Chapter 4
The next morning was cold and damp.
Leafbare will be here before long. Moonflower thought.
She yawned. She and her littermates sat silent vigal all night, protecting the Clan while they sleep.
Thornclaw walked out of the warrior's den and yawned.
"You four can go sleep now." He told them.
Moonflower nodded and started walking towards the Apprentice's den.
"Not that way, Mousebrain. We're warriors now, so we sleep in the Warrior's den." Hollyheart corrected her.
"Right. I'm asleep on my paws, I don't know where I'm going." Moonflower meowed.
When Moonflower woke up, it was nearly Sunhigh. She yawned and got up. She started to wash herself when Squirrelflight came in.
"Moonflower, you're coming to the Gathering tonight. We leave at sunset." She informed her.
Yes! I'm going to the Gathering!
Moonflower had only gone to one other Gathering.
She padded out of the Warrior's den and went over to the freshkill pile. There was only a mouse, a sparrow, and a thrush.
We need hunting patrols. Prey is getting scarce.
Moonflower decided not to eat, the queens and elders needed to eat first. She picked up the sparrow and headed towards the elder's den.
"Purdy, Rose, I have a sparrow for you." She meowed as she entered the den.
"Thanks, young'n. But that is an apprentice duty, you are now a warrior." Purdy told her.
"Yes I know, but the elders need to be fed." Moonflower meowed.
"You were always the most politest kit." Rose rasped.
Moonflower dipped her head and backed out of the den.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, join here beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" Bramblestar summoned.
"Hm, wonder what it is this time." Hawkpaw grumbled. Moonflower purred, Hawkpaw was always questioning Clan meetings. That's one reason she liked him, he wasn't afraid to stand up or judge the rules. But he always did what was right.
"Probably the Gathering. Are you going?" Moonflower asked him.
Hawkpaw shrugged, "I want to go to the Gathering as a warrior, not an apprentice." He told her.
"You'll be a warrior soon. You'll be a great one, too." Moonflower meowed. She was telling the truth, he was strong and quick. His father and mother were both excellent fights, and his mentor, Cloudtail, was brilliant at fighting and hunting.
They turned their attention towards Bramblestar.
"Tonight is the Gathering. The cats going will be, Thornclaw, Cloudtail, Graystripe, Millie, Whitewing, Berrynose, Moonflower, Hollyheart, Silverpaw, and Hawkpaw." Bramblestar announced. "Two apprentices will be going for the last time as apprentices. Hawkpaw, Silverpaw, Oakpaw, and Mosspaw will have their warrior ceremonies tomorrow. Their mentors and I have agreed it is time they become warriors." He added.
Beside Moonflower, Hawkpaw's eyes brightened.
"See? I told you that you would become a warrior soon." She purred.
"You were right! Now we can hunt together!" Hawkpaw meowed.
"We leave now." Bramblestar finished. He flicked his tail for the cats to follow him.
Moonflower and Hawkpaw followed Bramblestar out of the camp.
They neared WindClan territory.
"WindClan sure have been quit lately." Berrynose commented.
"You're right. I wonder what's up." Whitewing wondered.
The cats crossed into WindClan territory.
"What are you doing on WindClan territory?" Onestar bounded up to them.
"We're on our way to the Gathering. We have to come this way." Bramblestar growled.
"I allowed Firestar to cross, not you." Onestar snapped back.
"What's the difference? I am leader of ThunderClan now." Bramblestar asked, confused.
"The difference is that Firestar was a noble cat, unlike you who's father was a treacherous traitor." Onestar sneered.
"I am nothing like my father. Firestar chose me to lead ThunderClan. I think you can trust me." Surprisingly, Bramblestar stayed calm.
"Get off our land!" Onestar growled and stepped forward. He was only tail-lengths away from Bramblestar now.
"Onestar! This isn't fare! Bramblestar can't help what his father did!" A cat meowed from WindClan. A smokey gray-black tom stepped out to face Onestar.
"Of course you would say that, Crowfeather. You have kin in ThunderClan." Onestar growled. "Get back to the group."
