Bluestar

Bluestar padded quickly along the edge of the lake. The, for lack of a better word, 'Gathering' was due to begin any minute. She didn't want to go, and there was really no reason for her to go. But if she didn't go, her 'friends' would begin asking questions, and that was the last thing she needed at the moment.

Bluestar leapt onto the log bridge, crossed onto the island, and dashed, as elegantly as possible, into the hollow.

"I'm here!" As she skidded to a stop, she realized that she had interrupted Whiteclaw.

"Bluestar." Whiteclaw's whiskers were twitching as he looked down at her from the leaders' tree. "How nice of you to join us."

"Yes, we were afraid you wouldn't come," Stumpytail sneered.

Bluestar whirled on him, claws unsheathed, "You! What are you doing here? My warriors chased you out of your Clan a sunrise ago!"

"And you thought that would stop us?" Clawface emerged from the dark shadow of a tree. "Really, Bluestar. Brokenstar knows all about our meetings here. And you'd be surprised how easy it is to buy off a hungry patrol."

"If I may continue, you two?" Bluestar and Clawface both froze.

Then Bluestar sat down, daintily smoothing her whiskers with one paw, "Of course, Whiteclaw. Continue."

"Thank you, Bluestar. As I was saying―prey is running fairly well in RiverClan. However, our medicine cat is running low on borage. We need more."

"I know where some grows on our territory," Bluestar mewed.

Whiteclaw looked down at her with interest, "What would you like for it? Name your price."

Bluestar could easily sense the desperation behind the dark warrior's calm tone. One of the cats in his Clan was sick, and he was willing to give up quite a bit to get borage.

Bluestar neatly washed one paw as she about it. 'Name your price' wasn't something you heard every day.

"I'll give you five stalks of borage for ten stalks of feverfew," she finally meowed.

"Ten stalks?" Whiteclaw exclaimed. "But that's―"

"Are you challenging me, Whiteclaw?" The dark-furred warrior bowed his head.

"Ten stalks it is, Bluestar." Then he looked up. "But Mudfur needs fifteen stalks of borage."

"Then you'll have to pay thirty stalks of feverfew."

"Very well." Then Whiteclaw leapt down from the leaders' tree. "I should be going. My Clan will miss me."

"Mine will too." Together, Whiteclaw and Bluestar bounded across the log bridge and away from the island. Just before they parted ways, Whiteclaw turned to Bluestar, "When should I bring the feverfew?"

"At the next Gathering. We'll exchange herbs then." With a nod, Whiteclaw turned and sprang away. Bluestar headed back toward her own territory, feeling very pleased at the bargain she had struck.

Only after she had crossed the border did Bluestar realize what she had done. Thirty stalks of feverfew! That's insane! Whiteclaw would have to raid his own medicine cat's supplies to pay that much―and for what? For fifteen stalks of wilted, half-dead borage. What have I become? Bluestar thought in horror. Have I become one of them―a bounty hunter who cares for nothing but her own gain?

I'm doing this for my Clan, Bluestar reminded herself sternly. Thirty stalks of feverfew is a lot. Yellowfang with be glad to have such a nice stock, especially with leaf-bare coming on.

But she'll want to know where you got it, a voice in Bluestar's head whispered. Yellowfang isn't like other cats. She knows about your secret meetings.

I'm only doing this for the good of my Clan, Bluestar told herself firmly. And that is the truth. With that, she pushed through the thorn barrier and scrambled down into camp.

Tigerclaw met her almost immediately.

"Where have you been?" His tone was civil, with maybe a hint of worry or curiosity. Bluestar fell into step next to him, meowing in reply, "Just a quick patrol along the ShadowClan border. Everything's quiet. How are our new warriors holding up?"

"They've been on two patrols each," Tigerclaw replied. "And they seem fine."

"Well, let them have a break now," Bluestar ordered. "Anything else?"

"Mistkit's and Swiftkit's apprentice ceremonies are today," Tigerclaw reminded her. "Don't forget."

"Oh, yes, those. I'll do them now. Go and fetch the two of them, will you, Tigerclaw?"

"Of course." Tigerclaw trotted away towards the nursery. Bluestar leapt onto the Highledge, yowling the traditional summons as she went.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!"

The Clan assembled. Bluestar looked out over the crowd and noticed that Fireheart was sitting close to Willowpelt―closer than usual. As she watched, Graystripe leaned over and murmured something into Fireheart's ear.

