The Gathering: Log 1 of 2
The night was finally upon us. I could scarcely keep myself still in anticipation. I'd either receive permission to provide medical aid between the clans, and thus receive a means to observe each clan and their cultures, or I'd become committed to Thunderclan. I had a decent supply of raw protein and pheomelanin. I was ready to prove my usefulness.
The moon began to raise up in the sky as the cats of the clan conglomerated to hear who would be allowed to attend the Gathering. Thunderclan would have much to say this moon, given the new leadership and the anomaly that is Sparky. Firestar looked across the crowd of cats under his command. He looked calm and collected, ready for what was to come.
Firestar called upon Cloudtail, Lostface, Graystripe, Whitestorm, Sandstorm, Longtail, Bramblepaw, Tawnypaw, Snowpaw, and I to come to the Gathering. We may have lost Bluestar, but Thunderclan was still strong. We set out, letting the light of the moon to guide our path. It was strangely serene, the forest lit up by the white glow or Earth's favorite satellite. The quiet chirp of crickets punctured the night air, making their own melody to note the occasion.
Finally, the location known as Fourtrees was in sight. Already, I could sense cats milling about, chatting with rivals despite the hostility between their clans. This was by far the strangest cultural event I had ever participated in. I had at first thought of this as just a monthly ceasefire, but the way these cats were interacting showed signs that this was more significant. There seemed to be genuine friendships here that did not align with the hostile nature of rival clans. I put a note in my mental storage to have the footage of the Gathering analyzed by Hughes.
I followed Cinderpelt to a collection of three other cats. These were the medicine cats of the clans. I could pick up them discussing herbology and the means they've been using to cure the maladies afflicting their clan. They looked up at Cinderpelt as she made her approach.
"Cinderpelt. It is great to see you again. We were just discussing the lesser uses of Marigold. Surely you'd like to weigh in." Mewed an older tom.
"Well, Marigold is a very useful herb for treating wounds, but sometimes when I have extra, I use it to treat cracked pads. It helps the skin grow back after I soften it up a bit." Cinderpelt answered.
"I never considered it for cracked pads unless they were bleeding. I'll have to try it sometime. Say, who's this following you? Something about them seems… off." Replied another medicine cat.
Cinderpelt nodded to me. "This is Sparky. They're not really a cat, as far as I can tell. I checked it myself. They don't have bones like us. Instead, they seem to have slabs of a hard material layering over each other almost like snake scaled, but it is hard to explain. Despite this, Sparky somehow is capable of great medical feats. He managed to somehow stabilize a cat who should have died. I'm not exaggerating. That cat could have been in Starclan if it were just me treating them, but somehow Sparky is able to find all a cat's injuries in mere heartbeats and somehow dress the wound without searching out for cobwebs. He even claims he can do more. That's one of the topics our leader wants to bring up. Sparky is too miraculous, so he's wanting to offer his services to all the clans."
The other three cats looked at me with suspicion. "How could this thing preform a miracle of healing? I'm not calling you a liar, but what you've said seems like a pretty tall tale." Asked one medicine cat.
I decided to interject at that moment. "If I may speak on my own behalf, I do not come to replace or even outdo you. I am Sparky, a being made to be a cat and yet not. I wish to learn of the clans and who they are, but I aim to repay the knowledge. Thunderclan's leader has arranged for me the materials to give a live demonstration of my medicinal skills should the other leaders allow it. Hopefully I can prove myself to you." I stated.
A yowl rang out, signaling the start of the Gathering. Four cats stood upon a boulder overlooking the crowd. Below them sat Whitestorm and the other cats given the title of deputy. Firestar stepped forward to speak first.
"I come bearing bad news. Bluestar now walks in the fields of Starclan. She traded her last life to prevent a pack of dogs from attacking our camp. I have received my nine lives and now present myself to you as Firestar." Firestar allowed for a moment of silence before continuing. "About a moon before Bluestar's death, Thunderclan stumbled upon a cat who was not quite a cat. We took them in after they had managed to return a kit we thought lost to a hawk. Over time, their differences proved they could not fit neatly into the role of a warrior. Bluestar told me that while they may be cut, they do not bleed. Their wounds heal in an instant. Their strength is enough to shatter rock, and yet they wish to do none of that. They proved masterful at healing, treating wounds that should have been impossible to survive. Their name is Sparky. Sparky told me how providing his aid to only one clan would tip the balance of the forest. Sparky wishes to demonstrate his medical capabilities and offer his aid to all the clans instead of consigning himself to one. What do you three think of his proposition?" Firestar mewed to the other leaders.
Tallstar, a lanky older tom, answered first. "I am interested in seeing this Sparky. If he can do what you claim, I'll allow him to visit us and tend to our sick and wounded provided he swears himself in like a medicine cat."
Tigerstar spoke next. "If this cat is as unkillable as you say, and he can keep cats from dying, I will allow him to visit under specific conditions. Namely, I want him to be driven out should he attack any cat of the clans at all as well as swear fealty to the clans of the forest."
This cat's eyes were filled with greed. His thoughts seemed almost visible to the crowd. He knew how valuable a cat as unkillable as I could be. Even if that was all I could do, Tigerstar considered me a threat, but he wanted control of such a threat.
Leopardstar, a molly with a pattern to match her name stepped up next. She walked with a slight hunch that indicated resignation and distress. "I agree with Tigerstar." Was all she mewed.
"Lostface, step forward. You agreed to allow Sparky to demonstrate his medical capabilities upon you. Is this true? Are you willing to allow Sparky to attempt to heal the fur upon your face?" Firestar asked.
Lostface nodded firmly. The exposed skin of her face was taut with scar tissue. Her missing eye was squeezed shut, but it distinctly was an odd shape given the missing eyeball. I approached her slowly.
"Lostface, please lie down on your side with the damaged side of your face facing up. I believe in full disclosure. What I will be doing is applying a medicine to loosen up the scar tissue. I will apply a numbing agent before moving on to seed new fur follicles into your skin. Finally, I will apply a temporary layer of synthetic fur which should match what will grow in. It is unfortunate that I cannot repair your eye, but after this, it will be hard to tell that you ever had such damage to your face." I stated in a calm voice before beginning.
The procedure went cleanly. The scar tissue acted as expected and softened to near match regular skin. My nanobots seeded the fur follicles in to ensure no bare skin would remain. Finally, the synthetic fur was planted. It would cling to the newly growing fur as it began to grow out before shedding off eventually once the real fur grew in. Unfortunately, I mixed the pigments slightly wrong, so Lostface's new fur came out a tad bit brighter than I'd expected. The new fur was destined to come out the same. It was a brilliant orange that did admittedly look pretty, but I'd be more careful next time.
Finally, Lostface stood. She looked whole again, besides the missing eye. In fact, she looked distinct with that new bright orange patch of fur. It was almost as if a sunrise had replaced the once bare skin. Cloudtail stepped forward almost in a daze before complimenting her on her new look.
The leaders exchanged words briefly before looking down upon me.
"We, the leaders of the clans have come to an agreement. We will allow you to move freely after you swear your loyalty to the clans as a whole and swear to not take sides." Firestar ordered.
I sat straight as I gave my oath. "I, Sparky, swear to heal all those I am capable of. I will not raise my claws against any clan cat regardless of the situation. I swear to aid the clans as permitted until such a time as either the leaders retire me from duty or I cease to function. Should I break this oath, may I be driven away to never return."
They accepted my oath with a nod. I was giddy to see what the rest of the clans had in store for me, but unfortunately my oath only proved an opener for this Gathering.