Sorry for the long update wait (at least it's not as bad as the time between the prologue and first chapter). There was a lot going on, and this chapter was a beast to write. It turned out more than twice as long as I had originally assumed it would be.
Anyway, thanks again for all the reviews and views I got! I'm really happy that you read my fic, and I hope that I can make my story worth your time.
Chapter 2
Tidepaw's sister let out a resounding cough, which echoed through the den. This was followed by a bout of multiple short coughs, and then one final cough before the she-cat collapsed to the ground, unable to stand due to her illness.
"Brightpaw!" Tidepaw shrieked. "Brightpaw, can you hear me? Are you okay?" Tidepaw rushed to her sister's side, and nudged Brightpaw with her nose.
Brightpaw weakly righted herself, although she continued to lie on the ground, unable or unwilling to stand. "I'm alright," mewed Brightpaw, voice hoarse, hazel eyes dull. "But I think I'll have to lie down for a little while. It looks like you'll be attending your first Gathering without me to protect you, little sister."
Brightpaw had emerged from their mother a few moments earlier, a fact that she was always holding over Tidepaw. Tidepaw could forgive Brightpaw for this, because her sister had always been more mature than her seven moons would suggest, watching out for Tidepaw with the devotion of a mother. Tidepaw had envied Brightpaw's boundless reservoir of strength, although she had never imagined that the role of a protective sibling would be thrust upon her like this.
Tidepaw turned to meet the gaze of Nightheart, the black and white medicine cat watching over them. "Are you sure you that there isn't a herb that can help her?" Tidepaw asked him.
Nightheart shook his head guiltily. "I'm, I'm sorry, Tidepaw," he sighed. "We've already tried everything at our disposal. We used tansy and catmint, and we even tried juniper berries, feverfew and lavender. Nothing seems to work. Whatever Brightpaw developed a quarter-moon ago, it's unlike anything RiverClan has ever seen. We're just lucky that your sister's ailment isn't contagious."
Tidepaw nodded, understanding the tom's problems with Brightpaw's illness. Considering the circumstances under which Brightpaw had obtained it, the otherworldly quality of the illness made a certain amount of sense. I'm sorry Brightpaw, she thought. All of this is my fault. I'll hold my head high, so you don't lose faith like I have. Tidepaw glanced at her paws, and the fish sitting beside them.
Tidepaw's voice took on a lighter tone as she pushed the fish towards her sister. "Maybe you're just hungry," she teased. "I understand not wanting to be fat, but under-eating is dangerous for your health. Eat up and get some meat on those bones, okay?"
"RiverClan doesn't have enough fish to go around," Brightpaw weakly protested. "I can't just eat a whole fish when I'm not contributing to the Clan." Brightpaw tried to use her little remaining strength to push the fish away, but Tidepaw nudged it back to her.
"No, no, we have plenty of fish," lied Tidepaw. "Otterstar is probably going to have to give some away at the Gathering. Otherwise the camp will be so crowded with food that we won't be able to move." Tidepaw managed to make a grin as she beckoned for her sister to eat the fish.
"You know very well that that's not true," croaked Brightpaw. "We're all starving, and the Clan needs strong warriors more than they need a sickly apprentice."
Tidepaw knew that Brightpaw was right. Her own blue-gray fur, and Nightheart's black and white pelt were both dull. As well, their skin hung loosely, a side effect of their normally large stomachs being thin with hunger. Tidepaw hadn't eaten all day. Still, Brightpaw was skinnier than either of them, with her sickness causing her normally slender frame to become even frailer. Beneath her fur, Tidepaw could make out all of Brightpaw's ribs.
"It's only the beginning of Newleaf, so the fish still have to thaw out," said Tidepaw. "RiverClan's fresh-kill pile will get larger, but right now, you need to eat."
This finally convinced Brightpaw to give in. "Alright, I'll have this," Brightpaw agreed. "But I want you to have some as well, little sister."
Tidepaw shook her head. "I've eaten plenty already," she told Brightpaw. "I couldn't eat another bite."
Brightpaw seemed to believe this, and she began to eat the fish with small, slow bites. Tidepaw felt a pang of envy, but suppressed it. She could live with hunger, but Brightpaw needed all the strength she could get. Instead of watching her sister eat, Tidepaw occupied her time by licking herself clean. She washed her fur, although it still retained its dull shading. Then Tidepaw cleaned her three gray paws and her single black paw.
As Tidepaw was finishing up, a gray tabby she-cat entered the medicine den, carrying a bundle of herbs. She placed the herbs before Nightheart, who slid them to the side. Later, he would tuck them away in a hole beneath a thorn bush, where a stream running through RiverClan's camp had washed some of the earth away. The she-cat then noticed Tidepaw's presence and padded over to her friend. "Tidepaw?" she asked gently. "You're here about Brightpaw, aren't you?"
Tidepaw nodded to the she-cat, who had gestured at Brightpaw with her tail. Tidepaw shot a glance at Brightpaw, who was still eating her fish, then returned her eyes to the medicine apprentice. The she-cat's eyes were sympathetic, yet also guilty. It's not your fault, Rainpaw, thought Tidepaw, wishing that her friend would understand. I caused this, but Brightpaw is being punished for my mistake.
Then a dark tabby tom poked his head into the medicine den. "Rainpaw, Nightheart, hurry up!" he barked. "You don't want to miss the Gathering, do you?" Then tom noticed Tidepaw and her sister, and he glared at them with his amber eyes. "You two as well," he sternly added.
"Okay, Amberfang," Tidepaw replied. "I think I'll run to the island so that I can get there before the other Clans. Then no cat will ever call me tardy again!"
Amberfang sighed and sat impatiently as Tidepaw and Rainpaw left the medicine den. When Nightheart didn't follow them, Amberfang shot a quizzical glance back at him and Nightheart replied with a shake of his head. "I'm staying here in case Brightpaw's condition gets any worse," Nightheart informed Amberfang. Then he directed his words to his apprentice. "You'll be able to handle yourself among the strange cats alone, right Rainpaw?"
