AN: Thank you to SerpentFeather and Kuroimori for their ocs.
ANONYMOUS and Anonymous 2, thank you both so much :)
After the gathering, Harmony felt exhausted, and she wanted to do nothing except sleep.
However, she didn't know if she could manage it, without the soft, warm, comforts of her bed.
"Can you believe that Heronstar?" spat Piper, shaking her head, "I can't believe she and those other cats, talked so horribly about us!"
"That's WebClan for you, they've always been very traditional," meowed Junipersnow.
"Well, being traditional isn't a bad thing, taking in kittypets makes us weak," grumbled Sprucehawk.
In the front of the group, Willowstar flicked her tail, and turned to glare at the brown and white tom.
"That's enough of that Sprucehawk, taking in four young cats is not going to weaken the clan."
Ratwhisker nodded.
"Yeah, besides, three of them are probably going to the other clans."
"Yeah, good luck getting WebClan to accept one of them," snorted Wolfpelt.
I don't want to get accepted by WebClan anyway, they all smell like fish! Thought Harmony, feeling her pelt prickle with anger.
In fact, she didn't want to be here at all, there was no where she would rather be, than back in her own home.
However, with a slight sigh, she glanced over at Piper, who was bouncing around, and meowing excitedly to a honey colored she-cat, who she remembered hearing one of the cats address her as Honeypaw at the gathering.
"I bet I could beat Heronstar in a fight," meowed her sister.
"I doubt that, you couldn't even beat a medicine cat apprentice in a fight," sneered Honeypaw.
Piper flattened her ears.
"I can beat you, right here, right now."
The honey colored she-cat unsheathed her claws.
"Are you sure about that?"
"Stop it now, both of you!" spat Ratwhisker, "Or you're going to clear ticks until it's time for you," he flicked his tail in Piper's direction, "to go to the next clan."
The thought of ticks sent a shiver down Harmony's spine, she had never seen one in real life, but Pitch told her, that Jazz and Jingle told him, about how they were these horrible creatures, that would bite animals, and suck their blood.
When they went through the branches of the two oak trees, Willowstar darted forward, leaping onto the lowest branch of the largest tree in the clearing.
"Attention cats of FangClan, I would like everyone who is old enough to fight their enemies, to come out here for a clan meeting!" she yowled.
"What is this about?" grumbled an elderly ruddy brown tom, with bald patches in his fur, as he padded out of one of the dens.
"As you all know, we found four kittypets."
"I think the whole forest knows by now," spat the medicine cat apprentice, who had beat up Piper. Harmony's pelt bristled when she saw him.
"Don't interrupt," hissed Ambersky.
To Harmony's surprise, the grey tom obeyed his mentor.
"I think that while they're with us, they should perform clan duties, and since they're going to be apprentices, I think it's best if we give them temporary mentors."
"I'm not going to be their mentor," growled Pricklethorn.
Willowstar narrowed her eyes at the golden tom.
"I wasn't going to choose you anyway, you have proven yourself anything but mature enough to take on an apprentice, and don't think I'll forget about this, when Rosekit and Russetkit are old enough to be made apprentices."
"Of course you'd do what's best for them, their mother is your daughter," grumbled Sprucehawk, rolling his amber eyes.
"Perhaps you would like to spend the next moon taking on apprentice duties, Sprucehawk," meowed Willowstar, seeming completely unfazed by what the brown and white tom had said. It made Harmony wonder, if he complained so much, that the FangClan leader had become desensitized to it.
"No, I don't want to do that," meowed Sprucehawk.
"Okay, then, I think you'll do best to keep your opinions to yourself, now, moving on, Fireblaze-"
A tom with a pelt the color of fire padded up.
"Yes, Willowstar?"
