A/N- FIVE PAGES! –does a dance on the table- oh yeah, go me!
Disclaimer- I have to spoon together spare change in order to get a soda from the drink machine, does that sound like I'm a successful author?
Chapter 9- Gathering (finally)
"Darkclaw, Burningpelt, Redstorm, Jewelpool, Diamondstorm, Fallenoak, Owlfeather, Silentshadow, Sunstripe, Beechpaw, Swiftpaw, Fleetwhisker, Smokecloud, Ravenwing, and I will be going to the Gathering tonight. Those dogs need to get some rest." Spiritstar howled and leapt off the Highrock.
Swiftpaw bounded up to Leafpaw, barely able to contain her excitement.
"Congratulations!" Leafpaw exclaimed, "You're going to the Gathering!"
"It's too bad you can't come too." Swiftpaw said sadly.
Leafpaw flicked her tail as though to drive the sadness away and shrugged, "I'll get to go next time."
She then tackled Swiftpaw to the ground and they tumbled around until Jewelpool interrupted them with a laugh, "come on guys, save you strength for tonight." The beautiful white German shepherd said, her bright blue eyes sparkling with laughter.
The apprentices stopped their play fight and shook the dust form their fur. "Yes Jewelpool." They said to their friend mock-seriously.
Jewelpool shook her head slightly and walked off to play with Graypup and Rabbitpup. 'She'll make a good mother.' Swiftpaw couldn't help but think. She then noticed Redstorm staring at Jewelpool with shining eyes. Swiftpaw smiled to herself as she turned and walked into the apprentices' den, not noticing someone staring at her with the same look in their eyes.
OOOoooOOO
Swiftpaw crouched next to Beechpaw as she waited for Spiritstar's signal so they could enter the Gathering. Spiritstar finally flicked her tail and they plunged down the slope to Fourtrees.
A vaguely familiar scent flooded Swiftpaw's scent glands. But there was no mistaking the crisp scent of the moor, rabbits, and harsh winds; WindClan was the only Clan to have arrived.
Swiftpaw and Beechpaw followed Ravenwing, Smokecloud, and Fleetwhisker as they joined a group of WindClan elders to gossip. Another apprentice was already lying next to them, looking bored.
He perked up slightly when he saw them, "Hey. We were wondering when another Clan was going to arrive." The dark brown and black shepherd said off-handedly, "I'm Gorsepaw."
"I'm Swiftpaw, and this is Beechpaw." Swiftpaw replied, while Beechpaw merely dipped his head in acknowledgement.
She noticed Gorsepaw staring at her for a moment with a slightly puzzled look on his face and knew he was wondering if she was really an apprentice since she was so small. Everyone she met seemed to think that and Swiftpaw was getting sick of it.
Casting her eyes around the clearing for a different topic, she noticed that Spiritstar had settled next to a light ginger male Irish setter with golden brown eyes in the shadow of the Great Rock.
Tilting her head slightly towards Gorsepaw she asked, "Is that your leader?"
Gorsepaw turned to look at the dog she was referring to and replied, "Yes, that's Lionstar, WindClan's leader." As he spoke, his eyes shone with pride and he seemed to sit up taller just at the thought of his leader.
Just then a long howl was heard and a pack of dogs came pouring down the slope from the dark, ominous pine trees in ShadowClan territory.
A black female mastiff with white paws and tail-tip and emerald green eyes prowled through the groups of dogs to the Great Rock and coolly nodded her head to Spiritstar and Lionstar.
Gorsepaw leaned toward Swiftpaw, much to Beechpaw's dislike, and whispered, "That's Emeraldstar, the leader of ShadowClan. No one seems to want to cross her."
Swiftpaw nodded slowly and then noticed a large, dark brown and white ShadowClan apprentice padding by her. "Hi," she began lightly, "I'm Swiftpaw, and you are?"
The apprentice snarled at her and retorted viciously, "Why would I want anything to do with ThunderClan filth like you?" He then stalked off, leaving a bewildered Swiftpaw in his wake.
"Don't worry about Hawkpaw." A sympathetic voice spoke up from behind her, "He's really very nice, he just doesn't like showing it to dogs in other Clans."
Swiftpaw whipped around to see a pretty silver mastiff staring after Hawkpaw with an unreadable expression in her bright green eyes.
Noticing Swiftpaw staring at her, she smiled, "I'm Featherpaw. Nice to meet you."
'Surely such a nice, gentle dog couldn't come from ShadowClan.' Swiftpaw thought. However, she took a quick sniff and caught the dark, marshy scent of ShadowClan clinging to her pelt.
She opened her mouth to reply but was cut off once again when RiverClan came streaming down into the hollow led by a dark brown female German shepherd with a white chest and muzzle and very dark blue eyes. She made her way to the Great Rock and, after exchanging courteous greetings with the other three leaders, leapt to the top of the rock.
"That's Twilightstar." Beechpaw whispered to her, his voice full of awe. "She's one of the greatest leaders the forest had ever seen."
As one, the four leaders on the rock raised their faces to Silverpelt and let out the customary howl to signal the start of the Gathering.
"Welcome dogs of all Clans. We join here by command of StarClan under the sacred truce of the full moon." Twilightstar said, stepping forward. "Lionstar, would you care to go first?"
