For Gingerpaw the last couple of days had been a rollercoaster of stressful searches for missing kits and harsh training sessions with Brambledip. Her stand-in mentor had begun working her and Shadedpaw furiously, any mistakes made warranted punishment. The only thing keeping her sane was the knowledge that Crabfang would soon be ready to teach her again.
Ferretwing had finally given birth to a litter of three, Icekit, Furzekit and Sootkit. It was some good news for the clan at least. Greywing had taken to guarding the nursery at night, constantly checking in on the new queen and her kits. Nighstar was sending out fruitless search patrols every day, each one coming back without any news. She believed the kits were probably dead by this point. They were probably better off dead.
Silentpaw had become increasingly clingy, any moment of her free time he spent with her. It was like he waited for her to get back from hunting or training before following her about. She wished she could ask why but for obvious reasons this wasn't an option. He was becoming like that kit who wants to be friends with the warriors and doesn't understand why not.
She'd just got back from another painful swimming lesson and was lounging in the sun with Shadedpaw. Silentpaw had been pulled away by Cloudfang for a moment so she was grateful. The apprentices were all hanging out on the bank above the apprentices den, soaking up some evening sun before who was going to the adhering was announced. She really hoped she was chosen but after Brambledip she didn't think she would be going.
Shifting in the sand, she rolled over to face Shadedpaw. The tom had a content look on his face, his black fur absorbing the sun's rays. She flicked his tail with a paw. He bolted upright, one eye open, the other scrunched up as the sun was in his face.
"What-why" He blinked a few times, trying to gather himself. "Do you think Silentpaw has become clingy?" She asked bluntly. Shadedpaw ran a paw over his face a few times before answering. "I thought that was normal, you two were thick as thieves as kits" He sighed, leaning back into the sand again with a gentle sigh.
"This is intense though, I can't seem to have any time to myself unless I pretend I'm sleeping or going to dirtplace. I don't know what's up with him" Sighing she began to scoop away at the sand, watching it cascade gently down the slope and into a grass clump.
"I'm not being mean but he hasn't really got any other friends. Not like he can chat to cats" Gingerpaw felt a pang of guilt as Shadedpaw spoke. He was right, Silentpaw always struggled to make new friends. She felt like she was being pedantic now. "Yeah I guess, I should probably talk to him about it" She murmured.
"Maybe he likes you" Shadedpaw said nonchalantly, licking his paw. Gingerpaw scowled as Glowpaw snorted. "Got yourself a secret admirer Gingerpaw?" Treepaw sat up from behind the larger white apprentice and snickered. "Oh shut up" She scoffed.
"He might! It's not like he can admit it, and even if he could he can't be with you because he's a medicine cat" Shadedpaw tried to reason with her. "Oh Gingerpaw!' Glowpaw declared dramatically at Treepaw 'I love your orange locks, your ability to swim like a fish out of water, how you get Brambledip to hate you, I love you!" The tom flopped onto the slightly smaller tabby tom, crushing him into the sand. "Get off me you lump!" Treepaw snorted and battered Glowpaw with his paws. Gingerpaw's ears lay flat, her scowling face unimpressed. "I'm just saying he might, that's all" Shadedpaw retorted defensively.
Glowpaw finally sat up again, a grin on his face. "Ooooh Is someone feeling threatened by dear Silentpaw" He leered in a sing-song tone of voice. "Are you going to duel him for Gingerpaw's undying love?" Glowpaw reached a paw out and ruffled the top of Shadedpaw's head. He was met with the retaliation of a heavy paw smack and Shadedpaw's flushed face.
Gingerpaw laughed at the antics going on around her, shaking her head. "You guys are mouse-brains"
Nightstar's voice cut them all off, the group of sun-bathing apprentices sitting upright. "All cats old enough to swim like fish, gather beneath the high boulder for a clan meeting!" Gingerpaw shot up, shaking sand from her fur. "Sit down Gingerpaw, she said cats who can swim like fish" Glowpaw grinned, Treepaw leaning against him. Gingerpaw growled at him good naturedly, biting his tail as the group moved back into the camp.
