SECOND CHAPTER! Joy! Another dose of cute, fluffy cats with claws and sharp teeth! -grr- Oh, and sorry but I, uhh, sorta forgot the names of Willoepelts kits. –ish embarrassed- So I changed them entirely. Hope that's okay!
Firestar awoke to the sound of anxious mews coming from outside. He yawned and stretched lazily, blinking the sleep out of his eyes. At that moment, Sandstorm rushed into his den, her fur standing on end.
"Firestar!" her cry was urgent.
"What is it?" asked Firestar, suddenly alert.
"Shadowclan have been spreading rumours about us.
Rumours about us stealing their food! Our noon patrol even got attacked by a Windclan cat!" Sandstorm wailed.
Firestar's claws unsheathed themselves with anger.
Shadowclan and Thunderclan were not on great terms but he hadn't expected them to stoop this low.
"How can they prove such nonsense?" he seethed.
"I don't know but the other clans believed them," Sandstorm sulked.
This was a real problem that they had on their paws. They needed their alliance, especially while Bloodclan was still lurking in the bushes.
"Don't worry. The Gathering is tonight. I'll sort everything out then," Firestar meowed, firmly.
"I'll accompany you," mewed Sandstorm, loyally, "You'll need help to persuade the other clans that we're not the culprits that are stealing their food."
Firestar shook his head. "At a time like this, we need as many cats as possible to stay back to protect the camp."
Sandstorm looked disappointed for the second time that day but she simply meowed, "Okay, but take care. I'll lead a night patrol."
Firestar gave her a thankful lick on the shoulder and went out to restore peace to the Thunderclan cats who were still moaning in anguish.
"Why should we take the blame for something we didn't do?" Goldenflower cried out.
Her fur was still patchy from the morning fight with Bloodclan.
The other cats meowed their agreement. Firestar leapt up onto the Highrock—where important discussions were made—and yowled for attention. The cats quietened and stared at him with glazed eyes.
"Cats of Thunderclan!" he meowed, his voice booming through the forest, "Keep at ease. We will convince all the clans that we are innocent. We know we have not taken their food so they must believe us!"
He hopped back off the Highrock with his tail held high. Graystripe ran to him. "So everything will be okay?"
Hope glittered in his eyes. Firestar wasn't sure but he had to reassure his friend. He could not let his clan down. "Yes, of course. Why wouldn't it be?"
Cloudtail bounced up with Brightheart trailing not far behind him. Cloudtail used to be Firestar's apprentice. He was also Firestar's sister's son.
"Can we come to the Gathering with you? It will be the first that we'll ever go to!" pleaded Cloudtail.
Brightheart looked up at Firestar with hopeful glint in her one good eye. Brightheart had lost half of her face due to a savage dog attack not too long ago. Firestar had previously doubted that she would become a true warrior but she had proved herself in the last battle with her fresh moves and her quick reflexes.
"Alright," Firestar gave in. "Why not."
"Wow! Thanks, Firestar!" Brightheart lashed her tail in excitement.
The two young warriors bounded off, joyfully, and practised their fighting moves.
That night, Firestar jumped onto the Highrock again.
"Let all cats that are old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Highrock," he announced.
Soon enough, the cats came pouring out from their dens and stared at him expectantly.
"These are the cats that are going to come with me to the Gathering," he meowed, "Cloudtail, Brightheart, Longtail, Graystripe, Speckletail and Goldenflower. The rest of you will stay here to guard the camp. Sandstorm, you'll lead the night patrol."
Sandstorm nodded. Firestar bounded off the Highrock and went up to Sandstorm. "I actually wanted you to stay here for another reason. I mean, you'll still lead might patrol and
everything but I was thinking—" his voice faltered.
Sandstorm's ears pricked up, curiously, "Go on."
"Willowpelt's kits are ready to be apprenticed. I was wondering if you'd like to mentor Faunkit or Glowkit. I wanted you to stay back so you could get to spend some time with them so that you'd know them better and can choose which one you'd like to mentor," finished Firestar.
He was quite ashamed of himself for not choosing her to mentor other kits before. Firestar had only wanted to protect her from all the dangers but he had realized that all she really wanted was to have her first apprentice.
Sandstorm's eyes lit up. "Yes Firestar! I'd love to mentor one of Willowpelt's kits! I'll tell you which one I'll choose after the Gathering."
She ran off with as much excitement as a young and playful kit.
Firestar let out a purr of amusement. From the corner of his eye, he saw Willowpelt appear from behind a tree. He
meowed a surprised greeting.
"I couldn't help but overhear," purred Willowpelt, "and I just wanted to let you know that I absolutely agree that
Sandstorm will be a great mentor—but…" her voice trailed off.
"What is it?" Firestar swished his tail, curiously.
"Well, I'm just thinking about how attached my kits are. Glowkit and Faunkit always follow each other. They seem to be joined at the tail!" Willowpelt purred with a weak laugh.
"Yes, I've noticed. They truly are very close sisters," Firestar's eyes gleamed with understanding. "Do you want me to ask Sandstorm whether she can mentor two cats?"
Willowpelt relaxed her tense shoulders with a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Firestar. I hope she doesn't mind."
"Oh, I'll bet she wouldn't mind," chuckled Firestar.
He padded off to find Sandstorm. The first place he thought to look was the Nursery. The Nursery was empty. He was so sure that they would be there.
