Warriors: The Fall of the Clans: Sunlight

Chapter 9

The cats of RiverClan were separated into a small cluster of cats. ThunderClan cats refused to talk with them, exchanging terse greetings and ambling away. Some ShadowClan cats came and spoke to them, politely, and WindClan smiled and greeted them.

WindClan shared their borders the most, and knew them the best, although they weren't any less hostile than ThunderClan or ShadowClan. They merely hid it behind courtesy. Dawnpaw glanced at Moonpaw uneasily. This was going to be a strange Gathering. Skynose had insisted on going with them, to point out prominent cats of the a Clans who were there and to reprimand them. The other mentors, relieved to finally have a day to hunt by themselves and rest for a change, sent him off without too much of a fuss. Dawnpaw tilted her head at all the cats. So many similar pelts, voices. Skynose saw her, prodding her to attention. He pointed towards an elder, with ragged long gray fur and yellow eyes. "That's Mistedfog, the current ShadowClan leader, Nightstar's father." He said. Dawnpaw nodded, remembering her encounter with the strict she cat but making no mention of it. "He's a respectable old fellow, so don't cross him." Dawnpaw narrowed her eyes. "Wait. Isn't it not supposed to matter about a cat's rank? I though we were meant to hold no bias?" Skynose smiled wryly. "It used to be like that, many many moons ago. Here, let me explain. You see that ThunderClan elder chatting with Mistedfog?" Dawnpaw looked over, seeing an extremely old she cat, who looked like bones with fur attached. "She must be very old..." Skynose nodded. "She is. She's from the time of Firestar and mainly Ivystar." Dawnpaw blinked. The cats of such old nursery tales? "She's that old? No way." Skynose nodded. "She has great-grandchodren now, but most expect her to meet StarClan soon..." Skynose explained. Moonpaw tilted her head. "Let's go talk to her!" She whispered, making Dawnpaw jump. She hadn't known Moonpaw had been there at all, but quickly regained herself and nodded. They walked over, polite expressions on their faces. "U-um, sort to interrupt, but are you...are you really Dovewing?" Moonpaw asked. Mistedfog pardoned himself out of the conversation. Dovewing nodded, smiling. "Yes." She rasped. "You two seem new. I know all the cats who come here." Dawnpaw felt amazed. "Woah. So...wait, were the Clans different back then?" She asked, quickly making up a question so as not to look mousebrained. Dovewing nodded again. "Back then, the cats were happy, easier to live with. Less dramatic." She said, rolling her eyes. "I wish Ivystar were here to explain. She remembered the stories better, but...they're all waiting, in StarClan..." She murmured. Moonpaw made a sympathetic sound. "Hey, they're happy, and now you have all these people, who love you and idolize you, right?" Dovewing nodded. "Are you two RiverClan? Who are you mothers?" Moonpaw smiled. "Swiftdawn." She said proudly. Dawnpaw smiled as well, a bit uneasy. "Um, Streamfeather is my mother." Prove wing nodded, knowingly. "Be careful, Dawnpaw. Some would hold your heritage against yo-"

Whatever Dovewing had been about to say, she was cut off by Frozenstar, who announced for the Gathering to begin. Dovewing waved goodbye to the two, as Dawnpaw and Moonpaw made their way back towards Skynose.

Moonpaw poked Dawnpaw. "How many moons old do you think she is?" She whispered. "She's quite old. Around...one hundred and seventy moons. Most think this is her last Gathering. No one knows how she survived for so long. Now shush." Skynose replied, effectively silencing them both. Snakestar was drawing the silence of the Clans' anyways. Froststar was the oldest leader, but Snakestar had been chosen after only a small time as leader.

"WindClan has had bountiful prey for these past few moons. Greenleaf has been good to us, and we have had four new kits born to Harespring and Runningbreeze, named Kestrelkit, Robinkit, Mothkit, and Birchkit." An uneasy customary cheer echoed through the space. "Robinkit! Kestrelkit! Birchkit! Mothkit!" Snakestar made no reaction to the obviously forced tone and continued. "There have been several Twolegscome by, closer and closer with yellow strip of some kind ghat they put up against trees and the ground, marking them with red lines. We're certain that this might mean something, so we suggest trying to make a contact in Twolegplace."