Gray Wing paused in the middle of the forest, Skystar by his side. They were doing a brother hunting trip.
They hadn't gone far when they heard the squeal of a terrified rabbit. They halted, seeing the rabbit come tearing across the crest of the moorland. Gray Wing barred Skystar's way, who gave him a quizzical and frustrated look. Gray Wing nodded forward and Skystar followed his gaze to see the rabbit being chased down by Wind and Gorse.
The rabbit flashed past them, and dived between two stones and vanished into a hole in the ground. The brothers exchanged surprised glances when Wind followed it.
Gorse skidded to a halt. "You've always been so skinny to go tunneling. That's cheating."
Gray Wing walked over to Gorse smiling. "What's she up to?"
"She's trying to drive the rabbit back out of its hole," the tabby explained. "Or trying to catch it in the tunnels."
"I didn't know there were tunnels in the ground," Skystar meowed with interest. "You two have really great techniques." Gorse looked surprised by Skystar's praise but nodded in thanks.
Gray Wing was just happy they were getting along.
At that moment Wind appeared with the rabbit in her jaws.
"That was amazing!" Gray Wing exclaimed, fascinated. He walked over to observe the hole. "The elders of our tribe would talk about an old home they had before the mountains, that had a network of tunnels beneath it. They'd sent up challenges for young cats to go in and find their way out. It was like a right of passage."
"Sounds dangerous," Wind meowed. "I hope you and your friends don't plan on doing that here with these tunnels. They're too small for you to get around in without getting stuck or buried."
Skystar dipped his head. "Thanks for letting us know," he meowed. "Maybe we'll see you around."
All four cats meowed their farewells. Gray Wing smiled, feeling like he'd grown closer with their new friends?
Fire Heart had been on a morning hunt but all he could think about was the Gathering tonight. He along with Hawk Swoop and Jackdaw's Cry had been chosen. Falling Feather had already gone twice, being the good sibling and all. He decided to give up on the hunt and head back to camp. As he approached, he ran into Dappled Pelt and Cloud Spots.
"We're going herb hunting," Dappled pelt said. "Wanna come?"
Fire Heart was happy to be of use since he had failed to catch anything. "Sure."
Cloud Spots led the way to the river where some herbs could be found. Sunlight glistened on the surface. Fire Heart sat by while the two medicine cats foraged, enjoying the moisture of the spray that coated his flame-colored fur.
"Look!" Cloud Spots exclaimed. "There's huge clumps of comfrey here."
"And yarrow!" Dappled Pelt added. "I'm glad what we need is so close by. Especially since it's not even greenleaf yet."
"Imagine how pleased Stoneteller would be if the mountain grew herbs like this." Cloud Spots said. "Things would be so much easier for her."
"Tell me what she was like," Fire Heart requested curiously. As they told him about the old, wise cat, they gathered more herbs.
They made a pile of herbs and seeds. Fire Heart also made sure he kept watch for danger like Gray Wing had taught him.
Once they'd gathered as much as they could carry, Dappled Pelt gazed across the river. "I think I see tansy over there," she announced. "Jackdaw's Cry twisted his paw the other day, and I'm sure tansy will be helpful."
"There's some stepping stones farther downstream," Fire Heart told her. "But be careful because it's RiverClan territory."
"Maybe if we find River Ripple he can pass it to us," Cloud Spots suggested.
Dappled Pelt studied the river. "It doesn't look so deep," she meowed, ignoring both toms' advice and wading into the river. She swam forward. A moment later she vanished under the water.
"Dappled Pelt!" Cloud Spots exclaimed.
Dappled Pelt's head broke the surface. She splashed frantically, propelling herself toward the far bank.
"Wow, what a fish," Cloud Spots grumbled sarcastically. Fire Heart snickered softly.
Dappled Pelt pulled herself out of the water, shook her fur out, before grabbing a bunch of tansy, then she waded into the river and swam back, awkwardly holding her head up to keep the herbs dry.
"I told you swimming is easy," she gasped. "The water's just a bit cold."
"You're insane," Cloud Spots muttered. "Let's get back to the hollow now."
"Why not stay and fish?" Dappled Pelt suggested. "We might as well since we're already here."
Cloud Spots rolled his eyes. "The only thing you'll be catching is a cold with how drenched you are. Let's get going."
"Plus, RiverClan will see it as thievery," Fire Heart added. Dappled Pelt sighed but didn't argue.
They headed back to camp.
Ravenpaw peered around the bush, down the slope. Graypaw stood beside him. Next to them was a group of ThunderClan warriors and elders, waiting for Thistlestar to give them the signal.
The air was thick with the scents of the other Clans. Ravenpaw could see the crowd swarming through the clearing. In the center was a large, jagged rock that rose several lengths above the ground.
"There's so many cats!" Graypaw meowed.
