Chapter Seven

Lynxpaw crouched in a small patch of scraggly grass. He wiggled his haunches expectantly, careful not to let his movement create too much noise. Around him, the plains were silent, save for the slight, musical rustling of the wind over grass and the occasional screech of a hawk. He watched his target- a small gopher hole only a few tail-lengths away- with careful patience.

Over head, the sun was shining, and Lynxpaw basked in the dotted sunlight that filtered in through the grass around him. Flicking his eyes to the horizon for only a heartbeat, he saw the green, overgrown swamp of FloodClan's territory. Lynxpaw frowned. Yesterday Grasspaw said that she had seen Snakescale with an apprentice while patrolling the border with Watersplash, but that the two were gone by the time they came close. The entire clan had wondered if Snakescale was already training a warrior, sneering at Frondstar's irrational decision. Lynxpaw agreed with them, but he also knew how good of a warrior Snakescale was.

A furry brown head popped out of one of the holes ahead, drawing Lynxpaw's attention back to the hunt. The gopher took a short, fleeting glance, then bobbed back into his hole, only to emerge again in a few moments. The large brown tom waited patiently for the gopher to do its routine. Finally, the gopher crawled out of its hole, and took one last sentry-glance before accepting that the coast was clear. The gopher stood facing away from Lynxpaw, grooming itself. The tom kneaded his claws. Now was the perfect time to strike.

Silently, Lynxpaw exploded from the bushes. He leapt cleanly; his prey didn't even notice him until it was almost in his claws. He landed squarely and killed the gopher with a swift nip to the neck. He turned his eyes skyward. Thank you, StarClan, he prayed.

"That's a fat one," Cowfur meowed approvingly. "No doubt you have gopher hunting down."

"Thanks," Lynxpaw replied, dipping his head. He picked up the gopher, and his stomach growled when he felt the still warm body between his jaws.

Cowfur retrieved his own catch, a good sized sand mouse. The two took off silently across the prairie. In the half-moon since the scurmish with GladeClan, Lynxpaw had spent a lot of time racing the steppes; he could feel fresh muscle ripple under his pelt, and he could run until the sun had changed its place in the sky without getting winded. They soon reached the clan entrance, nodding to Spottedowl as she guarded the camp entrance. The two toms deposited their catch to the fresh kill pile.

"How would you like to go to your first gathering tonight?" Cowfur asked. Lynxpaw looked up at his mentor, shocked with excitement. My first gathering! the ruddy tom thought excitedly, and his stumpy tail flipped with anticipation.

"I would love to!" Lynxpaw meowed. He forced his pelt to lie fat, momentarily embarassed about acting like such a kit. "It'll be interesting to meet cats from other clans," he added, more calmly.

Cowfur nodded. "It always is. Be careful, though- we're not exactly on great terms with most of the other clans."

Lynxpaw nodded. "Do you think it's true?" the apprentice asked. "That Snakescale already has an apprentice?"

Cowfur shook his thick fur. "Well, I don't know for sure," he meowed. "Frondstar has made seemingly irrational decisions in the past, but they seem to have mostly worked out for FloodClan. Whatever she chose to do with that traitor, it's definitely not to our advantage." The deputy seemed thoughtful for a moment before continuing. "Best not to bring up anything about Snakescale at the gathering, though. Especially if he's there."

"I would hate for StarClan to condemn my first gathering," Lynxpaw agreed.

Cowfur nodded. "You're smart, for an apprentice." The black and white tom gestured to the fresh-kill before them. "Eat something. It's a long walk to the gathering-place tonight."

"A gathering is like nothing you've ever seen before."

Lynxpaw looked up at the russet brown she-cat pacing beside him. The moon shone brightly above the moving group of cats, drowning them in pale blue-gray light. Pinepaw's eyes were shining as she spoke to the younger tom. "There's more cats than you could even believe," she continued. She glanced at her sister, Grasspaw, and Lynxpaw turned to face her on his other side.

"Oh, yeah," she agreed with a giddy nod. "So many different pelts and smells. It'll make you dizzy!"

"Is it true that FloodClan cats wear mud on their fur?" Lynxpaw asked, trying to imagine willingly smearing dirt onto his pelt. It must smell terrible, he thought with a shudder.

Pinepaw cocked her head thoughtfully. "Well... I've never seen them like that."

"They definitely smell like mud, though," Grasspaw added scornfully. "And they're not quick to wash themselves if they do get muddy paws."

The group continued their journey. Lynxpaw looked over the rest of the group- Runningstar and Cowfur leading, closely followed by Mellowsong, having a conversation with Tulipleaf. Lightfern, Watersplash, and Lightheart paced in front of Lynxpaw and the other two apprentices. Behind them, he could hear Blacktooth, the only SteppeClan elder, chortling away with Spottedowl.

It was nearing moonhigh when Cowfur circled back to meet Lynxpaw. "We're almost to PalmPlace," he meowed. "Are you excited?"

"Oh, yeah," Lynxpaw breathed.

