainpaw's (After Rainpaw asked if an adder covered in moss counted as an herb, Dawnriver had limited Rainpaw's questions to five every meal.)
Stormkit would come in and tell Rainpaw about the news going on in camp when she was feeling lonely and missing her siblings and her chance to train. The nursery was much more quiet without the three of them, he had told her. Silentstep had moved into the nursery, but she still had many moons before her kits were born.
Her parents and Pinefern came to visit her too. Meadowstream had assured her that she would be out and training before long, and Pinefern kindly showed her the moves to catch a fish and told her they would try it as soon as Dawnriver gave her approval. Rainpaw had tried it in the den when Dawnriver went to make dirt, but it still hadn't erased her restless feeling.
Rainpaw had really wanted to hear the elders' stories, especially the one about BloodClan and the forest, but Dawnriver didn't want her to leave the medicine cat den and Meadowstream still thought that she was too young for that story.
Finally, the three tortuous days were over and Dawnriver had given Creekstar her permission to go to the Gathering. Rainpaw tried very hard to contain her excitement and stop herself from bouncing like a frog all the way to Fivestones. Dawnriver had told her that if she was too active, the wound would open again and Rainpaw would get sent back to the medicine den.
Graypaw and Fernpaw had stayed at camp, to their frustration. Rainpaw felt bad for them, but excited that she could go, especially after being cooped for so long.
Rainpaw's nose twitched excitedly as the scents of other cats flooded her nostrils. There were so many, it was overwhelming. She tried to pick out the rabbit-like scent of WindClan, but it was too difficult.
"Don't worry, one day you'll be able to pick out every Clan by the scent," Pinefern mewed, padding over to her, evidently having watched her stick out her nose in the air.
"I can't wait to see Fivestones!" Rainpaw told her mentor excitedly, as her tail twitched, "Where all five territories join together."
"And where peace is held between Clans," Pinefern continued, "At least while the moon is full."
Before Rainpaw could reply, she heard a yowl from Creekstar as he signaled RiverClan join the others in the clearing. With newfound energy in her paws, Rainpaw raced after him towards the others.
"Rainpaw!" Dawnriver hissed, "Mind your injury!"
Rainpaw wasn't sure what a quick run could do to a belly scrape, but she slowed down sheepishly. If she had to obey anyone, it would probably be best if it was a medicine cat. Especially if she would get sent back to the medicine den.
Rainpaw was in awe at all the different faces she saw staring back at her. There were cats of all colors and all pelts. Black, white, patched, ginger, striped, spotted, fluffy, scarred, thin, cream, brown, gray, mixtures, she had never seen so many cats before and stared at them with her jaw open wide.
"Go ahead and meet the other warriors," Pinefern mewed, catching up to her, "Get to know them and understand them. But remember, the truce only lasts until the moon wanes and they will be your enemies again. Don't give away valuable information."
Rainpaw nodded. She wanted to do her best to be loyal to RiverClan. She also couldn't wait to meet the other cats. She also wasn't sure what "valuable information" she possibly had that would be any benefit to other cats, but she supposed it was a good idea to be careful what she said anyway.
Not really sure who to go meet first, Rainpaw watched Pinefern pad away to join some other warriors with a little bit of a musky scent. Before Rainpaw could decide whether or not to follow him, she was startled by a loud mew behind her.
"Hello!" an excited and upbeat voice called, as Rainpaw turned around to see a cheeky brown and white tabby she-cat grinning excitedly back at her, "Are you a new apprentice?"
"Yeah, my name's Rainpaw!" Rainpaw mewed back with a smile, "I just became an apprentice a few sunrises ago."
"That soon?" the brown tabby replied, ears twitching in surprise, "You're barely a kit! And already you have a battle scar!"
Rainpaw fluffed her chest out with pride, showing the tabby where she had been hurt.
"I almost walked with StarClan that day," she said in a quiet and mysterious tone.
The tabby's eyes grew wide.
