CHAPTER 7

"Climbing!" Sunpaw groaned. "I wanted to fight!"

"Oh, cheer up, Sunpaw!" Badgerpaw purred. "At least we get to compete!"

"Yeah," Poolpaw meowed. "I overheard Birchfall wondering if he could convince the other leaders that he was an apprentice just so he could participate!"

Sunhigh was nearly upon them, and all of ThunderClan were moving like rabbits. Warriors rushed in and out of the thorn tunnel with prey in their jaws, unwilling to let their incoming visitors suspect they were prey-poor. Squirrelflight, the organizer of the event, was assigning patrols for the day.

Each ThunderClan apprentice had received their competition assignments, and were now chattering like starlings as they prepared for the big event.

"I can't wait! I've been practicing my best stealth crouch," Hazelpaw purred. "No mouse, vole, or shrew will ever hear me coming!"

"I'll show that Owlpaw who's the best hunter," Berrypaw growled, but his eyes gleamed with delight.

"Um, I think we're going to find that I'm the best hunter!" Badgerpaw teased, skipping around the cream tom. "I'm the fastest! I'm going on the squirrel hunt!"

"You'd better show WindClan who's the best!" Sunpaw purred, nudging his sister.

"And you!" Badgerpaw skidded to a halt in front of Featherpaw. "You'd better give it your best out there, too!"

Featherpaw, finally cleared by Cinderpelt, would be sparring in the fighting competition. His ears flattened. "I won't lose," he promised, his eyes looking downward. It seemed he wasn't even talking to Badgerpaw, with how low his voice was.

"Win or lose, it doesn't matter," called Squirrelflight, swooping in to rest her tail on Featherpaw's shoulder. "We're very proud of you." She rested her gaze on Badgerpaw and Sunpaw. "All of you."

"Come on!" Sunpaw cried. "I can't wait anymore! Let's go see if the other Clans are here!"

"Stay away from the hunting patrols!" Squirrelflight called after her kits as they scampered away through the thorn tunnel.

The three nearly bounded into Brambleclaw as he returned to camp. He had been near the ShadowClan border, checking the route for the squirrel hunt. "Careful, there!" he purred, lifting a paw to let them through. "Where are you young warriors off to?"

"Off to see if the other Clans are here!" Badgerpaw called over her shoulder.

"Give them a warm welcome, if they are!" Brambleclaw purred.

The three apprentices rushed through the forest, bounding over their familiar territory and playfully careening into one another. Sunpaw nudged Badgerpaw, who slipped into a hazel bush. With a playful growl, Badgerpaw nipped at Sunpaw's hind paws. Sunpaw yelped, and bumped into Featherpaw, who nudged his brother back as his tail curled with delight.

They laughed and played the whole way to the lake, where they met some of their Clanmates, piling prey onto the fresh-kill pile.

"Whoa, there!" Whitewing chuckled as the three approached. "Save your energy! We're not about to let the other Clans show us up in our own territory, are we?"

"Never!" the three apprentices chorused.

"Look!" Sunpaw gasped, nodding at the lake. His littermates stood taller to follow their brother's gaze. "RiverClan are moving, across the lake!"

Across the lake, many small shapes moved as one, staying within two fox-lengths of the shore as agreed by the Clans.

"They must be bringing the whole Clan!" gasped Badgerpaw.

"Great StarClan!" Featherpaw breathed.

"Oh, and look! There's WindClan!" Sunpaw pointed out, flicking his tail over to the hills. Sure enough, more shapes were moving along the shoreline.

"Any sign of ShadowClan, yet?" called Dustpelt.

"Not yet!" Badgerpaw replied, looking in the other direction. "At least, they're not on the shoreline!" She lowered her voice. "Who knows where they are in those dense trees of theirs…" Featherpaw and Sunpaw snorted.

The apprentices waited impatiently as the clearing began to fill with cats. The rest of the ThunderClan apprentices arrived in droves, and warriors slowly arrived with prey in their jaws. The pile grew larger, until it seemed like the spoils of a lovely greenleaf afternoon, as opposed to an early newleaf morning.

A greeting yowl sounded from the trees on the edge of the clearing. Onestar emerged from within the forest, and behind him were his warriors, carrying prey in their jaws.

"Welcome, WindClan!" Brambleclaw meowed, stepping forward and dipping his head. "Please, make yourselves welcome."

Onestar dipped his head to Brambleclaw and motioned with his tail for his warriors to enter the grassy clearing. The WindClan apprentices quickly found their way to the ThunderClan apprentices, and they all began to chat animatedly.