"Yes I will, Nightheart," replied Rainpaw. "Although there's this tom who might cause trouble." She added the second part under her breath, so that only Tidepaw could hear it. Tidepaw hoped that the tom wasn't in love with Rainpaw. Forbidden love only ever led to heartbreak.
"Sure, sure," Amberfang agreed. "You're always going on about the duty a medicine cat owes to his Clan, so arguing with you would only serve to cause further delays in RiverClan's attempt to reach the Gathering." Amberfang finished his words with a grumble and retreated to the group of cats who were preparing to leave for the Gathering Island.
"Do you think Amberfang has always been this grumpy?" Tidepaw asked Rainpaw as they left the camp. "I can imagine him complaining that he didn't want to be born, because his mother's stomach was warmer than the outside world."
Instead of replying to Tidepaw's joke, Rainpaw frowned. She seemed like she was deep in thought. After a long time, Rainpaw finally asked, "How do you do it?"
"Do what?" Tidepaw replied. Rainpaw couldn't be referring to some special talent; Tidepaw didn't have anything like that.
"How do you bear it?" asked Rainpaw. "In just one day, your father was killed by rogues, your mother disappeared without a trace, and your sister received an incurable disease. But despite this, you're always so upbeat. It's been a quarter-moon since it happened, and I don't think I've ever seen you unhappy in all this time!"
"Hey you're not giving me enough credit if you forget about this!" complained Tidepaw as she used her black paw to gesture to a large scar that ran across her forehead. "But I've still got my mentor Graywave, and you're the best medicine cat ever, so I'm sure you'll find a cure for Brightpaw. I still have a good enough life. We warriors are built to endure hardship." Tidepaw looked Rainpaw in the eye, hoping that her friend would believe her.
Before Rainpaw could reply, the moonlight revealed a stream ahead of the cats. Tidepaw lowered herself into the water and began pushing herself to the other side with her paws. She savoured the feeling of the cool water against her fur. It was one of the few pleasures Tidepaw still allowed herself. So they see a kind, upbeat she-cat when they look at me? reflected Tidepaw. That's better than them knowing the truth about me. If they did, they'd hate me. Everyone always overlooks the happy ones. The ones who sulk stand out, but nobody ever thinks that someone so cheerful could be so broken inside. Tidepaw pulled herself from the stream and looked towards the Gathering Island. It seemed to radiate with moonlight, as if StarClan had designed it to catch the stars.
Rainpaw crawled out of the stream behind Tidepaw, panting with exhaustion. Tidepaw knew that Rainpaw hadn't been eating as much either, but surely a short swim like that shouldn't have left her friend so out of breath? Tidepaw was about to ask, but then she noticed that the rest of her Clanmates seemed tired from the swim as well. If I have this much energy compared to my Clanmates, I must not be working hard enough, decided Tidepaw. She resolved to go on some extra patrols on the day after the Gathering.
Before Rainpaw could bring up the topic of Tidepaw's strength again, Tidepaw asked Rainpaw a question of her own. "So who's this tom that might cause trouble?" Tidepaw inquired. "It better not be because of love. I was sure that you became a medicine apprentice so that toms wouldn't chase after you."
"No, no!" Rainpaw hastily replied. "It's nothing like that. I was gathering some herbs near the WindClan border, and there was a patrol nearby. A tom from the patrol was bothering me, and he got the idea to take my herbs. When he tried to cross the border, I swiped him on the nose. He said that he would have his revenge one day, but he seemed pretty harmless."
Tidepaw forced a mischievous look onto her face. "Why Rainpaw, you hurt a WindClan tom?" she teased with mock sternness. "But everyone knows that whenever you hurt a tom, they come after you with words of love and gifts of fresh-kill in an attempt to win your heart!"
Rainpaw shrugged. "As long as I get to eat," she replied.
"And now we have arrived at the island," Amberfang called back to Tidepaw and Rainpaw. Tidepaw felt a sense of unfamiliarity when nearing the island. While there was plenty of water nearby, there were no streams crisscrossing the territory, and the grass felt dry, unlike the damp and comforting fields she was used to. Still, Tidepaw felt a strange tug towards the island, as if she needed to go to there in order to become complete.
There was a rotting tree filling in the gap between the island and the shore, but when Tidepaw headed toward it, Amberfang blocked her path with his massive tail. "This tree was apparently used by Clan cats in the past, but by now it's too decayed to be safe," he explained. "You can use those stepping stones a few foxlengths away, or you can swim to the island like a true RiverClan cat."
"Sure, sure," replied Tidepaw. "I probably won't dissolve if I get my paws wet."
Tidepaw followed after Rainpaw, who was already partway across the stepping-stones. Rainpaw was nine moons old, so she had already been to a few Gatherings. Tidepaw relished the feeling of the cool water on her paws as she hopped across each stone. After making the final leap to the island, she sighed, the familiar water snatched away from her.
Tidepaw followed the rest of her Clan into the clearing, where she found that the other Clans had all arrived before RiverClan. Tidepaw skirted over to the nearby Amberfang and bowed her head in mock shame. "It seems like my reputation for lateness is correct after all," she told him. "I guess I'll have to arrive at the next Gathering a day early in order to finally get rid of it."
Amberfang barred his teeth at her and growled. "Go entertain yourself somewhere else," he hissed. "I have important business to attend to, and being bothered an overly energetic she-cat isn't part of it." He stormed off towards a group of cats who seemed to be waiting for him. Tidepaw recognized Badgerclaw of WindClan, but the rest were unknown to her.
Tidepaw felt relieved as Amberfang left. Now that he was gone, nobody would bother her when she sat by herself. Amberfang still seems to hate me even though he doesn't know the truth about me, Tidepaw decided. I deserve hatred, so I won't protest. Cheerfulness better not be contagious. I don't want to catch it from myself.
