Hello, Marrowfrost here! I finally finished chapter 15! Wow, we're officially halfway through New Skies...that makes me feel old. (Not really, but you get what I mean) Today we'll be finishing up the Gathering, doing it in Blaze's PoV. But first...
Whitespirit - 1) Yeah, I might consider using Blazefeather. But I kinda want the chance for a cat to be named Blazetrail... Wasplily is good, too. Waspbloom is also nice. 2) If you want to, you can have Heronkit be Whiteclaw's son. (Marrowfrost only looked at Into the Wild allegiances, she was lazy.) 3) Yes, I enjoyed writing it, too. Yes, you are allowed to give suggestions, but I was already halfway done with this chapter when I finally looked at your review. Sorry about that. Hazelclaw would be fitting, but I don't think I'll change her name unless she becomes leader. But to be honest, Hazel is a bit too overprotective and hasty to be the next leader of SkyClan in my opinion. We already have Violetstar to fill that role. 4) I didn't notice that until you mentioned it! I fixed it now. 5) Well, the personality and major event you gave me for this one makes things a lot easier to write out.
"Mom, no!" Blaze yowled. "She's a friend!" Please listen to me this time! Hazel glanced at Blaze. Her eyes were full of anger and fear; fear for her kit. "Please, she's my friend, Wasppaw! She isn't bad at all!"
Hazel looked back at Wasppaw. "Do so much as touch her, and I will claw your ears off."
"Hazel!" Blaze turned behind herself to see Spiritmask rushing towards her. "Hazel, what did I tell you about your temper?" Hazel sighed. She's only trying to protect me, but…
"Not to snap at others so much." Hazel groaned. "But I'm trying to keep our daughter safe, Spiritmask!" Spiritmask's pelt brushed against Hazel's. "Don't you understand?"
"I do, but sometimes you overreact, Hazel." Spiritmask sighed. "Please, just hold your temper this time. You were banned from the last Gathering because of that."
Hazel muttered something underneath her breath, but she nodded in agreement. She and Spiritmask padded over to a group of ThunderClan and WindClan cats. Blaze looked back over to her friend, Wasppaw.
"Wasppaw! I haven't seen you for moons!" Blaze exclaimed. "I'm so happy that I can see you again!" She tilted her head. "But why haven't you been at the half moon Gatherings at all?"
"It's nice to see you again, too, Blaze. But how would you know about that?" She asked. Oh yeah, she hasn't been to any Gatherings since the day she fell in the river.
"Me and Jayson go to the Moonstone now for the half moon meeting," Blaze explained to her. "Only me and Jayson go so that way it's not too over crowded there."
"Those also counted…" Wasppaw murmured. "By the way, Blaze, do you remember Ravenpaw?" Blaze nodded. Oh yeah...I remember saying that I wanted to see him again at a Gathering. "Well, he's at the Gathering tonight. Do you want me to take you to him?"
"Okay, sure." Blaze mewed. She followed Wasppaw over to a group of three toms, one was gray with a darker stripe running down his back, another was a ginger tabby, and the last was a black tom with a flash of white chest hair. Ravenpaw?
The gray tom sniffed Blaze disdainfully. "Oh, it's SkyClan." He turned to Wasppaw. "Why'd you bring her over here, Wasppaw?"
"She wanted to meet someone she hasn't meet in a long while. Graypaw." Wasppaw explained briefly. She must not like them that much. She flicked her tail towards Ravenpaw. He jumped in surprise.
Ravenpaw looked scared out of his mind. "M-Me?" Yes, you, you silly mouse-brain!
"I did tell you I was looking forward to the next Gathering that I would see you again." Blaze mewed, chuckling a little. That feels so long ago.
"Oh, right." Ravenpaw replied, now starting to recall. "How've you been?"
Blaze glanced at her leg. It still bore scars from her first Gathering, but at least it wasn't broken anymore. "My leg's doing better now. And I'm finally allowed to look for herbs without my mentor, as long as someone's with me." She looked back up at Ravenpaw. "You?"
"I-I'm doing f-fine," Ravenpaw stuttered. It definitely doesn't seem like it. "Tigerclaw can just be really demanding at times, that's all."
"You shouldn't be letting him treat you like that!" The ginger ThunderClan apprentice hissed. "Doesn't it hurt each day when he insults you to your face?"
"I agree with Firepaw! Last moon when Ravenpaw sprained his right paw, Tigerclaw still made him do battle training with Dustpaw!" Graypaw grumbled in agreement. "And
Ravenpaw never when to Spottedleaf or Wasppaw!" My StarClan, that's horrible! Just what does his mentor have against him?
