Chapter 11(:
"Fireheart, Yellowfang, Whitestorm, Runningwind, Longtail, Sandstorm, Dustpelt, Ashfur, Willowpelt, Sootpaw, Hailpaw, Foxpaw, Featherpaw, Stormpaw, Dappletail and Frostfur."
Featherpaw jumped to her paws as her name was called, excitement suddenly bubbling in her chest. It's time! Exchanging a thrilled glance with Foxpaw, the gray tabby followed Stormpaw and Sootpaw to the patrol of cats gathering around Bluestar. Hailpaw met them there, his icy eyes bright in the still-faint moonlight.
"Are you excited?" He asked quietly. Featherpaw nodded as Foxpaw started chattering away, walking beside the two toms as they began moving out into the forest. Hailpaw had already been to a few gatherings—all but the first that passed when they had been apprenticed. It was one of the privileges of being a medicine cat apprentice.
As they got into the thick of the forest, Bluestar broke into a run, her clan streaming out behind her like a river. Featherpaw felt a thrill as she not only kept up with the warriors, but managed to bypass Longtail and Dustpelt. Soon, she was racing alongside her mentor, whose eyes lit up as she saw her apprentice catch up. Before she knew it, Featherpaw was being called to a halt alongside the rest of the ThunderClan patrol, Foutrees only a rabbit hop away. Bluestar hesitated for a moment, before flicking her tail and leading her Clan down into the large meeting place. As soon as she reached the crest of the slope, Featherpaw felt her nerves striking up. She had never seen so many cats before in her life. For a moment, the gray tabby hesitated, and Sandstorm gave her an encouraging nudge, ushering her down into the hollow.
"Come on," Sootpaw was suddenly beside her, Foxpaw at his shoulder. Stormpaw gave her and encourage nudge on the shoulder.
"Sootpaw said he would introduce us to the other apprentices," he meowed excitedly. Featherpaw nodded, following the darker gray apprentice through the crowds to a clear spot beneath one of the four great oaks. By scent, Featherpaw recognized RiverClan, and by sight, she recognized the thin, wiry cats of WindClan. ShadowClan, she realized, must not have arrived yet.
"Hey, Sootpaw!" A pale gray she-cat jumped to her paws, her sleek pelt and fishy scent yowling RiverClan.
"Dawnpaw," he dipped his head in a friendly way, greeting the RiverClan apprentice. He motioned the others with his tail. "These are some of my Clan-mates, tonight's their first Gathering—but don't doubt them! They're only a few moons younger than us."
Foxpaw stepped forward. "Nice to meet you." It astonished Featherpaw how comfortable Foxpaw suddenly was. "I'm Foxpaw. This is Featherpaw," he flicked her shoulder with his tail-tip. "And Stormpaw." He flicked his ear towards her brother.
"It's nice to meet you, Dawnpaw," Featherpaw meowed softly, Stormpaw echoing a similar greeting.
"Hey!"
All five apprentices turned to see a thin, well-muscled WindClan apprentice making his way towards them.
"Hey, Gorsepaw." Sootpaw greeted the other tom much more warmly than he had greeted Dawnpaw, and Featherpaw wondered if they had battled at Sunningrocks, causing the tension between them.
Soon, the toms were engaged in a story being told by Gorsepaw, and Featherpaw was left by herself as Dawnpaw left on a call from her mentor. The light gray tabby was feeling more comfortable now that she had met a few cats from other Clans, and since ShadowClan had yet to arrive, she glanced around, looking for another conversation she might be able to join. Sandstorm wasn't far away, talking with three other warriors, Runningwind at her side. Featherpaw felt her whiskers twitching as she wondered if they knew how obvious their once-discreet relationship was.
"She'll be moving into the nursery soon."
Featherpaw purred, turning to face Hailpaw. "You think so?"
The pale tabby rolled his eyes good-naturedly, giving her a gently nudge. "I know so, Featherpaw. Yellowfang told her just yesterday to, 'stop stalling and tell that poor tom.'"
Featherpaw let out a mrrow of amusement, looking at her mentor again. "I guess that means someone else might have to cover my training…" She sighed.
Hailpaw sighed as well. "I think that's why she's stalling."