Bluestar then caught sight of Swiftkit and Mistkit approaching the Highledge, with Tigerclaw and Goldenflower in tow. Bluestar looked out and began the ceremony.

"It is time for two kits of ThunderClan to become apprentices," the silver-blue she-cat yowled. "From this day forward, until he has earned his warrior name, this apprentice will be named Swiftpaw." Longtail padded forward from the crowd, leaping up onto a lower ledge to sit in front of the small black-and-white kit. Bluestar looked down at them, and for an instant she was reminded of her own apprentice ceremony. It seemed so long ago now… just in time, she remembered other part of the ceremony.

"Longtail, you were Darkstripe's apprentice. He taught you well, and you have become a fierce and loyal warrior. I hope that you will pass these qualities on to Swiftpaw." As Bluestar finished, the two cats touched noses―Longtail leaning down, Swiftpaw stretching up. Then they retreated to the crowd.

"Mistkit. Step forward," Bluestar intoned. "Form this day on, until he has earned his warrior name, this apprentice will be known as Mistpaw. Runningwind, step forward." The brown tabby leapt onto the ledge, looking more than a bit surprised.

"Runningwind, you were my own apprentice," Bluestar meowed, looking down at him. "You have developed the qualities of quick thinking and cleverness. I hope that you will pass these on to your apprentice." The two touched noses. Bluestar noted that Mistpaw looked quite a bit more excited than his brother.

"Swiftpaw! Mistpaw! Swiftpaw! Mistpaw!" the Clan chanted. Runningwind and Mistpaw jumped down from the ledge. Then, surprisingly, Tigerclaw and Goldenflower leapt up onto the ledge where the mentors and apprentices had stood.

"I know this is unexpected, Bluestar," Tigerclaw said, looking up at her, "but we have an announcement to make." Then he nudged Goldenflower gently.

The pale ginger she-cat looked out over the crowd, as if trying to think of what to say. Then she spoke up, a bit shyly at first, but gaining volume as she went.

"I have an announcement to make. Tigerclaw and I… we're mates." Instantly the other queens―Frostfur, Brindleface, and Speckletail―surged forward to the front of the crowd, all meowing at once.

"Oh, Goldenflower! You're so lucky!"

"Are you going to have kits soon?"

"But, who was Swiftpaw's and Mistpaw's father?" The queens all quieted as the last question was asked. Goldenflower took a deep breath before answering.

"Tigerclaw was their father." Goldenflower rubbed affectionately against her mate. "He wanted to keep it a secret until they became apprentices, though."

Yowls of congratulation sprang up from the crowd. Bluestar noticed that Fireheart was yowling the loudest of all. Behind his eyes, though, there was a cold gleam of interest. Bluestar shivered ever so slightly. What's going through his mind?

At that moment, Goldenflower and Tigerclaw leapt down, and the queens surged forward again, meowing their congratulations and covering Goldenflower in affectionate licks. The crowd of Clan cats broke up, and Tigerclaw went to assign some patrol or another.

Bluestar climbed down from the Highledge and headed for her den. The full moon had come, and that meant a Gathering as soon as night fell. Bluestar was already stressed from her meeting with the codeless cats, and she wanted to get as much rest as possible between now and nightfall.

Sunset came and went. By the time the full moon had risen, Bluestar had her party of cats organized and ready to go. She had asked both Fireheart and Tigerclaw to come to the Gathering. Also among the cats were Whitestorm, Longtail, and Graystripe. Frostfur and Goldenflower were near the back of the group, chatting amiably while Yellowfang padded near them. The two new apprentices, Mistpaw and Swiftpaw, were also along.

As Bluestar trotted at the front of the group, Fireheart sidled up to her.

"Bluestar? May I talk to you?" The silvery leader glanced back at him and nodded.

"Take the lead, Tigerclaw," she called. Tigerclaw dipped his head and bounded away, even as Bluestar slowed. In a moment, the ThunderClan cats were gone, and Bluestar was alone with Fireheart.

Bluestar leapt onto a fallen log, sat, and curled her tail around her paws, all the while looking intently at Fireheart. "What is it?"

Fireheart hesitated for a long moment. Bluestar cocked an ear to the side. The noise of the pawsteps made by the others was fading away. If Fireheart didn't hurry with it, they would be late. "Speak," she ordered.

