Distant Sun: Flashing Lights - Shimmering Stars

Chapter 7

The full moon glints off of the Star Rock as Jadepaw follows her two of sisters down the slope into the valley. The pelts of the RowanClan cats look silver in the moonlight, but they all seem happy. Seems like moving to the leafbare camp went well after Jadepaw left.

"C'mon!" Dawnpaw calls to the younger apprentices. "Let's go sit with the RowanClan apprentices! They'll love you!"

Jadepaw laughs a bit, following her sister over to the ferns where the apprentices have sat at the last few meetings. Over there are Brightpaw, Swanpaw, Tornpaw and Peachpaw along with the young apprentice Jadepaw had met while moving herbs with Goldenlight.

"Hi Flamepaw!" Swanpaw greets cheerfully.

"Hi Swanpaw!" Flamepaw purrs.

"Who're these three?" Peachpaw asks Dawnpaw.

"These are Whitestar's kits!" Dawnpaw meows. "This is Glacierpaw, Beetlepaw and Thunderpaw!"

"Wow! A leader's kits? Really?" Peachpaw gasps. "That's awesome!"

"It is pretty cool, huh?" Beetlepaw meows, his chest puffed out. Jadepaw fights a chuckle, as he looks very small compared to the RowanClan apprentices.

"RowanClan also got a new apprentice," Swanpaw meows, looking up from her conversation with Flamepaw. "That's Blackpaw. He's Tallstar's nephew."

"My mom's one of the best warriors in RowanClan, you can just say her name!" Blackpaw argues with a frown.

Swanpaw rolls her eyes and turns back to Flamepaw. Jadepaw sits next to Brightpaw, who was looking up into the canopy above contently.

"So how has RowanClan been since I visited?" Jadepaw asks the silver she-cat.

Brightpaw blinks a little in surprise but makes a gesture with her paws and smiles. Jadepaw had been told by Goldenlight while helping her that Brightpaw didn't talk much because of some issues with her chest, so Jadepaw assumes that the gesture is good.

"That's good," Jadepaw purrs. "I had a lot of fun helping Goldenlight move herbs and cleaning the dens in the camp you guys are using now. Though it looks like you guys still had a lot to do when I left."

Brightpaw shrugs and tilts one of her paws from side-to-side.

Suddenly, more cats come and sit beside the apprentices and more chatter fills the valley. It seems BirchClan has arrived.

"What's up, guys? You all seem happy." Lionpaw greets.

"We have new apprentices in WillowClan and BirchClan," Dawnpaw meows.

"I was wondering who these under-sized kittens were," Stormpaw meows, smirking as the young apprentices all argue with him indignantly.

"Hi Jadepaw, hi Brightpaw," Daypaw greets as the other apprentices laugh and poke fun at each other.

Brightpaw flicks her tail as a greeting while Jadepaw can only muster a bashful "hello."

"How's everything in WillowClan going? Is the sickness the kits caught gone now?" Daypaw asks, sitting on Brightpaw's other side.

"It... it's mostly gone," Jadepaw mumbles. "Only Bluekit and Ravenkit are still sick right now..."

"That's good," Daypaw purrs. "Anything else exciting happen?"

Jadepaw hesitates before meowing "I helped with my first big wound the other day. One of our warriors, Featherwing, fought a hawk for prey and got hurt. It nearly depleted our marigold supplies so Rocktooth had to leave me to deal with it. He's healing pretty well now."

"Wow, all by yourself? Rocktooth must trust you a lot!" Daypaw meows as Brightpaw nods in agreement. "Flowersong hardly lets me go out on solo hunting missions anymore because of the rogues lurking around our territory."

"I guess she does," Jadepaw shrugs.

"All cats gather to hear what we have to say!" Whitestar's voice echoes out over the valley.

"Sorry, I've got to go," Jadepaw meows.

She hurries through the cats and quickly sits beside her mentor, who glances at Jadepaw with a small smile before returning her gaze to the leaders above them. Whitestar looks almost spirit-like as she stands above the cats and waits for them to quiet.

"WillowClan has had a good moon," Whitestar meows confidently. "We have three new apprentices. Glacierpaw, Beetlepaw and Thunderpaw have all been apprenticed to Shadefeather, Darkstep and Lightwing. There was a small outbreak of illness among our kits, but thanks to our medicine cat apprentice's quick thinking, they are all getting healthy."

"Glacierpaw!"

"Beetlepaw!"

"Thunderpaw!"

The voices ring out across the valley and then Lakestar steps up.

"Prey has been running well in BirchClan!" Lakestar announces as the cheers die down. "Though we have no new apprentices or warriors, we are strong. We had another small bout with the rogues we fought last moon, but I think this time we gave them a few scars to think about next time they consider trying to take our territory."

The cats all murmur in agreement and pride as Tallstar steps up.

"RowanClan is happy to welcome a new apprentice. Blackpaw, my sister Smokesong's son, has been apprenticed to Oakclaw and is already shaping up to be a great warrior like his mother before him," Tallstar meows, her chest puffing out with pride.

"Blackpaw!"

"Blackpaw!"

As the cats cheer, Jadepaw looks around at the spirits sitting among the cats. Some don't look very happy, especially a cat she recognizes.

Flamestar.

Why is he here? Why would a founder take the time to watch over cats at a Gathering? Is something bad going to happen soon?