Missing You

Chapter Three: The Gathering

I padded along with the rest of ThunderClan. It had been moons after my encounter with Breezepelt. If Heathertail tried to meet me in the tunnels, I wouldn't have known, because I didn't go back. It was too painful. I glanced up at the full moon; it hung there dutifully, like a constant reminder that I couldn't shred Breezepelt's flea-filled fur. I flexed my claws. It was truly a shame.

I was the last to cross the tree-bridge, but the first to scent WindClan coming down from the moor. The other two Clans were already here. I hurried after Cinderheart onto the island used for Gatherings, hoping I wouldn't have to face Breezepelt's smug face. The Clan hurried into the clearing. ShadowClan and RiverClan were already there, the leaders in the branches of the Great Oak. Firestar briskly padded to join them, while Jayfeather broke away from the Clan to join Littlecloud, Mothwing and Willowshine. I took a seat beside Cinderheart and her mother, Sorreltail, just as the WindClan cats padded into the clearing. There was a joyous air surrounding them.

Onestar leaped atop the Great Oak and gave a yowl, signalling that the Gathering was about to begin. All of the cats turned to look at the leaders.

Blackstar started his Clan's news. "Prey is good. We have had no skirmishes on any of our borders, and no sickness either," he meowed, glancing at Firestar at the mention of the borders. "All is well in ShadowClan."

Leopardstar reported the news of her Clan, followed by Firestar. Onestar was the last to speak.

"We have plenty of prey, and no trouble on our borders either," he meowed rapidly. "And," he added, his eyes shining. "We have wonderful news: one of our queens, Heathertail, has given birth to a kit."

Cats turned almost automatically to Breezepelt, who sat beside his parents, his chest puffed out, a proud gleam in his eyes. I heard them all murmur congratulations, and my pelt burned with envy. That's my kit! I screamed inside. You should be congratulating me! Not that excuse for a father!

I flexed my claws angrily.

After all the congratulating was over, Onestar meowed, "That is all." With a whisk of their tails, the leaders gathered their Clans together; the Gathering was over.

I hurried over to Breezepelt. Glancing at his over-protective mother, I mewed stiffly, "May I have a word?"

He turned and eyed me warily. He too glanced at Nightcloud, meowing, "Alright..."

I led him into a crop of bushes. Looking around to make sure no one had followed us, I meowed, "So..."

He looked at me funny.

"How's Heathertail?" I blurted. "Is she okay? How is the kit? What's its name?" I wanted to know everything about my kit. My kit.

Breezepelt narrowed his eyes. "She's fine," he mewed cautiously. "So is the kit... it's a boy..." He seemed to almost be forcing out the words. "His name is Darkkit." Breezepelt looked out towards the lake, avoiding my happy gaze. "H-he looks just like you," he added, slightly angered.

Before I could reply, I heard Nightcloud's voice somewhere behind Breezepelt meow, "Breezepelt? We're leaving now. Hurry up."

Breezepelt nodded at the sound of his mothers voice, almost gratefully. He shot a burning stare at me, meowing, "Stay away from my kit, Lionblaze. To him, you don't exist. You're just another ThunderClan cat." He said it without emotion.

I nodded blankly. He narrowed his eyes, then padded out of the bushes, back to his Clan.

My ears flattened and my shoulder sagged, I went back to mine.

Heathertail's point of view

Breezepelt padded into the nursery moments after the Clan returned from the Gathering. He held a rather plump rabbit in his jaws. He placed it in front of me, his gaze hard.

I cleared my throat and made my voice sweeter than honey... well, almost. "What's wrong?" I almost sounded like I cared.

He lay down in front of me, and began eating his portion of the rabbit. Darkkit was sleeping against my belly, so I figured I could have something to eat before he woke up. As I took rapid, hungry bites, Breezepelt muttered, "I saw Lionblaze."

I pricked my ears and raised my head. His eyes darkened when he saw mine; they must have been shining.

"He wanted to know about our kit," he meowed, emphasizing the word "our". "I told him a little."

I knew very well that that wouldn't sit very well with Lionblaze; he was bound to be curious about his newborn kit. "Anything else?"

As he started to explain the news the other Clans had to say at the Gathering, I let his voice become distant. I thought about Lionblaze. What would he think about our son? Would he want to meet him? I shook my head at the thought as Breezepelt meowed something about RiverClan on our border. No, Lionblaze would do anything to meet his son.

Breezepelt took the remains of the rabbit in his jaws, mumbling around it, "I have to go bury this." I nodded as he padded out, my thoughts elsewhere.

I glanced down at Darkkit as the Clan settled down for the night. My thoughts wandered to the tunnels of DarkClan, which Darkkit had been named after...Should I bring him there? I wondered. I shook my head, pushing the thought aside. Lionblaze wouldn't be there tonight. He was probably in the ThunderClan camp, curling up in a nest of moss and bracken for the rest of the night. I lowered my head onto my paws. Perhaps Lionblaze would never meet his son.

I fell into a light sleep, one undisturbed by dreams.