The Weight of Living | warrior cats fanfic

𝐬𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 | 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐨𝐨𝐧

seven

full moon

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   Cottonpaw felt his stomach churn with anticipation. A full moon hung in the sky, washing over the expansive grass fields of ZephyrClan's territory. The selected cats going to the Gathering made their way across the meadows walking mostly in a line with Aspenstar leading the pack. Acaciapaw bounded out of line and swerved back in, her face bright with excitement. As she passed Cottonpaw, he felt the nervousness dissipate. Her elation sparked inside of him and grew into a warmth that melted away his nervousness.

    "Acaciapaw, quit jumping around...," Poplarpaw growled. She gave the gray tabby a sneer, rolling her eyes. 

    "It's my first gathering, Poplarpaw. I'm allowed to be excited. Wait, that's right, you don't know what excitement feels like, you're too--"

    "Acaciapaw. That's enough," Pecanwhisker chastised her daughter. The chocolate point merely flicked her tail, falling back to walk alongside Catalpapaw. Pecanwhisker looked back at her kits, and Cottonpaw tipped his head as he noted a sense of sorrow radiating from the brown tabby mother.

    "You noticed it, too, hm?" Cottonpaw jumped as Pistachiopaw came to his side. The starry, light red-brown and white tom let out a laugh, shouldering the younger apprentice. "Sorry I scared you!"

    "It's okay. Noticed what? Pecanwhisker?"

    "Mmhmm."

    "Yeah, I did. I... think she's sad about Camphorwind."

    "Oh, yeah. I heard about that; there's a lot of gossip about it. Sometimes cats fall out of love, though, ya'know? I guess you've never been in love, though. You're only... seven moons now?"

    "Six and a half. Acaciapaw is seven moons." Pistachiopaw's whiskers twitched with amusement.

    "You're way more mature than I was at six and a half moons. I slacked on all my responsibilities to Sequoiapaw," he admitted sheepishly. "Hey, speaking of responsibilities, the other Guardians will be at the Gathering, y'know! I'll have to introduce you to them. They're really cool, I promise." Cottonpaw looked over to the chocolate point he was tasked to guard. 

    "I don't really wanna leave Acaciapaw too long, though...," he mumbled, his voice wavering with unassuredness. 

    "Oh, she'll be fine! It's a Gathering, nothing bad ever happens at Gatherings!" The light cinnamon tom purred, swishing his tail. "Relax; you're always so anxious over Acaciapaw!" Cottonpaw felt a smile tug at him, and he purred with a nod. The group of cats crested over a ridge overlooking the Gathering site. Trees dotted the landscape, growing into a thicker copse of aspens and oaks around the Gathering Place. The ground dropped down with steep slopes into a bowl-shape, and as Cottonpaw approached the lip of the dip, he was amazed at the sight before him. Moons and moons of cats had established winding paths down the steep slopes into the hollow, and before him more cats than he had ever seen were gathered in the hollow. A massive oak lay fallen, and on it sat two cats poised with all the air and refinement he had seen from Aspenstar. They must be the other two Clan leaders from CopseClan and BrookClan.