Waspeye stared in silence at the night sky, silverpelt glistening through the scant clouds. The large Thunderclan tom was sat at the lakeshore, breath puffing out in small, barely perceptible clouds that dissipated almost immediately in the slight breeze. The tom was lost in his thoughts, completely blind to the world around him. Many days had passed since the half-moon gathering of medicine cats, the full moon Gathering coming any day now, and he had noticed a weariness from Smokepaw and Ivytail both any time they were around him or Alder despite their attempts to hide it. It was like they knew something he didn't, and he had even noticed Jaystar watching Alder a little more closely than she had been prior to the half-moon. It made him nervous, and their silence on the matter was clearly grating on Alder's nerves. The older tom was still a little unused to some of the clan customs, and their communications with Starclan was his biggest source of contention. It wasn't that he was disrespectful, or even that he didn't think it was possible, but the idea of being able to communicate with their dead ancestors seemed to unnerve him more than any other aspect of clan life had so far.
The breeze picked up a little, the cold just slightly finding its way through his fur and making him shiver. He let out a long exhale, shaken from his thoughts and brought back into focus. He became aware of a presence suddenly, the tom blinking and turning his head to find Foxear standing beside him. Waspeye frowned in confusion, his clanmate noticing him looking and turning to look at him in turn. Waspeye noticed the slightest hint of worry in his eyes, which caught him off guard. What was Foxear so worried about? Fernpelt was due soon, but it didn't seem to be that. With a small shock, Waspeye realized the worry was directed at him.
"You've been here a while," Foxear said. "You feeling okay?"
Waspeye was quiet a moment, looking back to the sky for a few heartbeats before turning back to Foxear.
"I'm fine," he replied reassuringly. "Just…a lot on my mind, lately."
"Anything I can help with?" Foxear asked with a curious head tilt.
"Unless you can talk to Starclan, I doubt it," Waspeye said with a scoff. "Clearly, they told Ivytail or Smokepaw something about me or Alder. I can't figure out what it could be, though. He's leaving in a moon or two, probably not coming back, and I'll be Thunderclan until I die. Neither of us pose any threat to the clans."
"You know that for certain?" Foxear questioned, Waspeye blinking in surprise and confusion. Foxear added, "I believe you about being Thunderclan through and through. Alder is the part that worries me. I'm not saying he is a threat, but he mentioned a family when he arrived. What if they aren't satisfied with his word and decide to come here themselves?"
Waspeye scoffed. "That won't happen," he said dismissively.
"Won't it?" his clanmate asked, Waspeye opening his mouth to respond only to find the conviction wasn't there. He hesitated, and that was all Foxear needed to say, "Maybe they weren't warned about you or Alder specifically. Maybe there isn't a threat, but Starclan just doesn't like him being at the lake. We have no way of knowing for sure unless Ivytail or Smokepaw tell us what they were told. It might be nothing, but it might not either."
Waspeye looked down at the ground, thinking Foxear's words over. After a moment he sighed, knowing the tom was right.
"Have you been out here long?" he asked instead of continuing the conversation. Foxear hummed.
"Saw you leave," he explained. "Figured you were just going out to make dirt, but when you didn't come back, I decided to come make sure you were okay. Followed your scent here."
Waspeye chuckled softly. "I like this spot," he meowed with a small smile. "It's quiet here. Peaceful. It lets me think."
"You don't do enough of that during the day?" Foxear asked teasingly, Waspeye chuckling softly.
"Sometimes," he replied. A moment passed. "Have you and Fernpelt talked about what you might name your kits?"
"We tried, but we could never decide," the older tom said, shaking his head. He was silent a few heartbeats. "Thank you for convincing Lakesplash and Brownfur to listen to me. I know I've said it, but…thank you."
"I didn't do it for you," Waspeye replied. "But you're welcome. You messed up, but what are we if not the clan of chances?"
Foxear hummed softly in amusement. "You really can't help but think out here, can you?" he said, sounding more like an observation than a question.
A soft chuckle escaped Waspeye. "Isn't much else to do, this time of night," he replied.
"I suppose not," Foxear conceded. "Are you going to head back soon?"
"Just about," Waspeye said with a nod. "Cold's starting to get through, so might as well." He looked out over the lake one last time, then stood up.
"Thank Starclan," Foxear muttered, shaking himself. "I was starting to think I'd freeze waiting for you to notice me."
Waspeye chuckled. "I get pretty into it out here," he said with a shrug. "At least the nursery will be plenty warm soon. Fernpelt and Jaystar are both due any day now."
Foxear paused. "Oh, I didn't even think about that," he meowed, surprisingly fearful sounding. "Oh, Jaystar is going to be watching me make so many mistakes…"
"I think she'll be a little lenient, it being your first time and all," Waspeye said reassuringly. "Now come on. I really don't want to have to drag your frozen body back to camp."
Foxear huffed as the two toms started the walk back to camp. "Okay, I'm not that cold."
"Starclan's sake, I'm so cold!"
