Chapter 8
Empireclan's First Gathering
Rowanstar laid in a warm patch of sun near the center of the camp, trying to warm herself. Leafbare was well on it's way, and she could feel the coming cold. She hated cold, worse than anything else. She shivered. "Rowanstar?" a cat meowed, and she looked up to see Rippleshine standing in front of her, regretfully exposing her front paws to the cold afternoon air.
"Hello Rippleshine," she meowed to the queen. "Do you need anything?" She sat up so she could see her better, and wrapped her tail around her, trying to hold in a shiver.
"Yes, actually. My kits are six moons today," Rippleshine meowed with a proud purr. "I think it's time for them to become apprentices. I talked to Sabblestorm, and he agrees, but the furball forgot to talk to you."
"What did I forget to do?" Sabblestorm meowed as he padded up to the two she-cats.
Rowanstar chuckled a bit as she meowed to her deputy, "You forgot to ask me about making your kits apprentices."
"I didn't forget!" he meowed hastily "I just... haven't gotten to it yet. I've been hunting... with Owlpaw." He paused a little too long, which made Rowanstar think he was making up the excuse right there and then.
"Right..." Rowanstar meowed, laughing.
"I did!" Sabblestorm insisted. "I mean, I was!"
"I talked to you after you got back from hunting with Owlpaw," Rippleshine meowed. She bumped her mate's shoulder with her forehead and said, "Come on, admit it, you forgot."
"Actually, I didn't. Rowanstar, can my kits become apprentices? There, I asked her. I didn't forget," Sabblestorm insisted. Both she-cats laughed, and he eventually joined in.
"Yes, Sabblestorm, they can become apprentices. I will have the ceremony now, before we head to the gathering," Rowanstar informed them. She stood and turned towards her den, and then jumped onto the willow branch above it. Rippleshine disappeared into the nursery, and then reappeared a few minutes later with her four kits. She carefully had carefully groomed their fur, so it shone in the afternoon sun. Rowanstar called the clan to her, and one by one, they gathered.
"We gather hear today to name four kits apprentices. Silverkit, Gingerkit, Sandkit, Gentlekit, come here." The four kits padded forward. Rowanstar turned to look at each kit in turn. Silverkit, the small blue point stared up at Rowanstar, respect shining in her deep blue eyes. Gentlekit kneaded the ground in front of her nervously. Gingerkit seemed very determined to act older than he actually was; he stood very tall, trying not to move a muscle, but his little body trembled in anticipation. Sandkit stood next to him. She had bounced her way forward more than walked, and seemed unable to hold still now; she shifted back and forth from one paw to the other, her tail flicking back and forth erratically. Rowanstar smiled at the small kits, and then meowed, "From this moment onward until they receive their warrior names these kits shall be known as Silverpaw, Gingerpaw, Sandpaw, and Gentlepaw."
"Yippee!" Sandpaw called out. The crowd rippled with laughter as Rippleshine shushed her kit. Rowanstar smiled, and then glanced through the clan. She had been considering who was to be the kit's mentors for quite some time, and had finally decided.
"Gingerclaw, you have been close friends with these kits sense birth, and already know them well. This will allow you to be a great mentor to them, so I would like you to mentor one of them." The ginger tom blinked in surprise, and then nodded. "You shall mentor Sandpaw. May you pass on your strength and patience to her." Gingerclaw approached his new apprentice, and touched noses with him. He ended up sneezing multiple times afterward, because Sandpaw had bumped his nose too hard in her excitement. The ginger warrior backed up into the crowd, and Sandpaw followed.
She then turned to a black she-cat near the back of the group. "Braveheart, you were a shy cat once, a lot like Gentlepaw. I would like you to mentor her." Braveheart swallowed nervously, but nodded anyway. "May you pass on your bravery and kindness to young Gentlepaw," Rowanstar added as Braveheart padded forward to touch noses with Gentlepaw, and then led the small calico back into the crowd.
"It has been a long time sense I have had an apprentice, and I feel I grow lazier every day," Rowanstar meowed. The crowd chuckled as she did. "So I feel it appropriate that I train Silverpaw." She jumped down from her spot on the branch and padded towards the small she-cat. She touched noses with her, and then softly meowed, "Go sit with your mother." Silverpaw nodded vigorously, looking very eager to please her new mentor. Rowanstar smiled, and then turned and jumped back up onto the branch.
"And last but not least, Gingerpaw. Silverwing, you have had many apprentices in the past, and have raised many kits as well. I would like you to mentor young Gingerpaw." Silverwing stepped forward and touched noses with Gingerpaw. "May you pass on your honesty and intelligence to him," Rowanstar added as the two joined the crowd. In unison, the clan began cheering the young cats' names over and over again welcoming them as apprentices.
