New Horizons

Chapter 4

The sun had set a few heartbeats ago, the Gathering patrol preparing to go to Four Trees where they would be able to meet up with the other three clans of the forest: WindClan, ShadowClan, and ThunderClan. "Aren't you excited, Nightpaw, Mistpaw?" Featherpaw exclaimed, excitement flowing off her in waves.

Nightpaw chuckled, swatting his sister with his tail. "Calm down, will you, mouse brain? We've barely left the camp."

Featherpaw dipped her head, seeming embarrassed. "Sorry, Nightpaw, but I'm really excited!" the young she-cat turned her head in the direction of Four Trees, eyes shimmering with barely contained excitement. "Our first gathering as apprentices. Aren't you two excited?"

"I mean, it's cool going to a Gathering," Mistpaw agreed as she, too, looked in the direction of the four massive oak trees which stood tall and proud. "But don't forget, our loyalty is to RiverClan, no other Clan."

"Don't worry, Mistpaw, it's not like we'd betray our Clan," Featherpaw assured, gently brushing her long tail against the small, dusky brown she-cat's side. The group halted soon after, waiting for the signal to move onto the peaceful territory of Four Trees. As they stood in wait, Mistpaw couldn't help but let her eyes drift around the scenery. Sure, she had been an apprentice for a day at least, but everything seemed so much more... magical, had a sense of elegance to it as the moon's shy gleam cast gentle shadows across the dirt path the group of RiverClan cats stood upon. As Mistpaw looked in the direction of Four Trees, her soft amber eyes widened. Little silhouettes of cats, all different sizes, were dotted across the ground under the four old oak trees.

"Who are those cats?" she asked, head titled to the side as Whiteclaw joined her.

"Those are cats from the other three Clans of the forest, ThunderClan, WindClan, and ShadowClan," replied the white tom. "Ah, Loudbelly. How are you?"

"I'm good, thank you. How are you and your apprentice?" Loudbelly, a dark brown tom, asked as he dipped his head in greeting to the two cats.

Whiteclaw glanced down at the dusky brown she-cat beside him before turning back to the dark brown tom. "We're doing well." He replied before their attention turned to Crookedstar, the leader indicating to his Clan that was it was time to head down. "Come along, Mistpaw." Mistpaw followed her mentor, eyes wide in wonder as she got to see what the gathering place looked like in full. As a kit, she had always heard tales of what the gathering was like but seeing it for herself was a whole different experience.

As the group fully emerged into the clearing, Whiteclaw turned to his apprentice. "Go and meet some apprentices. Learn their behaviour patterns, it'll be important in the future." Mistpaw nodded, watching her mentor pad off into the crowd before turning towards the far side of the clearing in the direction of ShadowClan. They look like apprentices, she thought as she padded towards the group of cats.

"Hi," greeted a she-cat. Mistpaw dipped her head in greeting to the ShadowClan she-cat. "I'm Duskpaw, what's your name?"

"I'm Mistpaw," Mistpaw replied, feeling a stare on her back. Turning around, the young she-cat was met with the harsh glare of her mother, Ripplebreeze. Trying to ignore her mother's glare as much as she could, Mistpaw turned around to see that another apprentice had joined her and Duskpaw. "Hello, who are you?"

"I'm R-Ravenpaw of T-ThunderClan," the black tom-cat replied, seeming shy.

"I'm Duskpaw of ShadowClan!" Duskpaw replied, shaking her dark brown pelt out before giving her paw a lick and running it over her ear.

"I'm Mistpaw of RiverClan," Mistpaw mewed, two other cats soon joining them. One had a fiery pelt, the other was a solid grey tom. "Hello, I'm Mistpaw. Who are you two?"