I just want to say, don't expect them to do really dumb things in every chapter. They're called Dumbclan because they're not as smart as the other Clans, not because they're idiots. They're not going to go hunting Twoleg monsters, or launching attacks on all the other Clans at once. Are they the kinds of cats to hunt a fox? Yes. Are they the kind of cats to steal every other Clan's kits? Maybe. But are they the kind of cats to jump off a mountain to see if they can fly? Absolutely not. Also, I know that Sunclan and Moonclan exist, even though I named Mittenpool's kits Sunkit and Moonkit. I named them that because that's what I decided to name my two kittens. Moon has already died though...she was torn apart by...a raccoon? A coyote? Her mother? I honestly don't know. But I'll have you know, in this chapter, there will be a name change, to fit in with the warrior name I would have given Moon had she lived. This author's note is getting incredibly long, at least for me it is, and you didn't come hear to hear me talk! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE review. I love to know what you all think of every chapter! Okay, I'm just gonna start the chapter now...
Yolopaw dashed over to the entrance as soon as he had eaten. He couldn't wait to go to the Gathering! He wondered suddenly if he would meet Lightpaw, a Sunclan apprentice he had heard Tripfall telling Gracefuldash about last moon. Tripfall said that she had started a fight with a couple apprentices from Moonclan, Nightpaw and Eclipsepaw. He hoped that Lightpaw wouldn't be there...he knew he had to represent his Clan, and, being the Clan leader's son, he had to be on his best behavior.
Clumsypaw started running toward him, then tripped and fell right in front of Yolopaw. He bounced right back up. "I hope we get to actually meet Eclipsestar! I heard he's the best leader Sunclan has had in a long time! Ooh, and maybe we'll see that cat from the Stormclan patrol from our first day of being apprentices! Can you remember his name? I don't."
When Clumsypaw paused for breath, Yolopaw added his thoughts. "We're just apprentices. We aren't going to meet another Clan's leader. And Eclipsestar is nowhere near as good a leader as my father. And I think the tom's name was Shadewhisker. And there was the other tom, and the she-cat. Oh, and the apprentice. I hope we meet her." Yolopaw had thought she seemed scared of Shadewhisker. He hadn't been able to stop thinking about her. But just then, Giantstar signalled that it was time to go. The cats streamed out of the entrance and went to the Gathering place: BroadStumps. There were five large stumps there, clustered fairly close together. Each one was perfect for a leader to sit on. They were high enough so that each leader could look down on the cats while they were giving their news.
However, when the Dumbclan cats made it to the Gathering, Yolopaw stopped and stared in shock. Sitting atop Stormclan's stump, was Shadewhisker. Giantstar leaped up onto his stump and turned to face Shadewhisker. "Shadewhisker! What is going on? Has something happened to Lightningstar? And where's Thundertail? Is everything all right with Stormclan?"
Shadewhiske drew himself to his full height and gazed down at the cats mingling below. "I'll tell you all when the Gathering begins," he grumbled. Yolopaw turned away, looking for Clumsypaw. However, as he took a step forward, he bumped into another cat. A pretty she-cat turned around to facehim. It was the apprentice from Stormclan! She was a pretty gray tabby, with green eyes. The moonlight made her look almost silver.
"Hi," whispered Yolopaw. "What's your name?"
The she-cat snorted. "What's it to you?" she snarled. "The only time I would ever talk to a Dumbclan cat is in battle, to ask them if they have any last words before I kill them."
Yolopaw jerkedhis head up. "Killing is against the warrior code! Are you trying to tell me that Stormclan are murderers as well as mouse-brains?" he hissed.
Her eyes softened. "Of course not. I just don't know which cats I can and can't trust. For instance, I can't trust Shadestar up there."
"Shadestar?" Yolopaw's head reeled from this new information. His two moons of training had taught him that Lightningstar was the leader of Stormclan, with Thundertail as his deputy. Last heknew, Shadewhisker was just a regular warrior. But obviously not, if he was Shadestar now.
"Hush! The Gathering's about to start. You'll find out in a moment." She paused. "The name's Rainfall, by the way."
She was a warrior?! Well, she was quite large last time he had seen her, two moons ago. Of course she was a warrior by now. He focused on the leaders up front.
"I will go first," announced Shadestar. "Thundertail was killed by a fox half a moon ago. I was then appointed as deputy. The next day, in a patrol to drive the fox away, Lightningstar lost his last life, and I was made leader. Now, we have a new warrior, who proved herself in the battle against the fox in which Lightningstar was killed! Welcome tonight, Rainfall!" The she-cat sitting next to Yolopaw puffed out her chest proudly as the other Clans called her name. Yolopaw still couldn't get over how beautiful Rainfall was.
Eclipsestar stepped forward. "That's all good and well, Shadestar, but why didn't you tell us sooner? No matter though, I suppose. We found out in the end. Sunclan also has good news. There is a warrior keeping guard in our camp tonight, so he couldn't make it, but we would like to welcome Lightclaw to Sunclan!" This time, the cheers were more muted, after last moon's incident, but they were there nonetheless.
The Moonclan leader, Skystar, looked up. His eyes were distant, and his fur was dull and unkempt. He was obviously very old, and on his last life. "Moonclan also has good news to report. We welcome to this Gathering Bluepaw, Silverpaw, Nightfang, and Eclipseheart! Iceflower has moved into the nursery, and Firepetal has had her kits: Flamekit, Redkit, and Yellowkit!" Skystar broke off with a hacking cough. "That is all. Giantstar?"
"Dumbclan has great news. We have two new apprentices here tonight! YYolopaw, my son, and Clumsypaw. We have two new warriors, Tripfall and Gracefuldash. Gracefuldash is in camp with her kits, Mariokit, Stupidkit, and Dorkkit. Mittenpool has also given birth to Fuzzyfluff's kits, Sunkit and Moonkit. Runningstar?"
The Moorclan leader stepped forward. "Birdclaw has given birth to Swiftkit, Mistkit, Rabbitkit, and Foggykit. That is all Moorclan has to report."
The cats lingered amongst themselves a few moments longer, until Shadestar called his cats to return to camp. Tripfall padded up to Yolopaw and sat where Rainfall had been sitting heartbeats before. "Odd," murmered Tripfall. "Shadestar only brought Rainfall, Blizzardpelt, Snowfang, Hailclaw, Windwhisker, Icetail, and Cloudwing. The past two moons, Stormclan's group was much larger. Maybe that…fox…was more dangerous and deadly than the new leader wants to admit..."
Yolopaw tasted the air as Tripfall said fox. None of the Stormclan cats smelled like fox; he had encountered one his second moon of training. They smelled...of illness! The Stormclan cats were dying!
"We need to get them herbs! We can't just let an entire Clan die of illness! And then they'd be in our debt, and we could use that to our advantage! We can help and be helped at the same time! We can't just let them die!" Yolopaw knew that he couldn't just let Rainfall die. He didn't know why he felt this sudden surge of emotion. Just that he couldn't let Rainfall die.
No matter what.