"The cats that are going to the Gathering are Twistedtail, Scarletberry, Silverstorm, Whitewind, Patchfoot, Thistlepaw, and Lionpaw." Lunarstar announced that night from the edge of Darkstone. Rowanpaw snorted beside Lionpaw and gave an irritated lash of her tail. "Even when you get in trouble you always seem to be our leader's favorite." the brown she-cat muttered to Lionpaw. Thistlepaw glared at his sister from the other side of Lionpaw. "You've been to plenty of Gatherings, Rowanpaw, and this is Lionpaw's first." Rowanpaw looked frustrated as she dug her claws into the soft soil beneath her. "But I want to see what WindClan does tonight!"
"Apprentices, hurry up!" Moonshine called over her shoulder from the entrance to the camp. Thistlepaw stood straight up in surprise and smiled apologetically at Rowanpaw. "I promise I'll give you the scoop on everything when I get back." Lionpaw nodded her head in agreement, but Rowanpaw still looked envious as she watched her clanmates leave without her. "Be sure to remind WindClan to stay off of our borders!" the brown she-cat yowled after them.
"Thistlepaw, do you think Rowanpaw is mad at me?" Lionpaw asked sadly after they reached the ravine. The silver tom paused after he had leaped onto a steep ledge and looked down at the golden-brown apprentice with sympathetic eyes. "I wouldn't worry about it; she's always like that whenever she's not invited to go to the Gathering." Lionpaw bounded up to him and slowly continued to climb. "I don't know," she confessed, "It probably wasn't fair for Lunarstar to allow me to go when I made up that lie." Thistlepaw rolled his eyes as he crouched down and wriggled his haunches. With a strong leap, the tom landed on a higher ledge two fox-lengths from the top. He turned his gaze back down to his clanmate and calmly licked a dirty paw. "He probably wanted to introduce your arrival to the other Clans. Besides, it is a part of your training to learn about our enemies." Lionpaw's eyes widened in protest. "But—" the apprentice was interrupted when Patchfoot glared at them from up high.
"Stop talking and get walking! ShadowClan doesn't want to be late!" the new warrior snarled, disappearing over the top of the ravine. Thistlepaw and Lionpaw shared an annoyed glance, and Thistlepaw just gave his clanmate a shrug. They continued climbing in utter silence until they had reached the top and walked side-by-side together.
"What are the other Clans like?" Lionpaw demanded, her eyes beginning to brighten. Thistlepaw gave out a sigh. "WindClan is trying to announce war on all the other Clans, ThunderClan is acting superior as usual, and RiverClan think they control all of the rivers in the four territories. Anything else you want to know?" Lionpaw purred in amusement. "Tell me more about the other leaders. What do they look like?"
"You will see the leaders if we get to the Gathering on time. Now shut up and move!" Scarletberry growled in front of them, her amber eyes cold and annoyed. Before Lionpaw could apologize, the ginger warrior darted up to the front to walk beside Lunarstar. Lionpaw's tail drooped and her paws began to drag behind her as she walked. Thistlepaw nudged her and gave her a wide smile. "Scarletberry will come around, you'll see." he tried to sound positive about his words, but Lionpaw knew he was just trying to make her feel better. With a tired sigh, she whispered back, "I hope so."
ShadowClan was the last to arrive at the Gathering. Lionpaw's eyes stretched wide in amazement as the scents of the other Clans hit her nostrils and filled the wide clearing. In the middle of the large meeting area were four, large stones sitting in front each of the individual territories. Three large, muscular cats were already seated at the top of three out of the four stones. "Those are the leaders of the other Clans," Thistlepaw whispered into Lionpaw's ear, "And right below them are their deputies." Lionpaw peeked behind ShadowClan's stone to see three more cats standing beneath each of their leaders. The apprentice blinked in surprise as the deputies began speaking with one another in hushed voices. I thought we were all enemies. Lionpaw thought in confusion.
Lunarstar bounded forward and with a magnificent leap, he landed nimbly at the top of ShadowClan's stone. Moonshine padded from the crowd of warriors and toward the other deputies where they greeted her with curt nods. As if on command, the ShadowClan cats departed from each other and went to separate groups from separate Clans.