Rowanstar approached the river where the gathering was held as she had many times before. Sabblestorm was at her side. She paused as usual near the edge of the grass to assess the situation, and then padded through to the riverbank. Chanceclan and Duskclan were already milling about along the riverbed, meaning Dawnclan was the last clan to arrive. Rowanstar noticed Cinderstar near the edge of the camp, and Fallstar standing at the base of the rocks that the leaders addressed the clans from. She nodded to her clanmates behind her, who scattered, and then turned to Cinderstar. "Sorry we're late, shall we begin?"
Before the gray leader could answer, from the opposite bank another group broke through the ferns lead by a cat both leaders knew well. "Shadestorm," they both muttered in unison. Rowanstar blinked in surprise and turned to Cinderstar. "You sound surprised to see him. Isn't he your deputy?" she asked.
Hate flashed through his eyes, directed towards Shadestorm. "No. He was exiled. He had caused many problems in my clan, and I thought it necessary to remove him to keep the peace," he meowed in response. She could tell he was straining to remain polite, but his anger was not directed towards her.
"Then if he no longer belongs to any of the clans, what is he doing here?" Rowanstar asked.
"Only Starclan knows," Cinderstar meowed with a shake of his head. "I can only hope he's not up to no good. We better go see what he wants." He padded towards the black tom, who had separated from the group following him and had jumped up onto the rock. Fallstar eyed him suspiciously. They exchanged a few words, and then Cinderstar joined them. Rowanstar shook her head in confusion and followed.
"Shadestorm, what are you doing here? What are you doing up here, for that matter? Your not a clan leader!" Cinderstar demanded as Rowanstar joined them on the top of the rocks.
"Actually, I am. Haven't you heard of the turmoil in Starclan lately?" Shadestorm meowed.
"What turmoil? And what does it have anything to do with you being leader of some clan?" Fallstar demanded.
Shadestorm glanced at her, disgust written all over his face, and then meowed, "Not all of Starclan agreed to the idea of Chanceclan. They have broken into two groups. The knew, better group is called the Empire in the Stars, and they have selected me to lead a clan called Empireclan. I have already received my nine lives, and therefore, you will address me as Shadestar."
Cinderstar shook his head in incredulity, and then meowed, "I can't believe you would think we are stupid enough to fall for that, Shadestorm."
"I am not lying. Ask Starclan, they will confirm what I tell you," Shadestar meowed calmly. "Even if you do not believe what happened in Starclan, I would at least ask that you address me by my real name, seeing as Empireclan is very real, and I am their leader."
"Fine, Shadestar, I will ask Starclan when I return to my clan, but if this is true, and you no longer follow Starclan, your no better than Darkforest cats, and my clan will always treat you like the repulsive creatures you are. Do not forget, Shadestar, I know what you have done. You cannot escape that by creating your own clan," Cinderstar meowed coldly, and then yowled for the gathering to begin.
As the cats calmed, Rowanstar heard Shadestar mutter, "I expect no better." He then turned to her, and meowed, "I would like to address the clans first, if you don't mind." She nodded, not wanting to argue. The black tom stepped forward, and meowed, "Cats of Dawnclan, Duskclan, and Chanceclan, I have come before you today to let you know that there is a new clan in the forest. We would also like to open an invitation for any cat to join us. If you are interested, head towards the mountains, until you find the lake. I will have one of my warriors posted there to wait for newcomers."
"You cannot just ask our warriors to betray us, Shadsto- Shadestar!" Rowanstar exclaimed. "They are loyal to their clans. Giving them this choice suggests that they are disloyal, like rouges!"
Shadestar turned and smiled at her, but there was nothing happy about the grin. "Have you ever thought that that was maybe my intention? Besides, there's nothing in any warrior code saying I can't start my own clan, and I need warriors. Where better to get them than from your clans, where they suffer under your rule?"
Cinderstar growled lightly, clearly irritated at Shadestar's invitation, and his recent statement. "None of my cats are disloyal enough to leave. They have seen your evil," he muttered, before stepping forward. "Because Shadestar betrayed my clan, I have appointed a new deputy; Thornmouth now serves in that position. We also have a new warrior, Clovefur. That's all from Duskclan." He stepped back again.
Rowanstar stepped forward and told the clans of Sandpaw, Silverpaw, Gentlepaw, and Gingerpaw becoming apprentices. With no other news from her clan, she backed down again, and immediately her mind strayed from the gathering. She didn't hear the news from Chanceclan, even though she had wanted to know how they were getting along. She couldn't help but think through her cats and hope they would all remain loyal to Dawnclan. She knew most would.
