HeatherClan Book: Chapter 17

Chapter 17: Another Gathering

Silverstar woke up and padded over to the deputy den. "Wake up Goldenfur, we have to gather the warriors and apprentices that will come and then start towards the Island."

Goldenfur got up. Together they went to the fresh kill pile to share a vole. Silverstar then went over to quickly feed her kits.

Then, Silverstar jumped onto the Highrock and announced, "Spottedleaf, Jayfeather, Sandpelt, Honeypaw, Sunflare, Foxkit, Snowbird, Moonrain, Windflight, Moonflower, Fernleaf, Willowshine, Lemondrop, Leopardfire, Hazeldawn, Brook, Icepaw and Graynose will accompany Goldenfur and I to the Island."

Hazeldawn ran swiftly to Goldenfur.

"I can't come, with my kits so young, I must stay by them," said Hazeldawn tentatively. As a mother herself, Goldenfur allowed her to stay.

"Alright, lets go." she meowed. The eleven cats dashed off into the forest. The cats came to the Thunderpath. After they crossed, they trekked on.

They ran across the Waveclan shore line and assembled at the fallen tree, where Stormstar and Sparkstar were waiting.Lightningstar walked across the clearing, and leaped up on to the branch just above Silverstar.

Silverstar dipped her head to Lightningstar, which Lightningstar returned with a brisk nod.

Only NightClan was absent.

Spottedleaf and Silverstar thinking the same thing. What should we say about the Dark Forest cats?

"Where is NightClan?" complained Stormstar.

At that very moment, Darkstar appeared at the end of the clearing followed by a small patrol of cats.They were all sending hostile glares around the clearing.

Darkstar leaped up onto the lowest branch.

The Gathering had begun.

"What should we do about the Dark Forest cats?" Jaywing called into the silence.

"The Dark Forest cats are not coming back!" yowled Sootspirit.

"I disagree, all of us have dreamed it, and just because Nightclan's medicine cat doesn't believe in StarClan and doesn't receive dreams doesn't mean that they aren't coming back," meowed Dawnstar.

Sootspirit hissed and Darkstar's fur bristled at being accused of not believing in StarClan.

"Brave words," sneered Darkstar. Lighteningstar let out a warning growl.

"Well, back to discussing the Clans," meowed Stormstar hastily.

"Cats of all Clans, StormClan is stealing our prey." Outraged yowls from the Stormclan patrol rang throughout the clearing.

"What? How dare you accuse us of such lies." hissed Brightshadow. Lightningstar was staring at Darkstar in hatred.

"And I suppose you have evidence to back up your theory," meowed Lightningstar with a dangerous edge to his voice.

"We have scented Stormclan cats on the Waveclan border," hissed Darkstar.

"Thats a lie." Meowed Stormstar. "We haven't scented any StormClan cats on the shore line or the outside." Lightningstar flashed the gray tom a grateful glance.

"We still stand by our accusations." sneered Darkstar.

"Is this relevant?" asked Silverstar to no cat in particular. "If Stormstar denies any Stormclan scent on his border it would seem as though you are just trying to find a reason to attack Stormclan."

Lightningstar's anger got the best of him. "Thats exactly what he's doing. We've beaten him already in the last couple of moons!" Many cats in the clearing gasped at the StormClan leader's anger.

"Lightningstar, please," Dawnstar meowed calmly. "Darkstar, you seem to be doing this just to cause unnecessary bloodshed."

"It is not unnecessary if Stormclan is stealing our prey," growled Darkstar.

Lightningstar lashed his tail. "Lies!" he growled back.

"The evidence is all going against what you say." mewed Sparkstar.

"Don't ask me, ask those prey stealers over there."

At this point, Silverstar was sure Lightningstar was ready to tie him up in ivy and drag him under the black round paw of an angry Twoleg monster.

"There is nothing for Nightclan to report." Growled Darkstar. "We are leaving." Nightclan warriors made a protective circle around Darkstar as he leaped from his branch on the tree, shielding him from the hostile glares of rival Clan warriors.

As the last Nightclan warriors left the clearing, Silverstar spoke up to relieve the tension. "The prey is running well, but still effected by the rain in Heatherclan territory. We have two new litters of kits."

The HeatherClan, WaveClan, CloudClan and StormClan warriors cheered. Silverstar nodded to Dawnstar in approval for her to start.

"The prey is running worse than usual because of the rain, but still enough to feed us. We have one new warrior, Lionfang," she mewed.

"Lionfang! Lionfang!" cheered the cats in the clearing. The new warrior shrank back in embarrassment.

"And three new kits, Riverkit, Lakekit, and Brookkit."

Again, the cats cheered."Riverkit! Lakekit! Brookkit!"

Instead of listening to the other leaders, Silverstar sat thinking about what Darkstar had accused Lightningstar of.

Would he attack again just to prove his injured pride? It would be just like him, she thought, and left with her Clan.