"Good," Cowfur answered. "Because it's right up ahead." The shaggy black and white deputy flicked his tail ahead. Lynxpaw gazed at the gathering place in awe; it was a small piece of land, with the river that ran through Clan territory splitting around it to form a small island. A huge, singular palm tree stood atop it, swaying effortless in the warm breeze. A shiver of nervous excitment travelled through the apprentice as he heard the sound of many cats talking as SteppeClan neared.

Lynxpaw followed Cowfur onto the stepping stones leading to the island, carefully watching his mentor's steps to find the best foothold. He hopped from rock to rock, forgetting momentarily about the other clans in lieu of focussing on not falling into the river. Finally he leapt off the final rock and onto the fine, soft sand of the island.

His eyes grew wide as he crested the ridge that led to the flat ground of PalmPlace. The other leaders- Frondstar, Songstar, Thrushstar, Lynxpaw recalled- each sat on a separate large, flat-topped stone, positioned in a crescent shape, their deputies and medicine cats each sitting to one side of their clan's stone. In front of the leaders the rest of the cats mulled around, some of them mingling, but to Lynxpaw, it looked like most of the clans were avoiding each other.

"Go talk to the other apprentices," Cowfur mumured to Lynxpaw, "but remember, things are tense right now."

Lynxpaw nodded, and paced to the outskirts of the gathering place to survey the other clans. Skyfern- Lynxpaw recognized her from the fight a half moon back- sat in her place below Thrushstar, not trying to hide the anger in her gaze as Runningstar and Cowfur approached. The SteppeClan leader and deputy took their spots on the rock two place down from GladeClan. On the other side of GladeClan, Frondstar stood stoney and tall, but beneath her icy facade, Lynxpaw thought he could see smugness. No doubt it's because she has a new warrior for her clan, the ruddy tom thought with digsust. Eat fox dung.

He tore his gaze from the stoic FloodClan leader and turned to her clan gathered beneath her. His eyes immediately locked on the familiar black and white tom, and to the small, pretty brown she-cat standing beside him. So it's true, Lynxpaw mused. Snakescale really does have an apprentice.

Lastly, the ruddy tom looked at the CoveClan leader. Songstar, the smallest of the leaders, seemed confused at the hostility between the clans. After several futile tries at trying to make conversation, the tortoiseshell leader set about chatting with her deputy and medicine cat. Lynxpaw squinted, and he was able to make out a small, red stone hanging from Songstar's ear, glinting in the bright moonlight. He realized that several other cats had shiny stones hanging from their ears. CoveClan must be crazy as a gopher in a flood, Lynxpaw thought, and paced over to the beach cats.

Almost self-consciously, Lynxpaw approached a small group of what must be CoveClan apprentices. A lanky calico tom looked up from his group, and his blue eyes sparkled when he saw the red tom.

"Hey! SteppeClan, right?" the multi colored tom asked. The other cats- an equally lanky white she-cat with black specks who seemed to be the same age as the other time, and two slightly older apprentices- looked up from their conversation to view the newcomer curiously.

"Yeah," Lynxpaw answered. "My name's Lynxpaw. Who are you?"

"I'm Koipaw, and this is Saltpaw, my sister." The calico tom gestured to the black flecked white she-cat. He pointed with his tail first to a sleek furred with she-cat with black points, and then to a large gray tom with a white belly. "These are Shadowpaw and Sharkpaw, older apprentices."

"Why aren't you talking to the other clans?" Lynxpaw asked after they were all introduced. Shadowpaw flicked her ears in response. "We tried, but none of them want to talk. They're acting like they've got wasps in their paws, they're so jumpy."

"Didn't a SteppeClan cat leave to join FloodClan?" Saltpaw asked somewhat accusingly. Uncomfortable and not wanting to give away any information to another clan, Lynxpaw shrugged. "That was his decision," he meowed.

Koipaw opened his mouth to say something, but before he could get a word out, the four leaders yowled in unison, signalling the official beginning of the gathering. Lynxpaw nodded goodbye to the other apprentices, and left to join the rest of his clan on the ground in front of Runningstar.

Before any of the leaders could speak, Skyfern stood to her paws. "I think we should start this gathering with a most pressing matter," she meowed, her fluffy tail lashing. "And that is the prey that SteppeClan stole from us."

Runningstar flicked his ears, annoyed. He turned to the GladeClan leader. "Thrushstar, do you always let your deputy speak for you?" he asked, ignoring Skyfern's words.

Thrushstar blinked, his ears pressing back slightly. "Skyfern is my mate as well as my deputy," he retorted, visibly forcing his fur to lie flat. "And she does bring up something important."

"I was there," Cowfur meowed, his bulk shivering in silent anger. "The duck was caught on SteppeClan territory. It was ours."

Runningstar, obviously trying not to start a fight, waved his tail. "Now isn't the time for this argument," he meowed. "It's not StarClan's way to fight during a gathering."

"Oh?" Skyfern replied with faux innocence. "Is it the way of StarClan to sire kits in a different clan?"

