Sparks of a Fire

Chapter 22

Starlingpaw was sharing a thrush with her sister, Shadepaw, when Duskstar's yowl caused the two apprentice's to turn their attention to the Highrock where Duskstar sat.

"May all cats old enough to hunt, join beneath Highrock for a StormClan meeting!" Duskstar's mew rang across the StormClan camp.

Starlingpaw and Shadepaw nodded to each other and patted over to join the rest of their clanmates at the base of the Highrock.

"Attention, StormClan! We are going to attend tonight's Gathering! The cats I have selected are: Moonfire, Darkfeather, Alderbranch, Swiftstorm, Soulflame, Lightgaze, Nightstorm, Skywatcher, Foxpaw, Reedpaw, Starlingpaw, Patchpaw, Shadepaw, Lightningpaw, Badgerpaw, Splashpaw, Larkpaw, and Cinderpaw. The rest of you will stay here and guard the camp. Meeting dismissed." She finished, still staring at Starlingpaw. Well, so much for a good night's rest! Starlingpaw thought, but she was happy that she got to attend the Gathering with her littermates.

"There is one more announcement I have to make," Duskstar mewed to get the Clan's attention. "I have been told that two of Blackmoon's kits are ready to be apprenticed."

"Breezekit and Poolkit, please step up to Highrock!" she mewed. Breezekit dashed up to the top, trying to be in the front, but Poolkit was faster than her and beat her to the top. Duskstar glanced down at the impatient Poolkit. She smiled at her large leaf-green eyes, which were widened in both nervousness and excitement.

"Poolkit, do you promise to listen to your mentor and uphold the warrior code?"

"I do," Duskstar smiled down at the sleek-furred silver dappled she-kit

"Then by the powers of StarClan, until this kit has become a warrior, she shall be known as Poolpaw. Swiftstorm will be your mentor. Swiftstorm, you are quick-witted and brave. I hope you will pass your skills onto Poolpaw." The black-and-white she-cat dipped her head gratefully.

"I promise to teach this fine young cat all I know." She padded up to Highrock and tapped noses with Poolpaw.

Duskstar then turned her attention to the fluffy black she-kit.

"Breezekit, do you promise to listen to your mentor and uphold the warrior code?" she repeated. Breezekit nodded.

"Yes, I promise," Breezekit meowed, her silky black fur fluffed up in excitement and her blue eyes shimmering with anticipation.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, until this kit has earned her warrior name, she shall be called Breezepaw. Lightgaze will be your mentor. Lightgaze, you are kind-hearted and playful, I trust that you will train Breezepaw well." Duskstar mewed proudly.

Lightgaze smiled and dipped her head in gratitude. The white-furred she-cat smiled kindly as she patted over to the base of Highrock and touched noses with Breezepaw.

She looked up and nodded to Duskstar. "I promise to teach Breezepaw everything that I know," she meowed proudly.

"Poolpaw! Breezepaw! Poolpaw! Breezepaw!" the StormClan cats cheered, yowling their joy to Silverpelt as they did so.

"Clan meeting dismissed!" Duskstar yowled, leaping down from the Highrock and parting tow of the nursery to check on her sister and her kits.

"This is amazing! I get to go to my first Gathering! What do you think?" Shadepaw meowed. Starlingpaw stifled a purr. Leave it to Shadepaw to speak her mind!

"It sounds really fun! I can't wait to go!" Starlingpaw mewed, hoping she sounded excited enough. Reedpaw and Larkpaw purred.

"C'mon, Starling, Duskstar's leaving!" Reedpaw yowled, and together, the four apprentices followed Duskstar as she padded out of the grassy camp clearing, with the other warriors and apprentices following her as she went.

•••

When Starlingpaw and the rest of the StormClan cats arrived to the Gathering place, Starlingpaw and Foxpaw instantly started looking around for Kestrelpaw, Bluepaw, and Ripplepaw.

"Hey, Starling! Over here!" the sable she-cat turned her head to see Bluepaw waving her tail in greeting. Starlingpaw and Foxpaw dashed over to join the three other apprentices.