"There's Crookedstar!" Ravenpaw pointed out. "RiverClan's leader."
"Where?" Graypaw asked.
"That big tabby with the broken jaw. Beside the Great Rock." Ravenpaw pointed with his tail. "And that's Brokenstar, the leader of ShadowClan."
"He looks creepy as hell," Graypaw muttered. Ravenpaw nodded in agreement. "Are those the SkyClan cats? Mother always says they sit alone because the other Clans think they're weird."
Ravenpaw looked at the isolated group and spotted a familiar fire-colored pelt. His heart gave a leap. "Yes. That's SkyClan. They talk to some of the other Clans but mostly keep to themselves."
"I hope Fire Heart is here tonight," Graypaw meowed and Ravenpaw felt disappointed that Graypaw already knew the tom.
"Who's the leader of WindClan?" Graypaw asked.
"Tallstar. He's black-and-white with a very long tail."
"Where is WindClan anyway?"
"Who knows."
Just then, Thistlestar gave the signal and the ThunderClan cats leaped into the hollow of Four Trees. Ravenpaw looked around for Graypaw and saw him trotting over to a group of random cats. His heart sank. He looked around for his mentor and saw him talking with a group of warriors. No thanks, Tigerclaw himself was intimidating enough. Almost all his Clanmates were gone now and Ravenpaw was panicking about not having anyone to stick with.
"Hey, New Cat." A warm voice meowed and he turned to see the new Skyclanner. His ginger tabby pelt shined even in the moonlight and was slightly ruffled by the night breeze. Ravenpaw liked the way the moon made his leaf-green eyes glow.
"A-aren't you the newbie?" Ravenpaw asked, mentally cursing himself for stammering as always. New Cat shrugged with a bright grin. He'd get along well with Graypaw, Ravenpaw thought, feeling envious of his friend for some reason. "I'm Ravenpaw," he finally meowed, shaking himself of his thoughts.
"Fire Heart."
"So is this your first Gathering?" Ravenpaw asked and mentally cuffed himself. Of course it would be. He hadn't ever seen him at the Gatherings he'd been at. Fire Heart nodded without giving him any strange looks. Phew.
"How are Gatherings usually like?" The ginger tom asked and Ravenpaw was pleased he still wanted to talk with him. Usually, his conversations with other cats were awkward and they would always find some excuse to walk away. He hated socializing. But with Fire Heart he felt like he could truly be himself.
"Big. And Loud."
Fire Heart hummed. "My friend Jackdaw's Cry always said drama happens at Gatherings so…looking forward to that." He laughed and Ravenpaw smiled.
Suddenly, a big white tom with huge black paws strode past the two apprentices and sat by Brokenstar.
"Who in StarClan is that?" Fire Heart muttered, eyeing the two toms.
"Brokenstar's deputy, Blackfoot."
"Well, they seem to get along just fine," the ginger tom muttered as the two exchanged whispers with grim faces as though at a burial.
Ravenpaw didn't know how to reply or react to that but luckily a black tom with blue eyes joined them. Jackdaw's Cry. He had never seen the apprentice at a Gathering before but Ravenpaw knew from Falling Feather's complaints all about her brother. Apparently, he had never been able to come because of all the trouble he had gotten into.
"Wassup, Fire! Hey…you."
Fire Heart rolled his eyes. "This is Ravenpaw." The black tom nodded at the other one, who clicked his tongue at him, but Ravenpaw's attention was already back on Fire Heart.
"Let's find Graypaw," he suggested and the other two apprentices nodded. They found the furry gray tom in a group including Spottedleaf, Runningnose, and a couple of other cats. Ravenpaw settled in between Fire Heart and a very small apprentice while Jackdaw's Cry sat by his friend with Graypaw on his other side.
Runningnose was talking about some cold, some kits and some herb he couldn't find to save them. Ravenpaw, meanwhile, had turned to the ShadowClan apprentice next to him with a frown.
The light tabby peeked at him from the corner of his eye, looked away and then looked at him again. "Wh-what?" He squeaked, trying to sound indignant.
"Are you an apprentice?"
"Yes. Why would I be here if I wasn't?"
"You look barely older than the kits in our nursery," Jackdaw's Cry teased. Ravenpaw felt bad as the apprentice winced. Jackdaw's Cry was too blunt.
"My…my mother was small too," he mumbled and scampered away.
The apprentices watched him go until Ravenpaw realized the Gathering was starting finally. Spottedleaf was following Runningnose to Mudfur near the base of the rock. Jackdaw's Cry and Fire Heart were dashing away, jabbing playfully at each other as they made it to their clanmates. A sleek gray tom, Gray Wing smiled at them and playfully cuffed Fire Heart before they settled down. Ravenpaw felt a strange urge to want to be with them like a magnet was coming from them before he shook himself and followed Graypaw to their clanmates.