"Why don't we stay with our own Clan?" Lionpaw demanded to Thistlepaw. The silver tom's eyes twinkled with amusement. "The Gathering is a place where all four Clans gather together beneath the full moon. Before the leaders address what had happened the past moon, we are allowed to speak with cats from other Clans. As long as the moon is high, we are under a truce not to attack." Lionpaw looked warily at the other Clans. "But who do I trust?" she asked, her eyes widening. Thistlepaw shook his head. "No one," he replied, "In fact, the other Clans might try to get information out of you while you're the new one in the Clan." Lionpaw silently wished she would never get into that position. "I promise I'll be careful, but who do I speak with first?" Thistlepaw flicked his tail at his clanmate to follow. "I have some cats I would like you to meet." As much as she didn't want to, Lionpaw followed.
"Everyone, I'd like you to meet the newest edition to ShadowClan, Lionpaw!" Thistlepaw exclaimed as they reached a group of apprentices. Lionpaw's ears went flat against her head when the apprentices turned around to look at her.
"Newest edition, huh?" a golden tabby she-cat scoffed, wrinkling her nose. "She certainly smells enough of ShadowClan to be one." Lionpaw felt hollow as she leaned against Thistlepaw for comfort. The silver tom didn't flinch from the tabby's comment, but he rolled his eyes. "I'm surprised RiverClan hasn't made you a warrior yet. Does Drizzlestar even know that his Clan needs more warriors, not apprentices?" The tabby gave out a snort of disbelief. "Very funny." she growled.
"Why don't you all introduce yourselves to Lionpaw?" Thistlepaw suggested, ignoring the tabby again. Lionpaw blinked in surprise at her clanmate. Why do I need to know them if we're just going to fight after tonight?
"I'm Adderpaw, the eldest apprentice in RiverClan." the tabby stated proudly while she raised her chin and puffed out her golden fur. With a glare at Thistlepaw, she also added, "I'm almost a warrior." Thistlepaw said nothing back but acknowledged her with a flick of his ear. Lionpaw became wary when she saw Adderpaw glowering at Thistlepaw with eyes as cold as ice. She started to fear that the RiverClan apprentice would attack her clanmate, and she quickly unsheathed her claws. Out of the corner of her eyes, Adderpaw could see Lionpaw's swift actions. She turned her attention to the other ShadowClan apprentice and raised a suspicious eye while staring at Lionpaw's claws.
"Are you thinking of...attacking me?" the large RiverClan apprentice demanded, her lips curling back into a snarl. Lionpaw hid her claws back into their sockets before the other cats could see them. She certainly didn't want any trouble to arise and be the one to blame for it; Lionpaw was hoping that she could sit through the whole meeting with her clanmates, the ones she could trust to back her up in case something happened. Though Thistlepaw's support was necessary, Lionpaw still didn't feel comfortable being around her enemies.
"Lionpaw's just worried about her first Gathering," Thistlepaw stated as if nothing bad happened. Though his expression showed none, Lionpaw could see the warning look in her clanmate's eyes. She immediately began to feeling guilty. I'm really sorry, she thought apologetically and reminded herself to tell Thistlepaw the same thing later.
"Adderpaw, stop play-fighting and leave the new apprentice alone." a white tom growled from behind the tabby. Lionpaw glanced over the RiverClan apprentice and blinked when she noticed the tom's glowing, green eyes staring right at her. He was sitting in Adderpaw's shadow so his ginger spots looked like dark droplets of blood along his pelt. One paw was stretched out into the light with its claws unsheathed. The white, clean surface reflected the moon's light and turned the claws into a shade of beautiful silver. Even in the dark, Lionpaw could see the tom's rippling muscles despite his puny size. His chest was bigger than Adderpaw's and his snout was a little more outwards like a dog.
"You're always too soft on the new ones, Wolfpaw." Adderpaw gave out a disappointed sigh and looked over her shoulder at the tomcat. Lionpaw tilted her head slightly. "Wolfpaw?" she echoed. The white tom stood up onto all of his paws and padded into the light. Lionpaw tensed when she realized how small yet muscular the apprentice was. With one swipe, he could easily throw Lionpaw off of her own paws. "That is me. My name is Wolfpaw." the tom bellowed.
"He's from RiverClan like Adderpaw." Thistlepaw added when he noticed Lionpaw's confused face. Wolfpaw bowed his head in deep welcome. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Lionpaw." He greeted the ShadowClan apprentice with such respect that Lionpaw felt flattered. She shyly began to back away. "Th—Thank you." she stammered.
