CHAPTER 29

The rest of the day, and the next passed without incident. Icestar had told them all that Rowanfall was obviously working for the enemy now; that he was disappointed that his mercy had been thrown back in his face in this manner. Rowanfall's parents were both very quiet during that meeting, and the day following, though Dappledshade was sure their reasons were very different.

That morning, Icestar announced who was heading to the Gathering, and Dappledshade was surprised when her name was on the list. Then again, hearing the other names on it, maybe it wasn't all that unexpected. He was taking a large group, and most of his best fighters too. Obviously he wasn't expecting the Gathering truce to hold, Starclan's will or not.

Everyone was milling around as the sun started to set, ready to set out on the long walk to the Gathering. Ever since Flaxclan had banned them from cutting across their territory to get there, they had to go the long way; heading straight south, then following alongside the thunderpath.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather under the High Stone for a clan meeting!" Icestar's call rang out unexpectedly, breaking off casual conversations. Dappledshade turned her head to see the leader standing up at the edge of the rock formation. It was unusual to call a meeting right before leaving for the Gathering like this.

"I know everyone is eager to leave for the Gathering, but we have a couple of important matters to attend to first." The white tom called out to the gathering clan, raising his voice over the cats wondering what was going on aloud. "These are happy matters, I assure you." He added, heading off the understandable nerves Gorseclan had in regards to clan meetings these days. They had been facing nothing but bad news lately.

"First… Venom, come over here, will you?" Icestar called out to the young rogue, who, along with the Tussockclan prisoners, didn't attend meetings for obvious reasons. Venom blinked and turned his head at being addressed, but he didn't look that surprised. Icestar had spoken with him yesterday, after all. The Tussockclan Wise Ones leered after him as he trotted towards the High Stone.

"Venom, I have considered your request to join Gorseclan, and, in light of your good behaviour, as well as our discussions, I see no reason to refuse you."

"Yeah, and the fact the rogues are being ordered around by Icestar anyway doesn't hurt…" Waspsting snickered to Rimuleaf, who shushed him.

"Venom, from this day forward, until you receive your full name, you will be known as Venompaw." Icestar's eyes shifted towards Longfang, in his usual spot near the back. "Longfang, you have mentioned you are in need of an apprentice to train, and Venompaw here has proven himself intelligent, and I believe, suited to your craft. Longfang, you will mentor Venompaw to become a herbalist… I expect you to pass on all you know to him."

Longfang and Venompaw both looked taken aback, as did the rest of the clan. It seemed like nobody had expected this development. Dappledshade had certainly assumed that if Venom was made a member of the clan, it would be as a warrior. He was the same age as her, and would already have experience fighting, having been a rogue. Spiderstrike had gone straight into being a warrior when he joined under Boulderstar. And not only was he an apprentice, but a herbalist? It felt like a bizarre choice for many reasons, and one neither new mentor nor apprentice seemed to want.

Longfang approached Venompaw, muttering something to him, and the two exchanged the traditional nose touch; albeit a hesitant one. Afterwards, Icestar inclined his head towards the young tom, and continued. "Before it's official, you will need to travel to Star Falls at the next half moon, to be anointed by Starclan and welcomed by your fellows. Still, Longfang can begin your practical training on herbs and healing until then. Gorseclan welcomes you, Venompaw."

The clan called Venompaw's new name, as was traditional for a new apprentice, but it certainly had an awkwardness to it. It wasn't nearly as loud and clear as usual. She noticed her father, Thrushwing, was one of a few cats who remained completely silent, likely due to their strong bias against rogues. Dappledshade did call Venompaw's name, only because from their conversation, he did seem genuine. Though, she would reserve final judgement for now. Time would tell.

"Yes, welcome Venompaw. I look forward to seeing you flourish in Gorseclan." Icestar seemed like he had more to this meeting, as Venompaw now joined in with sitting in on the meeting, although he was off to the side by himself. Dappledshade wondered what more there was to say. Perhaps about the plan for the Gathering? "Shadefeather, could you bring Cavekit, Surgingkit and Falconkit here, please?"

Dappledshade turned her head at the mention of her mother and younger siblings. Shadefeather herself was sitting with Thrushwing, while the other queens minded her kits during the meeting. The sleek dark tortoiseshell looked shocked, exchanging a worried glance with Thrushwing. "May I ask why, Icestar?" She asked.

"Why, for their apprentice ceremonies, of course." Icestar answered simply. That sentence suddenly changed the mood in camp; Dappledshade felt it like fur raising along her spine.

Thrushwing was suddenly on his feet. "Icestar, with all due respect, they are only just five moons!"