Two of the Clan leaders were sitting in the central tree already. Tidepaw recognized a gray she-cat with green eyes as Duskstar, ShadowClan's leader. The other, a moderately sized brown tom, was obviously ThunderClan's leader Thornstar. Beneath the tree, Tidepaw saw Ravenstar, a jet-black tom, conversing with two warriors. One was a ginger tom who seemed to be frantically trying to explain something to him, while the other was a brown tabby she-cat who seemed icily in control of herself.
"So, now that RiverClan have decided to come, can we finally start sharing news?" asked Duskstar while she glowered at the RiverClan cats who had made her wait.
Ravenstar raised his paw to object. "Another few minutes is all I ask for," he protested.
"Alright Ravenstar, you can hold us up," sighed Duskstar. "Just remember that you'll be the target of the inevitable revolt."
Tidepaw watched as Otterstar, RiverClan's fearless leader, approached the central tree, then leaped to the top and took her place among the branches. She managed to retain her air of composure, fluffing out her milky white fur to hide the effects of the hunger that had preyed on all of RiverClan.
Tidepaw took her first step away from the multitude of cats who were sharing tongues on the island, only to be halted by Rainpaw's voice. "Do you want me to point out the other medicine cats for you?" she asked.
"That would be great!" replied Tidepaw, pretending to be filled with enthusiasm. "I need to know who to talk to for herbs when I barge into an enemy camp."
"Okay, let me explain," began Rainpaw. "Over there is where the medicine cats are speaking with each other. See, it's the place with Foxwhisker." Rainpaw flicked her tail to show Tidepaw the place
Tidepaw followed the direction of Rainpaw's gesture to a group of cats conversing with each other. Tidepaw did know Foxwhisker, the ShadowClan medicine cat, and she also knew Darkpaw, a dark tom who was conversing with a young, white WindClan she-cat. Tidepaw hissed with envy. These WindClan cats have so much food that their wiry frames are bursting with plumpness. Why can't they just let my Clan have some? We'll die without it. The animosity Tidepaw felt towards WindClan was further increased by the white she-cat's casual interaction with Darkpaw. Tidepaw knew the arrogant, bloodthirsty, fish-brained tom well, and if WindClan's medicine apprentice thought highly of him, it reflected poorly on her Clan.
"Next to Foxwhisker is Stonepaw, her apprentice," Rainpaw explained as she pointed out a gray tom. "He's the youngest of the medicine apprentices, since he only joined our ranks at the last half-moon Gathering." Rainpaw pointed out a ginger ThunderClan tom and a small, light brown she-cat next. "That's Sunstorm and next to him is his apprentice, Dawnfern," Rainpaw continued. "Don't let Dawnfern's small stature fool you. At eighteen moons, she's the oldest of the medicine apprentices."
As Rainpaw turned to point out the she-cat next to Darkpaw, Tidepaw flattened her ears and snarled. She continued until she realized what she was doing, at which point she quickly regained her composure. "I was practicing for the snarling contest," Tidepaw told Rainpaw. "The one with the most venom in their snarl wins something."
Rainpaw sighed. "I can understand that you're suspicious of Darkpaw," she replied. "He is the one who found you father's body, after all. Still, I'd prefer a less open display of hatred." Tidepaw nodded to Rainpaw, trying to portray some naïve form of agreement. In reality, Tidepaw hated Darkpaw for reasons tied to her own self-loathing, but Rainpaw didn't need to know her history with the dark tom.
"Anyway, that's Snowcloud, the WindClan medicine cat," continued Rainpaw as she gestured towards the shady spot where Darkpaw was speaking with the WindClan medicine apprentice.
Tidepaw looked for Snowcloud, but she couldn't seem to locate the WindClan medicine cat. "I'm kind of embarrassed, but I can only see Snowcloud's apprentice," Tidepaw admitted. "Can you point her out to me?"
"Snowcloud's… apprentice?" asked Rainpaw, her face contorted in confusion. Then her eyes lit up with understanding, and her face grew more solemn. "Snowcloud doesn't have an apprentice," she explained. "That white she-cat is Snowcloud."
"What?" gasped Tidepaw. "But, she's barely old enough to be a warrior! How is she a full medicine cat?"
Rainpaw stared at her paws, obviously depressed about Snowcloud's story. "It'll take a little while to explain," she said, then took a quick glance at Ravenstar and his two warriors. Tidepaw looked at them as well, noting that the WindClan leader didn't seem like he would finish anytime soon. Then Rainpaw sighed and began her story.
"When Snowcloud was just a kit, she wanted nothing more than to be WindClan's medicine cat," Rainpaw explained. "So at six moons, she became the apprentice of Cloverstem, WindClan's medicine cat. Snowcloud was a quick learner, and they had a good relationship. Although Cloverstem was a notoriously cranky old she-cat, I've heard that she never said an unkind word about Snowcloud. However, five moons ago, when Snowcloud was eight moons old, tragedy struck. While Cloverstem was collecting herbs, she was killed by a passing fox. WindClan was left with a medicine cat who was young and inexperienced. Fortunately, Snowcloud had been a quick learner, so she knew most of the required skills. What she didn't know was taught to her by Foxwhisker, Nightheart, and Sunstorm. She's a fine medicine cat for WindClan, but my heart goes to her for the tragedy she's had to deal with when she was so young."
Rainpaw's story was finished, and Tidepaw gaped. Looking back at the white she-cat, Tidepaw found a new respect for her emerge. A lot of responsibility had been placed on Snowcloud's shoulders when she had been not much older than Tidepaw. Snowcloud held her head high, and Tidepaw could tell that she had risen above her fate. I wish I had strength like yours, Snowcloud. I still need to fully devote myself to the cats I want to protect. You've taken the whole Clan as your responsibility. I can't imagine how that feels. Snowcloud looked up at Tidepaw, catching her eye. She smiled slightly, as if encouraging Tidepaw to push forward into the future. Tidepaw nodded back to her, happy to be noticed.