"No. This is unfair!" Crowfeather protested.
"Why don't you go join ThunderClan is you love them so much!" Crowfeather's mate, Nightcloud growled.
"They wouldn't take me..." Crowfeather murmured.
"You mean you would join them? Leave your home Clan! Your mate and son!" Onestar asked.
"Nightcloud is no mate to me. Breezepelt is a traitor, fighting for the Dark Forest." Crowfeather sneered.
"Crowfeather, if you are willing to give all your loyalty to ThunderClan, we will take you in." Bramblestar told him.
What?! Why?!
"Bramblestar, are you sure?" Squirrelflight asked.
"Squirrelflight, you know Crowfeather just as much as I do. I trust him, you should, too. He has kin in ThunderClan." Bramblestar told her.
"Than, if you're sure, I will leave WindClan to join ThunderClan." Crowfeather decided. He stepped out of the group and walked over to ThunderClan.
"Thank you." He whispered to Bramblestar as he passed him. Bramblestar nodded.
Bramblestar flicked his tail for his Clan to follow. Onestar growled, but did not stop them.
Crowfeather was running beside Moonflower. She looked over at him.
His is quite a handsome cat, no wonder Leafpool fell for him all those moons ago.
He glanced over at her and nodded.
They neared the Tree Bridge.
"Can you get over this?" Whitewing asked Crowfeather.
"Of course I can. WindClan came this way too." Crowfeather told her.
"Right, I forgot. Sorry about that." Whitewing apologized.
"No need to apologize, you didn't know." Crowfeather soothed her.
Wow, he's polite, too.
Whitewing nodded and jumped onto the tree. Once she was across, Crowfeather stepped back and beckoned for Moonflower to cross.
"You cats go first, I want to keep guard." He told them.
Moonflower nodded and jumped on.
"Thanks." She said.
Hawkpaw came after her, Then Hollyheart, then Silverpaw, and lastly, Crowfeather.
RiverClan and ShadowClan were already there and WindClan was right behind ThunderClan.
Once the Clans got settled, Blackstar called the Clans together.
"Let the Gathering begin!" He yowled. His voice was mysterious, like shadows.
Blackstar stepped back and nodded for Mistystar to report.
Mistystar stepped up from her branch, "RiverClan is thriving well. Leaf-fall is making the fish scarce, but we still have enough. We have two new warriors, Pebblelake and Troutpool. We also have four healthy kits born to Rockpool." She reported. "That is all." She stepped back.
Blackstar crept out of the shadows.
"ShadowClan has plenty of prey. We are recovering from the battle not long ago with ThunderClan. We also have a new warrior, Flamepelt." He announced to the Clans. He nodded with pride in his eyes, Flamepelt was his only remaining son. He stepped back and Bramblestar started to report.
"We also are recovering from the battle. We have four new warriors, Stormheart, Ashfur, Hollyheart and Moonflower." He announced.
Moonflower raised her head in pride as the Clan cheered her name. But she was confused Bramblestar said nothing about Crowfeather joining.
Onestar stepped up, "WindClan has 3 new kits born to Heathertail and Breezepelt. We also have two new apprentices, Rabbitpaw and Owlpaw. But, we have lost a warrior tonight to another Clan. Crowfeather had decided to be with his former mate and two other kits in ThunderClan. I've decided to give him One Moon to see if he changes his mind. After that, we will not take him back." He announced. Cats sounded shocked. A cat usually doesn't leave his birth Clan.
"This Gathering is now over!" Blackstar announced.
Bramblestar hopped down and signaled for ThunderClan to leave.
When the cats got back into camp, most cats were still awake.
Bramblestar hopped onto Highledge and called the Clan together.
Stormheart and Ashfur were still awake and turned their attention to Bramblestar.
Moonflower sat down next to Hawkpaw and Crowfeather.
"Nothing really important happened at the Gathering-" Bramblestar started.
"Then why'd you call us together?" Toadstep growled.
Bramblestar glared at him but ignored him.
"A cat from another Clan has decided to be with his kin in ThunderClan..." Bramblestar carried on.