A yowl split the air, followed by the sharp scent of pine that announced ShadowClan's arrival. The other three leaders were already perched on the Highrock, and Featherpaw watched through wide eyes as a huge, dark brown tabby strode forward, leaping onto the Highrock in two mighty bounds.
"But I thought…"
Hailpaw shook his head. "That's not Nightstar."
Featherpaw glanced at Hailpaw, then at the large tabby as shocked yowls and hisses echoed through the clearing. "Did he die?"
"I'm not sure…" Hailpaw murmured, his eyes clouded. "I know a great sickness swept through ShadowClan, but I never thought it could take more than one life from a leader…"
"Welcome, cats of all Clans!" The huge tabby yowled, signaling the start of the Gathering. Nearby, Featherpaw heard Runningwind hiss softly, "Tigerclaw…"
Tigerclaw? Featherpaw's eyes shot wider, her gaze snapping back the dark cat perched next to Bluestar, who appeared as if she had seen a ghost. But he was banished!
"I come bearing sad news…" he bowed his head, his broad shoulders dropping in apparent remorse. "The illness that has taken so many ShadowClan lives took one very dear to us… It brings me great sorrow to announce that Nightstar is dead."
"What about Cinderfur?" WindClan's leader—Featherpaw remembered Sandstorm telling her about Tallstar's distinctively long tail—stepped forward. "The deputy always succeeds the leader."
Before Tigerclaw could answer, another cat stepped forward. He was scrawny, as if still recovering from the disease Tigerclaw spoke of, his gray-and-white pelt un-kept. "Cinderfur was lost as well," he rasped. He turned his gaze to the leaders above him. "Tigerstar's appearance is no coincidence—he arrived as a sign from StarClan promised change, and a fresh start. We have accepted Tigerstar as the leader of ShadowClan—and StarClan has granted their approval as well."
Tigerstar bowed his head. "Thank-you, Runningnose." Then the great tabby turned to address the other leaders. "He speaks nothing but the truth. I travelled only yesterday to Highstones to receive my name and nine lives."
Again, unease rippled through the clearing. "I will strive to be the leader that helps ShadowClan recover from this misfortune. And as such, I have welcomed new warriors into the clan. Rogues—cast out in the confusion of Brokenstar's treachery—who have sworn again their loyalty to the warrior code. Blackfoot will again be the deputy of ShadowClan."
The murmurs were only growing louder, but as Featherpaw craned her neck to see the cat Tigerstar mentioned, Hailpaw crouched lower to the ground, his fur bristling.
"He's the one…" he was murmuring softly.
"Hailpaw?" Featherpaw whispered, crouching down closer to the spooked medicine cat apprentice. The pale tabby was always so calm, his current state was unnerving for Featherpaw.
"In other news," Tigerclaw was rumbling, his chin high. "As my first act as ShadowClan's leader, I named two new warriors: Rowanclaw and Cedarheart."
An uneasy cheer went around the clearing, the loudest coming from ShadowClan. Again, Featherpaw tried to see more clearly, but she could only make out the ginger tom sitting closer to her and Hailpaw through the crowd, and she had no idea which warrior it was she could see. Like most of the ShadowClan warriors she saw, he was scrawny and seemed underfed, but there were lean muscles coiled under his slightly dull pelt, and Featherpaw decided not to doubt their strength.
"RiverClan has very little to report." Leopardstar was speaking now. Crookedstar's death had been announced at the previous Gathering, and Silverstream had been gone for the better part of the next day grieving for her father with her former Clan-mates. "The river has not risen much with the thaw, and is full of fish." With that, the dappled golden she-cat stepped back, and Tallstar took her place.
"WindClan also has very little to report," he rasped. "There was a badger sighted on the moor, but Onewhisker and Webfoot made sure that it did not stay long." A murmur of appreciation passed through the ranks, and suddenly, it was Bluestar's turn to speak, and she still crouched, rigid in her spot, her eyes like icily on Tigerstar.
"Bluestar…?" Tallstar flicked her shoulder lightly with the tip of his tail, and Featherpaw began to wonder if Bluestar was ever going to move, before she stood stiffly, stalking to the front of the Great Rock.
