The Warrior Within: #2: Fallen Stars

Chapter 10

"I have to attend to Bramblestar now. The meeting is over."

  "Since when do you have say, anyway?" Pebblecoat raised her voice, her nearest kit nodding, trying to be her mother's favorite.

Jayfeather gave her a warning glance; Pebblecoat thrashed her head toward No-claw sitting beside her, the old tom widened his eyes.

  "Huh?! But I, oh, 'ya-"

Jayfeather could sense a curse coming from the pale old tom; probably 'fox-dung'.

  "Hush! Enough of this non-sense blaming!" he blurted, as Pebblecoat slunk into the shadows. All her kits followed.
What mama's kits, Plumepaw thought. 'Probly scared of her, ha! Her kits were the same exact same age as him, but for some reason weren't apprenticed yet.

But as the meeting was called to an end, Plumepaw retreated to the apprentice's den. There he found his brother, Autumnpaw, and his sister, Barkpaw. Autumnpaw was loafed and Barkpaw was licking her behind. Plumepaw settled in between the two and started with Autumnpaw.

  "So hey, I heard there is a Gathering tonight."

  "Yeah? Well I don't think our Clan is going."

  "Why?"

Autumnpaw nodded toward Jayfeather's den.

  "Oh."

Barkpaw let out a yawn and moved closer, twisting her ears to hear just right.

  "StarClan won't be very happy about that," Plumepaw pointed out.

  "You're right!" Autumnpaw widened his eyes and sat up. "If we disobey the sacred truce, StarClan will surely punish us! Hard! We have to tell Bra- Jayfeather!"

  "But you can't change anything," Barkpaw broke her silence, "the words of the leader stay the words of the leader. Especially Bramblestar. Besides, he was Firestar's deputy. And by what I've heard, there's no better than that."

  "But it's worth a try! C'mon, Jayfeather can't be asleep yet." Plumepaw encouraged.

  "I'm just saying; don't make assumptions." Barkpaw warned.

Autumnpaw playfully sneered.

  "Fine. I'm sure you'll have a fun time tending to Sandstorm's ticks!"

  "Fine! I'll come," Barkpaw rolled her eyes. "But don't count on me."

  "We won't," Plumepaw added.

            The young cats ran across the clearing and into the medicine cat's den.

  "Jayfeather!"

  "Shh!" Jayfeather breifly hissed, stopping Plumepaw and Autumnpaw in their tracks, Barkpaw slamming into Plumepaw's behind.

  "Can't you see Bramblestar's sleeping?" he whispered.

  "Sorry," Plumepaw mewed.

  "They both want to tell you something," Barkpaw said as she got to her feet.

Jayfeather tilted his head.

  "Yes," Autumnpaw meowed, "we wanted to ask; are we going to the Gathering tonight?"

  "At the Clearing?"

  "Yes."

  "No."