WARRIORS: THE STORM AHEAD

Chapter 5

The full moon shone in the sky as Mousepaw and her Clan were crossing the tree bridge to the island. It was ShadowClan's first Gathering with their new leader and deputy.

When ShadowClan arrived, ThunderClan was already there with their leader, Dapplestar, on the Great Oak already. RiverClan just got there, with Froststar trying to jump on a branch.

Flightstar hopped on the second biggest branch as WindClan started to come in.
Their leader, Breezestar, hopped on the only branch that was open.

The cats of the Clans started taking among one another, and Mousepaw squeezed through the crowd to find the apprentices.
The she-cat realized that Lionpaw from
ThunderClan was among them.

Maybe he's nice. He wasn't exactly mean when we met him on the border patrol. Mousepaw thought as she padded closer to the golden apprentice.

"Hi-" she was about to say as Lionpaw went to the WindClan apprentices.
Well, I need to talk to some cat.
Mousepaw spotted two other ThunderClan apprentices, Gingerpaw and Echopaw, laughing with each other.

She knew from previous Gatherings that they were the oldest apprentices in ThunderClan, and most likely they would be warriors next moon.

Mousepaw was just about to turn to the WindClam apprentices when Flightstar gave a yowl to start the Gathering.

The mixed cats divided, and Mousepaw found her mentor with the rest of ShadowClan.
It was just in time for Flightstar to start.

"Hello, cats of all Clans. I am proud to announce that ShadowClan has a new leader and deputy."
"Flightstar! Bloodsight! Flightstar! Bloodsight!"

Flightstar dipped his head, then Dapplestar of ThunderClan tried to speak.
Her voice came out in coughs as she struggled to get a grip on the branch.
Right now, the Clans knew that Dapplestar was on her last life, and the ThunderClan deputy, Darkfeather, would soon take her place.

But then, the leader managed to speak.
"ThunderClan has welcomed two new apprentices, Graypaw and Blackpaw. We-we've found-a good prey-spot, so-prey is-well." she rasped.

Darkfeather went to Dapplestar's branch and kept her steady while the leaders dipped their heads. Froststar of RiverClan was next.

Mousepaw expected something normal, but what Froststar said was the opposite.
"Rogues have been found in our territory!"

The cats around the tree gasped in shock. Froststar continued.
"A patrol spotted them. Wavetail's words, one was a brown tabby tom and the other was a ginger she-cat. The patrol chased them all the way towards horseplace. They thought they were okay, but then the ginger one suddenly shredded Tanpaw. If she hadn't escaped, she would've been dead."

"May I object?" Breezestar of WindClan meowed. Froststar nodded.
"I think my warriors have seen some rogues at horseplace. They seem to be forming a group there. We thought they could do no harm. According to you, we were wrong."

Froststar spoke again. "This rogue group now brings a threat to the Clans. From now on, RiverClan will do border patrols on horseplace. I request that WindClan will do the same."
Breezestar meowed in agreement as the cats of WindClan, ThunderClan, and ShadowClan were still processing what Froststar had said.

"The Gathering is to an end! May StarClan light our paths!" Breezestar yowled.
The leaders hopped down from their branches, Darkfeather helping Dapplestar down.
The Clans split apart to go to their own territories.

...

Mousepaw was curling next to Featherpaw in the apprentice den, wondering about what Froststar said.
Rogues? In RiverClan territory? I haven't seen any...
Her mind trailed off as she remembered the description a RiverClan warrior had said to Froststar.
Brown tabby tom, ginger she-cat.
Mousepaw felt as if she had heard those descriptions once before the Gathering.
No, Mousepaw. There is a bunch of cats who have the same descriptions. You're just imagining.
But Mousepaw was still unsure.