"Who's on the squirrel hunt?" Harepaw demanded, his tail high in the air.

"That'd be me." Badgerpaw stood forward and lifted her chin.

"Can't wait to beat you," Harepaw teased.

"Oh, no, the honor of being beaten will be all yours," Badgerpaw replied, eyes sparkling.

"I'm going to be fighting," Heatherpaw meowed. "Who else is?"

"We are!" Poolpaw meowed, nudging Featherpaw forward. "You might be facing one of us!"

"I'm looking forward to it!" Heatherpaw purred.

Another greeting yowl echoed through the trees, from the other side of the clearing. With disappointment rising in his chest, Sunpaw glanced over to see Blackstar's sour face emerge from the shade.

Brambleclaw quickly went to greet their guests, no matter how bitter they looked.

"You'd think they could manage one day of looking happy," muttered Harepaw. Badgerpaw met his eyes. They both snorted, whiskers quivering with laughter.

The ShadowClan apprentices, Ivypaw and Owlpaw, padded over to the gathered apprentices.

"So," Ivypaw began. "Who's tree climbing today?"

Sunpaw puffed out his chest. "I am!" he declared.

"Us too," meowed Honeypaw, flicking her tail at Mousepaw.

Ivypaw looked them over. "Excellent," she mewed.

One final yowl cut through the air - Leopardstar's. RiverClan had arrived. Brambleclaw left Blackstar to greet the RiverClan representatives.

Not long after RiverClan arrived, the rest of ThunderClan made their way to the clearing. Firestar himself parted the river of cats and made his way to the fresh-kill pile, where he exchanged greetings with the other leaders.

The RiverClan apprentices rushed over to their fellows. Minnowpaw was in the lead. "Who's hunting today?" she demanded.

For a while, all the apprentices boasted and teased, with excitement and anxiety battling within them. Sunpaw's paws kneaded the earth as he watched Firestar and the other leaders for any sign that the Gathering would formally begin.

"You got ants in your pelt?" Badgerpaw teased.

"I just want to get started!" Sunpaw purred, too excited to cuff his sister around the ear.

"Look!" Featherpaw gasped.

Firestar had stepped away from the other leaders. He raised his head and yowled to the sky. The Clans fell silent.

"Welcome, cats of all Clans, to the Daylight Gathering!" he yowled. "We have a lot planned, and not enough daylight - so let us begin! Those apprentices who are participating in the tree climbing contest will join myself and Sandstorm. We will lead them to the Sky Oak."

Sunpaw's eyes gleamed. He stood on his hind legs, looking for Sandstorm so he could follow her. "See you two later!" he purred, flicking each of his littermates' noses with his tail-tip.

"Go get 'em, Sunpaw!" Badgerpaw called after him.

Onestar lifted his tail to signify he would speak next. "Those apprentices who will be sparring today will remain in the clearing," he announced. "You will be placed into pairs for your matches."

Leopardstar padded forward. "Those apprentices who are hunting today will come meet with Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight to be assigned their routes," she explained.

"Let the Daylight Gathering begin!" Squirrelflight yowled.

"Well, I'd better go see Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight!" Badgerpaw mewed. She nudged Featherpaw. "Give it your best! Make us proud!"

"Yeah…yeah, you too," Featherpaw meowed numbly as his sister slipped away into the throng of cats.

The Clan cats slowly dispersed, mentors and parents following their respective apprentices to their destinations. Sunpaw followed Sandstorm dutifully, despite knowing right well where the Sky Oak was. Stormfur and Brook followed him, as well as Squirrelflight.

With the tree-climbing cats gone, Onestar could easily clear a section of the grass to be used for the sparring matches. He set the first two apprentices up to spar - Dapplepaw and Poolpaw.

Featherpaw tried to watch the match, but he could hardly keep his stomach from ejecting his breakfast. Instead, he turned his head away to watch as Brambleclaw directed apprentices on the bird hunt and the rodent hunt. Once those apprentices were on their way, he quickly gave Badgerpaw and Harepaw the instructions for the squirrel route, and then sent them on their way.

Featherpaw watched as Badgerpaw and Harepaw scampered up the slope and disappeared among the trees to hunt. The fur along Badgerpaw's spine was spiked with excitement.

Good luck!

"Featherpaw, are you ready?" Onestar called.

Featherpaw spun around. The first match was already over?

Indeed it was. The WindClan apprentice Heatherpaw was already waiting on the patch of smooth grass, circled by warriors and apprentices, her shoulders squared and ready for the match.

