Chapter 3: The Gathering Of Boredom
Two moons had passed since Beaverpaw, Stripepaw, and Sparrowpaw were made apprentices. Apparently what Sparrowpaw mewed that day when they had just been made apprentices had been true. And ever since Sparrowpaw has always managed to catch something while they were out of camp. Spikefur was really proud of his apprentice when he told Beaverpaw what happened the day she asked him. "Hey, Beaverpaw are you paying attention?" asked Tigerstripe, who was prodding her with his paw. "No, sorry Tigerstripe," mewed Beaverpaw with her head down. "You're usually really attentive, especially when it comes to battle training," mewed Tigerstripe in response.
Suddenly a yowl came from the other side of the clearing. Beaverpaw and Tigerstripe walked to where the yowling had come from. They peered from the thick leafed bushes and saw that Stripepaw was hissing at a ginger furred she-cat with pine needle green eyes. The she-cat's eyes were in slits and she hissing at Stripepaw and Sparrowpaw. Sparrowpaw mewed, "What are you doing in the heart of Riverclan land?" The she-cat opened her mouth to speak, but Stripepaw interrupted her, "She's obviously here to spy." "We don't know that," Sparrowpaw hissed, then he turned toward the she-cat and mewed, "I'm sorry for my clanmates rudeness, you can speak now," The she-cat glanced at Sparrowpaw then at Stripepaw and meowed, "I'm here to talk to Mistystar," Sparrowpaw was about to reply but Stripepaw beat him to it, "Yeah right!"
The she-cat crouched lower to the ground, as if she was afraid that Stripepaw would hurt her. "We don't know that she came to spy. Let's take her to camp, and she can tell Mistystar her story. If she believes her then we'll help her," mewed Sparrowpaw before Stripepaw could say anything. Sparrowpaw than led the ginger she-cat to camp with Stripepaw close behind him. Beaverpaw looked at Tigerstripe, his jaw was wide open, then he closed it and shook his head. "Tigerstripe should we follow them?" asked Beaverpaw. "No, you're training is more important than listening to why that she-cat came here, and besides we can hear the story from Stripepaw and Sparrowpaw. I'm worried though, their mentors weren't with them, I wonder why?" Tigerstripe mewed to Beaverpaw.
They pushed themselves out of the bushes and returned to the soft training ground, which was near the middle of their border with Shadowclan and camp. The rest of the day they practiced fighting moves, and all the while Tigerstripe and Beaverpaw were thinking of that mysterious ginger she-cat. "That's enough practice for one day, you were really good Beaverpaw. I think you're the first apprentice who is excellent at all the Riverclan fighting moves she has been shown. You're going to make a great fighter someday," mewed Tigerstripe as they padded back to camp.
Once they reached the camp, they found the gray blue she-cat with a light blue paw standing on all fours announcing to the clan something. Once they reached the clearing, Tigerstripe sat down beside Beaverpaw. "Cat's of Riverclan, as you are aware there was a certain visitor that was with us for a period of time. That cat is Sunpaw of Shadowclan," mewed the gray blue cat she- cat. Gasps came from the group of cats assembled close to highrock. As soon as the gasps died down the gray blue she-cat mewed, "She just wanted to let us know that Shadowclan needed some help with their sick cats, so we gave her the herbs she needed. Then we sent her on her way, Sparrowpaw escorted back to Shadowclan."
A black tom murmured something into a white she-cat's long ear, the she-cat's brown eyes opened wide then she closed them and whispered into his ear. Beaverpaw saw the blue gray she-cat jump off of highrock and into a hole in the rock which is covered by vines. "Tigerstripe, do you think some cats are angry at Mistystar?" asked Beaverpaw. Tigerstripe answered her, "Yes, I can see why, it's in the middle of greenleaf, so why would Shadowclan need herbs if the pine forest is in full bloom with plant growth? But maybe they needed a herb that can't grow in the pine forest." Beaverpaw didn't understand why Shadowclan needed to grovel, when they could've fought Riverclan for the herbs they needed, because not every warrior is going to help another clan. She just didn't understand it.
