CHAPTER 12
Stonesight shifted his paws, his front crippled leg ached for all the moving he had been doing, Stonesight watched Silverstar carefully noting to himself how the elderly leader seemed tense. His silver ears flattened slightly, "so are you really from Mangoclan and Hemlockclan?" questioned Silverstar speaking to Mangotuft. Mangotuft hesitated for only a second before carefully answering, "I am along with; Beefoot and Cloudpaw." Mangotuft's reply sent whispers around the Hollyclan cats. Silverstar nodded at Mangotuft's statement seemingly lost in deep thought; "Is Silverstar going to allow the former clan cats to stay?" thought Stonesigh;t tail tip twitching, Stonesight noticed out of the corner of his eyes the pretty she-cat coming to Mangotuft's side. The she-cat's cool green eyes sparkled with determination, making Stonesight's heart flutter, "this is Shadow, one of the rogues who wished to join the clans." Mangotuft explained, Stonesight's eyes widened upon learning the she-cat's name "Shadow…. It suits her…." Stonesight's thoughts only made his face heat up. Shadow nodded as Mangotuft told all the cats who she was, "I want to stay with the clans, if Mangoclan and Hemlockclan are truly gone then…. We'll make our own clan!" Shadow's declaration made all the gathered clan cats begin to whisper to one another. Stonesight looked around at his fellow clan cat's faces and noticed how Greystorm seemed angry at how the clan was treating the newcomers. Greystorm's normally kind and wise dark gray eyes were full of anger, "You can't just force yourselves to join us!" snarled Skylynx the Hollyclan warrior's eyes were full of rage. At those words it sent both clans into a frenzy of shouts and insults. Shadow's eyes showed surprising calmness allowing the cats around her to yell and shout, but it was making the rest of the loners uneasy and scared; Stonesight noticed two kits huddled close to their mother's side both kittens were quivering in fear. Stonesight's fur prickled; he felt bad for the loners who had traveled for so long only to be hated as soon as they had arrived, "this isn't right! We should let them stay….. I mean we could use another clan…" Stonesight suddenly remembered the prophecy he had been given the night before; 'The recovery of the lost shall happen on the brightest night' sudden realization struck Stonesight like a lighting bolt. Stonesight sprang forward running to Shadow's side, surprising the she-cat who allowed him to stand beside her, he gave her a nervous yet kind smile. Stonesight took a deep breath. He was nervous to speak up around so many cats, "but I have to do the right thing!" thought Stonesight summoned his courage, he noticed Minkpaw out of the corner of his eye; she smiled and gave a slight nod. He remembered Leafpaw's words ' you're stronger than you think!' Stonesight sucked in a deep breath before yowling out "listen to me!" he was surprised that all the yelling and insults had silenced now all the cats were staring straight at him. Stonesight closed his eyes gathering his thoughts before he spoke again, "do you think Starclan would want us to turn away starving cats? Cats who went through so much just to be here? Just to be hated at first sight? Doesn't anyone think that's wrong?! Plus Mangoclan and Hemlockclan lived under Starclan's guidance as well! So if Mangotuft and the rest of the cats from those clans have come back we should welcome them! As for what Shadow said…. A new clan we should all be happy about! Starclan hasn't covered the moon! So that means they are welcome! We should be helping them, not arguing!" Stonesight's voice was clear and rang through the whole clearing, Stonesight stood tall the wind gently justled his fur. Stonesight's eyes glittered with pure determination and valor, Shadow's face had a slight hint of blush; Stonesight had never felt this feeling before a desire to help these cats. For a long moment silence fell as Stonesight waited on baited breath to see if his words had broken through the anger and mistrust, Rainrunner the deputy of Hollyclan stepped forward. She seemed calm, her clear green eyes full of respect for Stonesight, Rainrunner nodded to Stonesight as she turned to her clan-mates. "The young one is right, we shouldn't be arguing in front of the newcomers." Stonesight felt relief that the she-cat agreed with him, Stonesight turned his head to Shadow who gave him a grateful