Forestpaw glanced up at the glittering night sky. Silverpelt was shining brightly, the stars forming it twinkling. The uncovered rising full moon cast shadows around the camp.
"Are you excited for our first Gathering?" Nightpaw whispered into Forestpaw's ear. His gray speckled pelt almost looked invisible in the darkness.
Forestpaw shook her head. She was more nervous than excited. She couldn't help but picture herself in the center of all of the attention, being forced to speak, or falling into the water after a desperate attempt to hang onto the slippery tree that was used to cross onto the island with the Great Oak.
"Why not?" Nightpaw sounded confused. "Why wouldn't you be excited?"
"Because I'm scared," Forestpaw muttered, "What if the apprentices judge me, or the warriors mock me, or I slip off the tree trunk while crossing to the island, or—"
Nightpaw let out a mrrow of laughter. "Have you got bees in your brain?" he mewed, his eyes glowing with laughter, "For one, someone will catch you if you fall, and you won't even get a paw wet! Also, the apprentices and warriors will have to be at least neutral to you, because that will cause hostility, and maybe even a battle. I'm pretty sure each leader tells apprentices at their first Gathering to be polite, mouse-brain."
Forestpaw stared at her brother. "How do you know all that?" she asked.
"Firebird told me," Nightpaw meowed, "She goes to Gatherings too, you know."
"I do!" Forestpaw exclaimed, cuffing Nightpaw around his ear playfully. The tips of her ears grew hot with embarrassment.
A short yowl from Gorgestar signaled that the Gathering patrol was about to leave.
"Let's go," Nightpaw mewed, bounding toward the group behind Gorgestar. He twined his tail around Firebird's, and meowed a hello to Windpaw and Toadpaw, who were stretching their hind legs, ready for the trek to the island.
Forestpaw hurried toward her brother as the patrol began to exit the camp. She swiped her tongue across her cream-colored chest as they padded through the pine forest.
Occasionally, they would jump across a pond or a stream, or swerve around boulders or big swaths of trees. Light chatter rose from the cats around Forestpaw as they crossed over the RiverClan border, making sure to stay two fox-lengths to the lake.
"Make sure to keep yourself quiet, cool, and composed," Firebird whispered into her kit's ears, "That way the Clans will know even our youngest apprentices can keep their self-control." She licked both Forestpaw and Nightpaw's ears.
"Okay!" Nightpaw said, "But not too mean, because then they'll think we're going to take their territory or attack them or something snake-hearted like that!"
"Exactly," Firebird purred, "ShadowClan has many bad rumors, only because we are ambitious and, quite admittedly, stubborn. But that doesn't mean we're cruel. Try to get to know some apprentices, figure out their weaknesses and strengths; if you ever meet in battle, you'll know how to attack them and defend yourself."
"But there will be lots of cats there!" Forestpaw meowed, flattening her ears, "What if no cats want to talk to me? I won't be able to talk to them!"
Firebird let out a mrrow of laughter. "Apprentices are told by their leaders or an experienced warrior that they should talk to one another, for the exact reason I have just shown you," she said, "so you don't have to worry about that, Forestpaw." Firebird pressed her flank onto her kits' pelt. Forestpaw lapped at her shoulder affectionately.
Suddenly, Gorgestar lifted his tail, a signal for the Gathering patrol to halt. Forestpaw craned her neck to see what had stopped him. She glanced at Mothbrook, who was a few pawsteps behind them, for a clue.
"There's a RiverClan patrol up ahead," she explained, "Gorgestar stopped because he wants RiverClan to go first, to give off a polite demeanor." The silver ticked she-cat flicked her fluffy, plumed tail as she quickened her steps to match her apprentices's.
A few of the warriors nodded at the RiverClan patrol, who was now visible heading toward what Forestpaw thought was the tree-bridge.
"Forestpaw," Mothbrook's mew startled the spotted apprentice as her mind spiraled into worries, "I know you're nervous to cross the bridge, but there will be multiple warriors in front of you and behind you that will catch you if you fall, alright?"
Forestpaw glanced at her mother, who nodded in agreement.
"I'll also catch you if you fall!" Nightpaw piped in. He rubbed his pelt along his sister's.
Forestpaw exhaled in relief. She felt a little better, but she still wasn't sure what she would do when all of the cats from the Clans had gotten to the Great Oak island. They would try to talk to her and she would be forced to answer and then she would make herself looked mouse-brain, which was the opposite of what Firebird said not to do, and then—
"Are you coming or not?"