Dipping his head, Lionstar stood and announced, "WindClan is doing well. Gorsepaw and Streampaw are here as apprentices. Flowerpaw has taken on the name Flowertail and her mentor, Cloudspot, has moved to the elders' den."
At this news, a murmur of congratulations rose from around the clearing and a dark gray mastiff with large white spots sitting next to Ravenwing dipped her head in recognition.
Lionstar then finished, "WindClan is ready for leaf-bare." and sat back as Emeraldstar stepped forward.
"ShadowClan is also doing well. We've had a new litter of pups born and our apprentices are training harder than ever." Emeraldstar's green eyes flashed, and she seemed to be daring anyone to think of her Clan as anything other than at full strength.
Twilightstar stepped forward and spoke for RiverClan, her eyes filled with barely-hidden grief, "Our deputy, Rainfall, was killed by a badger a quarter moon ago..."
Howls of sorrow surrounded the camp at this news. Ravenwing, her eye filled with shock, murmured sadly, "He was so young and strong." She then turned her gaze to Silverpelt and whispered, "Wolfstar, what is happening to us?"
Twilightstar closed her eyes for a moment, seeming to brace herself, and continued, "He was struck saving Dawnpup after she wandered out of camp. He was a kind and noble warrior to the last, I am proud to have had him for a deputy." The clearing was silent for a minute as everyone bowed their heads in respect. Twilightstar then finished, "Our new deputy is Willowwing."
As she stepped back, a white German shepherd with faint gray flecks dipped her head to acknowledge the murmur of praise she received from the other dogs.
Spiritstar stepped forward last, "ThunderClan comes tonight with two new warriors. The apprentices Jewelpaw and Redpaw have taken the names Jewelpool and Redstorm."
Spiritstar broke off as howls of congratulations broke out around the clearing. The two ThunderClanners were obviously very popular, especially Jewelpool. Even grumpy Hawkpaw offered his congratulations. Jewelpool sat tall, her eyes gleaming with pride. Redstorm, who was sitting beside her, gave her a soft lick on the cheek and whispered something in her ear as Spiritstar began again.
"Jewelpool's mentor, Sunstripe, has moved to the nursery." Swiftpaw noticed that Sunstripe, who was seated with a group of queens from the other Clans, stared at the Great Rock with a mixture of grief and happiness in her eyes.
One of the queens next to her asked in a quiet voice, "Foxfur?" When she nodded, the queen licked her muzzle sympathetically and pressed against her side to comfort her.
When she focused on Spiritstar again, she was just in time to hear her announce, "We also have four new apprentices. Leafpaw and Beetlepaw are in camp, but Swiftpaw and Beechpaw have come to their first Gathering."
Swiftpaw felt everyone's eyes on her and sat straighter, determined to show no nervousness, though she unconsciously wrapped her tail around Beechpaw's, who blinked gently at her.
Spiritstar then finished in a grave voice, "I have one final announcement. The half-breeds are getting more violent, and first blood has been spilt. ThunderClan has already suffered losses with the murders of Burningheart and Foxfur; it may not be long until they attack another Clan."
A ripple of unease made its way around the clearing, and there was an ominous feeling in the air as the dogs said quick farewells and gathered around their leaders. Swiftpaw dipped her head quickly to Gorsepaw and Featherpaw and bounded over to Spiritstar.
OOOoooOOO
Leafpaw sat waiting just outside the apprentices' den as Swiftpaw entered camp with the rest of the ThunderClan representatives.
"Shouldn't you be asleep?" Swiftpaw teased.
Leafpaw merely shrugged, "I couldn't. So what happened? How was it? How many dogs were there? Did you meet any? What did they look like?" Her green eyes were alight with curiosity as she badgered Swiftpaw for a description.
Realizing she wouldn't be getting to sleep anytime soon, Swiftpaw relented and answered, "WindClan was the only Clan there when we got there. I met an apprentice named Gorsepaw, a dark brown and black shepherd. There was also a WindClan elder named Cloudspot, a dark gray mastiff with big white spots. Their leader was a light ginger male setter with golden brown eyes, his name was Lionstar.
"Then ShadowClan arrived, announced with a howl that could send shivers down your spine. They were led by an enormous black female mastiff with white paws, bigger than Spiritstar! With eyes that burned like green fire. Her name was Emeraldstar. There was also Hawkpaw, practically the embodiment of ShadowClan, just like the leader, except with a dark brown and white pelt.
"I still can't figure out how Featherpaw is in ShadowClan, she was so kind and gentle, with a pale silver pelt and bright green eyes.
"Then, finally, RiverClan showed up. Their deputy, Rainfall was killed by a badger, he seems like he was a strong, noble dog. The new one is Willowwing, a white female shepherd with faint gray flecks. They were led by Twilightstar. She was amazing, a dark brown female shepherd with a white chest and muzzle and the most intense dark blue eyes I've ever seen." She trailed off, remembering.
Leafpaw sat for a moment with her eyes wide before she murmured, "Wow," Closing her eyes, she moaned, "Oh I can't wait to go next time." As an afterthought, she added, "Hopefully."
As she gazed sympathetically at her sister, exhaustion suddenly overcame Swiftpaw. Nodding good night to Leafpaw, she turned and stumbled into the depths of the apprentices' den.
A/N- That part at the end was basically a recap of everything. I hope you like this chapter. You're making the purple button feel sad because it thinks you don't like it, so make it feel special by clicking it and Review!!!!!