Everyone dispersed and discussed what happened. Beaverpaw looked around and saw her father coming towards her. "Beaverpaw, do you know where Sparrowpaw is? He should've come back to camp by now," mewed Spikefur. Beaverpaw shook her head. "Maybe he's hunting for the clan,"she suggested . "Maybe you're right," mewed Spikefur. The black tom padded over to Robinfeather and started to share tongues with her. Stripepaw bounded towards, with a mischievous grin on her face. "So you and Sparrowpaw? Are you going to be mates? Do you like him?" asked Stripepaw. Beaverpaw answered, "No, he's just a friend, besides I didn't go up to Spikefur to ask if he's back. Spikefur came to me," "Uh Huh, I don't believe you," mewed Stripepaw.
Spottedpelt came up to them and mewed, "You two and Sparrowpaw have been chosen to go to the gathering, so I suggest you eat your fill before we leave," Beaverpaw jumped back startled while Stripepaw looked happy to go to the gathering. "Why'd you jump?" asked Stripepaw. Beaverpaw mewed, "Spottedpelt startled me,that's all," Stirpepaw tried to control her laughter. "It's not funny, and anyway we should get something to eat, so our bellies are full when we go to the gathering," mewed Beaverpaw. Stripepaw nodded in agreement, and the two of them went to the fresh kill pile. The pile had loads of fish, from carp to minnow. There were a few dryland creatures on the pile as well.
Beaverpaw took a carp from the pile while Stripepaw took two minnow's. They ate, and as Beaverpaw took her last bite of flesh from the carp, she saw Sparrowpaw walking over with a trout in his jaws. He sat beside her and dropped the trout on the soft grass, and took a bite of trout. Stripepaw asked him, "How was escorting that apprentice off our territory?" Sparrowpaw gulped, then replied, "It was easy. She told me what was happening in Shadowclan. Apparently Puddleshine ran out of herbs to treat something. What did she call it? I think she called it red cough. It's this cough that makes you cough out blood. Catmint doesn't seem to be working, so he sent Sunpaw to see if Riverclan had any other herbs for healing coughs. Shadowpaw was busy gathering more juniper berries to help. Anyways,Mothwing sent her back with a strange piece of bark that showed up out of nowhere, saying that maybe the sap from this bark could cure the three victims that were coughing up blood. Anyway that's where our conversation on that subject stopped. Then we talked about other things, like prey, training, and all that stuff. Then we said goodbye at the border." "Wow, I didn't think she would open up about the red cough thing to you, I thought that she would say it's Shadowclan business and you can keep out of it, or something like that," mewed Beaverpaw. "She said that the reason for that is because she thought I should know why Mothwing and Mistystar helped her," meowed Sparrowpaw.
Stripepaw and Beaverpaw exchanged a glance, while Sparrowpaw dug his fangs into his trout. Suddenly, a yowl erupted from the highrock, "All those who were chosen to go to the gathering, we leave now," The gray blue she-cat jumped off highrock and padded to the tunnel entrance. Reedwhisker, a black cat with blue eyes followed the blue gray she-cat. Beaverpaw, Stripepaw and Sparrowpaw went to the entrance of the bramble tunnel. Stripepaw whispered, "Is Mistystar going to mention giving the bark to Shadowclan?" Sparrowpaw whispered back, "Probably not," Before Stripepaw could reply, Mistystar, the blue gray she-cat, gave the signal and the group left for the gathering.
Beaverpaw walked through the moonlit forest, relishing the cool night breeze that ruffled her fur. They soon reached the lake, and Beaverpaw was astounded by the view. The moon made the lake water glitter, making it look like silverpelt was dancing on the lake. As Mistystar and the rest of the group dove into the water, Beaverpaw stood on the edge of the lakeshore, taking in the night's beautiful view. Then she walked into the water, she was stunned by the coldness of the lake. She thought it would be warmer than the river running beside camp, because the sun did not shine on the water there, since trees blocked the sunshine from reaching the river almost all day.