"ThunderClan has nothing to report." She meowed frostily, her eyes like chips of ice in the moonlight. "This Gathering is over."
That said, she jumped from the Great Rock, gathering her warriors with one lash of her tail and making her way towards ThunderClan's territory again. Sootpaw had told Featherpaw that normally after a Gathering, if the moon wasn't too close to setting, the gathered cats could spend more time sharing news. It appeared that this Gathering was different, though the moon still hung high in the sky.
Featherpaw shook her head, clearing it and rushing after her Clan-mates. She caught up with Stormpaw as they leaped over the fallen tree, panting heavily. Not a word was uttered until they got back to camp, where Bluestar launched herself onto the Highrock and summoned the clan with a furious yowl. Most cats had stayed up to hear news of the Gathering anyway, but those that hadn't awoke quickly, joining the murmuring crowd around the Highrock. Bluestar waited only until the last cat emerged from their den to make her announcement.
"Tigerclaw has returned!"
Instantly, yowls of dismay swept through the Clan.
"He is back," she continued forcefully. "And claims to be the leader of ShadowClan!"
"He doesn't just claim it," Runningwind spat. "He has Runningnose making up signs for him!"
Yellowfang growled quietly, rising stiffly to her paws. "Ruuningnose was once my apprentice—he would not make up a sign from StarClan if Raggedstar himself came down and asked it of him."
Separate conversations erupted through the camp, and Featherpaw found herself turning to Stormpaw. "Do you think they'll attack us?" She asked softly. The light gray tabby wasn't aware of Whitestorm's close ears, and was surprised when he stood.
"Young Featherpaw poses a good question, Bluestar." Featherpaw watched in silent surprise as the senior warrior recited her exact question. "Do you think they will attack?"
Bluestar shook her head. "I know Tigerclaw means no good. If he sees the opportunity, he will strike."
Smallear huffed quietly. "Like it or not he is the leader of ShadowClan," the elder rasped. "Shouldn't you…"
Bluestar cut him off coldly. "Tigerclaw is a traitor and a rogue. He will never be more than such." She turned to Fireheart, who looked as astonished as Featherpaw felt. Bluestar never speaks to the elders this way…! "I want the patrols doubled, and the boundaries of the camp are to be reinforced. ThunderClan has only grown stronger since he was banished—when he attacks he will be met with tooth and claw."
The blue-gray she-cat slid from the Highrock, sliding instantly into her den, leaving her Clan to speculate on their own. Featherpaw shivered.
"Bluestar has never acted like that before…" She murmured, turned worried blue eyes to Stormfur. Whitestorm had retreated after Bluestar into her den, Foxpaw taking his place.
"Well it's not every day that a traitor shows up as the leader of an enemy clan." The dark red apprentice rationalized, his own eyes serious for once. "If they put so much as one paw over the border, they'll be sorry."
Stormpaw sighed. "Tigerstar can't just lead an attack for no reason—not at the head of a Clan."
"I guess…" Featherpaw stood, a large yawn breaking her statement. "There's nothing we can do about it, now…"
"I suppose you're right," Foxpaw didn't seem pleased with the simple conclusion, but a yawn of his own followed Featherpaw's, and with a resigned sigh, the blue-eyed tom padded towards the apprentice den. Featherpaw trailed behind Stormpaw, glancing back at Bluestar's den beneath the Highrock. I'm sure everything will be alright… She thought silently, slipping into the den and curling up in her nest beside Stormpaw. It has to be…
Alright! Finally, a little bit of plot development:D You guys didn't forget about Tigerstar, did you? I hope not, because he's back~! Thanks to my reviewers, I think I've finally got Foxpaw's warrior name settled(: So, tell me what you thought of this chapter! I sometimes have a hard time with Gatherings, so I hope this one was alright… Oh, and I'm still looking for a mate for Stormpaw later on~(and any other cats you think need love and kits;P) and:
My Guest: You're welcome! Though… do you mind if I pair her with another cat?
FrostFlower223: Thank-you so much!
Pinkstar: Thank-you for the suggestion! You helped inspire me to think a little more outside the box(: I hope you keep reading:D