"Yes, they're too young!" Shadefeather agreed with her mate, tail curling anxiously. Dappledshade felt a pelt press against hers for support. She didn't even need to look to know it was Sedgetuft.

"Younger than Honeypaw and Stonepaw were." Creampelt added: Icestar's sister was sitting near her two kits, glancing at them as she spoke. Dappledshade agreed with them all; this wasn't like with Honeypaw and Pebblepaw, who were almost six moons old at the time of their ceremony; her younger siblings had a whole moon to go yet!

"It's against the warrior code." Weedfur huffed. He rarely disagreed with Icestar, especially publicly, so it surprised Dappledshade to hear him speak up. Icestar too, appeared taken aback. Indeed, he looked surprised that the clan was disagreeing with him at all. Dappledshade wanted to voice her opposition too, but given she was already in trouble, she kept quiet. She couldn't risk weakening her position even further. As Stoatberry would put it.

"Everyone, everyone, please relax." Icestar called from the High Stone, raising his voice louder. "We desperately need these three to start their training. We need more warriors for the battles Starclan has foreseen and warned me of." He attempted to assure them all, waving a paw in the air as he gestured towards the nursery, where Falconkit's head could be seen poking out and watching; perhaps they had heard their name mentioned. "And they are big and strong for their age, as much as any cat that is six moons."

"So now he wants to take kits into battle?" Rimuleaf whispered not all that quietly to Blackbird, who nodded with a worried face. Even Horsefoot, who was usually so impassive these days in his continued grief, had come to life. He was standing stiff and upright, his brow furrowed and even a hint of his lip curling. It seemed Icestar's news wasn't just upsetting him like others, it was making him outright angry.

It appeared that Icestar had not even told Sorrelwind about his plan to apprentice the kits. She looked between the largely displeased clan, and her leader, then made to hop up beside him and whisper something into his ear, but the large tom shook his head, and shifted away from her, right to the front of the High Stone. "Let me make this clear; this is not Fernclan. We aren't taking a vote. Your leader's word is the warrior code! My decision comes from Starclan, and is final." He glared out over the clan until all the muttering stopped. "Shadefeather, please bring the kits here." He repeated the earlier request, his tone leaving no room for argument this time.

Dappledshade watched as her mother did as she was asked, wanting to go to her side. Shadefeather's long tail dragged in the dirt as she padded over to the nursery, her soft mews to her kits only just able to be heard. The kits for their part, followed her back towards the High Stone eagerly. They didn't understand why this wasn't normal. They were just excited by the surprise.

Shadefeather herded them to the front of the gathered cats, giving each a lick on the head and asking them to sit up straight before she reluctantly moved back, going over to intertwine her tail with Thrushwing. Dappledshade looked over her younger siblings, taking in their expressions. Cavepaw, always quiet and thoughtful, was sitting up straight like his mother asked, but his tail was twitching anxiously. Surgingkit showed zero fake-confidence; his was completely authentic, and he stared up at Icestar almost like it was a challenge to eyeball the leader without flinching. Falconkit seemed distracted, and kept looking behind her at her gathered clanmates. Dappledshade wondered if she was thinking about how many of them didn't look happy for her.

Icestar looked over the kits, then called for the first one to step forward to begin the ceremony. "Surgingkit, it is time for you to be apprenticed." The leader began. "From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Surgingpaw. Your mentor will be Cuckoofeather. I hope that they will pass down all that they know to you." Cuckoofeather blinked, and paused for a moment as if considering if they wanted to even accept the underage apprentice, but then nodded and stepped forward with their slight limp to stand before the young ginger tabby. "Cuckoofeather, it is time for you to take on a new apprentice. You did an excellent job mentoring Horsefoot, and have proven yourself to be a driven, hard-working warrior. I expect you to pass all you know onto young Surgingpaw."

Next, after Surgingpaw and Cuckoofeather touched noses (Surgingpaw a touch roughly), Cavepaw went to Spiderstrike next; his first apprentice. Falconkit went to Waspsting, who was technically his second apprentice, although Icestar did not mention Howlpaw. An apprentice who died young wasn't really something you wanted to bring up at an apprentice ceremony.

All three went to elite warriors, and that was absolutely on purpose. In Dappledshade's opinion, Waspsting was not good mentor material, and likely neither was Spiderstrike. A tiny, selfish part of her, was jealous that one of her younger siblings didn't become her apprentice. But it was an irrational thought she was quick to push down for a number of reasons. She was a fresh warrior still, it usually took ages till you got your first, and in Gorseclan it was extremely rare for direct kin to mentor kin, unlike in Flaxclan.

Not to mention, the others were likely more deserving, no matter what her opinions of them were. They were long-serving, loyal elites. She was a young upstart who was constantly annoying Icestar by questioning him.