Silentpaw came trotting out of the medicine cat den, joining Gingerpaw with a smile. She returned the gesture but couldn't help but feel a bit funny about the conversation they'd just had. What if he did have a crush on her? She didn't have a crush on him, they were 's not like it would go any further, he was a medicine cat apprentice and all. She was probably being stupid. First and foremost they were friends.
She sat down, Rabbitpaw and her brother Tigerpaw joining them. Nighstar's gaze spanned across the gathered cats. "Tonight as you all know is the full moon and we have a gathering to go too. Along with Lizardglare, Cloudfang, Silentpaw and myself, Ghostfalcon, Oddeye, Greywing, Willowheart, Brambledip, Troutfin, Frisky,Mousewing, Adderhide, Brairshine, Daisytail, Hedgefoot, Owlface, Treepaw, Rabbitpaw, Tigerpaw and Gingerpaw will all be coming to the gathering. Silentpaw nudged her excitedly. "Aw man I wanted to go" Shadedpaw huffed. "Always next gathering" Glowpaw patted his back reassuringly.
The rest of the evening the chosen apprentices were buzzing with energy. They'd had wrestling matches, even Silentpaw gave it a go. He'd fought with Treepaw and even though he'd lost he still felt good about it. It felt good to be included and treated like any other apprentice. His brother Rabbitkit cheered him on and his chest felt fit to burst with joy. It felt like how it was before. He'd been trying to keep an eye on Gingerpaw and give Lilytail some peace of mind. He watched from the sidelines as she fought with Shadedpaw.
Her fighting style could be described as jumpy, she seemed to throw herself at her opponents from a vantage point if one was available. "She fights just like her father" Lilytail chuckled. He was grateful to hear her familiar voice again and more importantly she seemed to be feeling better.
It was dark and cool by the time the gathering patrol was ready to travel. The night sky was studded with stars, occasionally a cloud or two would mosey across before disappearing at the horizon line.
After a late evening meal the group of cats streaked silently out into the dunes. Nighstar prowled ahead, leading them. Silentpaw trotted pleasantly next to Gingerpaw. "I heard we meet at the standing stones. No one knows why they're there, they've been there since the dawn of time apparently" Gingerpaw whispered to him. "Some cats think it's the place where Starclan first spoke to the ancestors of Duneclan and Meadowclan" Cloudfang's voice chipped in from behind. Gingerpaw'e eyes widened with amazement.
Grass moved around the group as they stepped out onto the track. Owlface sniffed the air, "Smells like Meadowclan are ahead of us" Gingerpaw lifted her paws up in turn, pawprints of various sizes scattered lighting across the track. Silentpaw recognised this path as the same to the Moonpool but he assumed it deviated at some point.
The sea became more distant as they travelled up the path towards the cliff. In the opposite direction the meadows danced in the wind. At the top of the path he swore he could see the silhouettes of another group of cats travelling as well. The wind picked up by the time they reached the top of the track. Instead of turning towards the cliff face like they would have if travelling to the moon crystals, they walked single file on a trail by a stone wall.
A barrier of brambles and nettles towered over them, the night sky peering through the thick mass of plants. The scent of other cats passing through was fresh, Silentpaw opened his mouth, the glands in the top of his mouth taking in the new scents. "They smell kinda dusty" Gingerpaw mused.
The cover the brambles offered soon began to thin out. Silentpaw could see at the far end of an expanse of shortened windswept grass; a circle of stones. Many stood vertically with identical wedges of rock stacked atop illuminated by the moonlight.
It was almost a full moon. As they approached the same scent in the tunnel was swept towards him in the wind. Definitely Meadowclan. Gingerpaw began to move ahead of him, clearly eager. "I'm gonna skip this one out…" Lilytail told him timidly. He understood why.
