Clans of the Forest:1: Stone and Silver (COMPLETE)

Chapter 14

Silverpaw winced as Powersnow pressed the wet moss on to his wound. It was the day after the battle, and many cats were still recovering, not just from their wounds, but also from the shock.

Tonight was a gathering, and Bluestar had already announced that he was going, and he was very nervous. Would Bluestar mention the attack? If she did, what commotion would it cause? How would Wonderstar react? Maybe she wasn't so wonderful after all.

On top of it all, Stonepaw had endlessly been apologizing for snapping at him and it was annoying. Now she had been moved back to the apprentice den and wasn't there to irritate him.

The sun was setting and they would leave for the gathering soon. Hopefully nothing terrible would happen. Silverpaw rested his head on his paws and listened to the soothing sound of the water trickling down the stone. 

Silverpaw must've dozed off, because when he woke, the sun was gone and the moon shone in the sky. "Are you ready to go?"

Silverpaw jumped. Powersnow was crouched in the shadows, her pale indigo eyes glinting in the moonlight. She looked like a spirit with her golden tabby fur.

"I'm fine," Silverpaw replied, standing up. His limbs ached. He longed to go for a nice, long walk.

He followed Powersnow out of the den, where the rest of the Clan were waiting. Rivereye's sleek silver tabby fur shimmered, and Firefly's deep ginger pelt glowed. Silverpaw walked up to Stonepaw.

"I forgive you," He mewed softly, quiet as the breeze. Stonepaw relaxed beside him. This night was too peaceful. 

"Let us head out," Bluestar declared, leaping off of one of the rocks scattered in the clearing. She lead the way, and the other cats going to the gathering went after her, filing out of the camp. Silverpaw was  in the middle somewhere, with Stonepaw and Summerpaw to his sides. 

"It's so beautiful here," Summerpaw murmured, and Silverpaw had to agree. The trees and blades of grass were turned silver, the moon and stars glittered in the sky, leaves rustled quietly in the breeze.

"That's what I fear," Stonepaw responded, echoing Silverpaw's previous suspicion. The beautiful moonlit forest just seemed too calm, too peaceful, too quiet. Anything could be hiding in wait.

They continued in silence, and there wasn't much to say. Silverpaw longed to ask Stonepaw about her journey home from the Moonstone and why she smelled of Twolegs, but he knew he wouldn't get anything out of her, and that would just make her mad. 

The gathering clearing and the tall rocks were coming into sight, gleaming like everything else. ForestClan began to break into little chunks. 

"I want to go see that MysteryClan apprentice again," Silverpaw mewed. Stonepaw looked surprised.

"What apprentice?"

Silverpaw ignored her and scanned the crowd, looking for the fluffy gray tom. Finally, Silverpaw spotted him talking to a dark brown she-cat. He walked up, Stonepaw and Summerpaw trotting close behind him.

"Hello," Silverpaw mewed, trying to be friendly. Eaglepaw whipped around to him.

"Oh, it's you, Justsilverpaw," He snarled. "What are you doing here? Talking to me?"

"I-um-" Silverpaw had forgotten how hot-tempered Eaglepaw could be. 

"Hi, I'm Owlpaw!" The brown she-cat said from behind Eaglepaw. "My sister Leopardpaw and I are the newest Clan apprentices."

"You weren't supposed to tell them that!" Eaglepaw growled. "They'll come raiding our territory!"

"Oh, stop being so territorial," Owlpaw mewed, "just have fun!"

Eaglepaw hissed but didn't say another word. Owlpaw turned to Silverpaw and his friends.

"So, you're ForestClan cats, right?" She mewed.

"Yes," Stonepaw prompted, speaking up for the first time. She fluffed up her tail in pride.

"Don't mind Eaglepaw," Owlpaw grinned playfully, "it's not his fault he's so grumpy."

Eaglepaw hit her over the head with his tail.

"Ow!" Owlpaw mewed. "What did you have to do that for?" She pounced on top of him in play fight. They rolled and tumbled over and over beneath the rocks.

"We should leave them to their game," Silverpaw suggusted. Just then, a voice sounded from above. Bluestar raised her voice and yowled, "Let all Clans join together beneath StarClan for a gathering!"

The noisy chatter stopped, and every cat turned their heads up to the rocks.

"I will go first," Bluestar mewed,"ForestClan's prey is coming back with the approach of newleaf. There is also a bit of news we forgot to share last gathering. Firefly has kitted Flashkit, who is thriving.

"I would also like to talk to Wonderstar again." She whipped around until she was facing the ginger tabby leader. "Your warriors attacked my camp and badly injured and apprentice. What to you have to say about this? What reason do you have to attack us?"

Wonderstar looked genuinely shocked. "I have never done such a thing. My warriors did not attack your camp, no matter what you say." She unsheathed her claws. "I have no reason to harm you or your Clan, Bluestar. Please understand that."

"What I understand is that some warrior lead an attack on us without your permission. Who do you know that likes breaking rules? Has caused trouble recently?"

"Pinebreeze," Wonderstar hissed, just loud enough for Silverpaw to hear, and then she mewed louder, "Pinebreeze! Come here at once."

The brown tabby she-cat padded up to Wonderstar, a wide, innocent look in her eyes. "Trust me, Wonderstar, I have done no wrong. It is the doing of a ForestClan warrior."

Wonderstar turned, snarling, to Bluestar."Did you attack my warriors?" She hissed.

"I have done nothing of the sort! It's Blizzardclan that's been doing this!" Bluestar snapped back. "Confess now or I'll make you."

"You do the same." Wonderstar hissed. 

"I can not stand this!" Bluestar cried in frustration. "ForestClan, we are leaving. Now." She turned and swept off of the rock, beckoning to the Clan with her tail. Silverpaw, after some hesitation, followed. He wanted to know what the other clan had to say.

It was another trip through the woods, but this one seem nearly as peaceful. Every sound made Silverpaw jump, afraide that it was a BlizzardClan warrior.

When they reached camp, Silverpaw was glad to go straight to his nest. But then . . .

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the highstone for a meeting!"