She felt the ground leave her paws, meaning she would have to swim the rest of the way to the island. Beaverpaw took a breath and started churning her paws like her mentor had shown her to do on the day they practiced swimming in the river. Beaverpaw saw the island getting closer and closer as she was swimming. The other members of the group reached the shore of the island before her. As she pulled herself out of the water and onto land, she saw Stripepaw and Sparrowpaw waiting for her.
They stood back as she shook the water out of her fur. Then they padded silently into the clearing. Beaverpaw saw that Mistystar was talking with two dark brown tabbies and a light brown tabby she-cat. Both dark brown tabby toms had amber eyes that looked like the sun. The one on the branch to the left was bigger and fluffier than the one sitting on the same branch as Mistystar. The one sitting next to Mistystar looked slimmer and more lithe and capable of avoiding battle blows,and attacking then the big fluffy tabby. The light brown tabby she-cat has amber eyes that look like the sun as well. Part of the light brown tabby's face was white, she also looked lithe and so she could be really good in battles, because of her lithe shape.
Beaverpaw saw a white tom with brown splotches on his fur come through another entrance to the clearing. The white tom with brown splotches leapt up and sat beside the fluffy tabby, and lithe light brown tabby she-cat. A dark blue gray tom sat beside Reedwhisker and three other cats. A light gray tabby she-cat, a dark ginger she-cat with a fluffy tail and one of her forepaws is white, and a gray tabby tom were the three other cats that Beaverpaw saw the dark blue gray tom and Reedwhisker sitting with. Her nostrils were filled with the scent of the other clans. She could only identify Shadowclan and Windclan by their smell. But the Skyclan, and Thunderclan scents she couldn't differentrate.
Suddenly the white tom with brown splotches on his fur stood on the branch that outlooked the group of cats gathered on the island, and yowled, "Let the gathering begin! Windclan will go first if the other leaders don't mind," "Harestar we don't mind," mewed the big fluffy dark brown tabby tom. The other cats on the branches of the oak tree nodded in agreement. "Windclan has had good hunting, despite the twolegs that have come this greenleaf, and we have two new apprentices, Molepaw and Duskpaw," Everyclan yowled their names out loud. Beaverpaw looked to her left and saw a dusk brown tom with green blue eyes , and a dark brown tabby she-cat with green eyes lifting their heads in pride. The Windclan leader, Harestar went back to his spot beside the brown fluffy tabby and light brown tabby.
The brown fluffy tabby was next to go onto the branch that outlooked the gathered cats. "Thunderclan has also had good hunting, our apprentices are doing well in their training," meowed the big brown fluffy tabby. "Bramblestar, are you forgetting something?" asked the smaller lithe brown tabby tom. "No Tigerstar, Shadowclan aided us in getting rid of some foxes that camped on our shared border with them. Luckily warriors from both clans were able to defeat the foxes and drive them off clan territory," mewed the bigger fluffer brown tabby tom(Bramblestar). Bramblestar then jumped off the branch and let the small, lithe brown tabby tom(Tigerstar) take his place on the branch. "Shadowclan is also grateful for Thunderclan's help in driving off the foxes. We also have had good hunting this greenleaf. We also are thankful to Riverclan in sending Sunpaw some much needed herbs back to Shadowclan territory," Tigerstar went back to the branch where he sat with Mistystar. The lithe, light brown tabby went to the branch and yowled, "Skyclan has also had good hunting, we have had some trouble with dogs but my warriors soon made it clear that they were not allowed on Skyclan territory," the lithe light brown tabby she-cat went back to her place among Harestar and Bramblestar. Mistystar then lept onto the branch and yowled, "Riverclan has some new apprentices as well, Stripepaw, Sparrowpaw, and Beaverpaw!" The clans yowled out their apprentice names, Beaverpaw lifted her head in pride. 'I'm going to become the best Riverclan warrior the clans have ever seen'
The yowling died down and Mistystar continued, "The fish in the lake and in the river have been plentiful this greenleaf," With that being all the leaders wanted to share, the leaders started talking amongst one another, same with the deputies. Beaverpaw saw Sparrowpaw go to a ginger she-cat, Beaverpaw gasped 'That's Sunpaw of Shadowclan, what does he want with her?' Beaverpaw thought. She then saw Stripepaw go over to a group of elders. 'My friends are leaving me alone,'' Beaverpaw thought. "Hey, I'm Molepaw, and you are?" asked a dark brown tabby she-cat with green eyes. "I'm Beaverpaw, isn't the gathering boring to you?" "No, you get to meet cats from other clans, and learn how they act. Some cats don't act like how they would in our nursery tales,'' mewed Molepaw.