Nightstar separated from her clan, walking with urgency towards a white tom with grey patches. He was seated on a fallen stone in the middle of the square. "Hey thats the tom I saw at the border" Gingerpaw whispered to him as Duneclan stopped next to Meadowclan. Cloudfang nudged Silentpaw, a sign for him to join his mentor at the base of the fallen stone. He'd wanted to sit with Gingerpaw. She smiled at him encouragingly but he couldn't help but feel like she was relieved.
A group of Duneclan warriors started muttering, sitting away from Meadowclan. Troutfin was an obvious member of the group.
Gingerpaw couldn't help but peer around, trying to spot some Meadowclan apprentices to chat to after. That's what she was really looking forward to. That and asking them questions so she could tell Shadedpaw about it. The chat sizzled out as the two leaders yowled. The gathering had begun.
Froststar nodded at Nighstar, a signal that she could begin. "I'll start with the positive. Rabbitpaw, Tigerpaw, Shadedpaw, Glowpaw, Treepaw, Gingerpaw and Silentpaw have all recently become apprentices" Duneclan cheered, along with a few congratulations from Meadowclan. "Ferretwing has given birth to three kits, Furzekit, Icekit and Sootkit. That's where my good news for kits ends" Nighstar said with a grave voice as her slitted eyes scanned the crowd.
"As you know Leopardheart went missing from Duneclan and Meadowclan kindly looked after her for a few days. We found her dead at the border, presumably killed by rouges" The group of warriors sat away from Meadowclan hissed and muttered amongst themselves. Gingerpaw heard a few mentions of murder from Troutfin's group.
"A few days after that her only surviving kits, Leafkit and Harekit went missing. We haven't found a scrap of them anywhere" Nighstar's gaze flickered to Froststar as if she was waiting for him to say something.
"I'm sorry that's happened to you clan, We were unaware of Leopardheart's death. Badgersting tended to her until she said she was ready to go home. The disappearance of her kits is a tragedy" Gingerpaw was surprised by how sincere he was, she was expecting Meadowclan to be more like Duneclan's enemies, just seemed like they lived over the other side of the track now.
A black and white tom sat to Froststar's side shook his head solemnly. She figured that was Badgersting. "Thank you for your condolences" Nighstar blinked slowly at him.
"Meadowclan has some more serious news. Badgersting travelled to the moon crystals half a moon ago and Starclan had a message for him, he believes that both Meadowclan and Duneclan need to be aware of it" Froststar looked down at the black and white tom, motioning with a head flick for him to join the leaders.
"I have spent time trying to decipher what this new prophecy means and I am telling you this in the belief that I understand it" He sounded severe and serious. Gingerpaw felt the mood of the gathering darken.
"As sure as fire casts embers to a voiceless wind, darkness will pervade' That's the message Starclan had for me" Low level muttering erupted before settling down again, cats hanging onto Bagersting's every word. " I believe that the 'ember' refers to a young spark, a young cat. They will be guided by an unseen force and old enemies will return to threaten moons worth of peace" The crowd finally broke out.
All Gingerpaw could deem from it was that it was a cryptic message. She wondered if anyone else thought the older cat was picking at straws.
"I'm not sure if it means that-" A voice interjected. Gingerpaw felt the crowd go tense as Cloudfang stepped up onto the rock. Uninvited. Nighstar's eyes narrowed at the fluffy medicine cat. "What do you propose it means Cloudfang?" Badgersting inquired. He didn't sound angry.
Silentpaw's fur prickled as his mentor stepped out. He saw the look Nighstar shot him. It was venomous as any snake. "I think it's to be taken more literally. I think we're being warned of another fire, like the ones in the ashfields"
The crowd erupted into furious spitting, unbridled rage. Nighstar tensed up and Silentpaw saw anger bottled up behind her blue eyes. Froststar frowned. "Enough!" Nighstar bellowed.
