Chapter 2:
Featherbreeze lapped at her silver pelt with rhythmic, purposeful strokes.
"Going to the Gathering?" An elderly tabby tom settled beside her.
Featherbreeze jumped at his voice. "Yes I am, Grasstail," She replied after regaining her composure.
Grasstail leaned back and examined his daughter. "You look lovely."
Featherbreeze purred. "Thank you," She paused. "Do you know if Breezeflight is going yet?"
Grasstail shook his head. "You'll have to ask Stormstar or Poppyfeather."
"I suppose I'll see Poppyfeather then," Featherbreeze touched her nose to her father's ear and padded off.
A light brown tabby was eating a rabbit by the fresh-kill pile.
"Poppyfeather," Featherbreeze meowed softly.
The tabby lifted her head. "Yes?"
"Can you tell me who else is going to the Gathering?" Featherbreeze asked politely.
"Stormstar, you, me, Rowanwing, Kestrelpaw, Cedarfrost, Spottedmoon, Cloverstorm, Rabbitflight, Hollowstep, Breezeflight, Wasppaw, and Quailpaw," Poppyfeather recited.
"Thank you," Featherbreeze dipped her head and hurried off to find her sister.
The black she-cat was in the nursery, talking with the queens.
"Featherbreeze!" Icewhisker exclaimed when the silver tabby entered.
"Good evening Icewhisker," Featherbreeze smiled. "Rosepool," She nodded to the cream colored queen.
"Are you going to have kits soon?" Rosepool asked. "I know Rabbitflight has expressed interest in you."
Featherbreeze ducked her head hurriedly. She had only recently become a warrior, there would be time for a mate and kits later. "No, actually."
"Rabbitflight will be disappointed," Icewhisker commented.
Featherbreeze's pelt burned with embarrassment. "I just haven't been a warrior for very long," She explained.
"You're young," Rosepool agreed. "There's plenty of time, I suppose."
The cats were startled by a yowl from the clearing. It was time to leave for the Gathering. Thank Starclan Featherbreeze thought.
"Be sure to tell us all about it!" Icewhisker called as Featherbreeze and her sister hurried out.
Breezeflight fell into step beside Featherbreeze. "Sorry about them."
Featherbreeze shrugged, not meeting her sister's gaze. "It's fine."
Breezeflight nudged Featherbreeze affectionately and hurried to catch up with Spottedmoon and Hollowstep.
Featherbreeze flinched as another cat's pelt brushed hers. It was Rabbitflight.
"Are you okay?" The gray tom's yellow gaze held concern. And something more.
"I'm fine," Featherbreeze promised.
Rabbitflight hesitated. "Do you ever think about having kits?"
Featherbreeze stopped walking for a moment. Why were all her clanmates pressuring her about this?
Rabbitflight looked embarrassed. "I was just wondering. The clan needs new life."
"Rosepool's pregnant," Featherbreeze reminded him.
"Yes, I suppose," Rabbitflight nodded. "But I was just thinking that you and I-"
"Hurry up," Cloverstorm cut him off, turning to look at the pair. "You're falling behind."
"Sorry," Featherbreeze mumbled to Rabbitflight, racing to the front behind Stormstar.
"So you and Rabbitflight?" Kestrelpaw asked without even looking at her.
"Why does every cat keep talking to me about having kits with Rabbitflight?" Featherbreeze groaned to the medicine cat apprentice.
"My apologies," Kestrelpaw murmured diplomatically. "But you have good genes."
"What are bad genes?" Featherbreeze demanded. "And my sister has the same ones!"
"Bad genes," Kestrelpaw thought for a moment. "Kittypets, loners, rogues. . .Shadowclan."
Featherbreeze looked at him in surprise. He would know the Shadowclan medicine cats personally.
"I'm just kidding," Kestrelpaw flicked his ears.
"Seriously," Featherbreeze prodded him.
"It's not just you," Kestrelpaw assured her. "I've heard Rosepool and Icewhisker mentioning it to your sister, Hawkfeather, even Quailpaw."
"Not Quailpaw," Featherbreeze inhaled sharply and glanced over at the young she-cat laughing with Wasppaw.
Kestrelpaw nodded solemnly as he lept onto the log leading to the island.
Featherbreeze jumped up after him, landing gracefully on the sandy shore.
"Riverclan and Shadowclan are here already," Poppyfeather announced.
Featherbreeze felt a shiver as she entered the clearing. This Gathering felt different from the others she had attended.
