Warriors Ironheart's Love

Chapter 9

The sun was setting, quickly over the horizon. It was time for the cats heading to the gathering to leave. Arthur and Sharpsnap were fretting about their appearances, especially Ironpaw. They practically over the past halfmoon made her into one of their kits. She had to run away with Longpaw to the otherside of camp to get away from them. "They're worse than queens! I don't want to look like a groomed kit, I want to look like a fierce warrior!" The feisty apprentice groaned, staring at the horrors of Redpaw and Whispypaw.

The gruesome face that Whispypaw had was amusing to Ironpaw and Longpaw. They ended up trying to cover up their laughs but failed miserably. Redpaw wasn't having any of their little games on this particular day. She ended up batting them with her paw across the face. That silenced them very well. Sitting down confidently, letting her gaze fall on the warriors starting to come towards the entrance to the camp.

Wildblaze and Lynxfur on time, along time before they had to leave for the gathering. Loudstorm was quick to arrive after them, and not even a heartbeat later Gleameyes came as well. Thornleaf and Ferretstar were nowhere to be seen.

Lynxfur padded up to Ironpaw, catching her attention. "You think you're ready for your first gathering? You haven't had a long time to grown accustomed to our traditions." The large she-cat asked, her face as plain as it could be. "I think I'll be fine, Lynxfur. Thanks for checking up on me." She spoke after a few heartbeats, her heart lurching at the words her mentor said.

Lynxfur modded to her and returned to the other warriors. She occasionally glanced in Ironpaw's direction, but she was mostly trained on the conversation in front of her.

Am I not ready? Ferretstar only chose us after I got attacked. Lynxfur is right though. I haven't had time to adjust to their ideas completely, but I think I can represent Windclan! She thought with wavering confidence. It was like the rivers slowly dribbling out into a small puddle, soon to turn to ice from the cold.

Redpaw nudged her suddenly, grabbing her attention from her thoughts. She flicked her ears towards the entrance and saw the last two cats had arrived. When did they arrive? Ironpaw questioned, but she had no time to allow the idea to lurk in her mind. The others were already starting to leave, with Redpaw at her side waiting for her. That same little spark she felt on her first day as an apprentice came to life again. Ironpaw couldn't understand what it really was, she just had to push it down like her thoughts and get moving.

She arrived at the entrance with Redpaw silently. Lynxfur and Gleameyes looked at the suspiciously quiet apprentices, but shrugged it off. Longpaw was gnawing off Loudstorm's ear with his excitement. "Alright, if everyone's ready, we'll leave now." Thornleaf meowed coldly compared to the warmth he had with Sharpsnap. Whispypaw's tail was wiggling back and forth with excitement, glancing occasionally back to Ironpaw and Redpaw.

"Aren't you excited? We finally get to go see the other clans. Ooo, what about the leaders? I heard that Lakestar might be retiring soon due to severe injury on her front paw. She is the oldest leader right next to Ferretstar, if you didn't know that Ironpaw." Whispypaw chattered like a bird calling from the trees on the borders. They were annoying and Ironpaw couldn't stand hearing them when she went on her first dawn patrol with Lynxfur. Something was different with Whispypaw instead and she couldn't pinpoint what it was.

"I don't know the leaders outside of Ferretstar. I guess I'll get to meet them later? I think I saw a Riverclan she-cat named Rosefall a few times. Shadowclan was just too intimidating to talk with! I thought they were going to rip me to shreds." Ironpaw blurted out without thinking, earning her a glare from her mentor. She put her head down shamefully. Why should she discriminate just because their in a different clan? Lynxfur told her a few days after the incident how horrible it is to think like that. If Ironpaw woke up on Shadowclan territory, she would've been made one of their apprentices. Not everything had to be rivalries and borders.