[OLD AND OUTDATED] Warriors: Featherheart's Promise

Chapter 4

Featherheart followed Redstar onto BreezeClan territory. The scent of BreezeClan was

still fresh and they must have passed here not so long ago. Featherheart swallowed, he winced as a pine needle pierced his paw pad.

Pinefrost padded beside him, his brown tabby and white coat glowing in the moonligh-

t. "Aren't you excited?" Pinefrost chirped.

"I would be if I hadn't come here countless times." Featherheart replied bitterly.

"Why so sour?" Pinefrost meowed, his green eyes full of questioning.

Featherheart dropped his head and gazed at the forest floor. "It's nothing important,"

he hissed.

They reached the prickly thorns and slid in. Featherheart sighed. The Gathering was f-

ull as always. He was greeted by Goldentail. Foxclaw's mother.

"Greetings," Featherheart meowed. "How are you?"

"Fine." Goldentail replied coolly. "I still find the hint of sadness for Foxclaw in you."

Featherheart licked his chest fur, wanting to change the subject. "How is your Clan?"

Goldentail shrugged. "Sad because of Lightspark. But we'll cope."

Featherheart remembered the day when Lightspark had left. He shook his head, trying to push back the sadness. "Pinefrost is doing well. In fact there might be new kits on the way."

"Wonderful." Goldentail purred.

Featherheart twitched his whiskers. "I'll see you later. It seems like the Gathering will

start anytime soon."

Featherheart raced over to Redstar who spoke to Beestar.

"When will the Gathering start?" Featherheart hissed quietly.

Redstar twitched his ear as if he did not know what a "Gathering" was. After a while of blankly staring he shook his head. Before Redstar could speak a loud yowl came from a rock. It was Yellowstar.

The ginger tom balanced neatly on his rock. "Other leaders stop dawdling and come up here," He meowed seriously.

Beestar leaned close to Redstar and whispered into his ear. "He's to talk. SlopeClan do-

es not depend on other leaders to tell us what to do." the black and ginger she growled. Beestar glanced a warning look at Yellowstar and scrambled to her own rock.

Featherheart shrugged and followed Redstar to his own rock. Featherheart padded bes-

ide him. Waiting for Redstar t0 leapt, Featherheart looked back uneasily. He imagined Foxclaw there, her emerald green eyes glowing with pride when she would see Featherheart as a deputy.

He shook his bittersweet memories away and climbed up.

"I'll go first." Yellowstar told the others.

Beestar hackles rose but she said no more.

"When my warriors are hunting we always find fish that we caught on the other side of

the river!" a few yowls and hisses from CliffClan rose through the crowd. "And tufts of brown and white fur," Yellowstar snapped his gaze over to Redstar, "Has your deputy been taking our fresh-kill?"

Featherheart leapt to his paws. "I would never! I can't even swim across."

Redstar flicked his tail for silence. The black and red tom's eyes were blank. "Yellowstar my deputy would never steal prey. I know him."

"Then tell me who's tuft of fur it was?"

Suddenly another voice spoke up. A broad shape padded closer, hidden by the shado-

ws, with horror Featherheart realized it was Pinefrost.

Pinefrost lifted his head. "It was me," He meowed loud enough so they could hear. "I stole the fish."

Featherheart fixed his gaze on Claweye. The mottled tom's eyes were blank but his tail twitched frustratedly.

"Then it's decided then. We're sorry and I'll give Pinefrost a punishment," Redstar

mewed.

"Don't think this is over!" Yellowstar snarled.

Beestar padded forward on her rock. Her deputy, Thunderheart, ears twitched. Beestar let out a yowl so the cats could pay attention to her. Featherheart listened to her, telling the Clans about how Quillflight had left and a few apprentices had been made warriors. She beckoned her tail at Sunstar so she could go next.

Sunstar padded up. She looked frail and Featherheart knew that it wouldn't be long

until the leadership went to Mosspelt. "CloudClan is doing well." The ginger she rasped. "Lilyheart's litter of kits have been born, Snowkit, Pigeonkit, and Mousekit." she nodded. "The Gathering is over."

Featherheart slid down the rock, Redstar at his heels. Featherheart whipped behind hi-

m to face Redstar. "I didn't steal the fish." He promised.

"Do you think we don't know?" Redstar snarled, his voice softened. "Yellowstar has framed us. And Pinefrost wouldn't do such a thing."

Featherheart pricked his ears. Yes, he would never. Featherheart nodded stiffly, his paws pricked with anxiety. He knew Claweye was watching him, and he felt his gaze pierce him like a rock. Featherheart turned around, Claweye padded behind him, his lips curled in a snarl. Great StarClan help us! Featherheart continued padding with Redstar, his stomach churning.