"I apologise for Cloudfang's behaviour. Cloudfang SIT down" She hissed staring the tom down. "The ashfields is simply a place, it's an example of a place where there was a fire. I was using it as an example" Cloudfang responded simply and calmly. "Sit DOWN" Nighstar growled darkly. Cloudfang left the stone with his head high as if nothing had happened. Silentpaw heard a cat say he was crazy. Nighstar looked back at his mentor, before her eyes flickered to him. Her gaze bore into him, eyes narrowing as something seemed to dawn upon her.
Whatever it was he didn't like it, his spine was tingling. A split second later and she was back to apologising for Cloudfang's behaviour. "Don't worry, Meadowclan will take both interpretations into consideration" Froststar nodded at Cloudfang. Silentpaw didn't know what his mentor was playing at. The medicine cat sat as cool as catmint. As if he hadn't outraged a large number of cats as well as his leader. Everyone knew messages from Starclan were never straight forward. Silentpaw knew there was a reason for what Cloudfang had just done, he just didn't know what yet.
"The gathering is over, there is nothing more to announce. You may talk amongst yourselves until the moon is no longer full" Nighstar said finally with a sharpness that could cut flesh. Silentpaw looked up at his mentor with large eyes. "Go find Gingerpaw then" Silentpaw thanked him with a nod before scampering away.
The same group of Duneclan warriors still refused to integrate, talking amongst themselves in whispers and occasionally staring daggers at some Meadowclan warriors.
Gingerpaw took the opportunity to chat to Meadowclan with gusto. A group of apprentices were sat talking, so naturally she made a bee line for them. "Hi! I'm Gingerpaw" She dipped her head in greeting. Most of them seemed unsure, but an older grey tom grinned pleasantly back at her. "I'm Floodpaw! Medicine cat apprentice, Froststar's son" He boasted, chest swelling with pride. She heard pawsteps coming up behind her and Silentpaw was at her side.
"Silentpaw! Good to see you!" Her friend smiled back quickly, but she could tell by the way he was holding himself that something had his fur ruffled. "Guys this is Silentpaw! He became medicine cat apprentice, he can't talk-" Floodpaw announced to the other apprentices. She knew Silentpaw died a little inside. "Hey that's not his defining feature, he's kind and smart too" Gingerpaw interjected. Floodpaw's face went blank before slapping a paw over his mouth.
"I'm so sorry- I'm an idiot I can't believe I did it agai-" A loud snarl quieted all conversation like water being doused on a fire.
"Don't come near us! We know what you did to Leopardheart and her kits!" Troutfin was hissing aggressively at a tall brown tom who was blind in one eye. Silentpaw knew the other cat was Meadowclan. "I came over to talk! I don't know what you're on about!" The tom retorted. "Thrushclaw just leave them be" A ginger she-cat growled as she stalked to his side. The Duneclan elder unsheathed his claws. "Your gonna be the new Nightclan at this rate, taking, stealing-
"SHUT UP" Nightstar roared, prowling over to separate her warriors from Meadowclan. "I am disgusted and ashamed of you all! This is a gathering, a truce put in place by Starclan and you do this!" muttering amongst the crowd became audible. Silentpaw looked up at the sky, darkened clouds blotting out the moon. They'd displeased Starclan.
"I apologise to Meadowclan, these cats don't speak for us or our beliefs. The gathering is over" Nighstar hissed finally.
Reviewer responses!:
Succulentsofa: I'm glad you like her! I like Lilytail a lot, she's Silentpaw's invisble friend lol
Well this took less time than I thought it would. Half way through writing I thought of an idea for the next chapter, So I'm going to try and plan ahead so I don't run myself into the same problem again. This may cause a pause in Chapters getting released but I'll try an work on challenges
Question of the chapter: Why did Cloudfang do that?