"We best be going," Adderpaw mewed hastily, "The Gathering is about to start anyway." Before Wolfpaw could object, the tabby whirled around and padded to the group of RiverClan warriors. Lionpaw's ears turned hot as Wolfpaw's gaze traveled to each apprentice and eventually landed on her. He stared at the ShadowClan apprentice a moment longer before flicking his tail in farewell and following his clanmate to his own Clan.
"As you can see, the RiverClan cats are strong and well-fed because of the plentiful fish in the river." Thistlepaw explained to Lionpaw once the RiverClan apprentices were well out of ear-shot. Lionpaw easily remembered Wolfpaw's muscular limbs and smooth, slick fur. She gazed at her clanmate in interest. "That is all because of the river?" Lionpaw asked curiously. Thistlepaw gave out a gentle purr. "Not only does their strength come from eating, but from training too." Lionpaw felt embarrassed asking such a dumb question in front of the other apprentices, but she was relieved to find them giving her sympathetic laughs.
"WindClan cats eat rabbit from the moorland," a golden she-cat with brown and black spots pointed out, her amber eyes shining. Lionpaw was amazed at the apprentice's knowledge. "How do you know that?" she wondered, her ears pricking up in interest. Thistlepaw gave Lionpaw a worried look. "Cheetahpaw is a WindClan cat; though she has the same blood as her clanmates, she does not act like them." the silver tom clarified, causing Lionpaw's eyes to open wide with shock.
"I—I'm so sorry!" the ShadowClan apprentice exclaimed. Cheetahpaw rose her chin in pride. "Don't be sorry. You and I both disagree with what my Clan has been doing for the past several moons, but I hope to bring back my Clan's proud history instead of destroying it." Thistlepaw rested his tail along Lionpaw's shoulders as comfort. "Cheetahpaw is the only cat in WindClan that is brave enough to talk with cats from other Clans. Ivystar doesn't stop her because she sees it as an opportunity to get information from their enemies." he construed. Cheetahpaw let out a troubled sigh. "Because of Ivystar," she whispered, "I have to tell her of your arrival, Lionpaw."
"What kind of things do you tell Ivystar?" Lionpaw inquired, feeling rather uncomfortable talking to the WindClan apprentice. Cheetahpaw looked troubled as she spoke. "I tell my leader mostly when there are new warriors, apprentices, or kits in the other Clans. I share with her deaths that had happened or if anyone is becoming mates. Truthfully, I try to avoid giving away the other Clans' strengths and weaknesses." Lionpaw raised an eye at her. "So does that mean I can trust you?" she demanded. Cheetahpaw gave a solemn dip of her head, her eyes clouded with pain. "At least, the WindClan cat murmured, "I hope so."
The last apprentice, a familiar black she-cat padded forward and gave Cheetahpaw a comforting lick against her ear. Lionpaw knew she had seen the black cat's blue eyes before and she remembered her scent like it was a lost memory. The scent was not WindClan because it didn't smell anything like Cheetahpaw and it couldn't be RiverClan because it didn't smell of the river or fish. The she-cat was not Lionpaw's clanmate so she didn't belong to ShadowClan. That left the scent in ThunderClan. ThunderClan...Lionpaw thought hard, Where have I heard that before?
"I'm leaving the barn to join a Clan that lives at the edge of these woods." Lionpaw distinctively recognized the voice. It had belonged to Coco right before he had left his former home to join a black she-cat in a Clan. That was it. This apprentice was the she-cat that had taken Coco away right before Lionpaw's eyes.
"From the look in your eyes I can tell you remember who I am." the black she-cat observed, her blue eyes showing no emotion. Lionpaw froze as the ThunderClan cat drew away from Cheetahpaw's side and padded closer toward her. The she-cat stopped a fox-length away from Lionpaw and stared at the ShadowClan apprentice through narrowed eyes.
"My name is Nightpaw and I'm an apprentice in ThunderClan. My father is the ThunderClan leader and my mother is a traitor that chose another mate and gave him a kit. Coco, your friend, was the cat that understood my pain so I met with him frequently. I taught him about my life as a cat of ThunderClan and he told me about his life in the barn. He got so interested in the way I lived that he happily offered himself to become a warrior. Through some pleading my father eventually agreed to let him in. I must say, Lionpaw, he is quite happier here than he was then."
"Shut up," Lionpaw snarled, her tail lashing. "Though he wasn't proud in the way he lived he still loved his family!" Nightpaw's eyes softened on the ShadowClan apprentice with pity. "You didn't hear? He said he hated you with every last feeling he had. Does that sound like love to you?"
