Lost Hope: Book 1: The New Star

Chapter 13

Burrowpaw happily followed her Clanmates out of camp. This would be her first Gathering! She noticed that all the cats surrounding her had a tense air about them. Burrowpaw knew they were nervous about what Willowstar would say about yesterday's events.

     It wasn't long before they arrived at the Gathering Hollow. BrookClan was already there, and they glared at the approaching EchoClan cats.

      Burrowpaw quickened her pace to catch up with her brother. "BrookClan needs to settle down," Burrowpaw whispered. "They're being ridiculous about something we didn't do!"

      "This is all my fault," Dandelionpaw meowed miserably. "If I hadn't crossed the border on my first day, BrookClan wouldn't be angry with us."

Shocked by his pessimism, Burrowpaw replied indignantly, "Mouse dung! It was your first day! How could you have known where the border was?"

      Dandelionpaw just shook his head. Burrowpaw sighed. "BrookClan is just a bunch of foxhearts."

      Dandelionpaw gave her a panicked look. "Don't let anyone hear you say that!"

      "Why not? It's true."

      It was Dandelionpaw's turn to sigh. "Yes, but you'd just get in trouble."

      Burrowpaw lashed her tail, but didn't say anything else. EchoClan settled down in their own group some distance away from the other Clan. Dandelionpaw and Starfur joined the other medicine cats near the base of the the tree the Clan called, the Fallenoak. Darkmoon and Lionstripe, the BrookClan deputy, sat near them, completely ignoring each other.

      Willowstar stood on the Fallenoak, rigid with rage. Stonestar leaped up beside her, seemingly oblivious to the other leader's anger.

      Dandelionpaw waved Burrowpaw over, and she complied. "Fogpaw," he said, nodding toward the pale gray tom beside him. "this is my sister, Burrowpaw. Burrowpaw this is Fogpaw."

      "Hi!" Fogpaw greeted excitedly.

      "Hello," Burrowpaw replied curtly. BrookClan scum!

      Dandelionpaw and Fogpaw both shared a confused look. Her brother shrugged, then turned to look up at the Fallenoak where Stonestar was staring his report.

"This past moon I have named two new apprentices, Burrowpaw and Dandelionpaw." EchoClan started cheering their names, and a couple of BrookClan cats, but most of them stayed quiet.

How rude! Burrowpaw thought crossly. But she tried to stand proud as they called her name. She noticed Dandelionpaw doing the same, though he looked sort of embarrassed.

      "That's all good and well," Willowstar interrupted. "But what about crossing the border?"

      "We all know those were accidents," Stonestar replied, surprisingly calm. Burrowpaw was impressed. I'm gonna be like him one day!

      "Foxdung!" Willowstar spat. "You know what you're getting into. If you don't stop, BrookClan will retaliate."

      And with that, she leaped down, gathered her Clan, and left.

      Fogpaw wished Dandelionpaw and Burrowpaw farewell, and followed his Clanmates. Burrowpaw almost wished she had been nicer to him as she watched him leave with his tail dragging behind. She shook her head. This is no time to be sympathy toward the enemy.

      Stonestar looked after Willowstar for a moment, then led his own Clan back through the forest. Burrowpaw replayed the Gathering in her mind over and over again. Willowstar was being so unreasonable! she thought. They'd crossed the border, like, twice! And even then, Dandelionpaw and Starfur were medicine cats, Clan rivalries didn't affect them.

      We will retaliate. The BrookClan leader's words chilled her. Was there going to be a battle?