Gathering Chapter, and we learn some of the cats from the other clans :3 Starpaw will also meet some of the other apprentices of the other clans.
-
Starpaw waited anxiously for Blazestar's signal to go ahead. They were near Small Land, at their bridge, and waiting for Blazestar's signal to go forward. Starpaw was brimming with excitement, and nervousness. She could feel a similar feeling coming from Shadepaw next to her.
Blazestar gave the signal with a flick of his tail, and the group of Sunclan cats dashed forward into Small Land.
Starpaw was a little overwhelmed when she saw just how many cats had come tonight for the gathering. She looked around, seeing so many, and smelling so many different scents. She looked around, trying to get her barings in this throng of them all. She saw a few familiar cats, such as Spottedleaf of Riverclan, Batear, Shadowstar, Leopordfur, and Crowclaw of Moonclan, and a few others. The cats of Sunclan dispersed, going to talk with others. Shadepaw nudged her, and with his tail pointed to a group of smaller cats, obviously apprentices.
"Come on, we should go talk to the other apprentices, I'll introduce you!" Shadepaw said. Starpaw looked to Blazestar for help, and he nodded at her, his eyes filled with amusement, but understanding. She got the feeling that he had been the same way at his first Gathering.
She followed Shadepaw to the group of apprentices, and looked each cat over. The first two she saw were obviously Mistclan, from their scent, and she also guessed brother and sister. The bigger of the two was a brown tom with a white underbelly and paws, the smaller, a she-cat with pretty soft brown fur with a white belly. Both had green eyes. The whole group of cats, at this point, had looked up at them from their conversation, and mewled a greeting.
"This is Hawkpaw, and Robinpaw, of Mistclan." Shadepaw said, motioning to the two cats Robin had noticed first.
"That is Brackenpaw, and Kindlepaw of Mountainclan." He said, motioning to two other appretnices. Brackenpaw was a tom with brown splotched fur, a ginger patch was on his belly, though, as Starpaw saw. Kindlepaw was a gray-brown colored she-cat, her eyes were a bright yellow. Both of them nodded in response.
"This is Patchpaw. He is the only apprentice in Sun-Drownclan right now." Shadepaw continued, motioning to a white tom with black splotches. Patchpaw nodded his head bashfully.
"That is-"
"I know, this is Leafpaw, of Riverclan. I met her on patrol with Blazestar once." Starpaw cut Shadepaw of, nodding a happy greeting to Leafpaw. Leafpaw, a brown she-cat with white paws and blue eyes, nodded in return, her eyes showing her happyness. Starpaw gave a happy mewl at the last two apprentices.
"And Nightkit and Dark-kit of Moonclan!" She said. The two Moonclan cats seemed happy to see her, though 'Dark-kit' growled playfully.
"Dark-kit? Nightkit? Who are they? We are Darkpaw and Nightpaw now." She said. Starpaw mewled an apology.
"Everyone, this is Starpaw." Shadepaw said, finally introducing her. The other apprentices mewled their greetings to her. Starpaw looked at the throng of warriors. She wondered how Small Land could fit them all so comfortably, but Small Land wasn't really all that small, so she wasn't all that surprised.
"Wh-who else is here?" She asked, her eyes on all the other warriors. They all looked strong and formidable. Shadepaw mewled a laugh. Hawkpaw meowed up first.
"I'll point out the warriors of my clan first. See over there?" He asked, his tail pointing to a reddish brown tom, and a light gray tabby she-cat with a white muzzle.
"The tom is Raggedclaw, and the she-cat is our deputy, Fernpelt. Over there is Raincloud, our medicine cat, and Oakstar, our leader." He said, motioning to a light gray she-cat and a deep red tom that were talking to Blazestar and Ravenfur. Oakstar was actually missing a leg, ear, and eye. Starpaw shivered, as the wounds must have come from a dangerous battle. Looking at Raincloud, and Fernpelt, Starpaw guessed the two were related. They looked similar enough. Kindlepaw was the one to speak up next.
"I'll show you the cats of my clan. Over there," she started, pointing to some cats with her tail, "Are Ivorycloud, Boulderleg, and our deputy, Mudclaw." Starpaw guessed from there, which were which. She guessed Ivorycloud was the large white tom, his eyes yellow. Boulderleg must have been the brown tom with a gray leg, and she guessed Mudclaw to be the brown tabby tom near them. They were in a conversation with some other warriors, Starpaw guessed Sun-Drownclan warriors.
