"Silence, Adamantstar!" a white tom hissed, every hair erect. "I've had enough of your lies!"
Tonight was the Gathering. Four of the Clans had already given their news on the Skull Rock, and it was thought to be over, but KillerClan didn't stay silent this time. Their leader, Adamantstar, had made a wild accusation- directed at IceClan.
Adamantstar, a grey tom and an unusually large cat, chuckled cruelly. "Why Arcticstar! I think I've hit a nerve."
Three more cats, two male the other a nolla, sat with the bickering toms. More felines, the leaders' Clans, were gathered around, whispering frantically.
One of the surrounding cats stepped up. "IceClan denies what is the truth!"
The she-cat on the rock gasped. "Nightpaw, how can you say that without any evidence!"
Nightpaw smirked. So SandClan's leader was actually siding with Arcticstar, then? "Oh, but Whisperstar, I do have evidence. And it's not just rogues, ma'am. Dogs, too."
Spatterpaw,who was seated surprisingly close by, nudged the CityClan apprentice with his paw. "Shut up already!" he murmured furtively. "IceClan might send that…thing…to get you!" That closed Nightpaw's mouth.
Purestar, a tortoiseshell tom, raised an eyebrow. "What I'd like to know is how you've come across this information."
Nightpaw gulped. Purestar was his leader; he'd have to answer him.
Adamantstar stepped in. "Does it matter? It is IceClan that is creating an army!"
A red-brown tom leaned in closer to Arcticstar. "Is this true, friend? Do you plan to wipe all the other Clans out?"
Arcticstar's grey-rimmed blue eyes looked pleadingly at the tom. "No Foxstar! Why would I want to hurt the Clans? Believe me, by IceClan's and JungleClan's alliance!"
Foxstar nodded, satisfied. "I do not think Arcticstar lies. That said, I believe this Gathering is over."
The five cats jumped off the Skull Rock, Adamantstar a little reluctantly, and gathered up their Clans to go home.
Nightpaw, Spatterpaw, and Flowerpaw lingered a bit longer.
The black tom hissed. "He's lying, obviously."
"I don't think he is," said Flowerpaw, shaking her head. "JungleClan values their friendship with IceClan. They wouldn't deceive us."
When Spatterpaw remained silent, the three retreated back to their own Clans.
-In CityClan-
"Nightpaw!" Purestar called sharply when they got back to camp. "Deathwhisper, you come too!"
And into the leader's den they went, the three of them. It was metal, twoleg-made.
Nightpaw glanced at his mentor, a grey she-cat with beautiful purple eyes. The apprentice felt his paws tingle at the thought of her.
"Are you even listening!" snapped Purestar, who, Nightpaw had to admit, looked a tad angry. "Why are you being so Mouse-brained today! Speaking out against IceClan…" blah, blah, blah… Okay, now he looked more that a bit livid.
"What do you want from me?" the black tom asked, trying hard to sound bored. His chocolate eyes wandered over to Deathwhisper. When he saw her eyes brimming with disappointment, his tail drooped.
Purestar sighed. "I want to understand, Nightpaw. Why did you side with KillerClan, of all Clans?"
The umber cat met Purestar's gaze squarely. "Because it's the truth," he answered simply.