"I think it is time for you to work on your mentoring skills, for the few sunrises that these cats are here, I would like you to be the temporary mentor of Medley, and-"
"Actually," Medley cut her off. Harmony drew in a sharp gasp of breath, feeling both surprised, that her normally timid brother, had dared interrupt the leader, and scared for him, she must have already been super irritated about being interrupted by her clanmates, she couldn't imagine what she'd do to her brother.
"What is it?" Willowstar asked, sounding not at all annoyed, which surprised Harmony, but made her glad nonetheless.
"I was actually hoping that I could be a medicine cat, if that's all right with you."
"No way!" spat the medicine cat apprentice, "Only clan born cats should be allowed to be medicine cats," he narrowed his eyes, "What do you know about StarClan anyway?"
"Isn't there more to being a medicine cat than just StarClan? Like, I don't know, healing cats?" asked Piper, rolling her eyes. Harmony suppressed a groan, hoping that her sister wasn't about to get her tail kicked again.
"Dawnrose is a fantastic medicine cat, and she isn't clan born," Ambersky pointed out.
She then turned to Willowstar.
"I would be honored to train Medley while he's here, if you'll allow me."
"I think we can see how it goes," meowed the leader.
The medicine cat apprentice didn't say anything, but Harmony could tell from the glare he was giving Medley, that he wasn't very happy about what was decided.
"Well Fireblaze, since Ambersky is going to be Medley's temporary mentor, I'm going to give you Pitch, I expect you to pass down everything you know to him."
Willowstar beckoned Pitch up with her tail, and Harmony watched as her brother hesitantly padded up.
"I need you and Fireblaze to touch noses," she meowed.
The two cats did as instructed, and as they started padding back, the elder yowled.
"Aren't you going to give him his apprentice name?"
"They will be receiving their apprentice names, after the next gathering, after it's decided on which clans they're going to be staying in," meowed Willowstar, before beckoning a white she-cat with brown spots up with her tail.
"Grassgaze, I think it is time for you to work on your mentoring skills as well, so I would like you to be the temporary mentor of Piper."
"I hope she's a good fighter," meowed Piper, padding up to Grassgaze. Just like with Fireblaze and Pitch, the two cats touched noses.
It's my turn, thought Harmony, feeling her pelt prickle with anticipation, wondering who she would get as her mentor. Much to her relief, she knew it wouldn't be Pricklethorn, since Willowstar had said he wasn't getting an apprentice, or Sprucehawk, since he already had an apprentice of his own.
"Cedarleaf!"
Harmony's heart pounded in her chest, as she padded up to go touch noses with the dark brown she-cat.
Stay calm, she scolded herself. She was supposed to be the one who held everyone together, if her littermates sensed that she was nervous, she couldn't imagine what they would do, especially Medley.
As she touched her nose to Cedarleaf's she could have sworn she saw a hostile glare in her amber eyes, but it was gone as quick as it had appeared, leaving her to wonder if she had just imagined it.
"Now that we have assigned temporary mentors to the newcomers, I think it's time they got some sleep, they're going to have a big day tomorrow," meowed Willowstar.
"Don't expect me to go easy on them in battle training," meowed Burrpaw.
"I bet I can take you on with my eyes closed, and one paw behind my back!" spat Piper.
Harmony let out a sigh and rolled her eyes, when would her sister ever learn?
"There will be no fighting today, but I will teach you some battle moves tomorrow," Grassgaze promised.
"Great!" exclaimed Piper.
"You three," Willowstar pointed at Harmony, Piper, and Pitch with her tail, "Will be sleeping in the apprentices den, and you," she pointed at Medley, "Will be sleeping in the medicine cat den."
"What?" screeched the medicine cat apprentice, "It's enough that he's trying to take my position, but now I have to share a den with him?"
"Enough!" spat Ambersky, lashing her tail, "You will share a den with him, and tomorrow, I want you to go out picking herbs together."
Medley's fur fluffed up, and he got a look of fear in his eyes. Harmony couldn't blame him, from what she'd seen of the medicine cat apprentice, she wouldn't be surprised if he decided to hurt Medley while they were out, or worse.