"Ivorycloud is also Kindlepaw's mentor. My mentor, our medicine cat, Stonefur, is over there with our leader, Tornstar." Brackenpaw said, pointing to two other cats that were with Blazestar and Ravenfur. Starpaw guessed at that point that all the cats in that group were leaders and medicine cats. Brackenpaw, she noticed, had a very calm voice, soothing. Mature, would be another good way to describe it. She guessed it to be a medicine cat thing.
Stonefur was elderly, for a medicine cat, Starpaw noted, being a light gray tom. The fur around his muzzle was white with his age. He would be an elder soon, she guessed. Tornstar made her eyes widen, and take her back to when she had been at the Moonclan camp. The tom she had seen in her vision atop the Highrock in Moonclan, was Mountainclan's leader! Tornstar looked far to scary to be real, Starpaw admitted mentally to herself. Large, a torn face, and gave an air of fierceness. He was intimidating, just to look at.
Patchpaw spoke up next, his voice a little shaky. Starpaw guessed he wasnt used to being the center of attention.
"From my clan, there is Barktail," Using his tail, he motioned to a light brown she-cat with a dark brown splotched tail that was talking to Mudclaw, "Silvertiger," This time a very pale gray, almost white, she-cat with black tabby stripes on her legs, and tail mostly, along with a stripe over one eye, "Pantherpelt," A solid black tom, with yellow eyes, that was talking to Braveheart, "and our deputy Thunderclaw." This time a bright golden yellow tom, who was talking to Mudclaw as well. He motioned to two cats with the other leaders an medicine cats.
"Our leader is Longstar, and our medicine cat is Ashwhisker." he said, motioning to them both when he said their names. Longstar was a white tom, with black tabby stripes. Starpaw guessed he was related to Silvertiger, than. His tail was unusually long, like Starpaw's, and she wondered if perhaps he had the same trouble as her, with kits constantly jumping on it, and biting it.
Ashwhisker was an older, dark gray tom, she noted. He looked kind, though, and full of life. She knew he still had a good, long life ahead of him as a medicine cat.
Leafpaw nodded her head, to bring attention to herself.
"From my clan, there is the obvious, Mistystar and Spottedleaf." She said, pointing out her leader and deputy. Spottedleaf, the pretty tortie and white cat Starpaw had already met, was talking with Lionclaw and Fernwill. Mistystar, a well named misty gray she-cat with a white muzzle, was with another cat, a pale yellow she-cat, and the two were talking to the other leaders and medicine cats.
"The pale yellow she-cat is Mothwing. She is our medicine cat." Leafpaw said. She then turned slightly, and using her tail, pointed to three other cats. The first was a white tom with a gray tipped tail, underbelly, paws, and marking on his head. His green eyes seemed a little sad to Starpaw. The next was a dark gray and white tom with light, blue-gray paws, though his front left leg is all white and green eyes. The third cat was one Starpaw had seen before, the white tom she had seen the other day at the Riverclan boarder. Looking at him now, she noticed one eye was slightly paler than the other. He was blind in one eye.
"The white tom, with the gray tipped tail, underbelly, and paws, is my mentor, Greenfrost. The cat next to him is his brother, Graybreeze." She said, pointing to the first two toms individually with her tail. She pointed to the third tom, "that is Whitemist." She said simply. She motioned to another cat, an orange tom with a white underbelly, paws and tail tip.
"That is Foxpelt." She said. Starpaw nodded. Though it wasnt nessisery, Darkpaw spoke up next, to point out the cats of her clan.
"You remember cats from Moonclan, right Starpaw? Talking to you leader is Shadowstar and Featherpelt." She said, and Starpaw looked over at them. Shadowstar had looked up at her, just as she looked at him, and his eyes seemed to smile.
"Shadowstar was really relieved when he heard you made it back to Sunclan durring the Gathering two moons ago." Nightpaw explained, his voice a little shaky. Starpaw noticed he seemed to have difficulty talking to other cats. Featherpelt was talking to Ravenfur, and as Starpaw had leared after asking Snowfur, Featherpelt was originally a Sunclan cat, the daughter of Braveheart and Snowfur. She was stolen by a badger as a kit, however, but was saved by a Moonclan cat. She was swayed by the Moonclan medicine cat at the time, and asked to be their apprentice.
"Over there is Leopordfur, Batear, and Crowclaw." Darkpaw said, motioning to the other three Moonclan cats Starpaw had seen. Starpaw nodded, hearing how Crowpaw had become a warrior, named Crowclaw.