Several SteppeClan cats yowled their disapproval. Lynxpaw felt hot fury surge under his coat, and he wanted nothing more than to wipe the smug look off Skyfern's face. Over in FloodClan's section of PalmPlace, Snakescale was standing straight, his fur unruffles.

"Snakescale has made his decision," Frondstar meowed, and Lynxpaw was surprised by her clear, even, commanding voice. The island went silent, and she continued. "Skyfern, you have no right to comment on any cats loyalty. Snakescale has proven himself to be a fine warrior, and it is my duty alone to make sure he stays that way."

Skyfern finally sat down, muttering to herself agitatedly.

After it seemed the quarrel was over, Runningstar nodded his head. "Thank you, Frondstar," he meowed. He cleared his throat and began to give his clan's announcements. "We have a new apprentice this moon. Lynxpaw, mentored to Cowfur."

"Lynxpaw! Lynxpaw!" the four clans cheered, and the ruddy tom felt the same pride he had felt a half moon before when he had first become an apprentice. The cheering died down, and Runningstar dipped his head. "That is all that SteppeClan has to report," he finished.

Songstar spoke next. "CoveClan has two new apprentices," she meowed. "Koipaw, mentored to Palmfeather, and Saltpaw, mentored to myself."

Lynxpaw cheered the two apprentices' names, and looked over at the two, surprised that Saltpaw was being trained by the CoveClan leader.

Next, Frondstar spoke. "As you now all know, FloodClan has a new warrior." she meowed. "Snakescale, formally of SteppeClan, has joined our ranks to raise his kits within the glade. FloodClan also has three new apprentices; Mosspaw, apprenticed to Gatorfang, Eaglepaw, apprenticed to Copperpelt, and Mudpaw, apprenticed to Snakescale."

At first, the clans were silent, obviously baffled as to why Snakescale would already be training. Lynxpaw sat up and looked over at FloodClan; the pretty brown she-cat (Mudpaw, apparently) looked absolutely dejected at the silence that met her name.

"Mudpaw!" Lynxpaw yowled. "Eaglepaw! Mosspaw!"

In heartbeats, the rest of the clans joined. For just a moment, Mudpaw's gaze met Lynxpaw's, and he saw gratefulness shining in her dark brown eyes.

The cheers ceased, and finally Thrushstar stepped forward on his rock. "I am proud to announce that GladeClan has a new medicine cat apprentice, Basilpaw," he meowed. Lynxpaw flicked his gaze down to the bottom of the GladeClan, and noticed for the first time that their medicine cat was missing.

"Unfortunately," Thrushstar continued, "both Goldenfur and Basilpaw are back at camp, tending to one of their clanmates."

"Send Basilpaw our congratulations," Songstar meowed. Thrushstar dipped his head. "I will tell her," he replied. "Thank you."

"Well, if sounds like that wraps up this gathering," Runningstar meowed. He dipped his head to their other leaders. "May StarClan light your path," the four leaders said in unison. Lynxpaw almost jumped out of his fur when he heard the cats pressed in around him meowed back: "And the moon light yours."

After the strange ceremony, the clans dispersed. Lynxpaw flicked his tail towards Koipaw and the other CoveClan apprentices as he saw them heading home in the opposite direction.

Lynxpaw brought up the rear of the group, lagging behind to take one last look at the empty PalmPlace. The soft sand was dimpled with the imprints of many pawsteps, and crickets chirped from behind the beach grass dappled around the island. It was peaceful.

All of a sudden, he saw brown cat charging him from the other side of the island. His fur spiked, and he instinctually took a defensive stance. As the cat neared, he realized it was the FloodClan apprentice, Mudpaw, and his fur relaxed somewhat.

The dappled she-cat skidded to a halt a fox length away from him. She sent up a shower of sand, and sat breathing heavily for a few moments, gazing into Lynxpaw's eyes almost hypnotically.

"Hey," she meowed.

"Hey," Lynxpaw meowed back, feeling akward.

The she-cat shook her pelt out and blinked before continuing. "I wanted to thank you," she started. "For cheering. I really needed that."

"It was nothing," Lynxpaw replied.

"I know," she meowed. "But it made a difference." The she-cat blinked again, thoughtfully. "I known things aren't... great, between our clans right now," she meowed, and Lynxpaw thought she sounded kind of embarassed. "But I wanted to tell you that Snakescale is a great mentor, and he's really happy in FloodClan with Ravenpetal. I was hoping we could be friends."

Lynxpaw flicked his ears. He wondered if this was some sort of trick to get him to expose SteppeClan secrets. Mouse brain, he scolded himself. What kind of secrets could an apprentice like you be hiding? And besides, Mudpaw looked genuine.

"Sure," he meowed with a quick nod. "We can be friends."

Mudpaw's eyes lit up, and she brushed briefly against Lynxpaw's flank. "Cool," she purred. "See you next gathering!"

The brown she-cat whipped off back the way she had came without looking back. After a silent, stunned moment, Lynxpaw shook his head in wonder, and turned to follow his clan home.

Hi readers! Apologies for this chapter taking quite some time to go up, I've been on vacation this week. Any questions, comments, and reviews are appreciated! Thanks for reading!