Chapter Fourteen

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DISCLAIMER

If I owned warriors, Feathertail would've survived the fall, the three would belong to Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw, and Spottedleaf and Firestar would never have loved each other

Clearmist sat near the edge of the tree-bride and closed her eyes as anticipation rushed through her, threatening to knock her off of her paws. Her first Gathering as a warrior! Squirrelflight was behind her, pride gleaming in her eyes.

"Come here, Clearmist, you're fur is sticking out everywhere!" She exclaimed, padding over to give Clearmist a quick grooming. Before she knew it, Clearmist was on the gathering island. Bumblestripe trotted excitedly next to her.

"I wonder what Firestar's gonna say about the WindClan invasion!" His eyes were alight and his dark fur glowed silver in the moonlight.

"Firestar has decided not to say anything about the battle." Spiderleg had come up behind Clearmist and Bumblestripe, a reprimanding look in his eyes. The hot-headed warrior stalked into the mass of cats with a friendly flick of his tail. Bumblestripe stared after him, a confused look in his eyes.

"What?" Clearmist asked.

"Oh, nothing. I just thought it's a bit weird that Firestar's not going to say anything about the battle."

"Oh…" Clearmist looked around trying to change the subject. "Have you noticed that Blossomfall and Lighteningclaw aren't as close lately?" Bumblestripe nodded.

"Has he said anything to you?" Bumblestripe asked.

"No." This was not entirely true. Lighteningclaw had mentioned something about being "too busy training" to "spend time with his friends". It had not sounded like Lighteningclaw though.

"Has Blossomfall said anything to you?" She asked.

"Yeah. I'm kind of worried about them. She says he's been really weird lately… As though not himself…It's as though—" Bumblestripe did not get to finish because a commanding yowl came from the tree where the 4 leaders were perched.

"Blackstar, would you like to go first?" Firestar asked politely. The ShadowClan leader nodded and stepped forward, but before he could say anything, Onestar stepped in front of him aggressively.

"WindClan welcomes three new kits, born to Heathertail." Clearmist saw a dark pelt and recognised Breezepelt. He must be the father. "But there is one thing we do not welcome. Sickness is spreading through our clan. But we are as strong as ever, and we beat off a ThunderClan patrol who was invading our land." WindClan purred rudely and yowls of protest and anger rose from ThunderClan.

"How dare he say that we attacked them, when they invaded our land?" Silverdapple was beside Clearmist, her green eyes blazing.

"We should attack any WindClan who dare try to tread on our land!" Lighteningclaw hissed. As the commotion died away, Clearmist heard someone sneezing behind her. It was the gentle queen, Whitetail.

"We'll all be sick if WindClan insists on bringing unfit warriors to Gatherings." She muttered, so that Whitetail wouldn't hear, but just loud enough for her littermates to nod agreement. She missed Firestar's calm comeback, but Onestar had stepped away resentfully and Blackstar was reporting now.

"Yes, prey is running well. We are well-fed." Blackstar stepped back.

"This Gathering is over," Leopardstar mewed, "unless you have any more to say?" The other leaders leapt off of the tree, and they set off with their clans.

"WindClan have some nerve saying that we trespassed on their land." Lighteningclaw was hissing fiercely under his breath. "I'll rip them to shreds if they even lay a claw over the border." Clearmist backed away, pretending she hadn't heard her brother.

When they got back to camp, Jayfeather was hurrying out of the medicine cat den, Amberkit close behind. They were rushing to the nursery with mouthfuls of catmint and borage.

"Daisy, eat these." The irritable mew came from Jayfeather who was trying to coax the creamy she-cat into eating the catmint. "You don't want the kits to catch Greencough, do you?" Clearmist padded into the nursery.

"Do you need any help?" She asked. Jayfeather cast a side-long glance at Daisy.
"Make sure she eats those herbs." Clearmist nodded and trotted calmly over to the sick queen. Her eyes and nose was streaming, and croaked softly as Clearmist approached.

"Those herbs - - " Daisy broke off with a bout of coughing.

"Daisy, eat these herbs. You'll feel a lot better." Clearmist rested her tail-tip on the she-cat who had helped raise her.

"No, those herbs –" Once more, a bout of coughing sliced through her sentence. Amberkit padded up to the white cat and pawed the pitiful pile of catmint toward her. Her wide amber eyes were pleading.

"Please, Daisy! Eat them!" The black-and-white kit was looking anxious – though it was quite amusing to see her tiny little face scrunched up with seriousness, and Clearmist's tail twitched.

"Amberkit, stop bothering Daisy. She knows what she is doing." Even though Hazeltail's mew seemed to be calming her anxious kit, Clearmist noticed her also sending worried glances at the white cat beside her. Suddenly, Lionblaze rushed in.

"It's Poppyfrost, Peachpaw and Snowpaw!" He sounded mildly angry, as though frustrated. "They've all got Greencough!" Lionblaze padded around in agitated circles, licking Rustlekit and Flamekit's heads as they let out a whimper of fear.

"Don't waste… Those herbs… on me! Treat the queens and kits...!" Daisy pushed away the small pile.

"But, Daisy…" Amberkit was once more pleading. Daisy looked down sympathetically at the tiny kit before gathering the catmint and trotting away briskly. Clearmist licked Amberkit's ear soothingly before leaving the nursery. She spotted Silverdapple and bounded over.

"Did you hear, Silverdapple? Poppyfrost, Peachpaw and Snowpaw have Greencough!" Silverdapple looked worryingly over at the warriors den.

"Remember, how when we were kits, that Greencough took over the camp? And then half the clan had to stay in the abandoned twoleg nest? I do hope that doesn't happen again!" Clearmist murmured agreement.

"Lighteningclaw!" She had spotted her brother who was heading toward the warriors den.

"What?" He said aggressively.

"I was just going to warn you that Poppyfrost has Greencough. Great StarClan, anyone would think that I was trodding on your tail!"

"Go away, Clearmist. I don't need you following me and accusing me of stealing WindClan prey." So that's what he's angry about? She though angrily, turning away.

"I didn't want my stupid mouse-brained brother to catch Greencough." She muttered, a hint of a snarl in her voice.

"What was that?" He asked, his amber eyes sparking with curiosity.

"I said that you're a mouse-brained excuse for a brother!" She snapped, walking away angrily.

Oooh! Lighteningclaw is becoming even more arrogant! If that's even possible….