"I said, shut up!" Lionpaw roared, bending down into a crouch. Nightpaw flicked her tail dismissively. "You can't attack me during a Gathering, remember?" The black she-cat's whiskers twitched mockingly as she turned her back to the apprentices and began walking away. Nightpaw suddenly stopped and glanced over her shoulder. "I bet he's going to be enthusiastic to hear that you're now his enemy." Lionpaw opened her mouth to argue back, but Thistlepaw quickly smacked his paw over her lips. Nightpaw purred in amusement and stalked away into the shadows of her clanmates.
"What were you thinking?" Thistlepaw scolded, his ears flat against his head. Lionpaw pushed away the tom's paw only to finally notice that Cheetahpaw was no longer with them. "Where did she go?" Lionpaw asked, her eyes searching for a golden-spotted pelt. Thistlepaw gave out an annoyed sigh. "She left while you and Nightpaw were still bickering. Speaking of which, that is not how you act during a Gathering." The silver tom sounded cross as he spoke. But before Thistlepaw could continue lecturing Lionpaw, a yowl sounded from the four stones in the middle of the clearing.
"Hurry, the Gathering is starting!" Thistlepaw gasped, beginning to nudge Lionpaw toward the group of ShadowClan warriors. "I can walk myself, thanks!" Lionpaw hissed in a whisper. She moved her paws a little faster than her clanmate so that he was no longer pushing her. The golden-brown apprentice raced to an open spot beside Whitewind and settled down beside the white warrior. Thistlepaw took seat next to Lionpaw and curved his ears toward the four leaders on the rocks. Lionpaw blinked gratefully at the silver tom and looked up just as Lunarstar began to speak.
"Welcome to the Gathering!" the dark tabby's voice echoed into the open sky. Before Lunarstar could share his speech, a white she-cat interrupted him with a hiss. "WindClan shall speak first!" she insisted, her green eyes narrowing. A huge black tom let his ears lay flat against his head. "WindClan has always spoken first for the past Gatherings, Ivystar! The other Clans deserve a turn too!" he snarled. Lionpaw blinked at the bristling, white she-cat. So that's Ivystar.
"If that's what you think, Smokestar, then ThunderClan may start by WindClan's approval." Ivystar replied, forcing herself to calm down. Smokestar rolled his eyes at the she-cat and turned to the other Clan leaders. "ThunderClan has plenty of prey this greenleaf and we are sure to be prepared for leaf-fall and leaf-bare. We also have two new apprentices, Cobrapaw and Crowpaw." Lionpaw stiffened when she saw the two apprentices sitting in the front of the ThunderClan group. One was a small, black tom with wide, blue eyes and the other was Coco, a brown tabby with orange eyes. The black tom looked nervous with his fur fluffed out and his ears flat against his head. Coco, no—Cobrapaw portrayed nothing else but pride. His strong muscles rippled as he puffed out his chest and rose his chin to let in the cheers of his name. Lionpaw reluctantly joined, but only whispered his Clan name in a soft whisper that barely she could hear. After the cheers had died down, Smokestar nodded his head to a blue-gray tabby tom for him to proceed. Ivystar lashed her tail in annoyance at not being called next.
"RiverClan his also thriving thanks to our abundant supply in the river." the tabby rose his voice so that everybody could hear. His dark, blue eyes glistened like ice as he continued, "RiverClan has one new warrior and three new apprentices: Eaglefeather, Wolfpaw, Rainpaw, and Sweetpaw. Dewdrop has agreed to take Sweetpaw on as an apprentice to train her to become a medicine cat." Lionpaw didn't hesitate to raise her voice for the RiverClan cats; it was the only other Clan that didn't do anything to hurt Lionpaw unlike ThunderClan and WindClan.
"ShadowClan will go next!" Lunarstar yowled once the cheers died down. Ivystar's eyes were burning with rage while her mouth was parted open to declare her turn. However, Lunarstar had beat her to it. She obediently closed her jaws and lashed her tail impatiently while Lunarstar spoke.
"Prey is plentiful in ShadowClan, and we have two new warriors: Patchfoot and Whitewind." Lionpaw glanced at Whitewind to see the white warrior's eyes gleaming in happiness. Patchfoot was nowhere to be seen, but Lionpaw could easily imagine the tom looking pleased with himself. With waited breath, Lionpaw patiently listened for her turn to be announced to the other Clans. Just as expected, Lunarstar added humbly, "We also have one new apprentice: Lionpaw."