Forestpaw realized she had stopped walking, and her Clan was ahead of her by multiple tree-lengths. Quickly, she caught up to her brother and her mentor. Firebird had raced ahead to talk with Vinewatcher.
"Are you okay?" Nightpaw murmured in her ear. He twitched his ears with worry.
Making sure Mothbrook was out of earshot, Forestpaw whispered back, "Yeah, just a little nervous."
"Don't worry," he mewed, "I'll make sure the apprentices from the other Clans don't do anything to you."
Forestpaw purred. "Thanks."
Once they got to the tree-bridge, Gorgestar unsheathed his claws and leaped on top of the fallen tree, balancing carefully after seasons of practice. Then, one by one, the warriors behind him followed his lead and jumped onto the tree-bridge.
After Cloverfur, a small black she-cat, had bounded about halfway across, it was Forestpaw's turn. Tentatively, she unsheathed her claws and ventured onto the wide trunk. Her fur fluffed out as the tree wobbled slightly.
"You won't fall, Forestpaw!" a voice called.
Right. I'm being a mouse-brain, Forestpaw thought bitterly. Just go! She lifted her hind paws onto the tree, then slowly began to inch forward.
Suddenly, she saw small indents in the trunk where moons of cats' claws had scraped at the bridge. She slipped her own claws in the indents, and stuck out her tail for balance, just as she had seen some of the other cats do.
"Hurry up!" a voice hissed. Forestpaw looked back to see a white she-cat impatiently working her claws into the peaty earth. She smelled of ThunderClan.
Stiffening, Forestpaw scrabbled forward toward the island until she was halfway. By now, Cloverfur had hopped off the trunk and was trotting over to a RiverClan cat.
You're holding everyone up, just go!
Forestpaw gritted her teeth as she caught a glimpse of the black, lapping water. No, don't look down. Look ahead, and you won't fall. You're almost to the end, just keep going a little farther…
Forestpaw lifted her front paw and tripped over her other. She hissed and tried to regain her balance, but the tree began to wobble as another cat leaped onto the branch.
Startled, the young apprentice jumped forward and tumbled onto the dusty ground that was the Great Oak island.
Breathing out her relief, Forestpaw padded toward a secluded, dark corner. She ducked under a bramble thicket and lay down, watching as her Clanmates greeted WindClan warriors who were already milling around, purring.
Nightpaw leaped off of the tree-bridge and pricked his ears, opening his mouth to taste the air. His eyes traveled to where Forestpaw sat, and he bounded over to her, his pelt gleaming.
"For a heartbeat I thought you had fallen in!" he panted, flicking his tail around Forestpaw's ears.
"I almost did," she admitted, "Another cat got on the tree when I was off balance, and I almost fell."
"That's okay!" Nightpaw purred, "Remember in the nursery when Firebird told us that lots of cats fell in? No one would tease you for it, they would only feel sorry that you got wet and cold! Well, maybe not the RiverClan cats."
Forestpaw rolled her eyes, although she knew Nightpaw was just trying to cheer her up.
Suddenly, her brother angled his eyes toward the Great Oak. "Look, the last leader is climbing up! We should probably head to the clearing, because we want to be seen when Gorgestar announces us as new apprentices!" he meowed, excitement dancing in his eyes.
But before he could go anywhere, Forestpaw grabbed him by the scruff and glared at him. "Remember what Firebird told us? We have to keep our self-control, otherwise the Clans will think ShadowClan doesn't train their apprentices well. Try to look a little threatening, but not so much that the other Clans will think we're planning an attack."
Nightpaw blinked and sat down, beginning to wash his face. "You're right," he meowed, "I shouldn't get so excited I trip over my paws." He looked a little embarrassed.
Forestpaw sighed. "I do suppose we should go now—" She glanced at the leaders, who were now all on top of the Great Oak— "They're about to start the Gathering."
With Nightpaw in the lead, the two apprentices trotted over to the edge of the crowd of cats, and waited for the leaders to start the Gathering.
A few heartbeats later, Gorgestar let out a caterwaul, silencing the chatting cats.
Once the initial voices fell, Gorgestar glanced at the gray-striped leader who had been the last to climb the Great Oak.
"Who's that?" Forestpaw whispered to Nightpaw.
"I think we'll find out soon," he hissed back.
