Chapter 26: Nightpaw

Nightpaw blinked open his eyes when Smokey came into the den. Smokey hadn't exposed Nightpaw to the other rogues, and she'd treated him well, bringing him prey every day. Nightpaw knew this was just to get her friends back, but she didn't tell him anything.

Smokey flicked her tail to signal that Nightpaw follow her outside. When Nightpaw left the den, he could see that the sun had just barely set, but the full moon was still shining brightly. They left for the island where the Clans would meet for a gathering that night. They arrived before the other Clans, and Smokey made Nightpaw climb a tree so that they were out of sight.

ShadowClan was the first to arrive, quickly followed by RiverClan. Hawk was among the RiverClanners, and the entire patrol seemed to be on edge. ThunderClan arrived a few moments later with Sparrow. WindClan was the last to arrive, and, when spotted RiverClan, yowls erupted from the clearing. Nightpaw could easily make out the pelts of Beetle paw and his friends. He could also, strangely enough, see Fernpaw.

Somehow the Clans managed to keep the peace. After rather short announcements, there was silence. Everyone was with their own Clan, Hawk and Sparrow in the middle of the clearing and Beetlepaw with his friends off to the side. Smokey decided for them to show themselves then, and pushed Nightpaw down first. They landed between the Clans and the tree bridge.

As soon as they showed themselves, RiverClan got into attack position. Beetlepaw and the others came closer. Smokey let Nightpaw join his Clanmates, and Hawk and Sparrow went racing over to Smokey, who was about turn and leave.

"Wait!" shouted an unfriendly voice, causing Smokey turned back to the Clan impatiently.

A large gray tom stepped forward and bared his teeth at Smokey. "You don't actually believe that we're going to jest let you walk away, "Pebblefoot hissed at the rogue.

Smokey narrowed her eyes when Pebblefoot leaped at her. She easily jumped over him. Smokey recovered from the landing before Pebblefoot and managed to pin him down. The Clans stood in silence, with some bristling.

Smokey hissed at the larger warrior when a gray-and-ginger shape barreled into her side, shoving her off of Pebblefoot. More cats emerged from the underbrush after the she-cat.

"Ginger!" Smokey growled. "Why did you get in my way?"

The gray she-cat with ginger patches turned back to the lead cat, a black tom with white batches and amber eyes. She went to stand next a large black tom with white stripes.

Nightpaw caught Hawk's nod towards him and Beetlepaw.

"Boots," Smokey hissed. "This is revenge for forgetting! They don't deserve to be here if they forget their past, if they break their promise."

Lionblaze pushed himself to the front of the crown, Dovewing and Jayfeather next to him. When Lionblaze did that, the black tome with white stripes and Ginger snarled and took a step forward.

"Lion's Roar!" the black tom hissed.

Lionblaze blinked in slight confusion, but Jayfeather's eyes widened. "How did you…?" he began.

Ginger hissed, "Don't worry, we didn't forget. We know the truth. You're Jay's Wing, Lion's Roar, and Dove's Wing; the three who were reborn among the Clans, the three who walk with the power of the stars in their paws."

Every cat was shocked silent. You could slice the tension in the air with your claws.

Finally, Jayfeather spoke, "So, you know who I am?"

Boots was the one who nodded. "Without you, there would be no Clans, and no Tribe."

Ginger snarled at Lionblaze, "You were from the Tribe! You promised, directly, to never forget! And yet you have."

"And then there are the Clans!" The black tom with white stripes was the next to speak. "You saw the Tribe and acted as if you've never met! Do you even know how the Clans were formed?" When no one answered, he continued, "The Clans were formed… from the Tribe."

The Clans were once again shocked silent. It only lasted for a moment before there was a complete uproar.

"Liars!" they called. That was when a huge storm cloud covered the moon.

"That's enough!" Beetlepaw shouted as he went to stand in front of the Clans. "They speak the truth! Jay's Wing did indeed lead the cats that were going to die here to mountains, but there were too many of them for the mountains to sustain, so a large group of strong, young cats followed the trail of the rising sun to get to the New Hunting Grounds."

"Also known as the Old Forest, first home of the Clans," Smokey hissed.

"Figures you'd side yourself with some lying, flea-bitten rogues," a familiar voice snorted. Fernpaw came to the front and faced Beetlepaw. "You're barely more than a rogue yourself."

That comment sent Nightpaw over the top. "Says you," he growled, coming nose-to-nose with his sister.

"Yea, says me," Fernpaw sneered back.

Right before Nightpaw was going to leap on Fernpaw and tear her to shreds; an unfamiliar voice laced with authority ran out, "That's enough."

When Nightpaw looked up, he saw a group of translucent cats with stars speckling their fur.

"Clear Sky!" Smokey hissed as she prepared to leap on the tom who had spoken. A gray tabby kit ran her way. "Raccoon! Why do you stand in my way? You've lived as Jagged Peak; surely you want revenge for what he's done?"

Raccoon shook his head, "Skystar was only doing what he believed was right."

Smokey snarled at that. "What he believed was right?! How could you say that? He is the reason Fox died, the reason countless cats died, in fact, as Fox was only the first. It was his doing that left kits motherless and starving! He's nothing but filth. It's a good thing SkyClan was driven from the forest, but Clear Sky needs to suffer more."

"It's a wonder SkyClan was the friendly cats it was before it was driven out and ThunderClan adopted that role," Boots muttered before stepping forward. "Look, Smokey. We all want the Clans to remember, but killing them all is not the way to do it!"

"Oh, and you think they'll listen to the truth?" Smokey shot back.

Clear Sky sighed, "It's true that I have made some mistakes in my past."

"You got that right," Smokey snorted.

"But I do think it's time the Clans learned of their heritage. And perhaps I can help with that…" Clear Sky said.

Smokey growled at him, "Don't think that will mean anything!"

"Besides the Clans knowing who they really are," Boots pointed out.

"You expect us to believe that? You dumb rogues have no idea what it means to be a true Clan cat, and you know nothing about us!" Fernpaw growled. The clearing broke into yowls of agreement and outrage.

Clear Sky sighed, "Perhaps this will help…"

The clearing faded and the cats found themselves in a new place.