The same welcoming cheers rose up from the Clans. Lionpaw smiled as her name was spoken by not only her own clanmates, but from experienced warriors from other Clans. She felt proud to be called an apprentice of ShadowClan and she silently vowed that she would do her best to defend her Clan. But her hopes shattered when her eyes met Cobrapaw's. The brown tabby was staring at her in what seemed shock and confusion. When Lionpaw thought that he would smile back at her like he always did in the barn, his face fell into a grimace and his eyes narrowed. Lionpaw quickly looked away from Cobrapaw and waited until the call of her name gradually softened to silence.
"WindClan's warriors are strong and are always defending their borders. We have two new warriors and three new apprentices: Kriatheart, Torneye, Cheetahpaw, Willowpaw, and Dustpaw." Ivystar reported, looking relieved to finally speak. However, anger took over the WindClan leader again when only the WindClan cats cheered the warriors' and apprentice's names. Her neck fur rose and her lips curled back into a menacing snarl. "Cheer for my Clan!" she roared, her claws digging into the tough surface of the stone. In fear, the RiverClan cats joined the cheer and only a few voices came from ThunderClan. Thankfully, it was enough to please the WindClan leader.
"WindClan has also brought in two outsiders and made them warriors. Though they don't have proper warrior names, they are still warriors nonetheless." Ivystar continued, flicking her tail in command. Two shadowy cats stepped away from the WindClan crowd and stood side-by-side in the center of the clearing. Lionpaw's fur rose when she saw the large size of a dark, ginger tom. His muscles were bulging and his claws were so long that they were already curved out of their sockets. There was a look in the tom's pure, red eyes that made him feel untrustworthy. The ginger tom's companion was buff like him, but smaller in size. His pelt had black-and-white fur and his eyes were a strange, gray color that made him look blind. But by the way he was looking at the other cats, Lionpaw knew he had eyesight.
"I welcome you Flash and Scepter." Ivystar explained, her eyes beaming while she stared at the strong cats below her. No one cheered for the strangers, not even from WindClan. But surprisingly, the two cats didn't mind.
"We promise to serve our rightful leader and obey until our last breath." Flash, the ginger tom, vowed in a low voice. Scepter repeated the same exact words and both of them bowed their heads down. Lionpaw felt a knot tie into her stomach. How could Ivystar trust such shadowy cats? More importantly, would these strange cats bring harm to WindClan, even brave Cheetahpaw?
"The Gathering is at end!" Ivystar announced, leaping from her rock and joining her Clan. WindClan disappeared into their own territory with the two strangers taking the rear. Flash stopped at the edge of the clearing and glanced back at the other Clans before leaping after his clanmates. Lionpaw shivered from the look in the cat's blood, red eyes and leaned against Thistlepaw for comfort. The silver tom gave her a reassuring lick on the ear. "They're gone." he reminded her.
"Lionpaw," a voice murmured beside her. Lionpaw looked up, expecting Thistlepaw to be talking to her. However, the tomcat's eyes were fixed on a cat on the other side of her. "Leave," Thistlepaw snarled, "She has nothing left with you!" Lionpaw lifted her head from Thistlepaw's shoulder and turned around to see Cobrapaw.
"We're sharing tongues before we leave, and I would like to speak with Lionpaw." Cobrapaw mewed calmly. A growl began to rise in Thistlepaw's throat, but Lionpaw rested her tail along his shoulders to calm him. "You go on ahead," she encouraged, "I—I'll be alright." Thistlepaw gave the ThunderClan apprentice one last glare before retreating to a group of RiverClan warriors. Lionpaw watched him go longingly and silently wished that he had stayed by her side. However, she knew she had to face Cobrapaw alone. Her gaze swept to Cobrapaw's orange eyes and she stared at him expectantly. "Well?" she asked.
"I thought you were staying with Dandelion to keep her company. Why did you join ShadowClan?" Cobrapaw demanded, worry edging his voice. Lionpaw could see distress in his gaze. "Lunarstar sent a loner her way to make sure she wasn't lonely." she pointed out. "Everything is fine." Cobrapaw's eyes flashed in anger.
