New Announcement
Firestar paused at the top of the hollow before leading his cats down to the Gathering. The night was still, clouds building up on the horizon.
"Only Windclan so far," murmured his brother's friend, who was crouched at Firestar's shoulder. "What's keeping the others?"
Firestar shrugged. "Starclan knows. Personally, I wouldn't care if Tigerstar never showed up."
His leader signaled with his tail and led his warriors as they raced down through the bushes and into the clearing at the center of the hollow. As Graystripe had said, only Windclan cats were there. Nightfrost spotted their leader, Tallstar, seated with his deputy, Deadfoot, near the base of the Great Rock.
"Greetings, Firestar," Tallstar mewed, dipping his head courteously as Firestar approached. "Tornear told me he met you on your way to Highstones. We grieve for Bluestar."
"So do her own clan," Firestar responded, bowing his head in turn. "She was a noble leader."
"But you will be a worthy successor," meowed the black-and-white tom with his warm tone, surprising Firestar. Nightfrost merely flicked his tail, knowing how close the Windclan leader was to their father. Though the warmth of the tone felt...awkward... "You've served your clan well."
"I-I hope to serve it even better in future," Firestar stammered.
Tallstar nodded once more in response, and sprang up to the top of the rock. Firestar followed as Nightfrost took his spot at the base.
Deadfoot nodded to him. "I'm assuming you are the deputy now, Nightfrost?" Nightfrost nodded.
"Firestar made a great choice." Both spoke of what happened in their clans, not letting out any valuable information about their clan.
"Darkstripe was exiled from the clan?" the Windclan deputy asked.
Before Nightfrost could reply, a triumphant yowling came from the top of the hollow, and a heartbeat later more cats raced into the clearing as Shadowclan and Riverclan arrived together, their cats fanning out below him. Tigerstar reached the top of the Great Rock in a single bound, and Leopardstar scrambled up beside him.
"Cats of all clans!" Tigerstar declared, not waiting to greet Tallstar and Firestar or discuss which of the leaders should speak first. "I have news for you. Listen well, for great change is coming to the forest."
In the clearing, there was dead silence. All the cats stared up at the Great Rock, their eyes wide as they waited for Tigerstar to explain. Nightfrost bristled, waiting patiently for the Shadowclan leader to continue to the point.
"Great change," Tigerstar repeated. "And Starclan has shown me that it is Shadowclan's task to prepare every cat in the forest to meet it."
"Every cat?" The Windclan leader took a step forward. "Tigerstar—"
"Shadowclan has the favor of Starclan," Tigerstar swept on, ignoring the interruption. "We are blessed because we survived the sickness, and I have received the blessing of our warrior ancestors most of all because it was my task to restore the clan and make it great again."
"All of you know," Tigerstar went on, "that changes have already come to us—unwelcome changes beyond our control. Last leaf-bare much of the forest was covered by floods. A fire swept through Thunderclan territory." As he mentioned the fire he flashed a look at Firestar. "Twolegs are moving into our territory in ever greater numbers. Life is growing harder, and as the forest changes around us, we must change to meet the crisis."
Yowls of support rose from below, only from Shadowclan and Riverclan's side of the clearing. Deadfoot turned questioning to him, to which he shook his head.
"Starclan have shown me the way," Tigerstar meowed with a glance at the sky, where the storm clouds were massing more thickly still. "To survive the hardship ahead of us, we must join together. As four clans, we waste our energies in striving against each other. As one, we would be strong. We must unite!"
Total silence met his words. There was a faint breeze stirring the leafless branches of the four oak trees, and in the distance, a mutter of thunder.
"Leopardstar has already agreed to join Riverclan with Shadowclan," Tigerstar told them. "We shall be joint leaders of a greater clan, to be known as Tigerclan."
Now Tigerstar turned to Firestar and Tallstar. "We have come to invite you to join the new clan," he meowed, his amber eyes glittering. "Let us rule the forest together in friendship and peace."
Before he had finished speaking, Tallstar stepped forward, his fur bristling aggressively. But it was not to Tigerstar that he spoke; instead he addressed all the cats in the clearing below.
"Tigerclan was the name of one of the great clans of ancient times." Tallstar's voice rang out as strong and clear as if he were still a young cat. "Tigerstar has no right to use it now. Nor does he have the right to change the number of clans in the forest. We have lived as four clans for innumerable seasons, following the warrior code laid down for us by Starclan. To throw aside our ancient ways would bring disaster." Turning to Tigerstar, he hissed, "I'll die before I join my clan to yours!"
Tigerstar flattened his ears, but he kept his temper. "And what does the new leader of Thunderclan think?" he sneered. The cats there can sense his animosity to Firestar.
His brother looked down to his own clan. Nightfrost can hear Sandstorm yowling. "Never, Firestar, never!"
"Well, Firestar," Tigerstar rumbled, with another swift glance at the storm-dark sky. "Have you lost your tongue?"
Firestar took a couple of paces that brought him to Tallstar's side. "I'll never let you take over my clan," he spat at Tigerstar.
"Make us," Tallstar invited. "If you can."
"Make you?" Tigerstar's amber eyes widened in mock pain. "I came here in peace with a plan to help us all. Tallstar, Firestar, I want you to recognize that this is the right decision and come to me willingly. But don't delay too long," he added, a hint of menace in his voice. "Starclan will not wait forever."
Firestar spun around in fury and paced to the front of the rock. "Cats of Windclan, Riverclan, and Shadowclan!" he yowled. "I can stay silent no longer. You cannot trust Tigerstar any more than you would trust a cornered badger."
"I know many of you must have wondered why Tigerstar left Thunderclan," Firestar went on. "You want to know the truth? This cat is power-hungry and dangerous, and he is willing to murder other cats to get what he wants."
He broke off as lightning stabbed down from the sky, a blazing claw of white fire that raked the forest. Thunder crashed overhead, drowning Firestar's words.
"A sign! A sign!" Tigerstar yowled. He gazed up at the sky, his yellow eyes glowing in the light of the moon that still shone between the gathering clouds. "I thank you, Starclan, for showing us your will. This Gathering is over."
Calling a command to his cats to follow him, he bunched his muscles to leap down from the Great Rock. Before he sprang he turned his head, eyes narrowed with hatred. The Shadowclan leader spat to his brother. Nightfrost, vexed, lets out a furious yowl as Tigerstar lead his clan away.