I didn't get any reviews last chapter which makes me sad… :(
"Vinestar has joined StarClan." Sparkflame meowed curtly. "What do you want?" She didn't care she was being blunt about it. What did it matter anyway? Hailstar's eyes clouded for a moment. "I'm sorry to hear that." he responded. "May I speak with Dashstar then?" Sparkflame gazed at him with narrowed eyes. "Come this way." she growled.
Dashstar was sitting in front of the Highstone with her tail wrapped around her paws. She stood up at the smell of HailClan and saw the dawn patrol come back with Hailstar. "Hailstar." she meowed, dipping her head. "Dashstar." Hailstar answered a bit awkwardly. "I wish to speak with you. Privately." "Of course. Come to my den."
Sparkflame was in the clearing by the fresh-kill pile. She wasn't hungry, but she was wondering what Hailstar came here for-so early in the morning. Perhaps he needed help. But he didn't seem urgent, so that wasn't it. Thoughts kept flowing through her mind when Hailstar exited the den. Dashstar followed, looking irritated, but trying not to show it.
"Leapordpelt, Sunwing, escort Hailstar to the end of the territory." she nodded at the two warriors. Dashstar followed until they got to the entrance. "We'll talk about this at the next Gathering." Hailstar stopped and nodded. "Of course." He turned, and they disappeared through the entrance. Dashstar turned around quickly, and raced up to the Highstone. "Let all cats gather here beneath the Highstone!"
Warriors poked their heads out of the den, looking bewildered. Whitepaw and Breezepaw were confused too, but padded to the clearing and sat down next to each other. Goldheart exited the nursery, and the kits scampered out too. "Can we watch?" Amberkit asked. "Yes, but be quiet." she mewed sternly. Sunfern looked up at Dashstar. "What about Leopardpelt and Sunwing?" Dashstar looked down at her deputy. "You can tell them later." she answered, pacing back and forth on the Highstone.
"Hailstar wants Boulder Crevice." Dashstar stopped pacing. Yowls of protest rose up in the Clan. Sparkflame was shocked and angry. Since when did HailClan need more territory? "Those hawk-hearts! They think they can just stroll into our camp and demand us to give them our territory!" some warrior hissed. "Hailstar's giving me until the next Gathering to decide." she continued. "We're not giving it to them!" This time there were yowls of agreement. "We'll fight for it if we have to. Who's with me?" All the warriors yowled again, and Sparkflame joined in. "Okay, meeting dismissed." Dashstar padded down the slope that led to the clearing.
Orangekit let out a growl. "I'm gonna tear those HailClan warriors to shreds!" Goldheart's whiskered twitched in amusement. "You have to be an apprentice first." she reminded her. "Yeah. You couldn't even face one warrior; he'll tower over you." Whitepaw meowed, joining into the conversation. "Could to!" Orangekit protested. "I can fluff out my fur to twice my size!" Whitepaw purred, barely getting his words out. "You'd look like a scared kit that just saw a hawk." Orangekit slumped down, clearly disappointed. "Don't worry, there'll be other battles." Goldheart mewed gently.
Sparkflame padded over to Whitepaw. "Come on, we're going on a hunting patrol." she meowed, pointing her tail towards Lightningfoot, Mudstripe, and Glosspelt. "Okay, I'll show you battle moves later!" Whitepaw called to Goldheart's kits. Dashstar padded over to the hunting patrol. "If you see Sunwing and Leopardpelt, tell them what Hailstar wanted." she meowed briskly. "Okay." Lightningfoot meowed. "Let's go."
They were hunting by the area that Hailstar wanted so HailClan would know that SwiftClan wasn't going to give it up. Lightningfoot had caught two voles and Glosspelt had a mouse when they picked up the scents of Leopardpelt and Sunwing. The two warriors emerged into sight. "Did Dashstar say anything important?" Leopardpelt asked. "We heard her call a meeting." Sparkflame nodded. "Yes, she said that Hailstar wants Boulder Crevice." Both cats gasped. "HailClan has enough territory." Sunwing hissed. "We're hunting here so HailClan knows we're not allowing them to take it." Lightningfoot meowed. "He's giving us to the next Gathering to tell him our decision. Dashstar said we'll fight for it if we have too." Sparkflame added.
"Good." Leopardpelt muttered. "She's becoming a good leader." Sparkflame had to agree with that. If she was leader, she probably would've done the same thing. "How about we help you?" Sunwing suggested. "Mudstripe and we could go over to the left side and you four could hunt on the right." "That's a good idea." Sparkflame meowed.
The two groups went off. Whitepaw was padding ahead of Sparkflame then stopped. He opened his mouth slightly and then closed it again. "Mouse!" he whispered. A moment later, it crept out into the open. Whitepaw looked at Sparkflame and she nodded. He dropped into a crouch, and began stalking it. Step by step, the apprentice crept towards the mouse until he could leap on it. The mouse was busy gnawing on seeds to notice him. Whitepaw pulled his legs beneath him and pounced onto the mouse. It squeaked in surprise, but it was cut short when Whitepaw delivered the killing bite.
"Good job, Whitepaw!" Sparkflame praised. The apprentice's eyes glowed. "That was good." Sunwing meowed. "Sparkflame's been teaching you well." "Thanks." he replied.
Soon, the whole patrol caught a decent amount of prey. Whitepaw caught another vole, and Sparkflame caught a finch and a woodpecker. Sunwing managed to catch a hawk-with Sparkflame's help, and the other warriors brought down a deer together. They met up with the other patrol which caught a lot too. "We caught enough for everyone today!" Leopardpelt meowed. "Let's go back."
Dashstar was waiting. "Leopardpelt, Sunwing." she greeted. "Did everything go okay?" the two warriors dipped their heads. "Yes, Dashstar." Sunwing meowed. "Good." Dashstar went back to her den. The patrol deposited their catch onto the pile and cats immediately started swarming to it. Sparkflame looked down at Whitepaw. He was so small compared to her. "Go take Tallear something and then you can eat." she told him. "Okay." Whitepaw took the finch Sparkflame caught and padded to the elder's den.
Everyone ate well. The full moon was soon. It had been so long since Sparkflame saw Pebblefur. He didn't go to the last Gathering and she didn't go to the one before that to support Goldheart while she was so close to kitting. Sparkflame hoped she would get to go. It would be interesting to see how the Clans would react to Vinestar's death. She had been told that her mother was leader for a long time. She was close to the leaders.
Sparkflame noticed Whitepaw sitting outside the apprentice's den. "Get some sleep." she meowed. Sparkflame always had to remind him. "We'll be doing a lot of work tomorrow." Whitepaw yawned. "Alright." he mewed. Whitepaw disappeared into the den and Sparkflame padded into her own nest and circled it. She finally got comfortable and let sleep take over her.
August is a busy month! Sorry! School's starting in a week and I have orientation, finally starting high school! I'll try to update as much as I can, I know I've been saying that a lot, but this time I really mean it! I'm having minimal updating time, so I'm sorry if it takes awhile to update. I like it when people review, so please do! It makes me :) instead of :( So, R&R!