Warrior Cats: In the Shadows

Chapter 3

     Crowstar stood under the Highbranch, assigning cats to take with him to the Gathering. "Shadepaw, Mosspaw, Blossompaw, Yang, Sandcloud, Gearpelt, Firestorm, and Tigerpelt. Come with me to the Gathering in a couple of minutes."

     This was Shadepaw's 2nd Gathering during his apprenticeship, and since then, he's caught more prey than all the other apprentices combined! Ever since Mosspaw caught the blackbird, Shadepaw has brought it up to an extreme level. He was determined he could be the best warrior in all of LightningClan. I'll be extremely good at this Gathering, and show how well-behaved I am!

     Mosspaw shoved gently into Shadepaw,"Come on, furball.  Crowstar's leaving with everyone else already.  And we'll see how well-behaved you are!" Shadepaw's brother leaped off, joining the group. Shadepaw sighed, apparently he said his thoughts out loud.

     Eventually, Shadepaw caught up with the group, they passed RainClan's territory on the way. The land on the other side of the river was murky; the small figures of fish swam in the dark, gloomy waters.  The group kept walking a while, and Shadepaw got a quick glimpse of GloomClan's group heading in the same direction as they.

     The group of LightningClan warriors arrived at FourStars. A star on each side of the circled meadow represented each clan's signal. Shadepaw went to settle under the Lightning Star, and looked at all the cats that gathered there. A lot of BreezeClan squished together under the Wind Star, it looked like the whole Clan was there!  Not a good idea, Shadepaw thought.

     Each leader gathered on their rock, that carried the engraving of their Clan Star Symbols. Crowstar leaped onto the Lightning Star engraved rock. Leafstar only barely managed to climb up onto the rock that had the engraving of the Shadow Star. Wavestar youthfully gave power to his hind legs and landed in the middle of her Wind Star engraved rock. Riverstar climbed up normally to her Water Star engraved rock, and looked confidently over all the cats.

     Shadepaw got excited and jumpy next to his calm brother, Mosspaw. Apparently his jumpiness bugged the GloomClan apprentice next to him;

     "Watch out, furball!" The gray GloomClan apprentice smirked and looked back at the leaders. Leafstar was about to speak.

     Leafstar's raspy voice rang through the air like a bird's screech as it is brought down to the ground,"GloomClan.. is doing well after our attack. We are healing and our queen, Tallear, is expecting three new kits within the next few moons *cough*. Prey is also running well." The old tom backed away slightly from the edge of his rock - to tell the other leaders that they may speak.

     Riverstar and Wavestar gave Crowstar a brief nod, acknowledging that he may speak. Crowstar nodded back and cleared his throat,"LightningClan is in great condition. Our warriors are strong, same with our apprentices. Prey has been in our favor the last few moons."

     Wavestar's neck fur rose as she heard Crowstar mention the prey being well in his Clan. They always had good prey; always. Wavestar let her fur fall flat before speaking, she wouldn't tell the other Clans that they were scarce of bunnies, and other main prey.

     "Our Clan is strengthening, we have reinforced border patrols, and other daily patrols after the attack on GloomClan by the bears and badgers. Our Clan wouldn't like any pests on our territory. I am sad to mention that our only apprentice, Brackenpaw, had died from greencough last Leafbare." At this last part, BreezeClan started murmuring about it. Wavestar hadn't mentioned it until now.. Brackenpaw had died 11 moons ago, and they still had no apprentices left. Jaycry's kits were soon to become apprentices though.

     Riverstar stepped up her sleek fur glistened in the moonlight,"RainClan is in good condition. The fish have been crowding up recently, giving us plenty of food to stock up on this upcoming Leafbare." With a beautiful smile, she backed away.

     Shadepaw glanced next to him to see the apprentice walking up towards Wavestar, her tail held high. Wavestar held her tail straight behind her, but she kept her tone calm.

     "Cinderpaw, go back to your group."

     Cinderpaw stepped closer,"I have a question for you." The apprentice looked around all the other Clans and smirked,"Why do you mention Brackenpaw's death now?"

     Taken back by the question, Wavestar looked nervously at all the other cats who were staring at her. She quickly thinks up of an answer,"I - er - I mean we, forgot about it until my deputy reminde----" The leader was cut off by Cinderpaw.

     "You forgot about the death of an apprentice? How cruel, I bet Brackenpaw hates his mother now for forgetting about him!" Cinderpaw narrowed her eyes. She was letting the secret out, in GloomClan, they sent out apprentices to other Clans (after teaching them master disguise) to spy on what is going on. Cinderpaw, accidentally being apprenticed early, and should be a warrior now, has been spying on BreezeClan.

     The cats gasped, especially BreezeClan. Owlheart stepped from beneath the rock, flattened his ears and yowled at Wavestar,"Tell them the truth, Wavestar!!" BreezeClan joined in a chant, "Tell the truth! Tell the truth!"

     Shadepaw's heart thumped, he looked up to surprisingly see the moon uncovered by clouds. He looked back at Wavestar.

     The young she-cat sighed, she didn't want to express the truth, so she flicked her tail at Owlheart. The deputy narrowed his yellow eyes, and then spoke:

     "11 moons ago, Brackenpaw was attacked by greencough. We thought it was blackcough, because it was so severe, but it had been identified as simple greencough. The apprentice was fed Catmint every day, but he never got better. Wavestar always ignored her son, declaring that he wasn't important  at the moment, for the Clan duties needed to be taken care of. Poor Brackenpaw, never got the support he needed from his mother, who didn't care when his sister, Echokit, was murdered over night. The mother who never cared what happened. She believed herself was first, then warriors, then elders, then kits and apprentices. Her family was always last! She exiled her mate after he yelled at her for not taking care of their kits. We found him dead on our borders, we believe he committed suicide," Owlheart continues,"Two quarter-moons later, Wavestar was told that her son might die. And these were her exact words >>> 'I do not care about my kits, they thrive for themselves, all I care about is the Clan. Puny apprentices of my family tree do not matter above the cost of my Clan. BreezeClan must thrive, and if killing my whole family is what I had to do, I would do it'. BreezeClan still respects her loyalty to us, and that she thinks us as important. But we are always shocked when she says those sort of things... And then half a quarter-moon later, the death of Brackenpaw was reported. And Wavestar said, she didn't care."

     Cinderpaw gasped, along with everyone else, and brought her paw over Wavestar's eyes.