It was late in the evening, a few days after Waspeye's talk with Foxear at the lake and the night of the Gathering. Fernpelt was looking like she could kit any minute, Foxear rarely leaving her side unless ordered. Jaystar barely even looked like she was expecting, which made Waspeye wonder if she might have been mistaken.
"Cooled off fast after the sun went down," brought him back to focusing on his surroundings. He looked around for who spoke, though he couldn't tell at first. Waspeye finally caught sight of Echofoot and Tigerstripe talking a short distance away, Echofoot shivering in the cold night air.
"Hopefully Jaystar says we can go soon," Echofoot meowed. "The walk will warm me up, and it'll be a little less cold on the island with all the cats around."
Waspeye ignored whatever they spoke about next, looking around curiously. Brownfur was talking to Lakesplash about something near the warrior's den, the dust-colored tom nodding to whatever Waspeye's former mentor was saying. Waspeye hummed in thought, wondering what they were discussing, then went back to looking around. He spotted Alder talking to Cloverfoot and Cherrytail, and he flicked an ear in curiosity. Waspeye stood up and approached the three cats, Alder noticing him coming and smiling warmly as he dipped his head in greeting. Cloverfoot and Cherrytail turned in surprise.
"Ah, Waspeye, how can we help you?" Cherrytail asked curiously.
"Just came to say hello," the younger tom replied. "Hopefully we can avoid an argument with Skyclan at the Gathering tonight."
"Yes, I spoke with Jaystar about that," Alder said, and Waspeye caught the trepidation in his voice, realizing what he was about to say almost immediately and cutting him off.
"Jaystar is letting you come?" he questioned incredulously. "Surely she knows how bad of an idea that is."
"First of all, ouch," Alder said semi-dramatically. "Second, it sounds like a great idea. It lets me apologize directly for the way I acted, show them that I'm not a threat to the clans or the cats who live in them."
"Alder, we almost got into a fight just by talking about you," Waspeye said seriously. "What if they think we did nothing, and decide to punish you themselves?"
"Would Jaystar let that happen?" Alder asked with a tilt of his head. Waspeye resisted the urge to groan.
"It doesn't matter," he meowed with an exasperated tone. "We can't predict it, and if we can't predict it, we can't prevent it."
"I'll be careful," Alder replied reassuringly.
"And I'll be keeping an eye on him, making sure he doesn't wander off or cause any problems," Cherrytail meowed, smiling in an attempt to placate him. "Echofoot will be helping."
Waspeye had to fight not to let his frustrations show. They weren't listening to him!
"I think Waspeye has a point," Cloverfoot said suddenly. Waspeye blinked and looked at her in surprise, Alder doing the same while Cherrytail simply hummed.
"You don't think I should apologize to them?" Alder asked, which just made Waspeye even more annoyed. It was like he was purposefully ignoring Waspeye's concerns.
"Of course you should," Cloverfoot meowed with a sigh. Waspeye was pretty sure she was thinking the same thing he was. "But doing it at the Gathering, so soon after they almost started a fight just knowing you were here…"
Alder hummed, falling silent as he thought over what they said, Cloverfoot staring at him. After a few heartbeats he met her gaze, and in the time it took Waspeye to blink it was like he had become a completely different cat. His gaze softened, ears lowering slightly and body releasing an almost invisible tension.
"Okay," he said softly. "I'll talk to Jaystar, but if she wants me there…"
"We want you there," Cloverfoot said gently. Waspeye wasn't quite sure that was true, but didn't interject. "But we have to be mindful of the other clans. Nobody wants this peace broken."
Alder nodded in understanding. He opened his muzzle to say something, but when nothing came he closed it and turned, padding towards Jaystar's den. Waspeye watched him go, frowning slightly. He was aware of one of the other she-cats padding away as well, somehow knowing it was Cherrytail.
"Was he like this when you met?" he asked, turning to Cloverfoot with a small, only somewhat slightly exaggerated huff of annoyance. The she-cat chuckled softly.
"He had his moments," she meowed. A few heartbeats passed as she reminisced, and Waspeye could see the genuine happiness and love that she had felt back then. Eventually she shook her head and focused on him again. "But that was then. He hasn't changed all that much, but…I think I have. Even if we did want to try again, I don't think it would have worked out."
"Maybe it wouldn't have worked out if you'd stayed, either," Waspeye said evenly. "Maybe you two only could have worked in that short time you were together. Not everyone who falls in love stays there, even if they try."
"And you're such an expert," his mother replied teasingly. Waspeye let out a dry chuckle.
"I suppose not," he conceded. "But still. Do you think it would have worked if you'd stayed?"
Cloverfoot was quiet, thinking his question over. When she didn't answer even when he could see she had come to a conclusion, the tom gave a small, warm smile. She returned it, even if the conclusion she'd come to seemed to hurt.
"Come on," she said, gesturing for the tom to follow. "I'm sure Jaystar will start the Gathering patrol any moment."
"Do you think she can?" Waspeye asked curiously as they began to walk towards the camp entrance.
