Rosemoon's Destiny

Chapter 7

It was midnight when Rosepaw woke up. She quietly walked out of the apprentice's den making sure not to wake anyone. She got out and sneaked past the guard into the bushes. Once she was far enough, she sprinted to their meeting stop to find Darkpaw pawing at a bush, unaware of her. 

"Hi!" Rosepaw greeted him grinning. Darkpaw jumped and whirled around with his pelt fluffed up. 

"AGH! You scared me!" He said smoothing out is fur.

"Not my fault you're a scaredy-mouse."

"I'm NOT."

"Yes you are!"

"No!" Darkpaw grumbled. Rosepaw laughed and nudged him playfully. Darkpaw gave her an evil smile and pounced on her. She meowed in alarm and fell down. He pinned her down but Rosepaw kicked him off. They wrestled with each other for a long time until they were tired. Darkpaw plopped down on a rock panting with Rosepaw next to him. They sat next to each other listening to the sounds of prey running around in the forest. Without realizing, both apprentices entwined their tails. I can do this forever. Rosepaw thought contently. That's when it hit her. 

"Darkpaw, there's a gathering tomorrow! We have to go NOW!" She untwined her tail and scrambled off the rock. 

"Do we have to go right now? Can't we wait for a bit?" Darkpaw whined like a kit. 

"No." Rosepaw said firmly. She headed off to camp with Darkpaw after her. They reached camp and settled down into their nests. Rosepaw thought about her special time with the handsome tom. She blushed when she realized that she had entwined her tail with Darkpaw's. Great StarClan... I hope he didn't notice... She felt embarrassed but secretly enjoyed that. 

""Rosepaw? Why are you still asleep? I'm usually the last one to wake up and it's already sun high!" Rosepaw woke up and looked at a white cat staring down at her. 

"There's a gathering." She mumbled and went back to sleep. 

"WHAT?"

"I said, today we have a gathering. It is held at night so we have to get a good sleep. You had better rest. You're coming too." Rosepaw went back to sleep again annoyed.

"Uh..sure."

Later that day, Rosepaw yawned and got out of her nest. It was time for the gathering. She sleepily went to Frozenpaw's nest and jabbed her.

"Okay okay, I'm awake," Frozenpaw told her.

"Good because we're getting late," Rosepaw told her firmly.

"For what?"

"The gathering fleabrain! Now get up and let's go." She padded out to the medicine cat den. 

"What are you going in there for?" Frozenpaw asked.

"I'm going to wake up Silverpaw, or at least get her to stop sorting herbs in time for the gathering!" She explained, amused. She walked in to find Silverpaw prodding some herbs. 

"I forgot what this herb is!" Her sister whined.

"Do you know what else you forgot?" Rosepaw asked.

"Oh-no! Are you hurt again?" Silverpaw leaped up to try and check on her.

"No, we have to go to the GATHERING, mousebrain," She rolled her eyes.

Silverpaw squeaked. "Oh-no! But I haven't finished sorting herbs!"

She looked annoyed. "OK, Silverpaw. We'll go to the gathering and you can stay here sorting herbs," She turned to march out of the den when Silverpaw yelped,

"OK, OK, I'm coming, I'm coming."

Rosepaw smirked. "Knew it would work," She whispered to Frozenpaw.

Frozenpaw smiled back. "Is...um...Lionpaw coming to the gathering?" She asked dubiously.

"OOH, some cat looks moony!" She sang not that surprised. Rosepaw has seen Frozenpaw staring at Lionpaw multiple times. 

"N-no, I was- I was just w-wondering...like if all the apprentices come..." Frozenpaw stammered, alarmed. "C'mon, Rosepaw, tell me!" She was about to speak when Silverpaw came. 

 "I'm pretty sure he is coming, but maybe you could go ask Flameflight. It is up to the deputy and leader, after all."

Frozenpaw shook her head. "We shouldn't waste time. I'll see if he comes or not, but right now, we have to get ready." Rosepaw shrugged and the three sisters followed their Clan out.

They were on their way to the island where the gathering would be held. On the way, Rosepaw explained to Frozenpaw how all the Clans met for the gathering and that there would be a truce, so no bloodshed was allowed. They reached the bridge and she told Frozenpaw to go first. She smiled when she found Frozenpaw staring at the beautiful lake shining in the moonlight. When the crossed, Lionpaw padded up to Frozenpaw. Rosepaw decided to stay out of it and padded away. She met up with a few other apprentices and greeted them. 

"Hey! Its Rosepaw right?" A white and tan tom greeted her. 

"Yep! And you're Snailpaw?" Snailpaw nodded and made space for her to sit down. The other apprentices introduced themselves as Jasminepaw of LakeClan and Maplepaw of DarkClan. As they talked, she couldn't help but glance at Frozenpaw and Lionpaw talking and laughing. Ha! Knew they liked each other!  The two apprentices ran off into the bushes and before she could go after them, Graystar yowled the start of the gathering. Rosepaw sighed and turned her attention to the leaders. 

The gathering went smoothly. All the leaders said the "usual" which, according to Jasminepaw, is "prey is running well. We are doing good". She was right. Rosepaw couldn't help but laugh when she said that but had to quiet down quickly when warriors glared at her. What was strange was that she didn't see Frozenpaw the whole time. On the way back, Frozenpaw walked with her. 

"Where were you? I didn't see you anywhere!" Rosepaw asked.

"I...stayed to the back..." Frozenpaw replied. 

"Watch out! That's where your crush and his friend Darkpaw stay."

"MY CRUSH?? Stop that Rosepaw!" Rosepaw hurried off laughing with Frozenpaw glaring after her.  She stopped running when she reached camp. She sleepily went into the apprentices den. She wasn't looking where she was going and stumbled on top of Darkpaw in his nest. 

"Sorry! I'm really tired and I wasn't looking..." She apologized and scrambled off of him. Darkpaw looked at her amused, "It's okay. You don't know how clumsy Lionpaw is these days!" He shook his head and curled up again. I think I know why... She thought and laid down into her own nest.