"Come and join us and tell us your story," she urged Rainpaw, "The other apprentices, I mean. This is my first Gathering too and I want to meet all the apprentices from all the Clans!"
"Okay," Rainpaw mewed, bounding after the tabby apprentice, "What Clan are you from?"
"Isn't it obvious?" the tabby mewed cheekily. Then she jumped up high into the air and barreled into a matted gray tom.
"Watch it!" he hissed.
"Sorry," the apprentice squeaked, running away.
Rainpaw started laughing. "You look like a squirrel!"
The apprentice stuck out her chest.
"A dignified squirrel," she mewed. Then she relaxed and looked back at Rainpaw. "I'm from SkyClan. The name's Branchpaw."
"Hey, you border my territory," Rainpaw remembered.
"Oh so that's what RiverClan smells like," Branchpaw mewed as her eyes widened as if she had just solved all the secrets of StarClan, "Hollowtail told me they smelled like fish but that didn't help me much seeing as I have never actually… smelled… fish. Anyway, let's go meet the others!"
Branchpaw rushed away with the speed of a squirrel, and Rainpaw raced right after her, trying to forget about the pain in her stomach. Soon, they reached a group of apprentices, and Rainpaw noticed Sunpaw and Goldenpaw already there.
"Rainpaw, over here!" Sunpaw called out kindly, scooting over to make room for her.
Rainpaw grinned and sat down.
She looked around at the other cats. Although she still wasn't sure which Clan was which, it was easy to tell if cats were from the same Clan. There were two dark tabby apprentices and a ginger she-cat with the same musky scent of the cats Pinefern went with, two tabbies and a black and white patched she-cat that smelled of undergrowth, the apparently squirrel-like SkyClan scent of Branchpaw and an orange and white tabby, and… a black and a white apprentice with the rabbit-like scent of a Clan Rainpaw did recognize… WindClan.
"Let's all introduce each other!" Branchpaw suggested excitedly, tail tip twitching. "I'm Branchpaw, and this–" she gestured to the ginger and white tom beside her, "–is my brother Acornpaw! We're from SkyClan."
"My name is Swiftpaw," the black and white she cat mewed briskly as if she wanted to be sure that no one forgot her name. "This is my littermate Treepaw, and our Clanmate Firepaw from ThunderClan."
"Named after Firestar," Firepaw purred, puffing out her white chest.
"Who's Firestar?" the white WindClan cat asked.
Firepaw looked a little crestfallen.
"He was one of ThunderClan's most important leaders," she explained, "He led the Clans to face Scourge and BloodClan!"
Rainpaw's ears pricked up at the mention of BloodClan. She still hadn't heard the full story! She vaguely remembered mention of a kittypet-turned warrior bravely standing against them, and thought that that had been Firestar. It was either him or Longstar or whatever that one other leader's name was. Rainpaw had only heard the story mentioned in passing by Thrushsong and Odd-eyes.
"Didn't they lose?" one of the dark tabbies asked, peering at Firepaw, "And that's why we're in these woods instead of the old forest?"
"Well, yes, but he gave all his lives to save all four Clans," Firepaw mewed.
"All four Clans," Acornpaw mocked.
"So did the other leaders," the white apprentice retorted, ignoring Acornpaw. Then he looked at the dark tabbies. "Well, all the leaders but ShadowClan's. Their leader brought BloodClan to the forest."
"Wait, he did?" Rainpaw asked, intrigued.
The dark tabbies, who Rainpaw could only assume were the ShadowClan cats, started bristling at the WindClan cat's words, ignoring Rainpaw.
"Well, I'm glad they got driven out," Branchpaw mewed before the apprentices could start fighting, "My Clan wouldn't even have existed without them. Plus, according to the elders' stories of elders telling them, all five Clans have more territory than the old forest."
"Well, I'm Goldenpaw," Goldenpaw announced, introducing the RiverClan cats next before Rainpaw could ask another question. "This is my littermate Sunpaw, and this is Rainpaw. Of RiverClan."