"I can't begin to imagine the hardship she's endured," said Tidepaw. "Still, she seems strong enough to shrug it all off. I could look up to someone like that."
A hint of a smile revealed itself on Rainpaw's face, and she teasingly poked Tidepaw's nose with her tail. "I think we can all find cats who we admire for their strength," Rainpaw playfully told Tidepaw.
Suddenly, Tidepaw realized something. "Wait, why is there a medicine cat named Sunstorm?" she asked as she batted Rainpaw's tail away with her black paw. "Don't our customs say that the sun is sacred, and shouldn't be used as part of a name? This better not be some new fad that's going around. I mean, what if a queen names her kit 'Starkit', and then the kit becomes Clan leader? I don't think anyone would be able to keep a straight face while celebrating that cat's new name, so-"
"Actually there's quite a story behind that," mewed a newcomer, causing Tidepaw to be cut off as she jumped in shock.
Tidepaw managed to recover her breath, and saw that the cat who had snuck up on her was ThunderClan's ginger medicine cat. Tidepaw quickly massaged her now-aching black paw, then returned her gaze to the tom. Rainpaw was bowing her head in respect, but Tidepaw met the tom with a glare, acting as she assumed an energy-filled apprentice would.
"What was that for?" Tidepaw snarled at Sunstorm. "Did you receive training on how to sneak up on and terrify helpless apprentices?"
Sunstorm paused thoughtfully, scratching his chin with his paw. "Did I?" he wondered aloud. "Although you're obviously far from helpless, that's a good question. Let me think for a moment." He paused as if deep in thought, then slapped his paw on the ground, congratulating himself. "Aha!" Sunstorm declared. "It seems that the terrorizing of apprentices wasn't one of the things I was taught while training to be a medicine cat."
"Very funny," Tidepaw flatly replied.
"Indeed," agreed Sunstorm, ignoring the sarcasm in Tidepaw's words. "Now then, young she-cat, you and Rainpaw look rather thin. I caught a squirrel just moments ago, so would you like to share with me?" From behind his back, the ginger tom slid a plump squirrel. He beamed at it, then looked at the two she-cats, smiling as if he wanted their approval.
Tidepaw didn't want to be hasty, but the hunger in her stomach was too much to ignore. "Yes please!" she exclaimed, then tore off a large hunk of the squirrel and began to devour it. Tidepaw tried to savour the taste, but her ravenous hunger made her quickly gulp down the meat she had been eating. She hungrily tore off another piece, as Rainpaw did the same beside her. Soon, the fat squirrel was gone, and Sunstorm hadn't gotten a single bite.
"I'm sorry!" Tidepaw quickly apologized. "I seem to have eaten your squirrel before you could."
Sunstorm responded to the apprentices with another smile. "You don't need to apologize," he reassured Tidepaw. "If you were that hungry, then I can't fault you for eating. I can always catch more food if I want something."
Suddenly, Sunstorm began staring at Tidepaw intently, as if something about her had caught his eye. Tidepaw took a moment to understand, but then she realized what it was that had made the medicine cat so interested. "Oh, you're looking at these," she said, gesturing to her black paw and the claw scratch running from her right ear to just above her left eye. Sunstorm seemed embarrassed, but Tidepaw smiled to cool his nerves. "Don't worry, everyone thinks they're odd," she told the medicine cat.
"Yes, I feel compelled to investigate," Sunstorm admitted. "If it isn't too personal, would you mind telling me how you got them?"
"It's no trouble at all," Tidepaw told him with the same false cheerfulness as always. They always want to know where I got them. At least I have a fairly good answer. "I've had the black paw for as long as I can remember, so it's probably some sort of quirk," she told him, letting the much-used lie slip from her tongue. "I received the scar a quarter moon ago when I tried to fight a bramble thicket. I lost."
"How intriguing," Sunstorm replied. "The scar still looks fresh, as if it hasn't changed since you first got it. I wonder why that is."
Before Tidepaw could be quizzed further, a loud meow called out to all those attending the Gathering. "I'm ready to begin now!" declared Ravenstar. "My discussion is done."
Ravenstar flicked his tail to his two warriors to signal that they were to return to the crowd of WindClan warriors. Then he leaped up into the central tree and took his place with the other Clan leaders. At the base of the tree the four deputies, Woodfur of WindClan, Mistfur of RiverClan, Redclaw of ShadowClan, and Sandstone of ThunderClan, took their places, keeping their watchful eyes on the Clan cats as the leaders began to speak.
As Duskstar opened her mouth to speak, Tidepaw noticed Darkpaw walking towards her. Great, he noticed me. Why does he think I'd still want to have anything to do with him? Tidepaw returned her attention to Duskstar, listening to what the ShadowClan leader had to say.
"Newleaf has returned once again, and ShadowClan is reaping the benefits," she explained. "Already the prey is plentiful, and ShadowClan go to their dens each night with full stomachs. We are growing stronger still, with each warrior's fighting ability increasing every day." Tidepaw saw the veiled threat behind her words. If you challenge ShadowClan, you will regret it. "Although Newleaf calls new cats to serve the Clan, it also brings an end to the tireless work of others," continued Duskstar. "Goldleaf, our noble warrior, has retired to the Elder's Den. He has served his Clan well, and we shall care for him as he lives a peaceful life. But also, the Clan becomes stronger with new apprentices. Our medicine cat Foxwhisker has taken an apprentice: Stonepaw. As well, Stonepaw's siblings, Marshpaw and Skypaw, are now training under Toadclaw and Crowfur."
The cats at the Gathering began to call out the names of the new apprentices, chanting them aloud to inspire pride in the cats who now trained until their acceptance as full members of the Clan.
"Stonepaw! Marshpaw! Skypaw! Stonepaw! Marshpaw! Skypaw!"