"Huh," Firestar mewed, "That's strange. Even Glowkit and Faunkit aren't in here."
He checked the Warrior's den and the Apprentices den but they seemed to have gone missing. Firestar twitched his whiskers anxiously.
"Where could they have gone?" he asked himself, softly.
Spotting Goldenflower on the other side of the camp, he rushed up to her.
"Have you seen Sandstorm or Willowpelt's kits?" he panted.
Goldenflower looked confused. "I thought we were getting ready to go to the Gathering. Willowpelt's kits… you mean Glowkit and Faunkit?"
Firestar nodded, frantically.
"I saw them head up there," Goldenflower jerked her head towards the great oak tree.
After muttering a gruff "Thank you", Firestar bounded to where Goldenflower had directed him to. He had a very bad feeling at the pit of his stomach telling him that something was wrong. Stumbling on a giant speckled mushroom, he could hear the distant yowls of kits. He quickened his pace, ignoring the low branches that smacked him in the face as he ran through. The cries were coming from the same place where he could hear gushing water. He skidded to a halt as he reached the river. A cascade of tumbling waters fell from the gigantic rocks. More screeching came from the top of the rocks. Firestar tilted his head up, squinting at the powerful rays of the sun. He could just make out the shapes of three cats, huddled together. It was definitely Sandstorm, Faunkit and Glowkit. Firestar went into action. He climbed up a huge boulder and made his way up from there. The rocks were more slippery than he had anticipated and he struggled to get up on the highest rock, where two frightened kits huddled close to a pale tabby.
"Why are you up here?" Firestar called over the roar of the crashing waves.
Sandstorm blinked, almost to stunned to speak. "I – I found them up here. I d-didn't know what to do so I climbed up here and now we can't get back down."
Firestar reached out with a paw. "Glowkit! Faunkit!"
The kits were too scared to budge.
"I'm coming," meowed Firestar as he cautiously made his way to them, his heart beating wildly in his chest.
"One… more… step…" he urged himself.
Glowkit, being a little braver than Faunkit, also tried to make her way across the shining, wet rock. A sudden spray of water landed on her and, being mortified of water being in her eyes, Glowkit tried to shake the water off. She lost her footing and slipped off the rock. Glowkit hung off the edge, only holding on with a single claw. Sandstorm and Faunkit wailed, calling for Firestar's help. Firestar knew that it was up to him. He took bigger steps towards them, keeping his balance. Glowkit yowled in distress, clinging onto the rock for dear life.
"Quick, Firestar!" moaned Sandstorm.
Firestar knew that it was too slow to try to creep his way up and he knew what he had to do. Taking a deep breath, Firestar leapt. It wasn't a very graceful jump but he landed where he needed to be, without falling. He gave a small gasp of triumph and swiped his front leg down to Glowkit. Glowkit grabbed his paw immediately, scrabbling up the rock face. Firestar jerked forward. Glowkit's weight was pulling him down. In a desperate attempt to keep from toppling off the rock face, Firestar fell backwards. Glowkit lost her hold on Firestar's paw and plummeted down into the strong
currents. Sandstorm's eyes widened, horrified, as Faunkit yowled at the top of her lungs, "Glowkit! No, Glowkit! I'm coming! Glowkit!"
Firestar's mind raced. What could he do? Why did he have to fall backwards? Why, oh why? Firestar knew he had to do something. He couldn't let Glowkit drown. He just couldn't. He bounded off the rock—and into the river. Gasping and splashing, Firestar knew he had entered the world of water. Glowkit was drifting off, choking out terrified mews. Firestar propelled himself through the water and finally felt Glowkit's fur under his chin. He hauled her out off the river, a coughing and spluttering mess, as Sandstorm and Faunkit, carefully but quickly, made their way down to join them.
"Glowkit! Glowkit!" Faunkit was still crying out.
She ran to her sister and pushed her nose into Glowkit's soaked, silver fur.
"You saved her," Sandstorm meowed with pride glowing in her eyes.
Firestar shook his head. He was glad that he had managed to save the kit from drowning but he was also furious at them. "Why did you pull such a stunt? You knew it was
dangerous out here. Why were you even here?"
Glowkit had recovered and was staring at Firestar with big, round eyes. "We're really sorry, Firestar! We were just chasing a butterfly and it flew up there so we followed it. We never would've thought that we'd climb up so high!"
"We'll never do anything like that again," promised Faunkit, her side pressed protectively against Glowkit's.
Firestar relaxed. "You've learnt your lesson?"
The kits nodded, hastily.
Sandstorm purred, "Good. We'd better go off to the camp then. Willowpelt will be wondering where you'd gone."
Firestar led them back, this time weaving around the trees instead of crashing into the hanging branches. Willowpelt came charging towards them with worry written all over her face. "What happened? Why is Glowkit so wet? Where were they? What happened?"
She gave Firestar a fierce questioning look. Sandstorm and Firestar exchanged glances and told Willowpelt the whole story.
"Thank Starclan they're alive!" meowed Willowpelt, giving Glowkit an affectionate lick on her cheek.
Soon, all the cats were gathering around and Sandstorm and Firestar found themselves repeating the story many times.
"The Gathering's to be held soon," Graystripe reminded Firestar, "We better get a move on before they start without us."
Firestar nodded in agreement and yowled out, "Come we are about to set off for the Gathering!"
So, what did you think of that chapter? Not too boring I hope…? I'll give you a cookie if you review! –hopeful smile-