As the focus shifted to Rainpaw, the squabbles of the other cats and Rainpaw's own questions about the battle with BloodClan were forgotten as they looked at the wound on her chest in awe.
"What happened to you?" Firepaw mewed, staring at the scrape.
Rainpaw sat up a little straighter, proud of her scar.
"She was attacked by a WindClan warrior," Sunpaw explained, "Only three moonrises ago, on the day she was supposed to be an apprentice!"
"WindClan attacked you?" Treepaw gasped, staring at the chest wound, "As a kit?"
The three ThunderClan apprentices turned and glared at the two WindClan cats.
"Don't look at me," the black one squeaked, "I'm a medicine cat apprentice."
"And Thorntooth was punished," the white apprentice mewed, "I wasn't even at the battle."
"You're a medicine cat apprentice?" Rainpaw asked, looking at the small black tom, hostility towards WindClan forgotten for the moment.
He nodded. "I'm Smokepaw."
"And I'm Grasspaw," the white tom mewed. "I'm not a medicine cat apprentice. And we're WindClan, obviously."
"Obviously," Swiftpaw sneered, "Any cat can scent that stench from a mile away."
"Cool your fur, Swiftpaw," the same dark tabby with the musty scent mewed, "This is a night of truce, remember?"
"I just came out of a battle, I'm not eager to go into another," Rainpaw said, "At least not without training."
Branchpaw chuckled.
"I'm Dawnpaw," the same dark tabby mewed. She gestured to the other dark tabby who hadn't said anything and just glared at all the others the entire night. Rainpaw thought he and Swiftpaw would get along great. "And this lump of fur is my brother Fangpaw."
Fangpaw just grunted.
"And that's Flamepaw," Dawnpaw finished, motioning to the last cat with her tail, "She's also a medicine cat. We're ShadowClan."
"How do you bear being a medicine cat?" Goldenpaw asked the ginger she-cat, "I couldn't stand not being able to battle train!"
"I couldn't stand not communicating with StarClan," Flamepaw retorted, but with humor gleaming in her eyes.
All the apprentices laughed except for Fangpaw and Swiftpaw.
"There're no borders in StarClan, right?" Rainpaw mewed suddenly, thinking of something.
Flamepaw looked confused but nodded her head.
"That's right," she responded.
"You haven't happened to see an orange and white RiverClan tom named Braveheart, have you?" Rainpaw asked.
"No, I've only met dead ShadowClan cats," Flamepaw mewed as if deep in thought, "Except for– no, only ShadowClan cats."
Flamepaw finished quickly, shooting a meaningful glance at Smokepaw.
Rainpaw opened her mouth to ask what in StarClan that meant when a yowl sounded through the clearing and everything went silent.
"The Gathering is about to begin!" a young lithe and golden tom yowled from the top of the rock.
"That's Thornstar," Firepaw whispered to the rest of the apprentices, "My leader."
Rainpaw nodded in excitement as the young ThunderClan leader gave his report.
"Prey runs well in ThunderClan," Thornstar mewed, looking over all the cats, "We have rebuilt after the tragedy of Rootstar's death and we are stronger than ever."
"Who's Rootstar?" Rainpaw asked Firepaw under her breath.
"ThunderClan's last leader," she whispered back, "He lost his last life protecting the nursery from a badger attack." Firepaw went silent. "I would be dead without him."
"He lost both his ears in a battle with ShadowClan," Fangpaw snickered and Goldenpaw laughed. Swiftpaw gave him a menacing look.
"Shh!" Sunpaw silenced.
"SkyClan is thriving," an old dark brown tom mewed next.
"That's Barkstar," Branchpaw whispered to Rainpaw.
"We have two more warriors," Barkstar went on, motioning to a black she-cat and a sandy tabby tom. "Darkpelt and Adderfoot."
The two cats bowed their heads as the Clans chanted their names.
"But Adders don't have feet," Grasspaw whispered.
Branchpaw just shrugged.
"I think it sounds cool," Rainpaw said.