Duskstar nodded her respect to the three apprentices, whose identities Tidepaw could discern by the excitement showing in their eyes. "As well, two apprentices have been recognized as full warriors of ShadowClan," declared Duskstar. "My kits, Darkpaw and Cherrypaw, are now Darkclaw and Cherrynose!"
The gathered cats chanted again, welcoming the two new warriors. Tidepaw didn't put as much enthusiasm into Darkclaw's name as the other warriors did, but she gave his sister, Cherrynose, the benefit of doubt.
Then the chanting died down, as Duskstar signalled that it was Thornstar's turn to speak. So he's Darkclaw now, thought Tidepaw. That would make sense. He did mention that his warrior assessment was coming up. Tidepaw looked up, and noticed that Darkclaw had reached her.
The jet-black tom padded up to Tidepaw, confusion showing in his amber eyes. "No congratulations for an old friend?" asked Darkclaw.
Tidepaw worried that Rainpaw and Sunstorm would hear her, but all the surrounding cats were caught up in listening to whatever Thornstar was announcing. "We're done, Darkclaw," Tidepaw snapped at him. "None of this ever should have happened in the first place."
Darkclaw seemed hurt for a moment, but then his expression changed to one of anger. "Fine," he snarled at Tidepaw. "If you want to be that way, I don't care. But you'll come to understand me one day. And when you do, you'll beg for my forgiveness." Darkclaw began to walk away, only to turn around for a moment. "Nice scar," he said, before looking at her feet. "Wait, have you always had that black paw?"
"Yes I have," hissed Tidepaw. "You were just too busy looking at yourself to notice."
Darkclaw muttered something under his breath, then stalked back to where his Clanmates were waiting. What do I need to understand about Darkclaw? wondered Tidepaw. On the outside, he's arrogant, bloodthirsty, and cruel. On the inside, he's exactly the same. With a jolt, Tidepaw realized that Ravenstar was already partway through sharing WindClan's news. The other cats were cheering for some apprentices, so Tidepaw joined in.
"Harepaw! Applepaw! Harepaw! Applepaw!"
"And now, before Otterstar shares what she has to say, I have an important announcement," explained Ravenstar. "Earlier in the day, my brave warrior Moorwhisker led a patrol to fight Bonetail's rogues. Although Moorwhisker is back at the camp, recovering from his injuries, I'd like to invite Tigertail, who was also on the patrol, to give his report on what occurred during this mission." Ravenstar flicked his tail, inviting Tigertail to take a spot in front of the tree and share the result of his battle.
Tigertail, a ginger tom with a black striped tail, obliged, taking a spot next to the Clan deputies. "Okay, I'll explain what happened," he said to the Clan cats, who waited anxiously. "The rogues had been camping out on our territory for a little while, so Ravenstar sent us to defeat them and capture Bonetail. Heatherpelt managed to track their scent, and we soon got to the clearing where the rogues had made their hideout. Although we had several strong cats on our patrol, the rogues were more powerful that we had anticipated."
So far, Tigertail's report disturbed Tidepaw. As she scratched her ear with her black paw, she considered his words. If WindClan is as strong as they seem and they were overpowered by the rogues, then RiverClan won't stand a chance against Bonetail. Still, I'll fight with all I've got. It's only fair that I give my life for my Clan. Her scratching finished, Tidepaw licked her black paw clean and returned it to the cool ground.
"Luckily, the rogues had quite a few injuries," Tigertail carried on. "Thanks to those wounds, we were able to defeat them, but just barely. We have a pretty good guess where the wounds came from, and it's thanks to a comment one of the rogues made. While fighting, this cat said, 'Does every cat have it out for us today or something? First that Ace, the Rogue Hunter cat attacked us, and now this!' Based on that remark, it's logical to assume that there is a vigilante referring to themself as 'Ace, the Rogue Hunter'. It is because of this cat that we were able to drive Bonetail's rogues to the west. That is all." With that, Tigertail returned to the WindClan cats with which he had been sitting.
A light breeze blew through the night, sending scattered leaves flying through Tidepaw's fur. As they did, her hope seemed to drain away. West? Those WindClan cats drove Bonetail and his rogues directly into RiverClan! Even if they do need time to recover, RiverClan won't stand a chance. Tidepaw slammed her paw to the ground, hissing with fury directed towards the WindClan patrol.
Tidepaw hadn't meant for anyone to hear her outburst, but it seemed to have caught the attention of WindClan's leader. "Is something the matter, young apprentice?" asked Ravenstar, as cool and collected as ever.
Tidepaw tried to muster up an apology, but the RiverClan warrior Duckfoot stepped in front of her, anger making his fur shoot up. He shot a glare at Ravenstar, then began to say what must have been on the mind of every RiverClan cat.
"Your patrol drove the rogues directly into our territory!" he snarled. "If you can't handle them, then how are we supposed to?"
Ravenstar looked Duckfoot over with cool indifference. "You'll find a way," he replied, shrugging his shoulders to indicate his lack of a reason to care. "You've already found plenty of ways to steal our prey. How much more difficult could fighting a rogue be? Now, about the prey theft, I think that a punishment is in order."
Otterstar cut him off. "Ravenstar, please forgive my warrior's outburst," she pleaded. "The prey has been running poorly in RiverClan, while the other Clans have territories rich with wildlife. RiverClan won't be able to survive without food. I apologize for hunting in WindClan without your permission, but our every attempt to speak with you has been met with resistance. Please, allow us some of your food, even if we have to be monitored or hunted for." She stared at Ravenstar, and Tidepaw knew RiverClan needed him to grant them hunting rights.
Ravenstar considered her request for a moment, then shook his head. "Sorry Otterstar," he said. "I can't do that, not even for you. Why should we encourage the Warrior Code to be broken? Two Newleafs ago, we granted RiverClan emergency hunting rights, but you overstepped your boundaries and left WindClan starving. If I grant you these rights, then the same thing will happen."