Cloverfoot hummed in consideration, silent a few moments. "I probably wouldn't do it myself, but she's always been the risk taker."
"More than you?" Waspeye asked with a small, amused grin. "Can't imagine a bigger risk than going on a multiple moon journey like you did."
Another hum escaped the she-cat. "I suppose," she replied, chuckling softly. They fell silent, and after a short few moments Brownfur padded over and sat beside Waspeye.
Waspeye glanced over at his friend. He was suddenly brought back several moons to shortly after his and Brownfur's warrior ceremony, when Ivytail had asked him if he liked Brownfur. His head tilted ever so slightly. The memory had come back periodically ever since he'd discovered Ivytail's own feelings for Snakepelt. He was slowly becoming less and less certain of his refusal of any such feelings, but that only confused him more. He still wasn't sure how it would even be possible or how it was supposed to work between two toms. Would they just act like normal mates? Obviously, they couldn't have kits, but what else would change? Even ignoring the question and the way it threw his feelings into disarray, Waspeye found the subject oddly fascinating. Perhaps he should discuss it with Ivytail more, to get a better idea of the intricacies and how everything changed between two toms. Even if he didn't actually have feelings for Brownfur, he was curious about the subject as a whole.
"Do you want something?"
Waspeye blinked, humming in confusion as he focused, realizing he'd been staring and now Brownfur was looking at him curiously.
"Sorry, I was, uh…just thinking about some stuff," Waspeye meowed awkwardly. "I didn't mean to stare."
"Stuff about me?" Brownfur asked curiously, head tilting ever so slightly. The moonlight caught his fur and seemed to make him glow, the tom sitting almost perfectly to cast shadows across his face and flank. Waspeye wondered if he'd always been such a handsome cat, if his eyes had always been that pretty.
Waspeye opened his muzzle to answer but was saved from having to come up with a lie by seeing Jaystar padding over. The she-cat took a deep breath as she looked at the gathered cats.
"Brackenfur will be taking over leadership duties for the time being and will take my place this Gathering," she meowed, clearly annoyed by the idea but having been convinced it was the smartest, safest choice. "As well as from now until our kits are weaned. That means you act as if he is leader, not me. Until our kits are weaned, I am simply another queen in the nursery."
The assembled cats bowed their heads respectively.
"Alder will be joining us," Brackenfur meowed after a moment. "Despite the reservations of him as well as others, this is the best way to avoid any unnecessary hostility. Skyclan will know for certain that he has been reprimanded for his actions, and he will apologize for them." He looked around the assembled cats, waiting to see if anyone argued, then dipped his head. "Good. Then let us go."
Waspeye watched as the other cats chosen for the Gathering began to file through the camp entrance, deciding to hang at the back of the patrol. Brackenfur nuzzled Jaystar and whispered something he didn't catch, the two parting. Jaystar padded towards the nursery and disappeared inside, Brackenfur watching her go with a hint of worry in his eyes before turning and joining the Gathering patrol. Waspeye padded out of camp with Alder and Brownfur, Cloverfoot just ahead of them. Brownfur dropped back to walk beside him a short distance from camp, Alder moving to walk beside Cloverfoot. Waspeye walked in silence, noticing Brownfur glance at him out of the corner of his eye every so often.
He hoped his friend wouldn't ask what he'd been thinking about earlier again. If he told the truth, he'd have to reveal what he assumed Ivytail wanted to keep secret. It wasn't his place to reveal a secret like that without permission anyway.
Thankfully they made it to the Gathering island in a comfortable silence, and Waspeye saw Alder hesitate when it was his turn to jump onto the tree bridge to the island. The large tom stared at it in trepidation for a few heartbeats before finally jumping up and landing perfectly on the wood. He almost slipped off, but managed to hold on and start to walk across. Waspeye sighed softly in relief, letting Brownfur go next before making the jump up himself. He dropped down on the other side, padding towards the center of the island where the Gathering always took place.
Waspeye stepped through the vegetation to a painfully silent clearing, every cat who wasn't part of Thunderclan staring directly at the arriving cats. Waspeye noticed the Skyclan cats were all staring at Alder in particular, clearly knowing who he was just off appearance alone. He saw Owlpaw shrink back slightly in fear, Snowthroat placing a reassuring tail over his back as he stared at Alder with venom in his eyes. Waspeye shuddered. 'If looks could kill…'
With a nervous swallow, suddenly aware of how dry his mouth was, Waspeye exchanged a glance with Alder. The two toms slowly padded to join their clanmates as Brackenfur took Jaystar's normal place on the tree branches. There was a nervous mumbling among the clan cats, though it died down when they noticed nobody in Thunderclan seemed to be mourning. Waspeye let out a shaky breath, knowing this was going to be a very tense Gathering.
'Please, Starclan, don't let there be any bloodshed tonight,' he prayed in his head, closing his eyes and waiting for the Gathering to begin. 'I beg of you, let this be peaceful.'
The call came, and Waspeye opened his eyes. He let out a slow, shaky breath, then steeled himself.
Whatever happened next, he would be ready.