THE STOLEN || OLD - being rewritten

Chapter 6 - { Teammates }

Burn the forest.
Burn them all.

"Everyone has now arrived!" Flowerstar declared, everyone cheering happily at her words. "We are Gathering her to celebrate now twenty-four moons of peace! Not a single battle or skirmish with any of the clans! A time like no other! May we feast and gather to hope for many more moons of this beautiful time!"

Darkpaw still focused her gaze on Whisperstar and he NightClan cats. They were quiet, straight faced with shadowed expressions. The tortoiseshell narrowed her eyes. What had happened to them?

"Today we have several games set up! An obstacle course for kits, an all clan history and trivia for the elders, a team versus team mock battle for the warriors and a game of capture the flag for mentors and apprentices!" Flamestar yelled, his voice echoing throughout the gathering place. Darkpaw had missed the last gathering and had almost forgotten how tall and towering the cliffs were, the small entrance but a crack. Of course there were multiple hidden nooks and crannies that some apprentices and junior warriors hung out in at gatherings, but Darkpaw never had. Gatherings were interesting. She liked hearing about the other clans. All so different with their little quirks and flaws, the way they spoke and acted. It was fascinating to observe.

"I hope you don't mind if we sit here?"

A pale furred NightClan apprentice spoke to her, the she-cats green eyes glittering in the sunlight as she sat beside Darkpaw. She looked at them. There were quiet a few, but not more than in BreezeClan.

"Sure."

The pale she-cat smiled and beckoned her clanmates with a wave of her tail. They say beside one another in silence, watching the leaders.

"Kits, Elders and Queens make your way to the western side of the clearing. Warriors to the north and apprentices to the east." Runningstar mewed, climbing down from the cliff and back into the clearing, the other leaders following with quick, elegant bounds.

Darkpaw rose to her paws and started making her way through the parting crowd towards the eastern side of the clearing, with the NightClan apprentices; who spoke quietly among themselves. NightClan wasn't that bad - from what she'd seen so far. They were very composed and well mannered. Very close to one another but Darkpaw understood and respected that. She didn't take kindly to cats too close inside her circle either.

At the eastern side were a group of senior warriors. Shadefoot and Tigerfall being there, however Tigerfall was Shadowpaw's mentor so that made sense. Mosspelt was also there as well as a pawful of other warriors who were the mentors of all the apprentices.

"Quiet please!" Mosspelt bellowed, her voice low and loud. "It's going to be a mentor versus apprentice game. Take this as an opportunity to build on team and communication skills. Take it as a small assessment and compete to the best of your ability. Mock fighting is permitted but claws must be sheathed and no blood drawn. First team to bring the other teams flag successfully to their camp without their flag being stolen wins." Mentors and their apprentices were already teasing one another and playfully uttering words of competition. Mosspelt flicked an ear. "The Apprentices camp and flag is located at StormClan Camp. The Mentors camp and flag is located at BlazingClan camp. Take the time now to elect your team leader." She mewed, the Mentors breaking off in a huddled debate.

The Apprentices did the same.

"Who wants to be leader?" Adderpaw asked, looking around at everyone.

"Me!" Smallpaw mewed, a determined look in her eyes.

"I wouldn't mind being team leader." Blossompaw shrugged.