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Chapter 13

It was moonhigh. The cats already in the clearing were getting restless.

"Where do you think they are?" Rainwhisker whispered to Icepaw, his amber eyes darting around the island, looking for the missing cats.

"I have no idea. Shadowclan is usually the first to arrive at the Gatherings," Icepaw said, peering into the dark cover of the trees surrounding the clearing. Icepaw glanced around towards the enormous tree. Silverstar, Redstar and Strongstar were sitting perched on the heavy roots of the tree, all three looking apprehensive.

Tinypaw padded over to where Rainwhisker and Icepaw were sitting. Three apprentices followed Tinypaw, their faces all mirrored Icepaw's feeling of dread. The other apprentices nodded to her and Rainwhisker gravely. Icepaw suddenly recognized two of the apprentices; she had met them at the last Gathering.

"Badgerpaw, Sootpaw, hi," Icepaw said shyly, nodded to them. She turned and looked expectantly at the third cat, a calico with white paws.

"I'm Lightpaw," she meowed.

"Have any of you heard from Shadowclan recently?" Sootpaw asked, her eyes wide with concern.

"No," Tinypaw replied, "Riverclan doesn't trust Shadowclan. They're probably just waiting to make a big entrance."

Rainwhisker looked exasperated.

"Don't be so mouse brained Tinypaw," he said, worry creeping into his words. Rainwhisker turned to the other apprentices and lowered his voice. "We were attacked by a rogue Twoleg the other night," he murmured, "that's why Silverstar is so impatient to start tonight's Gathering."

The Thunderclan apprentices gasped simultaneously.

"What? By a Twoleg?" Badgerpaw said, "Impossible."

Icepaw shook her head.

"It's true. I fought it."

Badgerpaw snorted and shook his black and white coat disdainfully.

"Please. You expect me to believe that a scrap of fur like you could chase off a Twoleg?"

Icepaw hissed, her hackles rising. Rainwhisker stepped in between the two cats, pressing his tail against Icepaw's side.

"It's true. I also fought. That's why I got my warrior name. Listen, Thunderclan is pretty far from where the Twoleg's live but you still have to be careful," he warned.

Sootpaw and Lightpaw nodded their heads, their eyes huge with fear. Badgerpaw simply averted his eyes, his ears twitching.

Icepaw, mostly to avoid glaring at Badgerpaw, turned her eyes to the rest of the cats. With a jolt, she spotted a white apprentice with black spots dappling his tail. Icepaw trotted over to him, leaving her clan mates and the Thunderclan apprentices behind.

"Cloudpaw?" she asked tentatively.

The other cat turned around, confusion clouding his warm eyes. Suddenly recognition lit up his furry face.

"Ah! Icepaw!" he exclaimed. "I heard Seakit recovered well."

"Yes, thank Starclan," Icepaw replied, "Uh, I just wanted to thank you, for helping me. For helping Seakit." Icepaw glanced at her paws.

"It was nothing. Littlewood did all the work," Cloudpaw laughed.

Icepaw blinked gratefully at the other apprentice.

"So do you know where Shadowclan is?" Cloudpaw continued.

Icepaw shook her mournfully. Cloudpaw and Icepaw paused, looking up at the tree's roots where the three clan leaders were sitting.

"Strongstar's really mad Littlewood helped your clan," Cloudpaw said in a subdued voice. Icepaw looked surprised.

"Why? He did a good thing," she protested.

Cloudpaw looked up at his leader for a moment, his eyes filled with uncertainty.

"He thinks we should have let Riverclan get weaker. He wants more territory. He thought that Seakit could have infected the other cats and then Windclan would strike." Cloudpaw seemed ashamed.

Icepaw hissed. Cloudpaw had broken the warrior code, telling her about his leader's plans and ambitions. A sense of mistrust was building inside of her.

"You shouldn't have told me. You've went against your own clan! I hate disloyalty," she seethed, her tail flicking back and forth dangerously.

Cloudpaw looked even more upset.