"Ravenpaw's not dead," Fireheart declared. Bluestar let her tail twitch with surprise, but she kept silent. "Graystripe and I took him up to the farm, past WindClan's hunting grounds. I think he may have joined Barley." Bluestar stayed silent for a moment. She had suspected as much―Ravenpaw had never been perfectly suited for life in ThunderClan.

"I am glad to hear that Ravenpaw is still alive," Bluestar mewed calmly. "I hope he is happier living with Barley than he was in the forest."

"But he was born into ThunderClan," Fireheart reminded her.

"That doesn't necessarily mean he was suited to Clan life," Bluestar countered. "After all, you aren't Clanborn, yet you've become a fine warrior. Ravenpaw may find his true path elsewhere."

"But he didn't leave ThunderClan because he wanted to," Fireheart protested. "It was impossible for him to stay."

"Impossible?" Bluestar asked, resting her gaze on the young warrior. "What do you mean?"

"Ravenpaw knew a secret about Tigerclaw," Fireheart mewed―with certainty. "I think to Tigerclaw was planning to kill him, or at least turn the Clan against him."

What's this? Bluestar questioned, flicking her tail from side to side. First Spottedleaf tells me I should pin my own rule-breaking on Tigerclaw. Now Fireheart comes to me and accuses the same cat of trying to kill his own apprentice! Is everyone out to get my deputy?

"Why would you think that?" Bluestar demanded of the ginger warrior. "What was this secret that Ravenpaw knew?"

"That Tigerclaw killed Redtail in the battle with ShadowClan."

Bluestar narrowed her eyes, furious at this mostly-ungrounded accusation against her loyal deputy. That is it! Tigerclaw is the humblest, most honorable warrior I've ever known! This ends now.

"A warrior would never kill another of his Clan! Even you should know that―you've lived with us long enough." Fireheart recoiled at her sharp words, flattening her ears against his head. Bluestar went on, still furious. "Tigerclaw reported that it was ShadowClan's deputy, Boulder, who killed Redtail. Ravenpaw must be mistaken. Did he actually see Tigerclaw kill Redtail?"

"H-he said he did," Fireheart answered, nervously flicking his tail.

"And you know that by saying this, you are questioning Redtail's honor, because he must have been the cat that was responsible for Boulder's death? One deputy would―would never kill another in battle, not if it could possibly be avoided. And Redtail―was the most honorable warrior I have ever known." Bluestar swallowed the lump in her throat. She knew that it was her fault that Redtail had died, her fault that Boulder had killed him. That's not important! Her thoughts yowled at her. You can untangle your mistakes later. Now is the time to clear Tigerclaw's name!

"I cannot account for Redtail's actions," Fireheart murmured. "I only know that Ravenpaw truly believes Tigerclaw was responsible for Redtail's death."

Bluestar sighed. She needed to calm down.

"We all know Ravenpaw has a vivid imagination," she meowed, trying to think of other ways to discredit Fireheart's accusation. "He was badly injured in the battle, and left before the fighting was over. Can you be sure he didn't fill in the parts he'd missed?"

Before Fireheart could answer, a yowl sounded off in the forest and Tigerclaw came bounding through the undergrowth.

His gaze flickered suspiciously over Fireheart before he turned to Bluestar, "We're waiting for you at the border."

"Tell them we'll be there in a moment," Bluestar instructed. Tigerclaw dipped his head, turned, and raced back through the brambles.

Bluestar stood, ready to return to the Clan. Fireheart, though, didn't seem quite ready to go.

"Are you going to bring Ravenpaw back to the Clan?"

"He is probably happier where he is," Bluestar replied. "For now, we will let the Clan carry on believing he is dead. Tigerclaw is a great warrior, but he is very conservative. It will be easier for him accept that his apprentice died in battle rather than ran away. And it would be better for Ravenpaw, too."

"Because Tigerclaw might go looking for him?" Fireheart asked hopefully. Bluestar shook his head impatiently. Why was her former apprentice so eager to blame Tigerclaw for this?

"No. Tigerclaw might be ambitious, but his ambition is for the good of his Clan. He is not a murderer. Ravenpaw will be better remembered as a dead hero than a live coward."

Tigerclaw's call came again, and Bluestar leapt off of the leg and dashed away into the forest.

Bluestar raced up to the head of the waiting group and signaled with her tail.

"Let's go!" Together the ThunderClan cats raced away into the night, heading for the Gathering island.