"You should all get some sleep now," meowed Willowstar.
"Come on, I'll show you where the apprentice's den is," meowed a small brown tom, who Harmony learned was named, Birchpaw, at the gathering.
Speaking of names...
"What's the name of the medicine cat apprentice?" she whispered, hoping that the grey tom wouldn't hear her, and get all offended that she was talking about him.
"That's Raccoonpaw, he's Thistlepaw and Burrpaw's littermate."
"Their mother must be so proud," muttered Harmony, sarcastically.
"Well, you'll have plenty of chances to ask her, she's going to be your mentor for the next few sunrises," meowed the small tom.
Harmony could barely suppress a groan, out of all the cats who could have been her mentor, it had to be the mother of the three most annoying cats that she had met so far, besides Pricklethorn and Sprucehawk.
Birchpaw padded over to the smallest clump of ferns.
"This is the apprentice's den," he announced, pushing his way inside inside through the leaves.
Harmony followed him, and saw that Piper and Pitch were already in there, along with Honeypaw, Thistlepaw, and Burrpaw.
"Can you believe we're spending our first night in an actual clan?" squealed Piper, "I can't wait to learn battle moves, and when I do," she unsheathed her claws, "I'm going to make Raccoonpaw sorry he ever messed with me!"
Burrpaw snorted and rolled his eyes.
"Good luck with that."
Thistlepaw nodded.
"He's madder than a fox in a fit."
"If he likes fighting so much, then why is he a medicine cat, and not a warrior?" asked Harmony, from what she gathered, it seemed like the medicine cats were more prone to helping and healing the other cats, rather than fighting.
"Beats me," meowed Burrpaw, "Probably for the recognition, since FangClan is known for fighting, and we get injured a lot, medicine cats are highly regarded in our clan."
"I always thought it was so he could communicate with StarClan, to be able to talk to Maplekit," meowed Thistlepaw.
"Who's Maplekit?" asked Piper.
"She was our littermate, she was killed a few moons ago when rogues attacked our camp," Thistlepaw looked down at her paws, "She and Raccoonpaw were really close, inseparable, after she died, he just hasn't been the same."
"Wow, that must have been hard," meowed Harmony, she couldn't imagine losing any of her littermates, just the thought of it made her belly ache, and her heart to feel heavy, she never wanted to lose them, no matter how annoying they might be.
"That doesn't give him an excuse to be a foxheart," spat Piper, flexing her claws.
Thistlepaw rolled her eyes.
"You're just jealous that he beat you in a fight."
"I could have easily beat him," scoffed Piper, "I was just too worried about messing up his beautiful face."
Honeypaw groaned.
"Oh come on, don't tell me you're padding after him!"
"No, he's dumb, I just know an attractive tom when I see one."
"Good, because it's against the rules for him to have a mate, and we already planned, that I'm going to be the future leader of FangClan, and he's going to be the medicine cat," meowed Thistlepaw.
Burrpaw puffed his chest out proudly.
"And I'm going to be the deputy!"
Honeypaw rolled her eyes.
"With you three in charge of FangClan, I don't know if we stand a chance."
Thistlepaw lashed her tail.
"And you think you could do better do you? Wolfpelt is our father, Willowstar is his sister, running clans runs in our family."
"Who's your father?" Piper asked Honeypaw.
The honey furred she-cat sighed, and averted her gaze.
"Our parents were killed, in the rogue attack."
"I know there's not much I can say, but if you ever need to talk, I'm here," meowed Pitch.
"I don't want to talk about it," spat Honeypaw, as Birchpaw meowed.
"Thank you."
"If those rogues decide to attack again, they won't stand a chance against me," growled Piper, raking the air with her claws.
Thistlepaw rolled her eyes.
"We should get some sleep, Sprucehawk will claw my pelt off if I take too long to wake up," meowed Honeypaw, padding over to a nest in the corner of the den, with Birchpaw following close behind.