"Come on, Featherpaw," Brambleclaw urged. He padded to stand beside Sorreltail, his eyes shining.

Featherpaw could hear the excited murmuring of the Clan cats. He felt as though fish were wriggling in his belly, and he could hardly keep his tail from trembling. He crouched opposite Heatherpaw, swallowing his nerves as best he could.

Your skills are superior, whispered a voice in his ear. You cannot lose.

Featherpaw nodded, taking in a deep breath.

"Keep your claws sheathed," Onestar ordered. He swept his tail over the grass, and Featherpaw tensed.

She's small, but that pelt hides muscle, another voice whispered.

She has two moons' experience on me! Featherpaw thought desperately.

You have the training of a warrior, Tigerstar whispered.

"Begin!" Onestar called.

Heatherpaw leaped. She crashed into Featherpaw, bowling him over. Featherpaw felt teeth grip his scruff, hot hard enough to break the skin but firm enough to make him freeze with alarm. He couldn't be beaten this easily! Heatherpaw had caught him like a rabbit.

Your head! Hawkfrost hissed.

Featherpaw sucked in a breath, and his eyes hardened. he tucked his head, and, his muscles suddenly remembering their course like a river in thaw, kicked out with his hind legs. He somersaulted forward, taking Heatherpaw with him and sending the WIndClan apprentice sprawling onto her back. Free of the grip, Featherpaw leaped up, spun around, and flew at Heatherpaw. But his rival had rolled out of the way. Seething, Featherpaw landed on bare grass.

He glanced sideways. Heatherpaw was darting toward him. Energy flashed in his paws, and he leaped high into the air. As Heatherpaw skidded wildly beneath him, Featherpaw crashed down onto the confused WindClan cat's back. Wrapping his paws around his opponent, he rolled Heatherpaw over and began pummeling her with his hind paws.

Heatherpaw, slippery as a snake, wriggled free of his grasp. She reared onto her hind legs and faced Featherpaw with flailing forepaws. Featherpaw rose to meet her, and the two apprentices battled like dancing hares.

"Finish him, Heatherpaw!" Crowfeather called.

"Knock her down!" Sorreltail yowled.

What does it look like I'm doing?

Featherpaw's muzzle was beginning to sting. Heatherpaw's blows were strong and well aimed, and Featherpaw didn't want this to go on for much longer.

Dart under, slash forepaws, back out, hook their paws. The voice in his head was his own. And, after ducking out of Heatherpaw's reach, he executed the battle move.

He rushed under Heatherpaw's hind legs and lashed out a paw, jabbing her leg. Heatherpaw hissed, turning around to ambush Featherpaw as he emerged behind her - but Featherpaw had backed out, and used Heatherpaw's distraction as an opportunity to hook her paws. The WindClan apprentice yelped, sliding to the ground. Featherpaw rushed forward and sank his teeth - careful not to draw blood - into Heatherpaw's scruff, pressing her chin into the ground. Heatherpaw let out an angry wail, struggling furiously, but Featherpaw had dug his claws into the earth on either side of the WindClan apprentice. Heatherpaw could not get free.

"It's all over!" Onestar meowed. "Featherpaw is the winner!"

The ThunderClan cats cheered, and Featherpaw let go.

Heatherpaw jumped up. "Well done," she panted. "That was a great move at the end!"

"Thanks," mewed Featherpaw, breathing heavily. "You fought well, too."

"Good work, Featherpaw!" Brambleclaw rushed over and swept his tail over his son's flank.

"He wouldn't have beaten me so easily," hissed a voice close by. Heatherpaw narrowed her eyes at Ivypaw.

Featherpaw spun around, battle gleaming in his eyes once more. "Want to bet on that?"

He felt a paw cuff his ear. "One win is plenty," Sorreltail purred, staring at her apprentice proudly.

For once, Featherpaw let their praise wash over him. He had made his Clan proud. He wondered, as he went to join the warriors as a spectator, how his littermates were doing.

Badgerpaw stopped suddenly. Was that what she thought it was? She stilled her tail and sniffed the air.

Yes! Squirrel!

Badgerpaw lowered herself into a crouch, pricking her ears as she listened for the sound of paws scrabbling on the earth. She sniffed, stepping forward as smoothly as a snake. She kept her ears open, and her eyes on the ground so she didn't step on any twigs.

Where is it? I've got to catch it!

Finally, Badgerpaw caught a strong whiff of squirrel. She raised her head and looked straight ahead. Among the roots of a tree stood a fat gray squirrel, hers for the taking.

