Chapter Nine

"Ick. Everything is sopping wet." Talonclaw heard a WindClan apprentice complain. "The rain we've been getting is ruining everything! I haven't sat in a dry spot in ages!"

The continuous rains the forest had been getting had threatened to stop the Gathering. Fortunately, the clouds had cleared later in the evening. The moon shone brightly and Silverpelt twinkled in the dark blue sky.

Talonclaw settled down in the shadows of the Great Rock next to Thrushpelt and a ShadowClan apprentice named Foxpaw. It was her first gathering as a warrior. She prayed to StarClan to keep her awake. Completely exhausted after her silent vigil, the Clan's vigil for Greeneye and now the Gathering, Talonclaw hoped Pinestar would let her sleep in tomorrow.

Wondering if Snowowl was just as tired, she looked around the clearing for him. She spotted him next to a WindClan cat.

A tom stinking of ShadowClan came and sat down next to Foxpaw. He nodded his head in greeting to the ThunderClan warriors.

"Have ShadowClan forgotten how to groom themselves?" Thrushpelt whispered, glancing at the tom's knotted fur.

"Shh!" A RiverClan elder hissed from behind them. "The meeting is beginning!"

"Cats of the Clans!" Cedarstar of ShadowClan began. "We have a new warrior! Raggedpelt was named two sunrises ago."

"Raggedpelt! Raggedpelt!" The cats chanted.
The tom who had sat next to Foxpaw lifted his head proudly and gazed around. His eyes were challenging, as though he dared any cat to stay silent.

"We also have a new apprentice, Yellowpaw."

"Yellowpaw! Yellowpaw!" The yowling began again.

A small flat faced gray she-cat lifted her muzzle. Her yellow eyes gleamed with excitement.

"Prey is running well, despite the rain torrents, and ShadowClan is thriving." Cedarstar finished.

"ThunderClan also has happy news." Pinestar stepped forward. "We named three new warriors. Thrushpelt, Snowowl and Talonclaw."

"Thrushpelt! Snowowl! Talonclaw!"

Snowowl ducked his head, and then glanced up. Talonclaw hoped she didn't look smug as she looked at the cats surrounding her. Thrushpelt dipped his head in acknowledgment to the cheers.

"I'm glad the Clans are at peace." Talonclaw hissed to the tom next to her. "I've heard of warriors who never had their names cheered because they were at war with the others."

Thrushpelt nodded. "Me too. But I don't see WindClan being all that enthusiastic."

Talonclaw didn't have time to answer as RiverClan told their news.
Hailstar announced a new litter of kits, Oakkit and Stormkit, born to Shellheart and Rainflower. He claimed that the Clan had been unharmed by the recent floods. Heatherstar reported a dog that they had chased off towards highstones.

"There is another matter to discuss, however." The skinny she-cat turned to glare at Pinestar. "Prey stealers!"

Talonclaw leaped up. "How dare you!" She yowled.

ThunderClan warriors were hissing and growling at the WindClan warriors surrounding them. RiverClan and ShadowClan leaped out of the furious cats' path, reluctant to be caught in any fighting.

A yowl came from the Great Rock. "Stop! ThunderClan stop!" Pinestar waited for his cats to silence themselves. "The Gathering is no time to fight." He looked above his head, where rainclouds threatened the moon.

"Heatherstar, you have threatened the truce." He growled. "But I can assure you, that we have not stolen any of WindClan's prey." Without waiting for a reply, he gave a massive leap off the rock.

The ThunderClan warriors fell in behind him and headed for their camp.

"Talonclaw!" The she-cat turned to see Fuzzypelt. "Is Snowowl with you?"

"No. Want me to look for him?"

"Please?"

"Sure." Talonclaw turned to Thrushpelt. "See you in a bit."

She broke off from the group and headed back to Fourtrees. The clearing looked deserted.

"Snowowl?" She called for her brother.

"What do you want?" she heard a hiss behind her and whipped around, fur bristling. Snowowl stood there.

"It's you!" She let her fur lie flat. "Fuzzypelt was looking for you."

"Oh." Snowowl looked away. "I had to use the dirt place before we left."

"Nothing to be embarrassed about." She flicked him affectionately with her tail.

He sighed. "I'm exhausted. Let's go home."