Chapter 8

Stars glittered on the forest as it showed first signs of leaf-bare as Firestar and Brambleclaw lead the rest of their cats in the direction of the island. Jaypaw moved through the undergrowth- her muscles growing harder despite the lack of prey. Squirrelflight- Jaypaw's warrior mentor- padded beside Leafpool, who had trained Jaypaw in the ways of the medicine cat until a couple dawns ago. Leafpool brushed her pelt against Squirrelflight's and Jaypaw knew that the two sisters were feeling the bitter air of the upcoming season. Jaypaw gave her shoulder a brisk lick; thanking StarClan that she had her father- Brackenfur's- thick fur. When snow began to fall, Jaypaw was going to need it.

Applepaw and Ashpaw caught up with Jaypaw and the golden brown apprentice marveled at the muscles that rippled in both of their frames. Jaypaw looked at Applepaw and still couldn't believe the large, brown tabby cat had taken her spot as Leafpool's apprentice. Ashpaw- Applepaw's sister- looked more like a medicine cat then her brother. Sandstorm- Ashpaw's mentor- ran beside her apprentice and Jaypaw realized that if any cat could make Ashpaw, it would be the fierce ginger warrior.

"Toadpaw, what's it like at a Gathering?" Jaypaw heard her sister- Stripepaw- meow. Jaypaw turned around and saw Toadpaw and Stripepaw running a little behind Sandstorm. This night was Jaypaw, Stripepaw, Applepaw, and Ashpaw's first Gathering. There were so many apprentices at the moment that it had taken two moons for Jaypaw and Stripepaw to be able to meet with the other Clans. Toadpaw was the only apprentice who had already journeyed to the island.

"It's-" Toadpaw began, but another voice cut him off, "Keep your voice down, Toadpaw. Stripepaw will learn soon enough without you meowing so loudly that the prey from here to RiverClan territory will be scared off." Foxfang's voice was stern as he cuffed Toadpaw's ear gently, but Jaypaw saw a trace of amusement in the reddish brown warrior's green eyes. Foxfang's tongue could sometimes be as sharp as Dustpelt's, but he always meant well.

"Okay, we're here," Firestar's yowl brought Jaypaw's attention ahead of her. Firestar had stopped infront of a fallen tree and gathered his cats together with a sweep of his tail. "Tonight, I'm going to challenge Blackstar about ShadowClan's continuing hunts on ThunderClan territory." Jaypaw's fur bristled with anger as she remembered the ShadowClan scent that had tracked as far as the abandoned Twoleg nest. Jaypaw had been on patrol with Brambleclaw, Squirrelflight, and Foxfang. "I don't want any ThunderClan cats to disgrace our Clan. For all we know, Blackstar might not even know about the crossing of boundaries. His scent did not mingle with the intruders. Am I clear?" Firestar's eyes were locked with Squirrelflight's as if he was worried the ginger warrior would say something offensive.

"Don't worry, Firestar, I'll make sure she doesn't say anything," Brambleclaw teased, flicking Squirrelflight's ear with his tail. Instead of being amused by her mate, Squirrelflight rounded on Brambleclaw, tail lashing.

"I'm not a kit anymore, Brambleclaw," Squirrelflight growled and leapt on top the fallen tree. Looking back at the gathered cats, Squirrelflight added, "I won't talk to any ShadowClan cats if it makes you think I'm not loyal to ThunderClan."

Jaypaw looked at Firestar, Brambleclaw, and Sandstorm, curious about their reaction to Squirrelflight's behavior. To Jaypaw's surprised, their eyes were filled with amusement and Firestar turned to Sandstorm, purring, "She gets more like you everyday. Okay everyone let's go."

Firestar jumped onto the tree, followed by Brambleclaw, Leafpool, and Applepaw. Jaypaw leapt after Applepaw and heard Foxfang's paws hit the tree from behind her. Jaypaw followed Applepaw and jumped off the tree as soon as the brown apprentice's paws hit the earth. As soon as all the warriors were off the tree, they separated, leaving the apprentices on their own.

"I'm going to go find out where Leafpool went and maybe find a spot for the meeting," Applepaw meowed and then turned to Stripepaw and Ashpaw, "Do you two want to come with me? Maybe we'll run into Foxfang and Sandstorm."

"Sure," Stripepaw mewed and, turning to Jaypaw and Toadpaw, she added, "I'll see you two later." Jaypaw nodded and watched with sadness prickling at her pelt, her sister walking away from her. When they were kits, Jaypaw and Stripepaw were inseparable, but now as they matured they also grew further apart. Jaypaw had first thought that it was because she had trained to be a medicine cat, but even when she became a warrior apprentice, Stripepaw had still been distant to her sister.