Badgerpaw didn't want to risk it; she inched forward, paws barely skimming over the earth. Her tail trembled with nerves, but remained above the ground so as not to disturb the undergrowth.

The squirrel suddenly looked up, dropping its nut. Its little nose twitched, and then it turned tail and bolted.

Crashing sounds told Badgerpaw that she wasn't the only one on the squirrel's trail. Harepaw had spotted it! Badgerpaw took off, all stealth forgotten. Now, the hunt had become a race.

They raced through the trees, bounding over roots and bracken. They darted into the rocky clearing that marked the ShadowClan border. The smell of squirrel was tantalizing. Badgerpaw was so close, just in reach, a clawlength away -

Suddenly, Badgerpaw and Harepaw were yowling as the earth broke underneath them. For a few moments Badgerpaw could do nothing but screech in surprise, but once she realized what was happening, she began to thrash.

Badgerpaw was buried. She couldn't breathe, choking on dry earth soaked in the stench of badger. Her mind swirled in terror. She stared wildly around, but all she could see was crumbling brown soil. Above her light flickered, then dimmed as more soil tumbled down on her, stinging her eyes, filling her ears and nostrils. She was drowning.

"Help!" Dirt filled her mouth as she tried to scream.

She scrabbled desperately, trying to fight her way out. She kicked out with her hind legs, trying to fight her way up. Her legs were screaming for air. She could see her paws churning in front of her muzzle, feel Harepaw's paws pressing against her body as the WindClan apprentice frantically attempted his escape.

"StarClan, save me!" Harepaw yowled.

Badgerpaw parted her jaws to scream, but no sound came out as soil blocked her throat. She coughed, desperate to clear her throat - but more soil poured down into her mouth and pressed into her lungs.

Badgerpaw flailed wildly. StarClan, have mercy!

Badgerpaw wasn't sure what was worse: Harepaw's wailing, or his terrifying silence. Even his thrashing limbs had slowed. Badgerpaw flared her nostrils, trying to breathe, but she couldn't. She gasped. Dirt entered instead of air. She gasped again. And once more.

And then she gasped a fourth time, and air entered her lungs. Fresh air, clean air, glorious air! Badgerpaw inhaled desperately, shuddering as she exhaled. She gulped in another few breaths, and, with renewed energy, began to climb her way out.

Light! There was light, above! Badgerpaw churned her paws and resurfaced, delight blooming in her chest like a primrose. She grabbed at the grass and dragged herself out of the hole.

"No!"

Badgerpaw's head whipped around, shocked. That was Harepaw's voice! He was alive?

Then her heart sank. In front of her were two cats - both with stars in their fur. One, unmistakably, was Harepaw.

Harepaw was staring down at the collapsed den, at his body's fur sticking out through the soil. Badgerpaw felt as though she'd dipped her paws in the lake as she watched Harepaw's spirit grapple with his untimely death.

"Come along, Harepaw," the StarClan cat murmured. "It's time to go."

Harepaw looked up, his eyes round and ears flattened. "O-okay," he choked out. The StarClan cat turned tail and began to pad away. Harepaw cast a glance back at his body, then began to follow. The two vanished as they stepped into sunlight.

Badgerpaw shuddered, then leaned down to lick her paws clean. Suddenly, she stopped.

Oh, dear StarClan, no.

Her paws were made of stars.

She stared down at the den, and, if she looked closely enough, could see her own tabby fur among the rubble. She backed up, ears flattened.

"No," she breathed. "No, no, no, no, no!"

She stared around. Why had no StarClan warrior come to collect her, as they had done with Harepaw? Was there still hope for her? Could she possibly survive?

But as moments passed, Badgerpaw felt her hope dissolve. No. I'm…I'm dead.

But then, where was StarClan? Badgerpaw didn't know the way to their hunting grounds on her own!

Badgerpaw glanced back at ThunderClan territory, her heart aching. She was leaving everything and everyone behind - Brightheart, Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight, Featherpaw and Sunpaw…

She inhaled slowly, closing her eyes. Goodbye, she thought mournfully. I'll see you again someday. She opened her eyes and looked back down at her starry paws. With renewed determination, she strode forward and padded into the sunlight, after Harepaw and the StarClan warrior.

Where she was going, she did not know. But she had to start somewhere.

NOTES

Aaaaand that's The Legacy! Let me know what you thought! (I have mixed opinions, myself.)

Next book is called Looming Wave, and prologue should be up tomorrow! Look forward to it!

-GalacticSkunk

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