The gathering ended, and she jumped down from the rock, crossed the small stream, and lead her cats back to her camp. Once back, she listened while her cats explained to the rest of the clan what had happened. Eventually, as the surprise died down, she slipped into her nest for a much needed rest.
ALLIANCES
Dawnclan
Leader
Rowanstar- Brown tabby she-cat with white markings and golden eyes.
Deputy
Sablestorm - Tortoiseshell tom with golden eyes. Apprentice, Owlpaw
Medicine Cat
Heatherwhisker - Dark copper tabby she-cat with white markings.
Warriors
Sandstone - Sand colored tom.
Wolfheart - Dark gray and black tortoiseshell tom with blue-gray eyes.
Gingerclaw - Ginger colored tom. Apprentice, Sandpaw
Braveheart - Once timid black she-cat. Apprentice, Gentlepaw
Lightningpelt - golden tabby tom.
Silverwing - Pretty silver she-cat with a small scar above her eye.
Squirreltail - squirrel colored she-cat.
Rippleshine - Siamese she-cat with a very glossy pelt.
Apprentices
Owlpaw - Tan tom with a white belly, chest, and chin. He has pale blue eyes.
Gingerpaw - Ginger tom.
Silverpaw - Blue point she-cat with deep blue eyes.
Gentlepaw - Pale calico she-cat.
Sandpaw - Siamese she-cat. Looks exactly like her mother, Rippleshine.
Elders
Cloudedeyes - old gray she-cat. Blind.
Duskclan
Leader
Cinderstar - Broad shouldered dark gray tabby tom.
Deputy
Thornmouth - Older, battle-scarred brown tom with a very short temper.
Medicine Cat
Moonsoul - Dark blue point she-cat with pale blue eyes.
Warriors
Whispspirit - Blue and white tabby she-cat with gray eyes.
Adderstripe - Brown tom with markings that resemble a snake, and a sandy belly and paws.
Silvereyes - blue point she-cat with silver eyes. Moonsoul's only litter mate.
Clovefur - Dark brown tabby tom with green eyes.
Lightheart - Long-furred, sleek white she-cat with light cream tabby splotches.
Firesoul - Long haired ginger she-cat with a short temper.
Elders
Gentlefoot - Pale tabby she-cat. she retired young after loosing her last batch of kits to a horrible miscarriage that left her body permanently damaged.
Chanceclan
Leader
Fallstar- Completely black she-cat with golden eyes and a long, jagged scar along her left side.
Deputy
Oakfur- Dark brown tabby tom with yellow-green eyes and a scar across his chest.
Medicine Cat
Aquasky - Long haired blue she-cat with yellow eyes.
Warriors
Mystictail - dark blue, almost black she-cat. She looks black with a blue sheen. Senior warrior. Apprentice, Poppypaw
Wolfclaw - Brown and gray tom with long, abnormal sized claws. Senior warrior. Apprentice, Quickpaw
Brakenclaw - Bracken colored tortoiseshell tom. Senior warrior.
Darksong - Black she-cat and sister of Fallstar. Senior warrior. Apprentice, Reefpaw
Maplefur - Red tabby she-cat with aqua eyes. She's blind in one eye, and a scar crosses that side of her face.
Singinglark - beautiful golden tabby she-cat with a white chest, belly and paws, and piercing, icy blue eyes.
Firestripe - brown tom with white and orange calico-like markings and green eyes.
Shadedmoon - Shadedmoon is a long-haired light silver she-cat with darker patches. Her voice was damaged in the fire that killed her in her previous life, and so it's very raspy, and sometimes when her throat is dry, she can't talk at all.
Echocliff - Gray tom with dark blue eyes.
Apprentices
Poppypaw - Dark orange she-cat with black patches and yellow eyes.
Quickpaw - black and white tom.
Reefpaw - pale cream-colored she-cat.
Queens
Whitebird - white she-cat with pale brown speckles. (mate- Echocliff. Kits- Lightningkit and Juniperkit)
Empireclan
Emperor
Shadestar - Black tom with dark eyes.
First Admiral
Shadowleap - Black and gray tom. Fallstar's brother.
Second Admiral
Razorstreak - Brown tom with a black streak down his back and a white chin.
Healer
Icedawn - Soft, long haired brown she-cat with a white belly, chest, and nose. She icy blue eyes and darker brown spots on her face.
Unselected She-cats
Eclipsenight - Black she-cat with one white paw and a white tail tip.