smile. Making Stonesight's heart flutter and his face heat, Brightstar came to her son's side giving Stonesight some comfort; Stonesight smiled then noticed Tideripple speaking with Applefang of Hollyclan. The two of them were in a shady spot where it was hard to see them, Stonesight realized they were grooming one another. Stonesight had a sudden sinking feeling, "Tideripple seems….. Too close to that Hollyclan cat for comfort…." Stonesight's thoughts unsettled him slightly. Stonesight wanted to go and speak to his sister but the gathering began properly and Stonesight couldn't speak to his sister at least for now. Stonesight sat beside Amberpelt as the gathered cats settled to their respective spots, Stonesight glanced towards the spot where Tideripple and Applefang had been. Only to see that Tideripple had come to sit beside Blueflame and Amberpelt, Stonesight tried to look his sister in the eye but she avoided his gaze; Stonesight frowned; he needed to ask Tideripple about Applefang. Stonesight sighed heavily "I'll have to wait till after the gathering to ask her." thought Stonesight, noticing that the new cats kept to themselves. Stonesight felt a sharp hint of worry pierce his heart, he turned his gaze back to the two leaders who got into one pool of water in the center of the clearing. Signaling that the gathering had begun, where the clans came to gather was called Twin pools after the two pools in the center of the clearing. The leader's sit inside the pool during the gathering, Stonesight's fur prickled as he sat beside his litter-mates. Brightstar nodded signaling that she was going first, Silverstar nodded back showing that it was alright; Brightstar smiled and began "Blossomclan has been doing well we have a new warrior, welcome Stonesight." Stonesight got to his paws showing the gathered cats who he was. He could hear a few murmurs from the Hollyclan cats as well as the loners, he noticed Shadow's gaze on him making him blush as he sat back down; Brightstar continued on. "We have also had also had a cat retire to the elder's den after all her hard work, that cat is Hollywillow." meowed Brightstar nodding her head to the short midnight black she-cat who said beside Darkspider and Silkpelt. Stonesight smiled at Hollywillow who was always a kind she-cat who had come to visit Stonesight when he had been in the medicine den after his accident. Stonesight liked the old she-cat who seemed to have a lot of advice for Stonesight, Silverstar smiled slightly as Brightstar finished her report. Silverstar took a deep breath before beginning his report.
….
Stonesight bent his head down as rain fell down in the middle of camp laid the body of Aspenfang the dark gray tabby tom had been killed by a fox while he was hunting. Stonesight felt sadness eat away at his heart, he glanced at Shadow who stood beside him. The loners where staying with Blossomclan till they were strong enough to move to the gorge across a small river beside Blossomclan's territory. Where the new clan would live, Shadow seemed to be mourning the fallen warrior as well, despite the fact that she didn't know Aspenfang. Stonesight saw his father Clearheart sitting beside Brightstar; the two mates were leaning into each other and nuzzling one another in comfort. Cloudpaw was with Swanhollow who was his litter-mate, the two siblings sat side by side; Stonesight glanced over to where Tideripple and Amberpelt sat the two litter-mates were whispering to each other. Stonesight noticed that Leafpaw was sobbing beside Aspenfang; Stonesight could hear his brother whisper "I am sorry…." Stonesight blinked in confusion. Stonesight then watched as stars shined around Aspenfang's body as the ghost of Aspenfang lifted out of his dead body. Stonesight watched in awe as the Starclan cats around them came to Aspenfang and bowed their heads all at the sametime welcoming him into their ranks. Stonesight watched in awe and Greystorm noticed him watching and winked playfully, Stonesight rolled his eyes holding in a snort. Greystorm was almost like a grandfather to him. Greystorm had helped Stonesight through every step of his journey to become a warrior even with his crippled leg. Stonesight then realized the rain had cleared up slightly and the sunshine shone through landing directly on the body. Making it shimmer slightly, Stonesight smiled slightly "I'll help these new cats to make their new home!" vowed Stonesight.