Ashstar's Reign - The Silver Storm - A Warriors Fanfiction

Chapter 15 - who are you?

Ashstar placed Riverstorm's tail on Goldenstripe's shoulder, and moved down the line, making sure every cat was touching, tail to shoulder. The long line of cats stretched across the camp, and the cats that weren't going were helping their Clanmates get into formation.

"Is everyone ready?" Ashstar yowled, taking her place at the head of the line.

"Yes!" SilverClan choroused, their fur spiking up slightly in anticipation.

"Okay. Three, two, one!"

Ashstar squeezed her eyes shut and turned into a beam of sliver light. She spun out of control, and she felt her tail still glued to Riverstorm's shoulder, and then the spinning stopped. SilverClan collapsed onto the ground, and picked themselves up, shaking out their fur. Hollypaw and Smokepaw just looked astonished as they soothed their rumpled pelts.

They had arrived at the Gathering place. Ashstar loped down into the clearing eagerly, and they saw GoldenClan appear from the trees, bathed in golden light, leap down, and race down to the clearing from the other side. In a flash of white light MarbleClan spilled into the clearing as well, and the leaders climbed up into the great tree and took their places on the branches.

"I'll start," Rootleap mewed. "GoldenClan is doing okay so far this winter, we have been preparing for the snow by storing prey and upgrading dens. We have one new warrior, Shadepool."

The Clans ruffled their fur and yowled. "Shadepool! Shadepool! Shadepool!"

Ashstar stepped forward on her branch, claws out to grip it and tail erect. She faced the cats boldly and opened her mouth to speak.

"SilverClan is also thriving. My previous deputy, Blossomfur, has retired to the elders' den, and so my new deputy is Riverstorm."

"Riverstorm! Riverstorm! Riverstorm!" The clans yowled, and Ashstar's deputy ducked his head.

"That is not all," Ashstar mewed as Sundance stepped forward. "We have six new apprentices, Emberpaw, Mistypaw, Maplepaw, and Blazepaw, who are my own kits, and Smokepaw and Hollypaw."

"Emberpaw! Mistypaw! Maplepaw! Blazepaw! Smokepaw! Hollypaw!"

The apprentices looked at each other, eyes shining with pride.

"Sundance, you may go ahead." Ashstar turned on her branch, padded carefully to the trunk, and sat down, listening to the ginger she-cat.

"MarbleClan is doing quite well. We have had two litters of kits, and two new warriors. Today, we welcome Cloudsplash and Darkfoot to our ranks."

There was a few gasps that MarbleClan had two litters of kits this close to leaf-bare, but still, shouts of "Cloudsplash! Darkfoot!"rang out. Ashstar jumped down from her branch. It was time to interact and share stories with each other.

As the Clans mingled, however, she heard paws, many paws, crunching on the leaves.

"Cats of all Clans!" Ashstar yowled above the hubbub of the cats. "I think there are cats approaching! Into the undergrowth!"

The cats divided back into their original Clans, they heard a scuffle and all hid in the undergrowth. Ashstar, Rootleap, and Sundance drew themselves up and faced the sound bravely, waiting for the loud, rustling creature to show itself.

A russet tom pushed out of the undergrowth. Two white cats followed him, both males, one with one black foot, and a spotted ginger she-cat padded after them.

"Who are you?" Rootleap growled. "Why are you here?"

The russet tom faced him coldly. "My name is Firestar, leader of ThunderClan. The white tom with one black foot stepped forward. "My name is Blackstar, leader of ShadowClan."