As the two she-cats approached, Starlingpaw saw a beautiful cinnamon tabby she-cat sitting next to Bluepaw, the two cats were whispering to each other in low tones.

"Hey, where's Kessy?" Ripplepaw meowed after a few moments of silence. The question caused Bluepaw and the cinnamon tabby to halt their conversation. Bluepaw's blue eyes scanning the clearing for the sassy and spunky orange-and-white BreezeClan medicine cat apprentice.

"I'm afraid Kestrelpaw and Leafcrackle aren't going to be coming to tonight's Gathering."

The four cats all turned around to see a sleek-furred dark ginger she-cat approaching them, her beautiful green eyes glittering.

"Huh? But why? Is everything alright?" the cinnamon tabby meowed, her min-green eyes shining with worry.

The ginger-furred she-cat sighed softly and lowered her gaze. "The truth is..." she began sorrowfully, "Kestrelpaw has greencough and Leafcrackle had to stay in camp so he could keep a watchful eye on her."

Foxpaw had just opened her mouth to start saying something to the ginger-furred she-cat, but at that moment Duskstar spoke.

"Good evening, cats of all Clans. I am here to report that StormClan is having a successful newleaf. Prey is plentiful, and I am pleased to report that we have five new apprentices. Mothpaw, Spottedpaw, Larkpaw, Reedpaw, and Ashpaw!" she meowed loud and clear.

"Mothpaw! Spottedpaw! Larkpaw! Ashpaw!" the Clans cheered. Reedpaw ducked her head, modesty getting the better of her. She noticed though, how Larkpaw puffed his chest out and was basking in the other cat's praise, and she purred in amusement.

From behind her, the other three apprentices were cheering as loudly as they could for Reedpaw and her littermates, and she dipped her head in gratitude. She made a mental note to cheer just as loudly for theirs as well.

Starlingpaw purred and glanced over at her sister. Reedpaw smiled and winked at her. "I didn't know you had littermates, Starlingpaw," the cinnamon tabby meowed, glancing over at Starlingpaw.

"I am happy to report that IceClan also has some new apprentices!" the IceClan leader meowed, her eyes scanning over the crowd of cats in the clearing. "Please welcome Blizzardpaw, Snowpaw, Tuskpaw, Orcapaw, and Flurrypaw!" Dovestar meowed.

"Blizzardpaw! Snowpaw! Tuskpaw! Orcapaw! Flurrypaw!" the Clans cheered. The five cats puffed out their chests and waited for the same cheering that Reedpaw and her siblings had gotten, but the cheers only came from IceClan.

Starlingpaw could feel anger coming off Ripplepaw in waves. It was clear that Ripplepaw was very annoyed that her friends and denmates didn't get cheers from MistClan or StormClan, just from the IceClan and BreezeClan cats.

As she watched the IceClan cats mingle with one another, Starlingpaw noticed that Snowpaw kept glancing over at Yarrowleaf and Polarpaw, almost as if she was wasn't truely set on becoming a warrior.

"Does Snowpaw want to be a medicine cat instead of a warrior? Starlingpaw asked herself with a curious glance directed at the white-and-silver lynx-point IceClan she-cat apprentice.

•••

The Gathering went well, besides that incident. After the leaders spoke, the Clan cats were allowed to socialize with each other.

Bluepaw told the other apprentices about her friend Flowingstream, who'd just received her full medicine cat name a few sunrises ago.

"Oh, so that's your name," the dark-furred she-cat observed with a thoughtful look on her face. "That's a fitting name. It's very nice to meet you, Flowingstream," Starlingpaw meowed in a friendly tone.

Flowingstream smiled and twitched an ear, meowing a greeting to the sable she-cat. "Nice to meet you as well, Starlingpaw," the cinnamon tabby meowed, flicking her tail and staring into Starlingpaw's yellow eyes with her mint-green ones.

"Come on, Starlingpaw. BreezeClan is leaving now." Duskstar said. The sable she-cat nodded her head in understanding and said a quick goodbye to her friends and giving the medicine cat a quick nod before she set off with her Clan to finally get a good night's rest.