Ah! It's been really long… I'll just pretend… oh, never mind!
I'm worrying about how to write the Journey to the Sun-Drown-Place. Maybe I should skim it – but HOW?
FreeEcho – Thank you so much for reviewing! I needed to make Gorsetail likable…
Crowpaw searched for RiverClan. Instead, he ran into a ShadowClan warrior. The tortoiseshell she-cat scowled and turned away, but a moment later, she seemed to have changed her mind.
"What's your name?" she asked, sounding friendly. "I'm Tawnypelt." She gestured at a ThunderClan warrior, a big brown tabby. "And that's my brother, Bramblepaw." She frowned. "Maybe he got his warrior name, too."
Crowpaw blinked. "You're ShadowClan, aren't you?"
"Yes."
"And he's ThunderClan."
"Yes. I changed Clans, because my father was in ShadowClan."
"Who's your father?"
Tawnypelt looked uncomfortable. "Tigerstar," she admitted.
Crowpaw felt his fur rise. "The one who brought BloodClan into the forest?" he hissed.
"Yes," Tawnypelt replied, "but I–"
Crowpaw glared at Tawnypelt. "Your father was the reason my father is dead!" he snarled. "If it wasn't for him, my father would be alive!"
Tawnypelt looked taken aback. "It's not my fault!" she snapped. "How am I supposed to choose a father, ratbrain? I promise you, it wasn't my choice to get Tigerstar as a father! My mother was the greatest mother, but my father…" She glared at Crowpaw. "I'm a warrior, and you must be an apprentice. Don't argue like that! Respect your elders, remember your warrior code?"
"You're not my elder! You're from another Clan!" Crowpaw hissed, arching his back, but Tawnypelt glowered at him, and stalked away towards ThunderClan.
Bristling angrily, he stomped towards WindClan.
"Is there any sign of RiverClan?" he asked Whitetail.
Mudclaw was bound to ask questions.
"Wait… There they are!" Whitetail flicked her tail towards the coming cats. The long-furred leader with specks was heading towards the Fourtrees. "That's Leopardstar."
Crowpaw narrowed his eyes. "She doesn't look very pleasant."
Whitetail looked away. "Well… maybe you have a strange feeling."
"You know something!" Crowpaw accused. "What is it, Whitetail?"
"Really, nothing."
"No."
"Well, she joined with Tigerstar…" Whitetail trailed off.
Crowpaw glared at the RiverClan leader. "Then she's a horrible leader."
"Don't judge her that quickly, Crowpaw," Whitetail pleaded. "She just made a wrong decision. Everyone does that. Maybe you will as well, Crowpaw. I have made many mistakes and wrong decisions, and so will you."
"But her mistake caused deaths!" snarled Crowpaw.
"She didn't bring BloodClan into the forest."
"But she helped Tigerstar."
Whitetail sighed. "Don't have a grudge against her. That time has passed, and your father was bound to pass away some day."
"You can say that because you knew your father!" Crowpaw exclaimed. "You didn't grow up, facing bullies because of something you can't control! Just now I was told you can't change a father! Well, I'm a victim of that thing, too! If I could, I would've chosen somebody who was alive!"
There was a gasp that made Crowpaw's blood freeze.
"Ashfoot?"
The gray warrior was turning, padding sadly towards the other warriors.
Whitetail growled, but didn't say anything. She just went away stiffly, which pained Crowpaw even more.
Trying to stop himself from breaking apart, he pushed against the cats – and bumped into someone again.
With his clear memory of his encounter with Tawnypelt, his first instinct was to snarl and bristle, which he did.
"Hi," mewed a silver cat uncertainly.
Crowpaw widened his eyes. Oh, it's Feathertail.
"Sorry," he told Feathertail hurriedly.
Feathertail shook her head. "It's fine," she responded, though she looked uncomfortable. "So," she mewed finally, "do you like this Gathering?"
"Yes, I suppose. It's my second one."
"How many moons have you trained?"
"Two."
Feathertail nodded, and purred. "The Clans are so much at peace," she began enthusiastically, "and it's wonderful. When it was the time of Tigerstar's reign…" She shuddered. "Well, it's so different and I love it."
"Do you have bad memories? Like…" Like your father dying?