Graypaw sat by Darkstripe and Ravenpaw hesitantly sat by Tigerclaw, who gave him the usual glare that said he would be killed later. The black tom winced and looked away, noticing Willowpelt talking with a black tom with white ears and green eyes. Cloud Spots. The gray she-cat quickly hurried over to her Clanmates after nodding at the tom.
The four leaders were sitting on the Great Rock, silhouetted against the moon.
"Won't they wait for Tallstar?" Graypaw asked.
"I don't think they're coming," Ravenpaw muttered.
Murmurs came from around the clearing. It seemed the other Clans had noticed, too.
"We can't start yet," someone shouted. "Where's WindClan? We need all four Clans before we start."
Brokenstar stepped forward first. Against the darkness and his silhouette, Ravenpaw could see his bent tail behind him like some weird bump.
"Friends, I have a proposition for you–" he began.
"Where's Tallstar?" Someone called.
"Where's WindClan?" yowled someone else.
Brokenstar stood up tall. "Quiet!" he growled. The crowd fell silent. "We all know leafbare is approaching soon, and the late coming of newleaf has left ShadowClan struggling. Meanwhile, the rest of you have lost many kits in the freezing weather. ShadowClan hasn't lost any kits. We are the largest Clan in the forest, and our kits are much stronger than yours. We have too many mouths to feed, and too little food to feed them. So, I would like to propose a deal. In order to survive, ShadowClan needs more hunting ground. That is why I insist that you share a portion of your territory with us."
A shocked murmuring rose from the crowd.
"Never!" Tigerclaw shouted.
"How arrogant!" called a RiverClan she-cat.
"Should ShadowClan be punished just because our kits thrive?" Brokenstar yowled. "Do you want to watch them starve? You must share."
"Must?" Spat Smallear.
"Must!" Brokenstar repeated.
Shouts of outrage burst from the crowd. Then Jackdaw's Cry stood on his hind legs behind Ravenpaw. The black apprentice hadn't realized how close the SkyClan cats were.
"No! I don't think we will!" He yowled, blue eyes gleaming with mischief and rebelliousness. Fire Heart and Hawk Swoop snickered while many cats turned to stare at the SkyClan apprentice as if he had grown two heads. Ravenpaw envied his boldness.
"We will drive you out, too, if we must!" Brokenstar declared. "I will give you all time to think about this. Consider my words carefully. Think about it; would you rather share your land, or be driven out of your home?"
The crowd were exchanging disbelieving glances.
Crookedstar stepped forward. "I have already agreed to allow ShadowClan some hunting rights in the river that runs through our territory," he meowed, gaze low.
Horror and humiliation rippled through the RiverClan warriors. Shattered Ice laughed rudely.
"Why didn't you consult us?" shouted a RiverClan elder.
"This is what's best for the Clan. For all the Clans," Crookedstar explained, voice heavy. "There are plenty of fish in the river. It is better to share our prey than spill blood fighting over it."
"And what say ThunderClan?" Brokenstar sneered at Thistlestar, who ignored him, muttering, "Like I have to answer to you, you annoying, piece of–"
"Well, that's something," Graypaw muttered as Thistlestar made every insult he knew to Brokenstar.
Brokenstar snarled at the spiky tom and turned on Skystar, who looked like he was trying not to laugh. "And you?"
Skystar straightened up, taller than Brokenstar and boomed, "As if we'd give in to the likes of you!'"
'Yeahs' and appreciated cheers went up from the SkyClan cats as Skystar stared the ShadowClan leader down.
"I'm not afraid to give in so easily," Skystar's gaze flitted to Crookedstar, who glared. "Or to stall," he looked to Thistlestar, who snarled at him. "So bring it! Let's see what ShadowClan's got!"
"Yes!" Hawk Swoop hissed triumphantly from behind Ravenpaw. The black tom almost smiled until he remembered he was a Thunderclanner.
"Whatever," Brokenstar huffed and rolled his eyes. "I have one more announcement. A cat has been chased out of ShadowClan and turned rogue. Beware if you care for the safety of your kits."
The SkyClan cats kept great poker faces but what gave them away was Quick Water's obvious gasp of shock. And Ravenpaw had spotted Gray Wing tense.
"Well, if that's all then the Gathering is over," Skystar meowed, jumping off the rock.
Fire Heart shuddered. Was Brokenstar talking about Yellowfang? But she'd left her Clan on her own, hadn't she?
The ShadowClan warriors were pushing toward the edge of the clearing. Brokenstar jumped down from the Great Rock, his warriors surrounding him to escort him out of Fourtrees, back to ShadowClan territory.
"SkyClan to me!" Skystar yowled and as his clanmates rushed forward. Fire Heart paused.