Wasppaw's eyes widened in shock. "Why didn't you come to me or Spottedleaf, Ravenpaw? One of us could've excused you from training that day!" She's just worried about her Clanmates…
Ravenpaw gulped. "It's best for me to just listen to Tigerclaw." How could he even think that?!
"Yes, it is." The five apprentices turned to see Tigerclaw with his casual grumpy face. I don't like him that much. "And you three should stop gossiping pay attention, the other Clans are here." With that, he stalked of in the direction of a group of RiverClan, ThunderClan and WindClan cats.
Blaze cast one last glance at Ravenpaw. I wish I could help him out… She then looked up at the Great Rock, to see Brokenstar glaring at Violetstar. Again? Crookedstar, who was the RiverClan leader, was sitting in between them, obviously uncomfortable. I do not blame him.
"I will start first," Violetstar announced. "Twyla, one of our warriors has given SkyClan three new kits. Their names are Forestkit, Quickkit and Funnelkit!" Violetstar proudly said the names, knowing that they're her kin.
The other cats were somewhat cheering. And I can see why. Twyla wasn't exactly the kindest cat in the forest. Still, kits are always good news. Blaze caught Brokenstar grinning at Violet with his twisted face. What's he excited about?
Brokenstar scowled at her. "If you're done celebrating the birth of rogues, I'd like to go next." Violetstar unsheathed her claws, angry that he would say a thing like that. "There has been a dangerous old she-cat lurking the forest. She rebelled against the code and ShadowClan had to exile her. Please, keep your kits safe from this fox-heart."
Blaze noticed the alarm Firepaw's eyes. Does he know her? Is he in cahoots with that cat? Several of ThunderClan cats were muttering something along the lines of "That must be Yellowfang!". Blaze looked over in Wasppaw's direction. She had doubt in her eyes, even though there was also anger flashing in them.
"Also, I have one more announcement to make." Brokenstar yowled. Spare me. "Our kits are dying, and we barely catch any prey nowadays. This is why we demand hunting rights from the other four Clans." Shared hunting rights? Over my dead body!
"The Clans have never shared hunting rights, Brokenstar, and they never should. It'll leave us in chaos." Tallstar hissed. "WindClan will not comply with this." Several of the WindClan cats yowled in agreement.
Bluestar was still calm and collected. "I will speak this over with my Clan, Brokenstar. You'll have your answer next Gathering." Clearly she doesn't agree with Brokenstar, either.
"RiverClan agrees to this. ShadowClan gets full rights to the river." Crookedstar meowed, his voice shaky. Several cats yowled their hatred for the decision. But if Blaze had to choose, the most angry was Violetstar.
"WHAT?!" Violetstar shouted, quieting everyone. "We use that river as our main source of food! RiverClan isn't the only Clan that knows how to fish!"
Blaze saw her mentor Jayson growling in agreement. "We have newborn kits, and by your stupid decision, your going to kill them!" Some RiverClan and SkyClan cats went by his side to join him.
"Oh please," Brokenstar rolled his eyes. "What's it to you, Crookedstar? They'll just grow up to be warriors who'll kill your Clanmates in battle." Why's Brokenstar saying that? Violetstar wouldn't start a war with RiverClan! It's ShadowClan, if anything!
Crookedstar growled at the protesters below. "RiverClan gives hunting rights, and that's final!" He then jumped off the Great Rock, flicking his tail sharply. "RiverClan is done here." The RiverClan cats begrudgingly glared at Brokenstar, and then followed their leader.
"If a single ShadowClan cat sets one paw onto our territory," Violetstar snarled at Brokenstar, her teeth showing. "We will shred them apart." She jumped off of the Great Rock as well, stalking towards SkyClan's camp. "SkyClan's leaving. NOW." Violetstar gave a hostile glare to any ShadowClan cat she passed. Oh dear. She's very serious about this.
Blaze glanced at the ThunderClan apprentices one more time. Wasppaw blinked in understanding at her. Ravenpaw mouthed "bye" to her and then looked away. Graypaw was now bristling in both fear and anger with Brokenstar. But Firepaw was nowhere to be seen. Where in the world did he go…?
And there's chapter 15! I'll have a brand new character's PoV for the next one or two chapters, and here's a hint: He was mentioned in this chapter.
Please review the story and follow/favorite for more Flames of Fury! (No, seriously. Your reviews help me get out of writer's block quicker, so it's a win win solution for us all.)