Feathertail's eyes darkened. "Yes, I do," she murmured. "I sure do." She glanced at the gray cat who was sitting ahead of her. "My brother, Stormfur and I, went through… things I don't want to talk about." She stiffened, and stared at Leopardstar. "But it's fine now. I don't have anything against Leopardstar anymore."
"Leopardstar?"
"I'm talking too much, aren't I?" meowed Feathertail faintly. "Well, it was nice meeting you, Crowpaw." After hesitating, she added, "Do you have any scars left from Tigerstar? Oh, if you're eight moons, you might've not…"
"I do," Crowpaw cut in shortly. "I lost my father from the BloodClan battle."
Feathertail's eyes rounded with sympathy. "Oh, Crowpaw… you must've had a hard time. Then you never saw him?"
"Never."
"I don't know what I'd do if Graystripe was dead. Although we may be in different Clans, he's still my father, and I love him," Feathertail mewed softly. "Are you okay? With… not knowing your father?"
"Knowing I'd never see him in my life?" Crowpaw responded, his voice hardening. He had not meant to. He wanted to be nice to Feathertail. But the past mocking of Deadfoot and him by Gorsetail and Nightpaw remained bitterly in his mind. "Well, I can't do anything about it. I suppose I'm quite fine – I'm living!"
Feathertail took a timid step back. Finally, she mewed quietly, "You'll see him in StarClan, Crowpaw. Don't lose hope." Her eyes glittered with grief. "Don't worry. The ones you've lost… it may seem like you've lost them forever, but once you've lived your life… you'll see them again, Crowpaw."
Crowpaw's heart lifted – only for a short while. "I can't die," Crowpaw reasoned miserably. "I have a life to live yet."
"Yes! Your warrior training is important; receiving my name was one of my greatest joys in life - so far! I'm sure yours will be as well." Feathertail meowed warmly.
"Feathertail?"
A lithe pale blue-gray she-cat was padding towards her. Like Feathertail and most RiverClan cats, the warrior had thick, sleek fur, and had a plumy tail. She fixed her blue gaze on Crowpaw. Her pink nose twitched unpleasantly. "Who are you?" she asked.
"Crowpaw, Mistyfoot," Feathertail purred.
Mistyfoot narrowed her eyes, whisking her tail. "Oh? Well, come on, Feathertail, your brother seemed to be looking for you."
Feathertail waved her tail in farewell, and followed Mistyfoot away to the crowd of cats.
Crowpaw slumped. Now that Feathertail had gone, he had no one to talk to. He cast a glance at Ashfoot and Morningflower. No. He wasn't a kit anymore. No way. And Ashfoot was probably still cross.
He glanced at Whitetail and Onewhisker. No… no way…. Even without the pinkish mood, Whitetail was, probably, still angry.
Tornear, Webfoot, and Thrushwing were talking together, looking serious. Best not the disturb them. He didn't want to wind up in serious stuff anyway!
Mudclaw, his mentor, was looking seriously up at the leaders.
Feeling depressed, he trudged to among the WindClan cats. Suddenly, a tail brushed against his pelt.
"Gorsetail?"
Gorsetail's eyes sparkled. "My name may be repeated, but I love my name," she meowed, defensively and proudly.
"Relax. I'm not here to tease you about your name." Crowpaw muttered dryly.
Gorsetail's eyes flickered with concern, and she flicked her tail. "Are you okay?"
"Of course I am," mumbled Crowpaw. "Is Nightpaw still fuming?"
Gorsetail snorted. "Quite. She's sulking in the back. She says she could've been introduced as a new warrior with me. She and I will never be friends again, I know it. Even if she wants to make up, I won't let her." Puffing out her chest proudly, the newly named warrior added, "I told her I wished her name would be Nightstink. Do you think that was a bit too far?"
"No, it was too less," Crowpaw promised, scowling at the memory of Nightpaw's bullying.
Gorsetail blinked. "I'm really sorry, Crowpaw," she mewed, "I was really dumb."
"It's okay, Gorsetail, I told you."
"I really am–"
"I'm fine!" Crowpaw snapped. Now he was starting to feel annoyed – irritated.
Gorsetail looked away. "I'm sorry," she muttered, sounding irritated herself.
Crowpaw wanted to say sorry. After all, it was him who had messed up. But his pride would not let him. He swallowed back words and slunk more deeper into the crowd.
Nightpaw hissed at him, Darkfoot tried to talk to him, and Robinwing tried to counsel him.
He didn't reply to anything.