Burrpaw nodded.
"Junipersnow said that he was going to show me the thunderpath!"
"Daisycloud is going to show me the thunderpath too!" exclaimed Thistlepaw.
The two cats then padded over to their nest together, meowing excitedly about what they would see on the thunderpath, and if either of them would be brave enough to cross it.
Harmony decided to follow suite, and took the empty nest in the den, with Pitch and Piper, it was pretty dry, and slightly itchy, but she supposed it was better than nothing.
As she started to drift off to sleep, a horrible thought entered her mind, what if those rogues attacked again? What if she or her littermates were the next victims?
FangClan
Leader: Willowstar - tortoiseshell she-cat with pale green eyes
Deputy: Wolfpelt - spiky furred grey tom with yellow eyes
Medicine Cat: Ambersky - golden she-cat with light blue eyes
(Apprentice: Raccoonpaw)
Warriors:
Grassgaze - white she-cat with brown spots and blazing green eyes
Ratwhisker - black tom with dark amber eyes
(Apprentice: Birchpaw)
Sprucehawk - annoying brown and white tom with amber eyes
(Apprentice: Honeypaw)
Daisycloud - yellow and white she-cat with light blue eyes and a snub nose
(Apprentice: Thistlepaw)
Junipersnow - black and white tom with pale green eyes
(Apprentice: Burrpaw)
Pricklethorn - annoying spiky furred golden tom with yellow eyes and a snub nose
Opossumfur - pale grey tom with a pointed muzzle and light blue eyes
Cedarleaf - dark brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes
Fireblaze - fiery pelted tom with blue eyes
Apprentices:
Raccoonpaw - grey tabby tom with a bushy striped tail, and amber eyes
Burrpaw - spiky furred, broad shouldered, brown tabby tom with yellow eyes
Thistlepaw - spiky furred, broad shouldered, grey tabby she-cat with amber eyes
Honeypaw - golden she-cat with striking amber eyes
Birchpaw - small dark brown tom with brown eyes
Queens:
Berryclaw - tortoiseshell she-cat with dark amber eyes (mother of Sprucehawk's kits, Rosekit, a reddish brown she-kit with amber eyes, and Russetkit, a reddish brown tom-kit with amber eyes)
Stormflash - dark grey she-cat with green eyes (expecting Fireblaze's kits)
Elders:
Cowspots - black and white she-cat with green eyes
Sunheart - cream colored tom with yellow eyes
Moonheart - silver she-cat with green eyes
Mitepelt -ruddy brown tom with gray eyes, with mite bitten ears, and bald patches
LegClan
Leader: Cardinalstar - red tom with yellow eyes
Deputy: Smokefoot - jet black tom, with white paws, muzzle, under belly, and tail tip, with dark brown eyes.