Leafpool looked up from where she was sitting with Lionblaze and Squirrelflight.
"Crowfeather from WindClan has come to ThunderClan. He decided that he wants to be with Leafpool, Jayfeather, and Lionblaze. You will treat him like you would treat a Clanmate since he is now part of ThunderClan. If anyone catches you treating him like an outsider you will be punished." Bramblestar finished. He hopped down from the Highledge.
Leafpool got up from where she was sitting and ran over to Crowfeather.
"You left WindClan for us?" She asked and nuzzled him.
"Yes, I did. I wanted to be with the cat I love and my kits." Crowfeather told her. Leafpool purred and licked him. Together, they padded off towards the warriors den.
Moonflower couldn't help but overhear Lionblaze and Jayfeather's conversation.
"I don't trust him." Lionblaze was saying.
"Why not? He's our father. He saved you from Breezepelt!" Jayfeather growled.
"He is from another Clan! He left that Clan! He betrayed them!" Lionblaze snapped.
"I didn't think you could be so low, Lionblaze." Jayfeather muttered and went to his den.
Daisy ran out of the nursery.
"Jayfeather! Cinderheart's kits are coming!" She exclaimed. Lionblaze shot up and bolted to the nursery. Cinderheart was his mate. Jayfeather and Larkpaw both ran to the nursery. Larkpaw carrying herbs in her jaws.
"Woah. So much going on tonight." Hawkpaw meowed.
"I know. Tomorrow, there will be more. You'll be a warrior!" Moonflower agreed.
"Soon, we will be sleeping in the same den again." Hawkpaw purred. "But for one more night, I'm sleeping in the apprentice's den. Goodnight, Moonflower." He licked her cheek and walked off to the apprentice's den.
Moonflower couldn't sleep worrying about Cinderheart and her kits. But soon, she fell asleep. She soon woke up again, but this time it was light out.
She trudged out of the den. Squirrelflight was organizing patrols.
"Can I go on a hunting patrol?" Moonflower asked.
"Sure. They leave at sunhigh. You should see the new kits, they're adorable." Squirrelflight told her.
The kits!
Moonflower ran towards the nursery. She loved kits. One day, she wished she would have kits.
"Hello?" Cinderheart meowed as Moonflower entered the nursery. "Oh, it's Moonflower! Come in!"
Moonflower looked down at Cinderheart's belly. There were two little kits, one bright orange and one gray.
"What are their names?" Moonflower asked.
"The orange she-cat is Firekit, and the gray she-cat is Fernkit." Cinderheart told her.
"They're wonderful names." Moonflower whispered.
She bent down and licked the kits' heads. "Welcome to ThunderClan, kits."
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, join here beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" Bramblestar called.
Moonflower backed out of the nursery and sat next to Hollyheart and Ashfur. Stormheart was sitting alone.
"Why isn't Stormheart sitting with us?" She asked.
"Who knows. He's always been a loner." Hollyheart answered.
"Today, four apprentices are becoming warriors. Mosspaw, Oakpaw, Hawkpaw, Silverpaw step forward." Bramblestar summoned. "Do you promise to uphold the Warrior Code and protect your Clan even at the cost of you life?"
"I do!" Mosspaw exclaimed, she shrunk back after she saw how loud she was.
"I do." Oakpaw meowed.
"I do." Hawkpaw promised. Moonflower knew he meant it.
"I do!" Silverpaw exclaimed, but quieter than Mosspaw.
"Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your warrior name. Mosspaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Mosspelt. StarClan honors your skill and speed and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan. Oakpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Oakleaf. StarClan honors your strength and your skill and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan. Hawkpaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Hawkclaw. StarClan honors your stregnth and your speed and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan. Silverpaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Silvermoon. StarClan honor your bravery and your skill and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." Bramblestar meowed.
"Mosspelt! Oakleaf! Hawkclaw! Silvermoon!" The Clan cheered the new warriors names.
"According to the warrior code, these cats will sit silent vigal while the Clan sleeps." Bramblestar ended.
Hawkclaw is a warrior! I'm so proud of him!, Moonflower thought.