For a moment that seemed to take moons, Otterstar didn't register what Ravenstar had said, and hope fluffed up her fur. Then Tidepaw saw that hope shatter, being replaced by despair as Otterstar understood what WindClan's leader meant. "No, no," she repeated slowly. Otterstar turned to the other two leaders. "Duskstar, Thornstar, please," she mewed.
Both leaders shook their heads.
Otterstar's mouth hung open in shock as she finally accepted her Clan's doom. Tidepaw gaped as well. The other Clans refused us? Is this the end for RiverClan, then? Tidepaw hung her in dismay. If there wasn't any food, then RiverClan wouldn't be able to survive. As misery began to settle in among the RiverClan cats, a voice rang clear around the island.
"How could you?"
Tidepaw turned her eyes to the speaker, a motion that was echoed by all of the cats at the Gathering. It was the ginger tom to whom Ravenstar had been speaking before the Clans had started sharing their news.
"Otterstar, a Clan leader, abandoned her pride and begged for you to help her keep RiverClan alive!" declared the tom. "All the Clans except RiverClan are having rich and bountiful prey runs! How do you justify refusing her like that? The warrior code says that there must always be four Clans in the forest! Do you think you can decide the fate of another Clan on a whim?" Fury radiated throughout the tom, rage directed at the Clan leaders for their refusal to aid RiverClan.
Ravenstar's icy demeanour broke as he glared at the WindClan tom. "You forget yourself, Galeflight," he snarled. "You are just a lowly warrior. Survival of the fittest is, and has always been, the way of the world. If this is what StarClan seeks, who are we to refuse? Now, silence yourself, or you will be punished!"
Galeflight lowered his head, eyes darkening as if defeated. "Survival of the fittest is what everything leads to, huh?" he muttered. For a moment, Tidepaw was worried that Ravenstar had managed to break his warrior easily. Then Galeflight's head shot back up, eyes filled with more defiance than Tidepaw had thought a cat could have. "If you expect me to believe that, then you're a fool!" Galeflight roared. "But, if this world really is as rotten as you say it is, then I won't surrender to it. I'll become Clan leader and change things! The preservation of the Clans is the code that I live by!" Galeflight glared at Ravenstar, as if offering him the chance to do better.
"Galeflight, maybe you'd like to join RiverClan if you like them so much?" asked Duskstar.
"I will support Galeflight!" Sunstorm called out, causing Tidepaw to jump again. "The survival of all four Clans has always been StarClan's will, and I will not let you condemn another Clan for the sake of your pride."
Redclaw looked up at Duskstar, who was glaring at the cats who spoke against their leaders. "Duskstar, perhaps you could reconsider?" he said, offering her the choice. "If you support RiverClan, they will grow stronger. In times when the Clans are rival, stronger foes lead to us pushing ourselves to grow stronger. Our strength comes from our weakness. And in times when we face a common enemy, all the Clans lend their strength to each other, allowing us all to continue living. That is how it has always been."
Duskstar's hostility deepened. "Redclaw, you too would speak out against your leader?" she asked.
Redclaw nodded. "Yes I would," he replied. "I'll walk this road, confident that it will lead me to further strength."
Duskstar glared at her deputy, suggesting that they would have a long talk later. Shouts came from the Clans, with several other cats declaring their intent to help RiverClan. The rest of their Clanmates argued back, and the Gathering was thrown into discord.
A powerful voice spoke over them all, commanding silence with every word. "How strange. Don't you Clan cats pride yourselves on your rules and regulations? Yet when I come for a visit, I see you squabbling like a bunch of restless kits."
The speaker was a gigantic white tom, whose immense power rippled through his massive body. As he walked forward, it seemed like the earth itself would move to accommodate for his grandeur.
"Bonetail," hissed Duskstar.
"Indeed," agreed the powerful tom. "I see that the Clans are as selfish and arrogant as ever."
Tigertail stepped out from the crowd of WindClan cats and headed towards Bonetail. "Why are you here, rogue?" he spat. "We've beaten you already. Did you think you'd fare better alone?"
"Maybe he's here to surrender," suggested Darkclaw. "Bonetail doesn't understand it yet, but he lost this war a long time ago."
"Alone?" asked Bonetail, a hearty roar of amusement vibrating through his body. "Why would I come alone? And you, WindClan warrior, misunderstand me. I don't lose battles. I simply know when to sacrifice one victory for the sake of another."
All around the island, the trees began to rustle. Out of each one leaped several rogues, until Bonetail had the Clan cats surrounded by a massive swarm of them.
"You asked why we are here?" Bonetail hissed, surveying the Clan cats like he would a piece of fresh-kill. "Negotiations."
"I don't recognize these cats!" Ravenstar exclaimed. "What Clan are they from and how did you get so many of them?"
Bonetail began to chuckle again. "These aren't Clan cats," he explained. "There are many cats who would join me in a heartbeat just for the chance to put the Clans in their place. After all, you think of yourselves as better than others just because of your warrior code and borders. Can you think of anything more arrogant? These cats agree with me! I have enough rogues at my disposal to form my own Clan, and each of them can match any warrior you have!"
Snowcloud stepped forward to face the enormous gang of rogues. "Is that what you really believe, Bonetail?" she asked. "Because you're wrong! There is always something worth fighting for. We all have things that we have to protect!"
Bonetail's chuckle turned into a hearty laugh, and he padded forward until his nose was only a mouselength away from Snowcloud's. "It doesn't matter what I believe," he hissed. "All that matters is that I have cats willing to fight for me."
Duskstar sighed, then gave Bonetail a look of consideration. "You said you wanted to negotiate?" she called to him. "On what terms?"
Bonetail fixed his gaze on the central tree, and Tidepaw could make out a look of hunger coming upon him. "Give me all the medicine cats," Bonetail hissed. "If you do that, then I won't destroy your Clans."
