Lost Hope: Book 5: Forest of Vipers

Chapter 7

Violetshadow followed her somber Clanmates into the Gathering Hollow. The other Clans where already there and Violetshadow found a spot to sit at the edge of the EchoClan cats.

    Stonestar leapt up onto the Fallenoak and nodded to the other leaders. Willowstar stepped forward to begin her report, but Violetshdow found herself tuning the BrookClan leader out as she noticed something odd. Turning her head slightly, she caught sight of Arcticwind and her littermates, Tarantulaclaw and Aloedrop. She could clearly see Tarantulaclaw and Arcticwind's eyes flickering to her every so often and they were talking quietly with their heads bent close together. Aloedrop seemed uninterested and she swatted both of them with her tail, making them go silent.

    Interesting, Violetshadow thought. I wonder if Arcticwind told Tarantulaclaw about the Dark Forest?

    "Cats of all Clans." Violetshadow snapped her attention back to the leaders when she realized that Stonestar was speaking. "EchoClan has faced many tragedies over the past moon. . . . Several cats are missing from our ranks, including Forestpaw, our medicine cat apprentice, who died mysteriously in her sleep at the Star Hollow, my daughter, Burrowpelt, who was taken by some creature, and Phoenixwing and her kits Foxflame and Lilacsnow, who we believed were attacked and killed by the rogues we fought several moons before."

    The whole Gathering seemed to be brought to a standstill when he finished his report. Violetshadow looked around to see that the BrookClan and FernClan cats were looking, not pitying exactly, but genuine sadness for the EchoClan cats.

    "That is most terrible Stonestar," Barkstar broke the silence, coming to press his shoulder to the EchoClan leader's. "Tell me, is there anything FernClan can do to help you? I know what it is to suffer through the loss of many of your Clanmates."

    Stonestar shook his head and tried to maintain his composure in front of so many cats. "I suppose all I am asking for is your condolences and support. I want to make sure that I can trust that we're all in this together. If the rogues are back, then me must be united once more."

    "I agree, Stonestar," Willowstar said. "But we don't know that the rogues are here to cause trouble again. Your Clan's losses are most unfortunate, but this is hardly the place to talk about that. BrookClan will stand with you if there's any more danger, but these all seem like ill-timed accidents to me." She dipped her head respectfully. "I think that concludes this Gathering."

    Barkstar nodded. He gave Stonestar a reassuring glance and then leapt down to gather his Clan for the return home.

    "Well, I certainly wasn't expecting Stonestar to pour out all of EchoClan's heartache right there," Violetshadow heard Griffinwing say to Cloudstorm. "He didn't even mention that I'm expecting kits."

    Sparrowfeather butted in, "Well you're the last cat anyone would expect to carry kits."

    Cloudstorm laughed. "I have to admit, I wasn't expecting she would even want kits, let alone carry them for two moons and then nurse them."

    Griffinwing flicked her tail over Cloudstorm's nose. "We both agreed that you'd stay in the nursery and watch them so I could go back to warriors' duties."

    "Anything for you, my dear." Cloudstorm sighed dramatically. That earned him another light flick over the nose.

    I'd better get one of those kits as an apprentice, thought Violetshadow. I'll have to become deputy first if I want to be leader.