Toadpaw turned to Jaypaw and meowed, "Well I guess it's just me and you. Do you want to go off on your own or do you want to meet a couple other apprentices?"

"I'll go with you," Jaypaw mewed and followed Toadpaw deeper onto the island. After walking around for a couple minutes, Jaypaw and Toadpaw stopped near a small group of cats. There was a small, gray tabby she-cat that had an unfamiliar scent. Jaypaw guessed that she must be a RiverClan cat since that was the only Clan she was unfamiliar with. There was also a brownish-gray WindClan tom with white splotches. Finally, there was a reddish brown she-cat with orange eyes that reeked of ShadowClan.

To Jaypaw's surprise, Toadpaw touched noses with the ShadowClan she-cat and there was a glimmer of affection in his amber eyes. The she-cat looked away from Toadpaw and spotting Jaypaw, meowed, "Oh Toadpaw, who's your friend?" Jaypaw wondered if she was imagining the jealously that was raw in the she-cat's voice.

"This is Jaypaw," Toadpaw mewed and then turning to Jaypaw explained, "This is Flowerpaw of ShadowClan, Kestrelpaw of WindClan, and Willowshine of RiverClan. Jaypaw had originally trained as a medicine cat, but now she is a warrior apprentice."

The brown apprentice- Kestrelpaw- padded over to Jaypaw and touched her nose, meowing, "Greetings Jaypaw. Willowshine and I are training to become medicine cats. It is a shame you are not following that path anymore, but I'm glad you have found where you belong."

"As am I," A new voice mewed and Jaypaw looked up in shock as she recognized Blackstar. "I remember that battle a couple moons ago. You gave Rowanclaw a couple good scratches to remember you by. You would have made a good ShadowClan cat."

"She's a good ThunderClan cat too, Blackstar," Brambleclaw meowed, padding over to Blackstar and the group of apprentices. "Is Tawnypelt here tonight? I can't see her among the other cats." Jaypaw remembered that Brambleclaw had kin in ShadowClan and realized that Tawnypelt must be his sister.

"No, Brambleclaw," Blackstar mewed, nodding to Brambleclaw, but not taking his yellow eyes off of Jaypaw, "Flamepaw accidently ate some deathberries yesterday. He's okay now," Blackstar added quickly, seeing the alarmed look in all the apprentices' eyes, "But Tawnypelt wanted to stay with him."

Brambleclaw nodded and then meowed, "I think Firestar, Onestar, and Leopardstar are waiting for you. May StarClan grant this is a short Gathering. My whiskers are almost frozen." Brambleclaw's long whiskers gave a twitch as if to prove his point.

Blackstar nodded and then dipped his head to Brambleclaw and all the apprentices. Padding up to the highest tree on the island, Blackstar jumped up next to Firestar in a single bound. Jaypaw admired the muscles rippling in Blackstar's pelt as he moved.

Leopardstar's yowl brought everyone together and the spotted she-cat began the Gathering, "RiverClan has four new apprentices. Mistyfoot is mentoring Beetlepaw. Blackclaw is mentoring Pricklepaw. Reedwhisker is mentoring Petalpaw and Beechfur is mentoring Grasspaw. Other than that RiverClan had no more news to report."

Leopardstar dipped her head and Onestar began to speak, "WindClan has a new warrior. Swallowpaw has earned her warrior name of Swallowfoot." Onestar dipped his head while several cats meowed their congratulations to a dark tabby sitting near the WindClan deputy, Ashfoot.

When the meows died down, Blackstar began his turn, "ShadowClan too has a new warrior. Owlpaw has earned his warrior name of Owlfur." Just as the cats did for Swallowfoot, meows were loud for the brown tom who Jaypaw assumed was Owlfur. "ShadowClan is still strong."

"Only because you have been stealing ThunderClan prey," Firestar cut in, his ears lying flat on his head, "We have scented ShadowClan warriors on ThunderClan territory. What do you have to say for you and your warriors, Blackstar?"

Blackstar's features transformed into those of pure anger. His yellow eyes narrowed and his lips drew back in a snarl, but he didn't direct his anger to Firestar. Instead Blackstar glared down at Russetfur and growled, "Russetfur?"

Russetfur got to her paws and snarled, "Blackstar, you have grown weak! Firestar gave us a piece of territory poor of prey and you didn't do anything to fight him! Leaf-bare is coming and we need more prey if we are to survive!"

"Stealing is against the warrior code, Russetfur!" Blackstar growled and Jaypaw had never seen the ShadowClan leader so angry. "Just because I don't want to risk cats lives by fighting for territory we don't need makes me weak! Firestar was generous in giving us that territory when we didn't need it!"

Suddenly the island was plunged into darkness as clouds covered the moon. StarClan had ended the Gathering.