His mind was reeling. As loyal as he was to his Clan, he couldn't believe Yellowfang could be so dangerous. Frightened and filled with questions, he raced up the hillside and into the forest. He needed to find out the truth before the others got back to camp. He had to know if she was innocent, or the Clan would tear her apart.
He reached the entrance, legs burning with the effort of sprinting all the way home. The others were still far behind, giving him time. Silently, he stepped into camp.
It was quiet. Fire Heart crept across the clearing to Yellowfang's shelter under the Flat Boulder. The old healer was asleep in her nest.
"Yellowfang!" he whispered urgently. "Yellowfang, wake up!"
Yellowfang sat up. "He did it, didn't he?" She sounded calm, but alert. "He warned you that I was dangerous."
"Is it true?" Fire Heart demanded. "He told us you were a danger to our kits. The others believed him, and they'll be back soon!"
In the distance, Fire Heart could hear pawsteps. Yellowfang stood up stiffly.
"Why did Brokenstar say you were a danger to our young?" Fire Heart asked. "Did you hurt someone?"
Yellowfang tensed with fury. "Of course not!"
"Then why did Brokenstar say that?"
Pawsteps drew nearer and to Fire Heart's surprise and relief they weren't urgent.
"You need to go!" Fire Heart urged nonetheless. Skystar couldn't stop cats like Shattered Ice trying to kill her immediately without a fair hearing.
Yellowfang remained where she was, looking calm. "I know I am innocent, and I will state my case. I know Skystar will listen. He may be stubborn and tough at times, but he is also fair. I'm too old to run. And maybe it's time I stopped running."
The camp entrance rustled.
"Go away, Fire Heart," Yellowfang growled. "If they see you with me, they'll think you're trying to protect me. If they decide to kill me, your loyalty to me will only cause trouble."
Fire Heart knew Yellowfang had made up her mind. He crept silently into the shadows.
Skystar entered first, followed by Shaded Moss. Quick Water and Turtle Tail followed, racing toward the nursery. Shattered Ice and Gray Wing strode into the clearing, looking grim. Hawk Swoop and Jackdaw's Cry brought up the rear.
Jackdaw's Cry spotted Fire Heart first. "Did you warn Yellowfang?" he whispered.
"Yeah," Fire Heart admitted. "But she won't leave. She trusts Skystar to treat her fairly. Did anyone notice I was gone?"
"Only us," Hawk Swoop replied gently, looking sympathetic about Yellowfang.
Around the camp, those who had stayed behind came out to greet the returning patrol. They must have heard the tense commotion.
"What's going on?" Moon Shadow called.
"Brokenstar has demanded hunting rights to our land!" Cloud Spots growled loudly.
"And he warned us about a rogue who'd try to harm our kits," Turtle Tail added. "It must be Yellowfang!"
Shouts of anger and distress rose from the crowd.
"Enough!" Skystar ordered, climbing onto the Flat Boulder.
A loud scream made everyone turn. Shattered Ice was dragging Yellowfang from her shelter. She screamed furiously. Dappled Pelt rushed forward and knocked him away.
"Stop!" she growled. "What has she done to you?"
"Are you stupid?" Shattered Ice spat. "She's a kit murderer!"
"Says who?"
"Says–" Shattered Ice cut himself off when he realized he would be admitting he believed Brokenstar of all cats.
"Exactly!" The tortoiseshell snapped, satisfied.
"And don't call her stupid!" Cloud Spots snapped.
"Enough fighting!" Skystar yowled, jumping onto the Flat Boulder. Jagged Peak and Air Leap were huddled outside of the nursery, awake from the yowling. "As long as Yellowfang is in my Clan she will not be harmed! Dappled Pelt, Cloud Spots and I have known her for a while. I think I would know if she had murder potential!"
Yellowfang blinked gratefully up at the pale gray tom as some cats nodded. "I don't want to cause trouble, Skystar. I will leave, if I must."
"There's no need," Skystar replied. "You did nothing wrong. You will be safe here." The SkyClan leader lifted his gaze. "It's time we discuss the real threat to our Clan: Brokenstar. We need to prepare for an attack from ShadowClan. We'll patrol our borders frequently. WindClan is gone, RiverClan has already given up and ThunderClan is ThunderClan. SkyClan stands alone against ShadowClan."
Shaded Moss nodded slowly, eyes closed as he agreed with his leader's determination.
After all, they'd already lost two cats. Fire Heart sadly remembered Fluttering Bird and Bright Stream, who he had barely known since he had just joined but he knew they were both great cats. He wished he had gotten to know them better.
"No matter what…we will be there for each other," Skystar finished proudly. The Clan nodded in approval, all looking determined.
I've never been so proud to be a part of SkyClan. We may be weird to the other
Clans, but at least we can stand up for ourselves, Fire Heart thought.