"A pack of rogues was found on ShadowClan territory," a patched tortoiseshell she-cat mewed next, "But we chased them out."
"Who's that?" Rainpaw asked Dawnpaw.
"Marshstar," the dark tabby mewed back.
A ripple of agreement washed through the ShadowClan cats from Marshstar's words. Rainpaw noticed Fangpaw look determined and proud.
Dawnpaw noticed Rainpaw looking at her brother. She nudged his shoulder.
"Fangpaw here sent one mewling back to its mother," Dawnpaw told the rest of the apprentices, chest swelling with pride.
"Wow!" Branchpaw mewed excitedly, "I can't wait to have my first battle!"
Rainpaw thought about what it would be like to fight, to really fight as a warrior to defend her Clan. She hoped she wouldn't fight her next battle without any training.
The last cat that Rainpaw didn't know on the top of the pile of boulders stepped forward to speak, but was intercepted by Creekstar, who glared at the thin brown tabby with hatred in his eyes.
"RiverClan shall give its report next," he hissed, stepping forward.
The tabby, who Rainpaw could only imagine was the WindClan leader, pinned his ears back but nodded stiffly.
The cats started murmuring to each other.
"Why is RiverClan's leader so hostile?" Treepaw asked, looking at Rainpaw.
"Well–" Rainpaw began, trying to explain.
"Wait and see," Goldenpaw interrupted, with the same tone and expression he had used with Rainpaw on the night he and Sunpaw became apprentices.
"Three sunrises ago, RiverClan was attacked unjustly and unprovoked by WindClan in their own territory!" Creekstar announced loudly.
All the cats gasped.
Firepaw peered at Smokepaw.
"Is that true?" she asked.
Smokepaw didn't respond, he just stared at his paws. Grasspaw's green eyes were burning with anger, but before he could retort a response, he was interrupted by WindClan's leader.
"WindClan needs more territory!" the skinny brown tabby hissed, "Everyone knows RiverClan territory is prey-rich! Why should their warriors fill their bellies until they burst, while our kits and elders are forced to go without food?"
More commotion sounded throughout the clearing.
"You don't look like you're starving," Swiftpaw mewed curtly, staring at Grasspaw's fluffy white coat.
Grasspaw didn't respond, but he curled back his lip and hissed, unsheathing his claws. Smokepaw started shaking.
Rainpaw was suddenly frightened. Her heart beat quickly against her chest as she remembered her injury. Were they going to fight again? At the Gathering? She quickly glanced upward. The moon was still bright. She couldn't remember if that was a good thing or a bad thing.
"RiverClan's warriors fought bravely," Creekstar continued, silencing the murmurs with his voice, "And we have a new warrior, Yewclaw." he paused for a second as the cats turned to the RiverClan cat and called out his name. "But we lost two fine cats, a young warrior named Braveheart and my beloved Deputy, Loudnose. Ravenstorm is RiverClan's new deputy."
Rainpaw felt a pang at the mention of Braveheart's death. More murmurs ran through the camp. Smokepaw looked more jumpy than a fish on the bank.
"Was Braveheart your kin?" Flamepaw asked Rainpaw, evidently remembering her asking about him.
"Uh, no," Rainpaw mewed, "But he was supposed to be my mentor."
Flamepaw looked like she wanted to ask another question, but Creekstar wasn't finished.
"Not only that," Creekstar hissed, "But WindClan broke the warrior code by attacking a kit! Rainpaw, come here!"
The other apprentices looked at Rainpaw in surprise, even Goldenpaw and Sunpaw. The other cats' angry murmurings turned into confused whispers. All eyes turned on Rainpaw as she stood up. She hadn't been quite sure what Creekstar had been planning, but she hadn't expected this. Every single cat at the Gathering, cats from all five Clans, were all staring right at her. Rainpaw couldn't remember any stories about when an apprentice, especially such a young apprentice, had been called on to stand before all the Clans at a Gathering. Then again, she still hadn't heard the full story of BloodClan driving the four Clans from the old forest and then reforming SkyClan, so who knew.
