Deep Blue Eyes-- a warriors fanfic (completed story!)

Chapter 21

Flamepaw circled around her sister excitedly. “I can’t wait!” She cheered, risking the jump over her sister’s head.

Silverpaw nodded. “The Gathering is interesting.”

Flamepaw stopped running around and stared at her suspiciously. “Are you okay? You seem… quiet.” Instantly Flamepaw knew that was a dumb thing to say. Silverpaw was always quiet.

Silverpaw just nodded.

Flamepaw wondered if she was worried to go to the Moonpool. Ever since the tree bridge had broken, the clans met at the Moonpool for their Gatherings. “StarClan will greet us for sure.”

Last moon, Flamepaw- Flamekit then- would have been able to go to the Gathering if it wasn’t for her sneaking out of camp. Flamepaw had been devastated to hear that she wouldn’t be going to the first Gathering. Silverpaw had stayed behind. Foxpaw came back saying that everyone seemed a little jumpy, most likely not wanting to anger StarClan. The leaders had spoken brusquely and quickly, and seemed to always be looking up at the moon. Flamepaw hoped this Gathering wouldn’t be like that. She wanted pure excitement, something that the clans would talk about for seasons.

“Up ahead!” Flamepaw squealed. “The Moonpool!”

It was amazing. The deep pool of water was not at all like what Flamepaw was expecting. It glittered with countless stars and a shining disk of silver was reflected in it. The other three clans were already gathered, impatiently awaiting WindClan. Flamepaw bounded forward and took her seat beside some ShadowClan cats. She noticed a dark blue she-cat- ThunderClan by the looks of it- was glaring at ShadowClan with menacing silver-blue eyes. Wow… what’s her problem with ShadowClan? I thought it was RiverClan and ShadowClan at war.

“I think we should start the Gathering. We have things to discuss.” A light brown tabby she-cat leapt atop the rock that they used to call Gatherings, glaring down at a ginger ShadowClan she-cat.

Flamepaw looked sympathetically at the ginger apprentice. She was shuffling her paws worriedly. All of ThunderClan seemed to be staring at her. A few seemed angry, but one black and white apprentice seemed rather… sad?

Flamepaw nudged Silverpaw. “Who’s that cat?” She whispered, gesturing to the light brown tabby.

“Fernstar, leader of ThunderClan,” Silverpaw replied. “The black tom is Reedstar of RiverClan and the grey she-cat is Shadestar of ShadowClan.”

Flamepaw looked back at the ginger apprentice again. Something seemed… familiar. She looks like the cat who had met me when I snuck out of camp! She realized. But it can’t be her! That she-cat is from ShadowClan, and the one I met was from ThunderClan! She opened her mouth to ask Silverpaw but the ThunderClan leader was speaking.

“Shadestar, I see you have taken in our… former clanmate,” Fernstar mewed cautiously.

“Flowerpaw has clearly stated that ThunderClan made a mistake.” Shadestar narrowed her eyes. “She told me that you exiled her for no reason!”

Horrified gasps erupted from RiverClan and WindClan. Flamepaw widened her eyes, her heart beating loudly with tension.

“She tried to kill our newest warrior, and she killed her mother!” Fernstar rose to her paws. “You’ve taken in a murderer!”

“That’s not true!” The ginger she-cat- Flowerpaw- leapt atop the rock. “I can tell you the whole story!”

“Liar!” A grey she-cat with a white belly, paws and black flecks across her pelt yowled. “You tried to kill me!”