Tidepaw worried that the leaders would succumb to some inner weakness and agree to Bonetail's request. I can't let that happen. They have to be strong enough to protect their Clans! Tidepaw rushed over to Bonetail before the leaders had a chance to reply. "Never!" she snarled. "Our medicine cats are what connect us to StarClan, and they provide healing to keep the Clan safe! If we just gave them to you, it would be like giving up the stars themselves!"
Bonetail turned his head to face Tidepaw at an agonizingly slow speed. Then he stepped over to her and extended his body to its full height so that he towered over her. Instead of backing down like Bonetail seemed to want her to, Tidepaw fluffed up her fur in defiance and looked up at him, their gazes locking onto each other.
"So the apprentice speaks for the Clans, eh?" Bonetail asked. "You have spirit, I'll give you that. But I am not merely some ruthless killer." Bonetail snapped a command to one of his rogues. "Bring her!"
The rogue nodded, sliding behind the large mass of cats Bonetail had assembled. The he re-emerged, carrying a tiny, white kit in his jaws.
As the Clan cats gasped, Bonetail let out another awful chuckle. "So you see, I am not without mercy," he told them. "This kit tried to follow her Clan to the Gathering. I have brought her to you unharmed. You're lucky I was the one to find her. My rogues are not quite so gentle." He hissed the last word, implying that his rogues held no code of honour.
The rogue who has holding the kit by the scruff released her, and she went racing towards the ShadowClan cats. Surprisingly, it was Darkclaw who ran forward to meet her. "Hopekit!" he exclaimed. "What were you thinking, leaving your mother and father like that?" There was a gentleness in Darkclaw's voice that Tidepaw had never heard before, and she wondered how the arrogant tom had managed to conjure it up.
"I wanted to follow the warriors and see the Gathering!" squeaked Hopekit. "I may be small, but I'm nearly six moons old."
"Act like it," hissed Darkclaw.
Bonetail padded forward, addressing the leaders once more. "So you see, I am a benevolent master," he explained. "Leave your medicine cats in my care, and in return I will leave you in peace!"
As quick as a flash, something flew towards Bonetail. Tidepaw's eyes adjusted to its blinding speed, and she saw that it was Galeflight. He raced forward, and slashed Bonetail's muzzle, shoving the powerful tom to the ground.
"Enough!" roared Galeflight. "You claim to be a good ruler, but you're really just another would-be conqueror! I'll show you the true way of the warriors. It's the duty of strong to protect the weak, so I'll fight you, and I'll give my life if I have to!" Galeflight raised his claws, preparing for any retaliatory attack that Bonetail would use.
Galeflight's words seemed to be only a mild annoyance to Bonetail, who stood up and twitched his tail in aggravation. Bonetail licked up his blood with relish, then beckoned for his rogues to draw closer.
"Although I've been met with resistance, the leaders still haven't made up their minds," he concluded. "I'll return soon. Decide quickly. The fate of your Clans hangs in the balance." Bonetail turned and padded away from the Clan cats, and several of his rogues followed him. As he walked away, he barked one last command to the rogues who were still on the island. "Give them a little demonstration, won't you?"
Instantly, the rogues unsheathed their claws and rushed forward, bloodlust in their eyes. In response, Tidepaw unsheathed her own claws, and leaped on a brown rogue who was heading towards the RiverClan cats. He hadn't expected to be attacked by a tiny apprentice such as herself, so Tidepaw managed to gain the element of surprise. Tidepaw slashed at his ears and pulled at his fur, trying to distract him from her Clanmates. I hate fighting, but I won't let you hurt the cats here at this Gathering! Tidepaw's blood rushed through her ears as she continued her assault on the brown tom's back. He managed to compose himself and he knocked Tidepaw off his back with a mighty heave.
Tidepaw managed to roll herself over so that she wasn't winded by falling off his back, but as she did, the tom delivered a blow to her flank, slicing open her side. Tidepaw managed to get a swipe at his muzzle before skipping backwards, out of the tom's range. "Here, kitty, kitty," Tidepaw whispered as her opponent rushed forward.
Tidepaw prepared to dodge as her opponent reached her, but she was too slow, and his powerful swipe sent her flying into the air. Tidepaw managed to regain her balance while airborne, and delivered another blow to her foe's hulking head. However, she landed awkwardly, and her opponent delivered another blow, knocking her to the ground. Crimson blood was dripping onto her black paw from a second wound that had been opened up by her opponent. Her opponent had blood dripping from his wounds as well, but it was clear that they didn't bother him much. He was still as strong as ever. Bonetail wasn't kidding around, thought Tidepaw. It looks like I really will die here. Did my life ever have meaning? Will my death change anything in the world? Tidepaw's vision grew hazy as the brown tom walked forward, his blood dripping onto her fur.
The tom's golden eyes met Tidepaw's blue eyes, and he kicked her in the stomach while sneering. "You're just a little she-cat!" the brown rogue snarled. "What did you think you could do against me?" He raised his paw for the finishing blow, and Tidepaw wondered if she would make it to StarClan. Probably not, she reflected.
Suddenly, a dizzying white flash slammed into the brown tom. "Then how about a much bigger she-cat?" asked someone whom Tidepaw could recognize as Snowcloud. Snowcloud unleashed a barrage of attacks on the brown rogue, pushing him away from Tidepaw. As the fought, Tidepaw's vision became clearer, and she was able to make out everything.
Then Galeflight appeared, and he grabbed the tom from behind, pulling him away from Snowcloud. "Snowcloud, take a look at that injured apprentice!" Galeflight ordered. "I'll handle this guy!" Galeflight spun the tom around with his strength, and the two began wrestling on the ground.
Snowcloud zipped over to Tidepaw and began licking her wounds clean. "Are you okay, little one?" she asked. "That was a very brave thing you did, but it looks like you took quite a beating. The tom you were fighting is called Bear. He's been troubling WindClan for several moons now, and Bonetail seems to be taking advantage of his hatred."