"I know. I'm sorry but I just don't agree with what he's doing." Cloudpaw lowered his voice so it was barely audible. "He was so angry with Beechfoot for making the decision without him, Strongstar forced him into early retirement. Beechfoot is considered an elder now," Cloudpaw said, panicky. "Volefur is the new deputy."

Icepaw felt a shudder pass through her. Volefur was the brown and white tabby who had attacked her when she was going for help. She felt very cold suddenly. Strongstar seemed to be extraordinarily power-hungry. To force a deputy -in his prime age- into retirement, just because he was compassionate to other cats, was ludicrous.

Icepaw regarded Strongstar with fear. His muzzle was covered with silver fur but the rest of his body was pitch black. Icepaw saw thick muscles rippling underneath his coat as he flexed his claws experimentally. And Icepaw noticed a look she hadn't seen in his eyes before: desire.

She knew he wanted Riverclan's land.

Maybe he wanted the whole lake.

Icepaw turned back to Cloudpaw.

"I do appreciate this information, but it wasn't your place to tell me. And you'd do well to keep your mouth shut on this matter in the future," Icepaw said harshly. Cloudpaw nodded miserably. Icepaw felt a pang of guilt and roughly licked the other apprentice's head. "I'll see you around Cloudpaw," she said softly. Icepaw raised herself up from the ground and, without a backwards look at Cloudpaw, traipsed back to Rainwhisker and Tinypaw.

xxx

"They're here!"

Whispers drifted across the clearing like mice weaving between trees. Icepaw and the other apprentices wheeled around, peering at the entrance. Icepaw gasped. A small, scraggly bunch of cats entered the clearing. Only the unmistakable scent of Shadowclan told her they were warrior cats.

"What happened to them?" Rainwhisker asked in Icepaw's ear.

She stared, bemused, at the group of cats.

Tearstar's grey tabby fur was ripped and torn. Patches of her skin was visible through her ragged pelt. The deputy, Lilyshine, had congealed blood coating her neck. One of her bright green eyes was drooping. The medicine cat wasn't present. Icepaw gaped in horror as the rest of the cats stepped into the moonlight. Only two warriors were there. Icepaw guessed the rest were too injured to attend.

"That's Irisclaw and Yellowtip," Tinypaw breathed, nodding to the warriors.

Icepaw noticed one, solitary white apprentice. His tail had no fur on it and a large gash adorned his belly. Icepaw's stomach bubbled in fear and apprehension. What had happened to these cats?

Tearstar slowly and laboriously heaved herself on to the bottom-most roots of the great tree and wrapped her tail around her bruised paws, trying to look unconcerned. The other Shadowclan cats settled themselves under their leader, wincing as they sat on the hard soil.

"Winterpaw looks awful," Rainwhisker murmured, glancing at the white apprentice. "I wonder if the rest of their clan is alright."

A yowl went through the clearing.

Strongstar was standing, his huge head thrust forward into the light. Icepaw felt another shiver go down her spine at the sight of the Windclan leader.

"Now that Shadowclan has finally arrived, let's begin the Gathering," he meowed. Icepaw noticed Silverstar looking worried, her eyes narrowed in anxiety.

"Since Shadowclan was so late, maybe Tearstar should go first and explain why," Strongstar continued.

There were a few gasps around the clearing at Strongstar's insensitivity to the wounded cats.

But Tearstar rose unsteadily to her feet and dipped her head.

"Yes, I shall speak first," she said loudly. "I have grave news. One of our queens, Blacktooth, has been killed. Two of our elders have also perished. We will keep the memories of Rippedclaw and Blueshadow in our clan forever." Tearstar paused, gathering up her thoughts and ignoring the stunned exclamations of the other cats. "Shadowclan was attacked two nights ago by a pack of Twolegs," she declared. "They somehow found our camp and assaulted it. Three cats are dead and many are injured. A litter of kits has disappeared. We have reason to believe the Twolegs stole them. We don't know why they blitzed us. There were about six of them. They carried sharp pointed objects which we know to be called 'knives.' Be warned. They are merciless."

