The Bloodsoaked Forest // Warrior cats fanfiction // 10% survivors AU

Chapter 5 // Gathering (Part 2)

The question hung in the air like a heavy fog at dawn. No clan leader dared to answer, and for a moment,  the only sound Thornstar could hear was the beating of his own heart.

The silence apparently grew too irritating for Duskstar, who suddenly whipped around to face the three other cats on the stump, her hazel eyes blazing.

 "Well?" she spat, "So we aren't?"

Thornstar saw Rowanstar closing his eyes and then he heard the leaders voice rumble deep inside his throat. "A leader must only share their dreams with their medicine cats." he meowed confidently. 

"But non of our clans have medicine cats, only apprentices!" Duskstar growled, "We should discuss it here, now, with Littlecloud!"

"In front of all our warriors?" Rowanstar asked, his surprised, amber stare now on Duskstar, "This does not concern them." 

"If it's something that effects all the cats around the lake, then it's something every cat should hear!" Duskstar retorted.

"I agree." Whitestars calm mew broke between them, "The clans are in no position to hold secrets from each other, not at this time anyway."

The clearing grew quiet as a small tom began pushing himself in front of the crowd below. Every cats gaze turning to face him, their voices raising in hushed whispers. 

"I think it's a good idea." Littlecloud piped up calmly, padding up to the old stump all the leaders where seated on. "The clans have always stayed together in times of trouble, I don't believe this time has to be any different."

"So, did we really all receive the same dream?" Duskstar asked, "The one about stranger's we must accept amongst us?"

The gathered cats below broke out louder murmurs as each leader voiced their agreement. Among the undergrowth a voice piped up from the crowd, "What strangers?"

Followed by another, "Is it true?"

Duskstar lowered her head and closed her eyes for a moment, deep in thought, then, when the clearing fell silent, she spoke. 

"Last night.." she meowed, hesitating, "Last night, Reedwhisker visited me in a dream." she announced. "He told me of strangers who are coming, of cats who will chase away the darkness that seems to last forever."

"We don't know if they're cats." Rowanstar mumbled.

"What else would they be?" Duskstar growled. "He told me we should accept them."

"Onestar told me the same." Whitestar meowed, "Last night, on the old Windclan moor."

"I spoke with Firestar." Thornstar added. 

"As I did with Blackstar." Rowanstar confessed, "But.." he meowed grimly,  "I..I do not know if we can really trust what we do not know after what happened."

"We must have faith." Littlecloud comforted, padding even closer to the stump. "I also received a message, one very similar to all of yours."

Turning away from the leaders , Littlecloud began to address the other gathered cats. "Starclan has sent us a message, one that might hold trouble. But the clans are strong. They always have been! And even now, after The Great Battle, we stand here as survivors, gathered around the light of the full moon as our ancestors did at the dawn of the clans. It's too soon to forget the hardships we've endured. Not only the battle against the Dark Forest, but also of The Great Journey, of the battle with Bloodclan."

The old tom paused to take in a ragged breath. At this moment Thornstar realized just how small and frail the old tabby looked, like a pile of bones covered by matted fur. He had never taken the time to realized just how tired Littlecloud must be, being the only medicine cat the clans had. Seeing him speak like this, made Thornstars appreciation for the wise tom grow more then he thought was possible.

"Whatever the future has in store, I believe Starclan will guide us through it, towards a new horizon. But whatever happens, the clans must stay united. " Littlecloud meowed, turning back to face the leaders.

"The clans helped each other during the battle against Bloodclan and survived only by working together during The Great Journey and I believe now should be no different. The truce we agreed upon many moons ago should last a little while longer." he meowed calmly, "Until we can make sense of the prophecy Starclan has shared with us."

Rowanstar hummed a response, his voice like thunder in the sky. "You are a wise and gifted medicine cat, Littlecloud. If that is what you feel is right, then Shadowclan will agree to extend the truce until the time is right." the ginger tom meowed, looking between the gathered leaders. "Are the other clans in agreement?"

"Windclan is." Whitestar meowed, "We have no reason to trespass when our own territory is filled with prey."

"Thunderclan agrees as well." Thornstar raised his voice to join the she-cat, even if seasons of following the warrior code had made it difficult to accept this choice.

Duskstar lowered her head, hazel eyes peering out into the shadows ahead. But then, after exchanging a glance with her cream and brown deputy, she lifted her chin and nodded.

"If that is the choice you all wish to make," she mumbled, "then Riverclan agrees as well. But we will hold you all to it."

"Then it is settled." Rowanstar meowed. "The truce between all four clans shall last still the next full moon and it will be decided at the next gathering how long it shall last!" he announced.

"Then it is decided and this gathering is now over. May you all get back to your camps safely." Rowanstar meowed, leaping off of the oak stump. 

"Come, Shadowclan!" he called, raising his tail to the starry sky, "We are leaving."

 "Windclan should head home aswell." Whitestar muttered, "Our territory is the farthest walk away."

Duskstar didn't say anything, instead the she-cat choose to shoot the Thunderclan leader beside her a menacing glare, before departing along with her clan.

Thornstar let out a sigh, "Come, Thunderclan!" he called, hopping into the soft grass below, "Let's make our way back as well."