"Stormstar, would you like to start?" Gorgestar asked, dipping his head to the leader. Forestpaw guessed that the big she-cat was ThunderClan's leader, judging by the fact that ThunderClan had been the last to arrive, and Stormstar was the last leader to climb up the Great Oak.
The gray-striped leader dipped her head. "Thank you, Gorgestar," she meowed. Raising her voice to address the cats below, she added, "ThunderClan is doing well. The prey is running well and we are blessed with a new warrior. Swanflight is sitting vigil at our camp tonight."
As the Clans cheered and congratulated ThunderClan, Forestpaw saw Gorgestar narrow his eyes. Stormstar didn't say anything about her warriors invading our territory, she realized.
As the cheering died down, Stormstar stepped back and nodded at the mottled brown tom leader. "Quailstar?"
"Yes, thank you, Stormstar," Quailstar mewed in a ragged voice. Turning to the Clan cats below, he said, "WindClan has nothing to report. The rabbits are plentiful and the herbs are many. That is all. Gorgestar, would you like to go next?"
The ShadowClan leader nodded to Quailstar and began. "ShadowClan is well. We have two new apprentices here with us at this Gathering: Forestpaw and Nightpaw."
Forestpaw stood up and flicked her tail in acknowledgment. She narrowed her eyes at the cats staring at her as they cheered in an attempt for her to look at least a little menacing. She dipped her head to Gorgestar and sat down.
The tortoiseshell tom set his eyes on Stormstar accusingly. "My warriors have reported catching ThunderClan cats on our territory. I will not let ThunderClan take our territory if it's the last thing I do," he hissed, lashing his long tail.
Stormstar glared at Gorgestar. "I will take as much territory as I need to survive," she growled, "It doesn't matter if you don't grant me permission."
At this, Skyclaw stood up and unsheathed his claws. "How dare you!" he snarled. Galeblossom and Cloverfur hissed in agreement.
"Don't expect us to go easy on you then," Gorgestar growled, curling his lip, "If you insist on taking our territory, then you insist on a battle."
Forestpaw felt her vision darken. She glanced at the sky, and saw clouds drifting together to cover the full moon.
"StarClan disapproves!" a cat yowled.
Quailstar looked at the sky and meowed, "Chivestar, do you have anything to report?" His eyes flashed to the leader who hadn't talked, and Forestpaw guessed she was the RiverClan leader.
"RiverClan has nothing to report," Chivestar meowed. She licked her one white paw and drew it over her ear.
"Then this Gathering is at an end," Gorgestar growled, leaping down from the Great Oak, "ShadowClan, we are leaving. Now." He surged onto the tree-bridge with his Clanmates following, their fur bristling with hostility.
"Come on, Forestpaw," Nightpaw meowed. As he turned toward Forestpaw, she saw that his eyes were alight with fury, "We don't want to be left behind." He bounded after Juniperlight, who was quietly murmuring with Galeblossom.
When Forestpaw reached the bridge, she searched for the indents in the trunk and slipped her claws into them once again. Before she could look down at the water, she had made it safely across and into RiverClan territory.
She caught up to Nightpaw, who's pawsteps were rigid with anger. "How dare Stormstar say ThunderClan would take as much territory as they wanted!" he snarled. His tail lashed back and forth, and his eyes were slitted.
"Nightpaw, don't get so angry!" Forestpaw mewed, running her tail along her brother's flank, "Stormstar hadn't attacked yet, so it doesn't make sense to lose your fur. Save your energy for when she does attack."
Nightpaw glanced at Forestpaw, the fire dying in his eyes. He sighed, and slashed his claws at the earth. "I know, I just—I just wish the Clans could be friends. Then no cats would have to die or get hurt."
Forestpaw stayed silent. What could she say to that? She couldn't deny that the Clans would always be enemies, so she just pressed herself against her brother's pelt.
When they had gotten back to camp, Forestpaw immediately ducked into the apprentice den. She hadn't realized how tired she was until they had gotten back, with all the excitement at the Gathering. Careful not to disturb any of the other apprentices, she made her way to the back of the den where her nest was, with Nightpaw close behind.
She collapsed into her nest and closed her eyes.
But sleep didn't come.
"Nightpaw?" she asked.
"Yes?" came the voice.
"At dawn, cat you ask Juniperlight to battle train the both of us?" she whispered.
Forestpaw heard moss rustling as Nightpaw shifted in his nest. "Okay," he meowed.
"Thanks," she breathed.
Maybe if I know more battle moves, fighting ThunderClan won't be as bad.