Warriors: Rise of the Shadows (Book 1)

Chapter Twelve

Sweetscent and Springleap were able to make it to the Gathering before it began, panting as they sprinted in order to arrive. Once they did, they were bombarded by questions from her Clanmates.

"Are you okay?" Asked a concerned Swiftscar.

"How is Whitesnow and the kits?" Asked a number of cats including Goldentail.

"Cats of all Clans!" Yowled Strikestar, saving Sweetscent and Springleap the headache of answering so many questions. "Let the Gathering begin!"

Sweetscent noticed straight away that Owlstar was not present on his stone. Instead, a cat she had never seen before stood in the leader's place. "I will begin," the newcomer spoke.

"Rockfall!" Shouted a IceClan tom named Shellpaw. "Where is Owlstar and Webstripe?"

A chorus of yowls erupted from the Clans, mainly from FireClan and DawnClan. The calls were silenced by Rockfall's screech of silence.

The tom straightened, tail flicking ominously. "Owlstar and Webstripe are dead." He spat venomously, eyes ablaze with fire. Gasps of shock racked the clearing, but the tom went on. "I am Rockstar now. My deputy is Thistlehare," Rockstar sounded superior despite the leafbare cold.

Yowls and calls of anger sounded from the DuskClan cats. One cat even yowled over the noise. "He hasn't had an apprentice!"

A cat, known as Birchmouse, hollered. "Has DuskClan gone rogue?"

Chaos broke loose and the leaders struggled to fight down the chatter and murmurs. When they did, Rockstar kept going. "You all should be ready for a fight, because DuskClan will be the greatest and feared Clan yet."

Strikestar snorted in contempt and stepped up. "Now time for the real leaders to speak." Cats sneered and snickered at his sly comment but quieted as he continued. "We have five new warriors! Congratulations Hollytiger, Brackenmist, Bramblepool, Shadestep, and Darkwhisker!"

Cheers from the DawnClan cats filled the clearing, only to be silenced by Strikestar. "That is all I have to report." He turned his head to Rockstar.

The new leader of DuskClan raised his head proudly and gazed at the gathered cats below him. "DuskClan has three new warriors!" He boomed, tail lashing in excitement. "Specklestorm, Blazewing, and Heartfire!"

"That's all and well, Rockstar." Meowed a unenthusiastic cat from atop IceClan's stone. 'Who is that?' Sweetscent wondered, but her question would be answered in a second. "But IceClan cannot wait all night for you to stop boasting."

Rockstar snorted and dipped his head in false respect. "Very well, Frostbreeze," he meowed. "Begin your report."

"I will," the she-cat sniffed and lifted her head. "Badgerstar has lost his last life due to starvation last moon. I am Froststar now and my deputy is Vixenflame." Before any cheers of congratulations could be heard, the new leader went on. "We also have two new warriors! Meet Shellpetal and Sorrelclaw!"

Poppystar stepped up after the cheering died away. "We will mourn Badgerstar, Owlstar, and Webstripe deeply." She meowed earnestly. "But life goes on, but sadly three foxes attacked us on our way and killed our senior warrior, Stonesky. It has been a moon after his kits were born to Whitesnow and he will be missed dearly."Murmurs of sadness echoed throughout the clearing but were shushed quickly. "We have five new warriors! Sweetscent, Rainshadow, Cloverbud, Springleap, and Owltalon are shaping up to be great warriors of FireClan."