"We have two new kits as well." Nightpaw said. Starpaw looked over at him, and Darkpaw nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, Mousefur, my mom, had some more kits! Tawnykit and Hawk-kit!" She said. When she said Hawk-kit, Starpaw instantly thought of the Hawk-kit back at Sunclan camp. Kindlepaw mewled a little as well.
"Mountainclan had some kits as well," she said, "Milk-kit, Mountainkit, and Bramblekit." Robinpaw gave a mewl two.
"Dont forget Mistclan!" She began "We have Graykit, Dewkit, and Snowkit." Starpaw nodded to her. Leafkit gave a nod.
"Riverclan has some kits as well, six total. Frogkit, Waterkit, Harekit, Lilykit, Black-kit, and Foxkit." She said.
Patchpaw gave a light mewl. "Sun-Drownclan only had one kit, Stormkit." He said. Shadepaw gave a mewl of amusement.
"At this rate, Sun-Drownclan is gunna be the smallest of the clans!" He said. Patchpaw just looked at the ground, and Starpaw nudged Shadepaw painfully in the side with a clawed paw.
"Sunclan had some kits as well." Starpaw said, the other cats nodding. They obviously knew, but wanted her to continue talking, to get her more comfortable. So she told them a little about all their kits.
"With all those potential warriors, Sunclan might end up being the largest clan." Leafpaw said, impressed. Starpaw nodded, pride welling up inside her. Brackenpaw had nodded his agreement. Being a medicine cat apprentice, he wouldnt feel the same rivalryship the clans apprentice's had. Kindlepaw gave a sour look, though said nothing. Hawkpaw and Robinpaw had unreadable expressions. Nightpaw nudged Starpaw with a paw, wanting to talk, but a call from the leaders, along with them jumping on the Highrock, silenced him. Starpaw nodded at him, and turned to look at the six leaders as they sat up there.
Shadowstar was the first to speak.
"Do any wish to speak first, or shall I?" He asked. The other leaders all nodded, to go in order. The first would then be Shadowstar, followed by Blazestar, then Mistystar, then Tornstar, then Longstar, then finally, Oakstar. Shadowstar nodded, and stood as he talked.
"Moonclan's prey is fine, and keeping us fit and full. Mousefur had another litter of kits.." He began, telling the other clans of recent news. He also mentioned seeing a badger near the border between Sun-Drownclan and Moonclan. Longstar nodded and told him they would keep an eye out for it. When he finished, Blazestar stood up.
"Prey is becoming somewhat scarce, so close to Leaf Bare, but we are doing well," He began. Starpaw knew he wouldnt lie," no sickness has come to our clan, and no injuries. Our cats are strong. Today, Starpaw finally joins the us at the Gathering, having been made an apprentice only two moons ago." He said, looking down at her. Starpaw felt ho, with both emberresment and pride as cats form other clans gave their mewls of congradulations. She felt Shadepaw nudge her, and glancing at him, she saw the pride and joy in his eyes. She wasnt sure why, but she also glanced at Nightpaw, who's eyes reflected the same emotioned, though she saw something else as well, something that made her warm with a different feeling she couldn't quite grasp.
"Fernpaw also joins us today, not as an apprentice, but as the warrior Fernwill." He said. More calls of congradulations from other cats. Starpaw looked over at her milk sister, happy for her, and awed by Fernwill's calm demeanor. Blazestar finished, and Mistystar stood up next, congradulating Fernwill and Starpaw, before going with her report. She mentioned a new warrior in her clan, but didnt say the cat's name. She went on to say that her clan was doing well, though it was expected, as the fish in the rivers around and in Riverclan territory were still pleantiful. When she finished, she sat down, and Tornstar stood forward. Starpaw shivered when he spoke, his voice deep, and a hint of maliciousness in it. He was obviously not a cat to be trifled with.
"Mountainclan congradulates Sunclan on its new warrior," He said, leaving out Starpaw, though she didnt take offence. She didnt want him to point her out, though when he glanced down at the cats of all the clans, his one good yellow eye landed on her, and it went cold, like it was piercing through her.
"Mountainclan is doing well, despite the climate. We are strong, and so are our cats." He said, and went on, saying prey was still plentiful, and sickness hadnt taken root. Starpaw saw that Kindlepaw and Brackenpaw had stiffened though, and guessed that he was lying. She had been told that Mountainclan's territory was harsh and demanding, and she guessed that it was better to hide what was really going on, expecially if it was as hard as she heard.