Carefully and quietly, for once, Rainpaw crept across the forest floor, trying not to tremble as cats stared at her wound with mouths wide open in shock. She reached the base of the five large boulders, trying not to flatten her ears back in fear as the five large deputies towered over her. But Ravenstorm caught her eye and gave her an encouraging look that instantly made Rainpaw feel better. Taking a deep breath, she jumped on the edge of the closest boulder, trying not to slip off as she scrambled against the stone, searching for a clawhold. This was a lot different from climbing up on the nursery.
Rainpaw felt her scruff being lifted upwards and she had a moment of panic, wondering if one of the leaders decided she shouldn't be up there and was about to make her tumble off onto the ground to die or be crippled or– or–
Rainpaw was set down gently on the top of the rockpile. She turned around and realized it had been Creekstar that had picked her. Feeling relieved, knowing that Creekstar would never hurt her, she wobbled on the edge of the rock, trembling as she glanced down on all the Clans and their shocked eyes.
"You're doing fine, Rainpaw," Creekstar whispered to her, giving her a comforting lick that instantly made Rainpaw feel better but for StarClan's sake she just couldn't keep her paws from trembling, "Stand up straight. Show them your belly."
Rainpaw took another deep breath as she puffed out her chest to make her injury more noticeable.
"Cats of the Clans!" Creekstar bellowed, spooking Rainpaw and almost causing her to wobble so much she was sure she would have toppled off the edge had she been any closer, "Behold what WindClan did to a kit!"
Shouts and indignant exclamations went through the clearing as the cats looked at Rainpaw's injury.
"That's a belly scratch!" a cat Rainpaw didn't see yowled through the crowd, "A killing blow!"
More angry yowls sounded through the crowd. The other leaders started bristling, turning to the WindClan leader.
"WindClan is full of fox-hearted traitors!" a black cat hissed through the crowd. The WindClan cats started hissing back.
"What do you have to say for yourself, Runningstar?" Barkstar demanded, turning to face the smaller cat. Rainpaw ducked under Creekstar's chest, suddenly aware of the tension between leaders.
"The warrior that attacked Rainpaw has been dealt with," Runningstar hissed, raising his hackles, "WindClan is a Clan of honor! We do not condone the breaking of the warrior code!"
"Then control your warriors!" some cat yowled.
"This Gathering is over!" Marshstar announced, despite the fact that WindClan hadn't actually given its report, as all the cats started baring their teeth at each other.
Rainpaw felt Creekstar grab her by the scruff again, and felt herself hurtled downward as he jumped from the rock. She vaguely wondered if she was about to join StarClan. Then he set her down gently and she took a wobbling step forward, still trying to wrap her head around what had just happened.
"RiverClan!" he yowled, "To camp!"
Rainpaw was still trembling but she saw Sunpaw and Goldenpaw race over to her from where they had been sitting with the other apprentices. Grasspaw turned away to follow his Clan without looking back, but Smokepaw shot her a look of sympathy before finding his mentor and returning with his Clan. Rainpaw tried to catch Branchpaw's eye before she disappeared, but the SkyClan apprentice and her brother were nowhere to be seen.
"Keep your head high, kit," a sandy colored she-cat with ShadowClan scent mewed to Rainpaw with a twinkle in her blue eyes as she passed her to follow Marshstar, "And don't let this lot of frog-brains scare you."
Rainpaw was too confused to respond, but then she felt another presence next to her and felt Meadowstream licking her forehead.
"Come here, Rainpaw," Meadowstream mewed, putting her tail protectively around her, "Let's go home."
Blackstripe was there too, keeping close and making sure Rainpaw felt safe.
Rainpaw sure hadn't known what to expect from her first Gathering, but it certainly hadn't been that. Standing on the rocks with all the leaders and showing off her injury? Rainpaw knew that she probably should have felt excited to have been that fortunate, but instead she just felt confused and terrified, not really understanding what all this meant.