Icepaw heard the Riverclan cats begin to chatter, relating their own attack. Icepaw knew that they were lucky; only one cat had died and the Twoleg that had attacked them had been alone. Apparently, Rainwhisker had been thinking the same thing.

"Wow, we really fortunate. Starclan must have been with us that night," he said to Icepaw.

Silverstar now rose to her feet, her brilliant grey tabby fur glistening in the cold moonlight.

"I apologize for interrupting Tearstar, but Riverclan too has been attacked by the Twolegs," she said, raising her voice above the din in the clearing. The cats all stopped talking. There was a deadly silence. Each cat was staring fearfully at Silverstar.

"It's true. Luckily, the Twoleg that attacked us was alone and by the courage of Icepaw, and the wisdom of my warriors, we were able to drive the creature off. However we did not come out unscathed. Greybelly was murdered by the Twoleg and Birdsong was gravely injured.

We are proud to say that something good did come from this attack. One of our cats has been made into a warrior. Please welcome Rainwhisker," Silverstar said.

The other cats barely glanced at Rainwhisker, they were too preoccupied by what Silverstar had been saying.

"When did this happen?" demanded Irisclaw, the light grey Shadowclan warrior.

Silverstar looked at her coolly. "Three nights ago," she replied.

"So you were attacked before us! You could have warned us! Saved the lives of three cats and a whole litter of kits. Selfish Riverclan scum!" Irisclaw spat.

Wingfeet, Rockpaw and Pinetail leapt to their feet, growling threateningly.

"We could not have. We were attacked swiftly and silently. We had to recuperate. I take care of my clan first and foremost. Our clan needed time to rest and recover. We had no knowledge that the Twoleg would get friends and re-attack. Riverclan is sorry for your losses but there is nothing we could have done," Silverstar said calmly.

Irisclaw glared at Silverstar, her eyes weighed down with anger. She looked up to her clan leader, waiting expectantly.

Tearstar sat down heavily, a loud sigh escaping her.

"I understand that Silverstar," she conceded. "I don't blame Riverclan, though I would like to pin the fault on someone."

"I think the first thing we must do is take precautions. What if the Twolegs strike again?" Redstar said, speaking up at last.

Silverstar nodded and Icepaw saw the other cats in the clearing doing the same.

"I think at the moment, Shadowclan and Riverclan are in the most danger," Redstar continued. "The Twolegs live nearest to them. I believe we should all agree that any cat in need of assistance because of a Twoleg attack should be granted help from any warrior, even if they are from another clan."

Silverstar and Tearstar bowed their heads in understanding. Strongstar, however, looked pensive and wasn't meeting the other clan leader's eyes.

"That's bogus! Why should we use our forces to protect you? Do it yourself," yowled a black-furred Windclan warrior. Mutterings of assent hovered around the clearing, mostly coming from Windclan and Thunderclan warriors.

"If one clan falls prey to the Twolegs, they will come after another Darkears," Coldsnow said, speaking clearly. "If you help us, you are really helping your future and your clan."

The cat called Darkears hissed malevolently but didn't reply.

"Then it's settled? We help any cat in need if they are being pursued by the Twolegs," Redstar declared.

Strongstar finally nodded and the cats in the clearing all heaved a sigh of relief. There would be no fight under the stars tonight.

"Silverstar, Tearstar, would you tell us all more about the Twolegs who attacked you? We need to know what to expect," Applefall, the light brown deputy of Thunderclan requested.

"Yes of course," Silverstar said. The Riverclan leader looked hard at every cat in the clearing and then opened her mouth.

Icepaw turned her head to the side and pressed it against Rainwhisker's shoulder. She wasn't sure she could hear the story retold again. Icepaw closed her eyes and let the scent of Rainwhisker fill her noise as she bathed in the comforting light of the moon.

"We'll be okay," Rainwhisker said softly. "We'll be okay..."