Stormstar quickly made his way up the tree with Emberstar and Morningstar while Poppyfeather settled among the roots with Splashwhisker.
Featherbreeze looked around for the Shadowclan deputy, Redwing. I wonder where he is. Maybe he's sick She pondered. No, he's with that Riverclan queen She realized, spotting the red brown tom with a heavily pregnant dark gray she-cat.
Curiosity got the better of her and she slipped quietly over to the corner where they were talking.
"I thought you said Streamfeather wasn't going to let you come," Redwing was whispering.
"I pleaded with Morningstar," The she-cat replied. "Streamfeather tried to make her stop me. She said something felt wrong. That's actually why Morningstar said I had to come."
"I knew I couldn't be the only to notice," Redwing pricked his ears. "But you can't endanger the health of our kits for a Gathering."
Featherbreeze gasped. Both cats turn to look at her. Panic filled their eyes.
"Don't say anything," Redwing meowed slowly.
Featherbreeze stumbled backwards, shocked at what she had heard.
"Watch it!" She had backed into a pretty Riverclan she-cat.
"I'm sorry," Featherbreeze was in a daze. Had she heard correctly?
"Featherbreeze, are you okay?" Spottedmoon sprinted over.
Featherbreeze spun around to face the spotted she-cat. "A Riverclan she-cat is having Redwing's kits!" She hissed, far louder than she had meant. Her voice carried throughout the clearing.
Thunderclan had just arrived.
Emberstar slid down the tree and shouldered his way through the crowd. "Is this true?"
Redwing hung his head. "Yes. Yes, it is."
Morningstar had arrived beside the Shadowclan leader, her eyes narrowed. "I hope you realize these kits will be raised in their mother's clan."
Emberstar rounded on her with a snarl. "These kits are half Shadowclan. They will be raised as such."
"Your clan frowns upon those of mixed blood!" Splashwhisker objected.
"Your clan is not worthy of raising kits of Shadowclan blood!" Stormclaw snapped.
"The kits will not be half Shadowclan," A Thunderclan warrior by the name of Sleekwing stepped forward. "Redwing was my son with Cloverheart."
A collective gasp rose from the gathered cats. Ivystar was still perched among the branches, hardly showing any emotion. "Thunderclan will take the kits in that case."
"Windclan has a claim to the kits as well!" Cedarfrost yowled. "Mintleaf and Pebblefrost are my kits."
Featherbreeze felt sick. The feud over the kits could lead to nothing but trouble. It amazed her that Sleekwing and Cedarfrost were willing to admit to such brazen infractions of the warrior code like this. They seemed to be looking for trouble.
"Why isn't Starclan stopping this?" A Riverclan apprentice looked at the clear night sky and whimpered.
"This is ridiculous," Rowanwing bristled. "Their mother is Riverclan. The kits should stay there. Their well being is not worth this."
"We don't even want mixed bloods in our clan!" Wasppaw added.
"Don't be mousebrained," Stormstar glared at the tabby and white tom. "Any amount of Windclan blood would be wasted in another clan."
Shadeheart, the Thunderclan medicine cat, was solemn. "Though the moon remains uncovered, I think it would be best if each clan returned to their camp and time was given for each to think this over."
"Shadowclan will not be reconsidering its position," Emberstar lashed his tail.
"Shadeheart has a point," Ivystar crawled down from her branch.
"When are her kits due?" Stormclaw asked.
"In half a moon," Streamfeather answered.
"I think Mintleaf should remain here on the island until then," Brightdawn, the Thunderclan deputy, spoke up.
"That's an unreasonable request," Silverfern objected. "She needs to be a calm environment with a medicine cat and experienced queens nearby."
"Silverfern is right," Stormstar agreed. "But if you try to hide her away, Starclan help you."
"We won't," Morningstar snorted. "Riverclan is leaving," She swished her tail and stalked out of the clearing.
"Windclan as well," Stormstar nodded to Poppyfeather who began gathering up the Windclan cats.
Featherbreeze allowed herself to be herded off the island and back towards Windclan territory.
"You can't be serious about fighting for these kits," Rowanwing was muttering to Stormstar.
The dark gray tom's blue eyes glittered defiantly. "As long as I am breathing, I will not stop trying to bring those kits back to Windclan."
(A/N: I know, the whole thing felt a bit a rushed, I wasn't sure how else to have the information slip out. I'll try and improve)