"No, everything is not fine! You were supposed to stay in the barn and comfort my mother! That is your destiny, Lion!" the brown tabby hissed, arching his back. Lionpaw flinched. It had been a while since she was called by her loner name and she was not going to let if fly over her head. "My name is Lionpaw." she argued, tail lashing. Cobrapaw thrust his muzzle in front of Lionpaw's face. "Your mother abandoned you and you were adopted by my own parents! It is your responsibility to pay back what they had done for you!"
"You told me that I had to find my path of destiny, and my heart led me into the forest like you!" Lionpaw protested. Tears began to form at the edge of her eyes. After a long time of being separated and finally reuniting with her best friend, they argued the first time they spoke. Lionpaw was trying to defend her choice and Cobrapaw was attacking her with such hatred that Lionpaw felt she was about to crumble to the ground and drown in tears. The dark feelings were too unbearable to stand.
"What's done is done and I can't change a thing." Cobrapaw snarled, his eyes darkening on Lionpaw. "You put yourself in this position and I am only bringing the consequences. You and I are now enemies forever and always." Lionpaw's claws dug into the ground and she clenched her teeth in pain. "I will not hesitate to lay my claws on you." she promised, trying to stand tall. Cobrapaw smirked as he leaned into the she-cat's face. "Be prepared, because I won't go easy on you."
"Fine!" Lionpaw snapped, flinging her head away from him. There, where he couldn't see her, she began to let her tears fall. "I don't care if we're enemies! I don't care if you're mates with that stupid she-cat of yours! And I don't care if we're not friends! I'll always hate you, not matter what happens between us! You hear me? I hate you!" The golden-brown apprentice began letting out soft whimpers to soothe herself. Though her ears were turned back to her head, she could still hear the padding of Cobrapaw's paws as he walked away. Lionpaw didn't make an effort to move and instead continued to weep. "I hate you more," Cobrapaw suddenly shot back, and Lionpaw could feel his orange gaze burning on her from afar. The ThunderClan apprentice proceeded walking, eventually disappearing into the shadows. His tail whisked behind him and he was gone.
"Mistfang, I know you're out there!" Lionpaw yowled, her voice echoing in the realms of her dream. She was standing high on a podium with a brilliant, shining star design beneath her paws. All around her were four separate territories: fast rivers, loud forests, windy plains, and shadowy passages. The sun above her head made all the territories glow, and Lionpaw was blinded by the light until she blinked to readjust her vision. The apprentice did not expect to look over and see Mistfang sitting beside her. Instead, she jumped in surprise.
"You called?" Mistfang asked calmly. Lionpaw took a moment to catch her breath before giving the dead warrior a glare. She thought scolding him, then thought better of it. After all, he did appear on Lionpaw's command.
"I have some news to discuss about the Gathering." Lionpaw explained, pushing away the annoyed feeling that nagged her. Mistfang let out a sigh and shifted his gaze toward the windy plains below them. He sat there in silence before flicking his tail at her to continue. "Cobrapaw of ThunderClan wants me dead because I left his mother to fend for herself in the barn," Lionpaw proceeded with a troubled look on her face.
"You still care about that flea-pelt?" Mistfang demanded, his fur bristling in shock. Lionpaw met his hazel eyes and flinched when she saw anger in them. The light gray tom snorted in disbelief with his ears flat against his head. "He is the last thing you need to worry about; as a member of ShadowClan you need to focus on doing what's best to protect your Clan. Remember that he is the enemy.
"But he's my best friend!" Lionpaw protested, her eyes stretching wide. Mistfang gave the apprentice a cold glare.
"Forget about him, Lionpaw," Mistfang insisted, "Worrying about a cat from another Clan makes you a traitor, and I know you're better off without that lousy loner ordering you around." Lionpaw knew he was right. Ever since she was brought into the barn Cobrapaw was the one that made sure she understood her responsibilities. She could remember the stern look in his blazing, orange eyes as he explained the importance of following Dandelion's rules and how Lionpaw had to do whatever the queen asked of her. Lionpaw had listened to him and took great care of Dandelion, but in the midst of her work Cobrapaw began getting used to telling her what to do. Because of her obedience, Lionpaw always did whatever he asked of her, and she had to admit she was tired of it.
"Anyway," Mistfang further mewed, interrupting Lionpaw's thoughts. Lionpaw pushed the image of Cobrapaw to the back of her mind and focused back on the light gray tom next to her. She looked up to meet the dead warrior's shining, hazel eyes. "There are more important matters to be dealt with," Mistfang's voice was grim as he spoke.
"Like what?" Lionpaw inquired, raising an eye.
