A full moon rose slowly in the night sky, ushering the cats of each clan to make their way to the fallen oak, which they had agreed would be a meeting place for a gathering amongst the four clans- a tradition which had not been upheld for moons.
Thornstar's tail twitched as he eyed the round object in the sky. He turned his gazed behind him for what felt like the thousandth time, a tortoiseshell brushed passed him, turning her head in the same direction and spoke "Are you sure you'll be alright?" the tortoiseshell, Blossomfall, called.
A ragged, brown tabby emerged from the den in front of them, a gentle smile on his face and two kits frisking around his paws,
"Of course youngin's!" Purdy laughed, "I've been through it all! Rats and twolegs One time I fought off six foxes all at once, ain't nothin' in this forest I can't handle!" he meowed raising a graying paw, letting the kits run under it.
Thornstar nodded, gazing around the small clearing as he herd Corainderkit and Daisykit beg the old tabby to tell them the six foxes story. It'll be fine. He told himself.
But what if he won't be? Anxiety rose inside his chest. Sure, the Dark Forest has been defeated, but there are other dangers - foxes, badgers. The kit's could run if something happened, but Purdy's leg is disfigured, he can hardly move nowadays.
Thornstar felt like raking himself across the ears for thinking such things. Purdy will be fine. He told himself again. Besides, he'd claw our pelts off if we told him we thought he needed help!
"Come on," Blossomfall's meow interrupting his thoughts, "We have to get there before midnight."
Thornstar nodded silently before bidding Purdy goodbye with a wave of his tail. He shouldered his way through the entrance of their tiny camp, followed by Blossomfall, Plumpaw, Shellpaw, Stempaw and Eaglepaw.
Thornstars pelt felt heavy on his body, as if it was made from stone. Tonight was the gathering, where he and Blossomfall would have to come face to face with the cats of the other clans and face them as former trainees of The Dark Forest.
Had they forgiven them? Thornstar wondered. After all, they both had fought on the side of the clans when the battle started...but had that been enough?
When the six Thunderclan cats had arrived, the moon had almost made it's way to the center of the sky.
Thornstar felt his pelt prickle as he gazed around the clearing, which surrounded the tall, mighty stump of the fallen oak.
Noticing the other clan leaders atop it, he padded to join them, leaping on alongside them in one swift, silent motion. None of the other leaders turned to face him, but he could feel mood in the area shift as soon as he settled comfortably beside them, their eyes glowing wearily in the moonlight.
"Hmph." Thornstar turned his head to see a large, brown tabby she-cat he recognized as Duskfur, now Duskstar of Riverclan. A growl rumbled in her throat, so loud Thornstar could feel the vibrations in his paws.
"Now that we're all here. I say we start this gathering so that we may return to our camps as quickly as possible." Duskstar meowed, raising her head.
"Cats of all clans!" she called, silencing the murmurs that had begun to fill the clearing. "For those who are unaware, I am Duskstar, leader of Riverclan. My deputy is Robinwing, and we also have Graypaw here, who is training as our medicine cat apprentice." the brown tabby meowed, nodding her head to a small, fuzzy tom who was sitting along the tall grass.
"And may I remind you all that Starclan has..blessed us. With plenty of prey, healthy kits and eager warriors." Duskstar continued, hesitating slightly, thought her hazel eyes glowed with an emotion Thornstar could not place.
YOU ARE READING
The Bloodsoaked Forest // Warrior cats fanfiction // 10% survivors AU
FanfictionThornclaw was once a valued and well respected warrior of Thunderclan, but now, as Thornstar he is one of the few things Thunderclan has left. The Great Battle has been fought, The Dark Forest defeated, but the clans have been left with few survivor...