Medicine Cat: Dawnrose - cream she-cat with honey brown eyes (former kittypet)
(Apprentice: Swiftpaw)
Warriors:
Silverheart - white she-cat with dark blue eyes
(Apprentice: Rabbitpaw)
Lizardwhisker - tuxedo tom with blue eyes
(Apprentice: Harepaw)
Eagletalon - silver tom with hazel eyes (former kittypet)
(Apprentice: Bunnypaw)
Nightshine -dark black she-cat with silver chest and striking blue eyes and a fluffy plumy tail
(Apprentice: Mintpaw)
Streakflash -silver tom dark gray streaks along his sides green eyes and crisscrossing scars over eyes
Coldheart -gray tom with tan flecks and a white patch on chest and icy cold blue eyes, with a long bushy tail
Zetherbreeze - very thin dark gray almost black tabby she-cat with light gray stripes (former rogue)
Apprentices:
Swiftpaw - silvery white she-cat with blue-ish eyes
Rabbitpaw - brown ticked tabby she-cat
Bunnypaw - white she-cat
Harepaw - reddish ticked tabby tom
Mintpaw - small, fluffy, blue-gray she-cat with mint green eyes
Queens:
Sweetfur - reddish brown she-cat with green eyes (expecting Lizardwhisker's kits)
Brightstone -bright golden tabby she-cat with stone gray paws and chest bright amber eyes
Tawnypatch -long coated tortoiseshell she-cat mismatched eyes one green one blue
NoseClan
Leader: Weedstar - golden tom with green eyes
Deputy: Doetail - light brown she-cat, with a white underside, a bobbed tail, and amber eyes: Ground Hunter
(Apprentice: Acornpaw)
Medicine Cat: Branchflower - tabby tom with green eyes
Warriors:
Hickorywhisker - greyish brown tabby tom with white underside: Ground Hunter
(Apprentice: Fallowpaw)
Bigfoot - dark grey tom with large paws and green eyes: Tunnel Hunter
(Apprentice: Gopherpaw)
Plumrose - tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes: Tunnel Hunter
(Apprentice: Weaselpaw)
Buzzardheart - brown and white tom with blue eyes: Sky Hunter
(Apprentice: Batpaw)
Brindlefoot - white she-cat with brown/gold mottled paws, and blue eyes: Ground Hunter
(Apprentice: Foxpaw)
Laurelleaf - golden she-cat with green eyes: Sky Hunter
Brushtail - spiky furred dark brown tom, with a long bushy tail, and notched ears.
Apprentices:
Acornpaw - brown she-cat with green eyes
Gopherpaw - brown she-cat with blue eyes
Fallowpaw - brown and white she-cat with green eyes
Batpaw - black tom with large ears and amber eyes
Foxpaw - tortoiseshell tom with amber eyes
Queens:
Tulipfur - dark grey she-cat with green eyes (mother of Buzzardheart's kits, Burrowkit, a dark brown tom-kit, Heatherkit, a blue-grey she-kit, Heathkit, a sandy grey tom-kit, Warrenkit, a dark brown tom-kit)
Donkeyfur - dark grey she-cat (mother of Hickorywhisker's kits, Lavenderkit, a dark grey tabby with a white underside, Pecankit, a greyish brown tabby with a white underside, Skunkkit, a black and white tom-kit with skunk-like markings)
Elders:
Goldenshine - fluffy furred golden-yellow tom
WebClan
Leader: Heronstar - grey and white she-cat with yellow eyes
Deputy: Loglegs - dark brown tom with amber eyes
Medicine Cat: Otterwhisker - dark brown she-cat with amber eyes
(Apprentice: Shypaw)
Warriors:
Graybird - dark grey tom with green eyes
(Apprentice: Snowpaw)
Lakepetal - dilute tortoiseshell she-cat with blue eyes
(Apprentice: Spottedpaw)
Sandstone - light brown tom with yellow eyes
(Apprentice: Darkpaw)
Lilystem - white she-cat with green eyes
(Apprentice: Fleckpaw)
Fishstick - light brown tom with yellow eyes
Mousemoss - small grey she-cat with moss stained patches
Mossfur -grayish tan she-cat with fuzzy mosslike fur and moss green eyes
Lakestorm -large blue gray tom sea green eyes, a long plumed tail, a torn right ear, and a scarred muzzle
Mudstorm - brown tom with darker brown flecks and amber eyes
Apprentices:
Shypaw - white she-cat with blue eyes
Snowpaw - white she-cat with light blue eyes
Spottedpaw - white tom with black spots, and brown eyes
Darkpaw - black tom with dark brown eyes
Fleckpaw - small, light brown tom with grey and black flecks, and yellow eyes
Queens:
Echoshine - jet-black she-cat with blue eyes (mother of Graybird's kits, Mistkit, a dark grey she-kit with blue eyes, Hollykit, a black she-kit with green eyes, and Petalkit, a light grey she-kit with blue eyes)
Elders:
Mintystep - fluffy pale grey-blue tom
Cleargaze -two tone gray tom pale blue eyes; partially blind