CHAPTER 2

A moon later, Darkpaw and Flightpaw were resting in camp after being out on the morning patrol. They were sharing a small rabbit between the two of them. It had been a hard month of training but Flightpaw had enjoyed it. It was much better than being cooped up in the nursery, that was for sure!

The one part she did not enjoy was the practice fights she had to do to show Bramblepelt that she was learning battle moves. Thankfully, since Darkpaw was the only other apprentice her age at the moment, she did not have to worry about him accidently discovering her wings. She did not know what she would do once she had to spar with Sparrowpaw or Finchpaw.

"You cannot keep cutting them off like this," mumbled Darkpaw. "What are you going to do once we become warriors? We're going to be even busier than before."

"I'll think about that when the time comes…" She winced as Darkpaw's green eyes pierced through hers.

"I…I might tell the clan by then," she relented.

"Uh huh," he mumbled. Obviously he did not believe her sentiments.

Fox dung! Why did he have to make things so difficult?

Her attention was focused on the High Stump as Lilystar gracefully leapt onto it. "Let all cats able to catch their own prey gather under the High Stump!" she yowled. Her voice seemed to carry through the whole camp.

"She is probably announcing which cats are going to the gathering tonight." Darkpaw got to his paws.

"The cats going to the gathering tonight are Silentheart, Blacktail, Coltpelt, Bramblepelt, Darkpaw and Flightpaw." Lilystar jumped down from the stump and lifted her tail high as a beacon to lead the way. "Come. The sun is already high in the sky and we do not want to be late."

Right behind the leader was the deputy Scareye followed by Mysticstorm and Cinderpaw. During this moon, Flightpaw had not spoken much to her sister. It was like the two were in totally different clans. Cinderpaw was very focused on her medicine cat training while Flightpaw was in her warrior training.

"Come on Flightpaw, let's go." Darkpaw butted her with his shoulder as he passed her.

Flightpaw hurried after Darkpaw as they followed the tails of the warriors out of the camp. Unlike the other Clans, which could leave at sunset, NightClan lived far from the gathering grounds and needed more time to travel.

The sun was dipping below the tree line when the trees started getting closer and closer together. Flightpaw shivered as they crossed over the invisible border between TreeClan and NightClan. Even though tonight was a truce, it went against everything she had learned so far to cross that line.

"Don't worry. It's not like TreeClan will attack us tonight."

"I know that," retorted Flightpaw. "I'm not a mousebrain, you know. It's just…" She looked up at the towering trees. The huge trunks were so close together that it was taking the clan cats a while to weave through them. "How can TreeClan cats stand not being able to run through a forest? I would be worried about hitting a tree or something."

"Maybe they climb and hang out on the branches?" suggested Darkpaw. "They are called TreeClan after all."

The moon was rising when the cats finally reached the meeting ground. Flightpaw's eyes widen as she took in the sight. She had heard the warriors describe and talk about this place but it was much different seeing it in front of her.

It was a huge lush field that seemed to go on for miles. In the center of the field were four huge rocks, arranged in a circle. There were cats already milling around. Two of the rocks were taken up by cats. One was held by a silver-blue she-cat, her fur reminding Flightpaw of water. Waterstar, leader of StreamClan remembered Flightpaw. The other had a large tabby tom with fluffy fur around his neck. Lionstar of TreeClan…

"Looks like FlameClan isn't here yet," commented Darkpaw as the group entered the space between the rocks.

"They live farther than we do if I remember correctly." Flightpaw scrunched her eyes as she tried to remember the exact location of FlameClan.

"Flightpaw, look at that!"

Flightpaw followed Darkpaw's tail which was pointed at a young tom that stood under the rock that held Waterstar. His blue-gray fur gave off the appearance of scales in the moonlight. "Who is that cat?" she whispered in awe.

"That's Scalepaw," said Blacktail, overhearing the cats' conversation. "He is the special for StreamClan. We are too far away, but if you were closer, you could see his webbed paws and gills."

Webbed paws? Gills? Flightpaw knew that the Specials were well, special but to actually see one in front of her was incredible!

"Who is TreeClan's special?" asked Darkpaw.

"She should be around here somewhere….oh! There she is!" Blacktail gestured to a pretty brown tabby in the midst of the TreeClan cats. "Her name is Auraclaw. She was the power to move things with her mind. Kind of scary I will admit."

Move things with her mind? Compared to Scalepaw, that seemed incredible! "Wow…I can't believe there is a cat that can do stuff like that," whispered Flightpaw.

"Just wait until you see FlameClan's special. He is something else," chuckled Blacktail.

As if Blacktail's comment was heard a loud voice echoed through Four Rocks. "We're here!" A small silver tom, Littlestar, was leading a band of cats to the gathering ground. Flightpaw's eyes were immediately drawn to the bright orange tom that seemed to be leading the rest of the clan.

"That is Firewind," whispered Blacktail. "He can breathe fire."

Breathe fire? Out of all of the abilities, his seemed the most dangerous. He could easily take out all of the cats standing here right now if he wanted to!

Littlestar hopped onto his rock. "Shall we begin the gathering then?" He turned to Lilystar. "Would you like to start?"

Lilystar nodded. "Of course. During the last moon, we have gained two additional apprentices to our clan, Darkpaw and Flightpaw. We also have kits on the way from our queens. They should be born any day now."

"Has Mysticstorm had a sign that one will be a Special?" asked Waterstar.

Lilystar gazed into the older leader's eyes. "StarClan has not spoken about a new special in NightClan."

"Wow, I guess StarClan really does not like NightClan that much. It's been how many moons since you lost your last special?" laughed Littlestar.

Flightpaw dug her claws into the soft ground at her feet and hung her head. She could feel Darkpaw's eyes boring into her. A part of her wanted to cry out. Even she could tell Lilystar was feeling humiliated out there. A Clan was nothing without a Special. It was like a Clan not having a medicine cat! However her mother's last wish clung strongly to her heart. How could she break that promise?

"StarClan will give NightClan a special in time."

The voice was loud and clear. Flightpaw looked up in surprise. The voice held authority but it had not come from the four leaders but from the crowd of cats at the base of the rocks. Flightpaw realized that it was Firewind who had spoken.

"StarClan may not speak with us the same way as it does the medicine cats, but I know, and I know my fellow Specials, Auraclaw and Scalepaw will agree, that a Special will arrive in NightClan soon. It is unwise to invoke StarClan's wrath on this matter."

Littlestar sighed. "You are right. Sorry about that Firewind."

Flightpaw felt like slapping Littlestar with a paw. He had apologized to his Special and not to Lilystar who he had humiliated! However, despite that, Lilystar did not show her agitation. The only sign was her tail, which was slowly flicking back and forth.

"Enough about NightClan. Let us move on. How about you next Waterstar?"

Flightpaw did not pay much attention to what the other clan leaders were saying. She was focused on the three specials. Somehow, during the meeting, the three had slowly moved closer and closer to each other. Now they were sitting next to each other as they gazed up at the leaders as they listened to the reports. Would that be her someday? Would she be next to them in an important position like that?

No. She shook her head. She needed to be a warrior! That was all. She was no Special. StarClan did not send Mysticstorm a sign that she would be the next Special of NightClan. The itching in her back was telling her otherwise though, and she did not like it.