"From what I heard, WindClan has supposedly let in two outsiders into the Clan and made them warriors," Mistfang stated. "Did you see them at the Gathering?" Lionpaw gave him a curt nod of her head. How could she have forgotten their shadowy forms and weird-colored eyes? "They're not ordinary outsiders," Mistfang continued, "They're more like servants."
"Servants of who?" Lionpaw demanded.
"The Shattered Stars," Mistfang murmured back. As if on command, the plant life in the windy plains began to wither and die. The whipping wind Lionpaw once felt on her face slowed down until it was no longer blowing. A shadow fell across the moorlands and began to spread across the rest of the territory. Mistfang stared back at the shadow with a cold look in his eyes. "Ivystar has made a mistake of trusting them, and now WindClan will be the first to fall." The shadow began to stretch farther and farther until all of the plains were covered in darkness. A new breeze began to start, but it carried the stench of smoke, blood, and death. Lionpaw could hear the faint cries of WindClan warriors, even the apprentice she admired out of all of them: Cheetahpaw.
"No," Lionpaw whispered, eyes stretching wide in fear. The shadows suddenly poured out of the borders of the plains and into the loud, forest territory that represented ThunderClan. The trees burst aflame, thinned, and blackened. The booming thunder was blocked out by the sounds of screams of ThunderClan cats. Lionpaw blinked in shock when she heard the pleas from Nightpaw and Cobrapaw in the distance. She felt a small feeling of satisfaction, then immediately felt sick. Why would I want them to hurt? Was it because they hurt me?
"The other Clans will soon fall and leave ShadowClan as the last Clan standing," Mistfang explained, his paw following the movements of the shadows. The darkness dipped into the rivers of RiverClan territory and blood emerged from its trail. Lionpaw could hear the RiverClan warriors as clearly as the others. All of their cries together made her ears pound and hurt, and Lionpaw was tempted to wake up where her friends could comfort her. However, no matter how hard she tried, Lionpaw's paws would not move from their place, and she forced to fight the noises that filled her ears.
"Will StarClan be able to stop the Shattered Stars?" Lionpaw asked in a small voice, looking up to Mistfang for guidance. The light gray tom glanced back at her with a look in his hazel eyes that Lionpaw could never forget. They looked as if they belonged to a different cat, one that Lionpaw could consider as a stranger. Within their hazel depths Lionpaw could swear she saw touches of green in one eye and blue in the other. They stared back at the apprentice in such coldness that Lionpaw thought she was looking back at the shadows themselves. After a long moment, Mistfang finally spoke, but it wasn't his voice.
"StarClan's power is nothing compared to the Shattered Stars. Those dead cats will perish along with their precious Clans, and there will be no one with the power to stop the shadows from spreading. Time is already turning; soon it will be too late. Unless the Clans will want to survive, they will have to stop their quarrels and fight together as one." Mistfang's eyes softened on Lionpaw and a smirk curved up at the edges of his lips. "How could someone such as young as you be able to handle such a task?" Lionpaw tensed and her whole body began to tremble.
"You're not Mistfang!" Lionpaw exclaimed, "Who are you?"
"My name will not be revealed until the time comes, impatient one," the look-alike of Mistfang bellowed, "But until then you will refer to me as the Shattered Stars." The shadows from three of the four territories began to climb the podium and slither their way up toward the two cats at the top. Lionpaw could feel the podium beginning to sway with the power of the darkness. The star beneath her paws lit with a brilliant energy and shot its rays up to the sky. The rays swirled and raged down to lash at the shadows. Lionpaw saw the shadows begin to rear back from the strike, but it quickly overcame the attack and swallowed the light in a wave of darkness. She blinked in shock when she realized that the shadows were coming straight for her. They pounced, wrapping around Lionpaw's body and pulling her to the ground.
"Foolish girl," the Shattered Stars chuckled, "Prepare to meet your destiny." The look-alike dove into the star beneath them and the perfect shape of the star cracked and shattered. Lionpaw could feel the last remaining light from the star disappear, leaving the heavy fog of darkness to choke her. More stems from the shadows gripped her, and soon Lionpaw's strength alone was not enough to keep her mouth accessible to the open air. Before Lionpaw was pulled under, she caught a glimpse of her territory being swallowed up by shadows and heard the ear-splitting cry of Mistfang.
Lionpaw finally understands what she has to do, but what happened to Mistfang? Thanks for all of the reviews! Chapter Five will be out once I finish it.