Beaverpaw sighed, she wasn't expecting the gathering to be boring, but it just was. She heard about the great debates that happened during the gathering's and expected that all gathering's were like that. But nope, her first one had to be boring. "Molepaw, the gathering just wasn't what I expected it to be. You see, our elders told us all the great debates, arguments and agreements that happen at gatherings. They didn't tell me that some gatherings would just be clans sharing news with one another," Molepaw nodded in understanding, but mewed, "There's also the prospect of meeting friends at gatherings though. But it sucks that we have to go into battle and forget about the friendship we made at a gathering," Beaverpaw nodded, although she didn't like the fact that the clans gathered during full moon just to spill what they're doing with other clans, especially if an apprentice or warrior accidentally slips up and reveals something to their so called friend at a gathering.
"Molepaw there you are, I've been wondering where you went off to," mewed a dusk brown tom. "Duskpaw, I'm just making friends with this she-cat, like how you were making friends with that tom and she-cat," replied Molepaw. Beaverpaw wondered who those cat's could be, but before she could say anything, another tom came up to them. The tom looked like a thrush, except that he was a cat. His coat gleamed in the moonlight. His blue eyes looked like the sky. "Hi, I'm Thrushpaw, I'm from Thunderclan," Molepaw and Duskpaw mewed at the same time, "Windclan," Beaverpaw meowed, "Riverclan" "So you guys are the new apprentices. Pleasure to meet you. I hope your training is going well, I've been training for three moons and a quarter now and been to two gatherings since this one," "My training is going well," replied Beaverpaw tartly. Molepaw mewed, "Me and Duskpaw have been training for a half moon," Before Beaverpaw could respond the leader's called their clans, "Riverclan we leave," "Thunderclan we leave," "Windclan we leave," "Shadowclan we leave" "Skyclan we leave," yowled the five cats on top of the oak tree branches. "Well guess we better leave, see you guys next time," mewed Thrushpaw.
Molepaw and Duskpaw mewed goodbye and padded away to the tree bridge. Beaverpaw spotted Stripepaw saying goodbye to a tom apprentice from Shadowclan. Sparrowpaw bounded up to her and mewed, "How did you like the gathering?" Ignoring the oncoming guilt for not saying what she actually felt she mewed, "I liked it just fine, and I met three cats from different clans. Two from Windclan and one from Thunderclan. How did you like it?" "It was great, I met Sunpaw again, and we talked about things regarding the warrior code and medicine cat code. I wonder if Stripepaw went to talk with handsome toms from different clans, since I heard her purring at something," "Really, I didn't notice, I was too busy paying attention to what the leaders were saying" mewed Beaverpaw.
The moon had passed the island and now was behind the trees that covered the island. Sparrowpaw and Beaverpaw reached the shore and saw that Stripepaw had just jumped into the cold dark water. "Are you ready for another swim?" asked Sparrowpaw. Beaverpaw nodded. They both jumped into the freezing water, Beaverpaw broke through the water's surface and started to paddle her legs and churn her paws. She could see Sparrowpaw swimming beside her.
As soon as Beaverpaw reached the shore, she heard Sparrowpaw mew, "Race you to camp!" She saw him whiz past her, "Hey not fair!" yowled Beaverpaw. She started running, seeing Sparrowpaw a little ways ahead of her. Her paws skimmed the undergrowth as she tried to reach and past Sparrowpaw. Her legs ached from the swim back to shore. Her lungs were gasping for air as she continued to run to camp.
