Eveningpaw

Eveningpaw walked alongside her mentor, Dustmask. Her tail flicked in annoyance, still angry with her father and leader. They've not been able to see eye to eye for awhile now and she'd rather be in her den, sleeping, instead of going to the gathering.

Her pawsteps were slow, as the rest of the other cats were gossiping and deciding on what stories to share, she was lost in thought. Redstar had, once again, gotten mad at her. Calling her soft, and treating her like a kit for suggesting they be more civilized with their boarders.

Crawling out of the thick undergrowth, she pushed past most of her clanmates as they began to talk with the cats of Pineclan. She bounded up the branches of the GatheringPine and laid down on the medicine cat branch. She sighed before smiling,

'I guess it is nice to see everyone getting along for once'

"Wow! Hi there! Are you Hollowclan's medicine apprentice we've heard about?" An excited voice called out from below her. Her new was a bit pitched and had an interesting accent, not one she's heard in Pineclan before.

Eveningpaw jumped a bit, turning to look at the apprentice. She froze a bit looking at the fluffy mass of an apprentice. "Oh! Hello there. I'm sorry, I don't know your name... But yes, I'm Hollowclan's medicine cat apprentice, Eveningpaw. Nice to meet you"

She straightened up from her relaxed position and smiled, "Wait... Why have cats been talking about me?" She looked a bit shy.

"Oh! Right! Sorry, I'm Butterflypaw." She blushed "The other apprentices have been talking about how you chose to be a medicine cat", The colorpoint she answered, " I've heard that most are chosen by starclan but you.. You're different"

Her fur rose in embarrassment, "Ah.. Thank you, Butterflypaw." She tried to hide her smile with her paw, "I admit I haven't heard much about you before. Are you new to the clans?" She tilted her head in curiosity.

"Uh yes actually" Butterflypaw straightened up, "My family were loners not too long ago." She looked around at the crowded branches, "It's really interesting to see everything"

Eveningpaw was a bit shocked, why were Pineclan taking in loners? Were they really that affected by leaf-fall?

She hid her surprise, smiled and nodded her head at Butterflypaw as the other med cats, Mallowfeather and Duskmask, took sat beside her.

Noticing the other cats taking their places on the branches she looked up as Redstar called out, "Let the gathering commence!"

Warriors and apprentices settled down as the leaders sat tall. Their pelts shining in the moonlight.

Eveningpaw flicked her tail as her father spoke, "The prey has been well in our territory. We've scented fox on our boarders and are keeping track of it. Besides that, there is no other news" Eveningpaw scoffed but held her tongue as it was Badgerstar's turn to speak.

Maybe Badgerstar would be the one to bring up the recent skirmish at the boarders a sunrise ago.

Badgerstar spoke clear and loud, "Our clan has suffered from illness. Leaf-fall has been troublesome but we trust that starclan will guide us through it."

Eveningpaw perked her head at the news, "If it's needed. I can come help." She offered without really thinking.

Redstar glared down at her but she sat strong as she waited for Badgerstar's response. It was hard, she could feel his gaze on her fur. Her claws dug into the branch, nervously.

Badgerstar gazed down at her, giving her an appraising look before nodding. "We'd be lucky to have you help us, we need all that we can get."

Eveningpaw smiled and dipped her head towards Badgerstar. Redstar growled lightly before sighing, "We're having a talk, when we get back Eveningpaw"

She merely flicked an ear and said, "I'll gather some herbs before heading over. I'll wait for your patrol at sunrise" A chance to help and to redeem her clan's reputation was what she wanted.

Badgerstar thanked her again as Redstar yowled, "Sharing news is over, you may continue to talk until it's time to go"

Redstar lept from the branch and waited near Hollowclan's boarder and Eveningpaw let go of a breath she didn't know she held.

She looked at Mallowfeather and Duskmask. They seemed to be discussing how long she'd be visiting for. She shook her head and watched Butterflypaw and a few others leap from their spots. On the ground, Butterflypaw and the other Pineclan apprentices chatted with Fallenpaw and Rosepaw.

Once again feeling left out, she waited by her mentor and Mallowfeather on the medicine cats' branch. Laying down on the branch, and watched the cats below.

After awhile Duskmask gently prodded Eveningpaw, startling her out of watching the clans. "We've decided that you'll stay in Pineclan for half a moon." Eveningpaw quickly sat up, "Till the next halfmoon meeting?!" She got closer to Dustmask, "What about my training? I thought I'd be helping for a sunrise or two!"

Dustmask draped her soft tail over her apprentice's flank, "You'll be fine I promise. Mallowfeather will train you for the time being." She gave her a gentle lick on the head, "You're in good paws"

As the moon fully set, Redstar yowled out, "Hollowclan! Time to head back to camp!"

"Let's get some rest" Eveningpaw nodded and leaped off the branch and landed softly on the ground.

Eveningpaw watched her clanmates say their goodbye before she stood leaped off her branch. She took one last look at the darkened GatheringPine, before creeping back into the undergrowth.

The walk back home was filled with chatter and tired yawns but Eveningpaw might as well have just been hearing nothing. Her head down, mind filled with thoughts about what's going to happen to her tomorrow, her eyes looked at Redstar's leading flank, and what's gonna happen now.

As the cats padded into Hollowclan's camp, Eveningpaw tried to head into the medicine cat den but was stopped by Redstar's body.

"We need to talk about what happened at the gathering" He grumbled.

"Now? It's late and I want to go to sleep. I am waking up early tomorrow" Eveningpaw muttered.

"And who's fault is that!?" He voice raised, a few warriors nearly woke but remained sleeping, "Follow me. Now."

Huffing, she followed, her tail trailed behind her, limp, as she walked into her father's den.

The large hollowed oak tree was dark, and she sat down as Redstar laid opposite of her. "Why did you just volunteer yourself? Pineclan would have been just fine!"

"And how do we know that to be sure? If it's so bad that they had to bring it up a gathering, maybe they won't be fine" Eveningpaw's tail lashed, 'how can he just be okay with this?!'

"Starclan won't let them die out, they're stronger than that. Icetalon still recovering is proof of that"

"Icetalon?! Is that why you're against this? Cause of a fight that injured him and killed Goldenmoth of Pineclan?" Eveningpaw growled, her father tended to be a bit too soft on Icetalon, "If anything that's more of a reason to go over and help! Especially with Pineclan still blaming us for her death! You should be lucky that he didn't bring it up during the gathering."

"Eveningpaw-" His voice grew louder

"No, I don't care about this petty fued. I want what's right for the clans, not what's right for you."

With that said, Eveningpaw turned tail and left, still tense.

She walked into the medicine den, and laid her nest.

'I can't keep thinking about this, I need rest…' She looked outside the den at the setting moon, 'I have work I need to do.'