Longstar's was no different from the others really, and neither was Oakstar's. Starpaw had listened though, and was glad about her first trip to the Gathering. The leaders all hopped down from the Highrock, and Starpaw looked back at Nightpaw and Darkpaw.
"It was good to see you again." She said happily. Darkpaw nodded, and so did Nightpaw, though she noticed that Nightpaw seemed a little hesitant. Darkpaw snickered and poked Nightpaw.
"Nightpaw told me he wished you stayed in Moonclan. He really likes you." she said. Starpaw stared at her, not quite getting what she meant as Nightpaw snapped at her, obviously emberressed. Shadepaw seemed a little angry at the information, and quickly motioned for Starpaw to follow him to join the other Sunclan cats.
"Well, it was nice seeing you all." He said hastily. Starpaw nodded to the other apprentices, and followed him. She looked back at Nightpaw once, wondering why she felt happy, though confused.
-
After returning to camp, Bluepaw had drilled out of Shadepaw and Starpaw all that had happened, before it was time to turn out for the night. Starpaw was exhausted, as she laid her head down on her paws, the scents of Bluepaw, Shadepaw, and moss all around. It was more comforting than all the scents of the cats at the Gathering. Shadepaw had been really agitated when they got back though, leaving Starpaw confused.
She yawned and let her mind drift, lulling herself into sleep. Hearing s rustling somewhere to the right of her, she opened her eyes, and cried out in shock.
She wasnt in the Apprentice Cat's den, anymore, but rather, at the Gathering place in Small Land. She heard another rustling, and looked to her right, to see the source of the noise.
She saw nothing but the bushes. She took a few steps forward, sniffing for scents. She smelt something vaguely familiar, but couldnt place it, so she went closer. Lightly, she could see black fur.
"Moonflower." She said, before she realized it. The black she-cat emurged from the thick bush, her eyes kind, but old. Starpaw vaguely remembered her as Shadepaw, Fernwill, and Bluepaw's mother, who died in kit birth.
"Starpaw." She said. Starpaw heard a rustling behind her, but didnt turn. She knew there were other cats there now.
"Have I.. joined Starclan?" Starpaw asked. Moonflower chuckled, but shook her head.
"No, Starpaw, we simply wanted to talk." She said. Starpaw made a glance to the side, seeing a motion, and saw a cat she had never seen before, a bright gold tom, the fur at his neck thick. His scent wasnt one of Sunclan, but he disappeared inside the bushes.
Starpaw looked back at Moonflower questioningly.
"There are more than just Sunclan's ansesorts in this clan." She said. Starpaw knew she was right. She could smell a mix of scents now, both Sunclan, and a clan she wasnt familiar with. She kept her eyes on Moonflower, but from the corner of her vision, she could see other cats. On her left came scents of Sunclan, and she knew those were her Sunclan ansestors. On her right were the cats of a clan she didnt know. They obviously were not of the six clans she was now familiar with. Moonflower motioned to the cats on Starpaw's left.
"The clan you are now home in," she said, then motioned to the cats on Starpaw's right,"The clan you were first meant to be with," then she looked back down at Starpaw, "Which will you choose, I wonder."
"What do you mean?" Starpaw asked. She felt something wet at her paws, and looked down. Water.
"Beware, Starpaw, the misty white hides the evil heart." Moonflower said. Starpaw paniced as the water suddenly surged, and she lost her footing.
"Starpaw!" She heard someone shout, Starpaw gasping for breath. She shook, realizing she was in the apprentice's den again, her bed of moss bellow her. She looked over, Bluepaw was the one who had said her name, Shadepaw looking at her worriedly.
"You were gunna wake up the whole forest, calling out like that." Bluepaw said, she sounded annoyed. Starpaw noticed it was dawn. She shook her head, trying to calm her nerves. Shadepaw licked her cheek, trying to help.
"Have a bad dream?" He asked. Starpaw didnt say anything, and looked down at her paws. She thought back to what Moonflower had said.
Misty white that hides and evil heart, and something about two clans.
Starpaw felt conflicted, but shook her head, and gave a small mewl.
"Time for training." She said to her two siblings.
-
Next chapter should be more exciting, with more training, and some other stuff.
Shadepaw was jealous. Starpaw is clueless.
Some of you may be able to guess who the golden tom Starpaw saw in her dream was, kudos if you guess right (and then guess where Starpaw was originally meant to go, though I wont say officially until book 3, which wil be centered around Starpaw's mysterious origins)