The river blocked her path, but she ran into it anyway. She swimmed across the river and raced up the bank. She got into camp to find that Sparrowpaw wasn't in the clearing. 'Maybe I beat him,' thought Beaverpaw as she padded into the apprentices' den. To her dismay Sparrowpaw was already curled up in his mossy nest. Beaverpaw curled up into her own nest and thought of how fast Sparrowpaw is. She soon let the darkness take her to sleep.
The next morning she heard Mistystar yowl, "All the cats that are old enough to swim, gather around highrock!" Beaverpaw nudged Sparrowpaw with her paw. Sparrowpaw looked at her bleary eyed, and pushed himself up. Beaverpaw then prodded Stripepaw awake. All three of them walked out of the apprentices den and sat around highrock. She noticed excited squeals came from the nursery. Creekwater walked out the nursery with her kits, Stormkit, Nightkit and Ravenkit in front of her. Creekwater sat a few paw lengths away from the nursery as her kits sat down in front of her. Mistystar yowled familiar words, "Creekwater's kits have reached their sixth moon. Ravenkit come forward," Ravenkit, a black kit, lifted his tail and head proudly as she walked over to highrock.
Mistystar continued once Ravenkit was in front of highrock, "Do you want to learn the noble ways of a warrior and protect the warrior code with your life," "I do" mewed Ravenkit, "Then by the power of our warrior ancestors I name you Ravenpaw. Robinfeather you have longed for an apprentice, and I know you can teach him courage and loyalty," Ravenpaw padded up to Robinfeather and touched noses with her. Nightkit became Nightpaw and was apprenticed to Softfeather, a dark brown tom with one eye, and Sparrowpaws father. Stormkit became Stormpaw and was apprenticed to Troutfin, a gray tom with black splotches on his fur.
Beaverpaw, Stripepaw, and Sparrowpaw were the loudest cats to yowl the young cats apprentice names. Sparrowpaw whispered to her, "I can't believe they're apprentices, it seems like yesterday that we were playing with them in the nursery," Beaverpaw nodded. She looked around and saw their mentors coming up to them. Spottedpelt mewed, "How was your first gathering?" "It was great," mewed Stripepaw. Sparrowpaw and Beaverpaw nodded their heads in agreement. Spikefur meowed, "You guys are going on a hunting mission," Sparrowpaw's blue eyes sparkled with excitement at the mention of a hunting mission. Tigerstripe mewed, "You each gotta catch two dryland prey and three fish, or other water loving prey," "We'll take you to the training hollow and you can decide from there where you're going to hunt, we'll be watching your progress. Any questions?...No, okay let's go," meowed Spottedpelt.
They padded through the bramble tunnel. After what seemed like an eternity they reached the training hollow. "Alright, Sparrowpaw where are you going to hunt?'' asked Tigerstripe. Sparrowpaw responded, "Near the Shadowclan border, then on my way back to camp I'll fish at the river near camp," Spottedpelt mewed, "And what about you Beaverpaw," "I'll hunt close to camp on the Windclan side then fish in the river after I've hunted my land prey," replied Beaverpaw. Spikefur asked, "Stripepaw where will you hunt?" "I think I'll hunt close to the lake, there's bound to be both kinds of prey there," mewed Stripepaw.
All three mentors nudged them to go. All three apprentices dove into the undergrowth in different directions. Tigerstripe followed Sparrowpaw, Spottedpelt followed Beaverpaw and Spikefur followed after Stripepaw. Beaverpaw arrived at the Windclan border. She opened her mouth to see if she could scent anything. She smelled thrush. Beaverpaw crept slowly towards the scent. She spotted the thrush nibbling at a sunflower. She began to creep forward ever so slightly, aware that if she made a sound, she might lose this catch. When she got close enough, she got ready to spring on the bird. Beaverpaw sprang, the thrush on the sunflower noticed her too late. Beaverpaw gripped her jaws on the thrush's neck and bit the thrush's neck so hard that it killed the thrush. As she triumphantly carried her catch in her jaws, she heard a blood curdling scream. With her catch in her jaws, Beaverpaw raced to where the scream came from. Beaverpaw dropped her catch in horror, when she came to place the scream came from.