Tidepaw nodded to Snowcloud. She managed to muster up enough strength to pull herself to her paws, and from there she was able to survey what was happening with the other cats. Amberfang, Badgerclaw, and Cherrynose were fighting a gray she-cat, while Darkclaw was doing his best to fend off three rogues who were trying to swipe at Hopekit. The deputies were all trying to hold their own against two rogues, while the Clan leaders were taking on a small group of them. Sunstorm, Rainpaw, and Tigertail were finding a muscular black tom, while all around the island many other Clan cats were having their own struggles with the rogues.
Then Tidepaw's eyes were drawn back to Galeflight and Bear. As Tidepaw watched Galeflight fight, words her father had said moons ago repeated themselves in her mind. "It's not a question of how strong I am," Quailfeather had told Tidepaw. "It's how I gain my strength. I believe that when we are protecting something precious to ourselves, we can grow more ferocious than the warriors of TigerClan." With each blow, Galeflight was demonstrating true strength. But Bear was strong as well, and Tidepaw worried that the battle could go either way.
Tidepaw beckoned to Snowcloud. "Come on, let's help Galeflight," she said.
Tidepaw and Snowcloud raced towards Bear, adding their own attacks to Galeflight's assault. Bear was a strong cat, but under the attack of three cats, he was weakening. Without warning, Bear raised his paws and pushed the other three cats away, slapping them with his tail as he shoved them. Then he dug his paws into the damp earth and sent a cloud of dirt flying at the three cats. Momentarily blinded, Tidepaw was unable to react as Bear retreated from the battle and returned to wherever Bonetail was waiting.
Looking around the island, Tidepaw could see the other cats covered in blood. It was their own blood and the blood of the rogues, spread in equal portions. The rogues had all retreated, leading the exhausted Clan cats relieved that the battle was over.
Although he was wounded, Ravenstar managed to pull himself up into the central tree where he could more easily look over the damage inflicted by the rogues. "There don't seem to have been any casualties on either side," Ravenstar remarked. "It also seems like both sides dealt an equal amount of damage to the other. There was no winner in this fight."
"No," hissed Thornstar grimly as he pulled himself into the tree alongside Ravenstar. "There was a winner, and it was the rogues. We outnumbered them, but both sides were evenly matched. Bonetail accomplished what he came here for. He proved that his rogues would be victorious if it ever came to a fight."
Blood was streaked across Otterstar's fur, but she too climbed into the tree. "Despite this, we can't give in to him," she declared. "Our medicine cats are too important to us. We'll have to find another way to deal with Bonetail."
"I agree," added Duskstar. "But for now, we need to return to our Clans and lick our wounds. There's no telling what Bonetail could try next."
Ravenstar nodded. "Yes, this Gathering is dismissed," he declared.
With that, the four leaders returned to the ground and began bringing their warriors together.
As Tidepaw padded over to Rainpaw, a tom ran up to the two of them with a shocked look on his face. "You!" he gasped, pointing at Rainpaw. "You're the one wounded me, the mighty Boulderpaw!"
"So this is the one?" asked Tidepaw. "Strange, he doesn't look very lovesick."
"I-I will have my revenge!" stuttered Boulderpaw before running away in fear.
Tidepaw shot Rainpaw a worried look, and Rainpaw returned it with a shrug. The two friends followed Otterstar off the island and back towards the familiar territory of RiverClan. Tidepaw took one last look back at the island, which was still illuminated by moonlight. It's a sacred place, chosen by StarClan. Never again should that much blood be shed there. Then Tidepaw trekked onward, following her Clan.
"When we get back to RiverClan, could I have some herbs for my wounds?" asked Tidepaw.
Rainpaw looked over Tidepaw's fur, then shook her head. "You don't need any," Rainpaw replied. "The only wound you have is the never-healing scar on your head."
Tidepaw looked at her pelt and found that there were no scratches in her fur. She was surprised, but then she brushed the thought aside. Bear probably hadn't done as much damage as Tidepaw had assumed. The pain must have been greater than the wounds received.
Finally, the Clan reached the camp. As they entered, most members of RiverClan headed for their dens, but Tidepaw instead followed Rainpaw into the medicine den.
Inside, Brightpaw was sleeping peacefully as Nightheart watched over her. Nightheart was confused when he noticed the wounds on Rainpaw. "What happened?" he asked.
"A lot," replied Rainpaw as she curled up in her den.
Nightheart sighed as Rainpaw drifted off to sleep. Then Brightpaw cracked her eye open. "How was the Gathering, little sister?" she asked.
"It wasn't what I was expecting," replied Tidepaw, summing it up in as few words as she could.
"You need your rest," Nightheart told Brightpaw. "It'll help you with your disease, and soon you'll be able to get back to your duties."
Brightpaw yawned, then closed her eyes and slowed her breath. Tidepaw gave a nod of thanks to Nightheart before leaving the medicine den. It had been a long night, and she needed to get some sleep as well.
Tidepaw paused for a moment, taking one last glance around the camp. Her gaze met with a pair of piercing green eyes, attached to some figure watching the camp from its highest point. Tidepaw nearly shrieked in shock. Then, as quickly as they had appeared, the eyes were gone. Dismissing them as her imagination, Tidepaw headed to her den. Bonetail had promised to return, and she would need all her strength if she wished to fight him. The war with the rogues was only just beginning.
To be continued…
Appearances are deceptive. Except Boulderpaw. He really is as arrogant and hot-headed as he acts.
I didn't introduce very many RiverClan cats in this chapter, although we'll definitely see what they're like in Tidepaw's next chapter. So, what do you think of Tidepaw? And who do you like more, Tidepaw or Leafkit? Please tell me if you leave a review, and also add any constructive criticism you have.
Also, we'll get to see what Leafkit and the WindClan cats are up to in the next chapter. I hope to see you there! (Don't magically appear in WindClan. That would creep me out.) Here's a random tidbit about the WindClan cats. Snowcloud and Tigertail are the kits of Woodfur. Their mother died when she was kitting.
Thanks you very much for reading! I'll try to get the next chapter out faster. See you soon!