Willowbounce's Tale

Chapter 28

Chapter 28

    "Okay, is everyone ready to go?" Strongstar called to the crowd of warriors and apprentices behind her. Everyone raised their voices in agreeance. Willowbounce was standing with Shadedpaw ready to attend another gathering. This one was an emergency gathering called by all the leaders. Icefoot had told her about the leaders' discussions and how this emergency gathering would be held in secret in hopes of preventing Deathclan from eavesdropping on their plans. Their cats were being spotted all over the territories, making it seemingly impossible to get anything done, or if so, safely.
    "Alright let's go!" Their leader said.

    Making their way through Shadowclan territory, a shrill screech came from the back of the patrol. Every head turned and Willowbounce gasped when she saw Snowfoot being attacked by a fox. The patrol ran back to help her and guard her from the fox. In surprise and fear, Willowbounce watched as Shadedpaw leaped onto the fox before anyone else. He clung to the foxes back and was scratching and biting it viciously. He has his fathers bravery...She thought. That was one of the very few good qualities his father had given to him. She watched and said nothing, somehow knowing he would be fine. The fox tried to shake Shadedpaw loose, but failed. He had managed to bend down and bite one of the foxes front legs, making it cry out in pain. The fox finally shook Shadedpaw off and bolted with its tail between its legs. Willowbounce glowed with pride as her clanmates cheered for her apprentice. She saw him seemingly searching the crowd with his gaze until he stopped on her. Only then did he smile when he saw her look of pride and approval.

    Once the group had made it to the gathering, Willowbounce and Icefoot parted as he had to sit with the other deputies. Willowbounce sat among some Riverclan cats, as they were the closest. She didn't really feel comfortable with sitting by Birdclaw at the moment. She had recalled how he had been creepily staring at her from across camp before the gathering that day. To distract herself, Willowbounce gazed up at the pretty sky. Stars glowed against the blackness of silverpelt, making her feel at ease. Soon all the clans had arrived. Everyone had been ordered to be quiet, or at least talk quietly so that it wouldn't attract any passing Deathclan patrols that wandered by the island. But everyone fell silent as the leaders gathered to speak.
"We have had a recent loss of Lizardstar, who died when Deathclan attacked our camp. Lizardstar was the only death, thankfully. No other warriors died." Blackstar spoke, the new leader of Shadowclan. Willowbounce had the eerie feeling she was being watched again, making her pelt prickle with anxiety.
"Thunderclan has been safe from attacks recently, but we are worried that Deathclan might ignite battles that would be like those that haven't been seen since the days of Firestar." Strongstar said. Now that was saying something...She thought. Firestar was the greatest leader of Thunderclan in the clan's history. He had been dead for countless moons though, but his stories still echo in the walls of the nursery, being told to kits with hopes that one day they might be leaders too.
"I believe that the five clans have to make a truce, just like the one we have here, but keep the truce all the time. If we are all targets for Deathclan, then we have to work together. Enemies can become allies, foes become friends, we need to work together, we need to protect our home." Strongstar finished. Willowbounce was stunned at this proposal. All of the clans working together?! That would be amazing...She thought. She recalled the time when the clans had travelled together through the mountains on the Great Journey to reach the lake. That was when Willowbounce remembered the clans being something like one. There was a long silence.
"Shadowclan is in!" Blackstar announced.
"Same for Skyclan." Said Earthstar.
"Riverclan is in!" Agreed Scalestar.
"What about you, Jumpstar? You were good friends with Bravestar. Come fight alongside friends again." Strongstar said, trying to push Jumpstar into agreement.
"Windclan is in." Jumpstar said.
All the cats in the clearing suddenly erupted into cheers of excitement. Willowbounce joined in. This will certainly be interesting...She thought.

    "Training at sunhigh, I'll teach you about fighting. See you there." Willowbounce said to Shadedpaw. It had been a few days since the gathering. Shadedpaw had just come back from a dawn patrol, which were mainly focused on patrolling for Deathclan cats now. In those past few days, Willowbounce and Icefoot had introduced Shadedpaw to their kits and the nursery. Willowbounce was happy they got to spend at least a few days with a normal kithood. Today would be their naming ceremony and she wanted them to look their best. Shadedpaw padded off towards the fresh-kill pile, so Willowbounce darted towards the nursery. Darkkit and Stormkit were bouncing on their paws with excitement.
    "Excited for your naming ceremony, huh?" Willowbounce said to her kits as she entered the nursery.
    "Yeah!" They said in unison. She sat down in front of them and they sat straight in front of her.
    "Now remember, you're going to be apprentices so you need to act like them. So don't mess around like kits, and always make sure to do your tasks. And always listen to your mentors, your warriors, your elders and especially your leader." She said. Her kits nodded eagarley.
    "And you especially need to listen to Icefoot, right?" She added. Darkkit chuckled and Stormkit nodded with a mrrow.
    "Yeah, cause he's our father, and the deputy, right!?" Darkkit asked. Willowbounce nodded.
    "And he loves you very much, so always respect him well too." She said. Willowbounce bent down and began to lick her kits fur until it shone. She made sure their head fur was especially clean as well.
    "Now come, let's get ready. Your ceremony will be soon." She said getting to her paws. Darkkit and Stormkit padded beside her and for once, Willowbounce felt like an actual queen. She let her kits stray outside the nursery and explore bits of camp while her clanmates were beginning to gather for their ceremony. Willowbounce sat near the front so she could get a good view of her kits.
    "All cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath the high ledge for a clan meeting!" Strongstar called out cheerfully. Willowbounce watched as Stromkit and Darkkit settled among the crowd of their clanmates for the first time. Willowbounce couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt wash over her. I wish they could've had a normal kithood, but I conceived you as an apprentice...I can only hope you'll be ok..She thought with a bit of dread. But her kits seemed happy and cheerful, seemingly having no harsh feelings towards her. Willowbounce was grateful.
    "It is time to welcome two new apprentices to our clan! Stormkit and Darkkit!" Strongstar announced. Willowbounce watched as her two kits padded confidently to the front of the crowd, joy and bravery swirling in their eyes.
    "Stormkit has chosen the path of a medicine cat. Mountainpelt, do you accept this kit as your apprentice?" The leader asked. Mountainpelt nodded from his den.
    "I do." He said with pride, then bounded over to touch noses with his new apprentice.
    "Then from this day forth until you receive your medicine cat name, you shall be known as Stormpaw." Strongstar said. Stormpaw padded off to sit with Mountainpelt by the medicine den.
    "Darkkit has chosen the path of a warrior. Birdclaw, do you accept this kit as your apprentice?" Strongstar inquired. Willowbounce gazed in the tom's direction. He looked distant, like he wasn't fully there. But he snapped back to reality in a heartbeat.
    "Y-Yes. I do." He said, kind of flatly. Willowbounce flicked her ears, wondering why the tom was acting like this.
    "Then from this day forth until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Darkpaw. Clan dismissed." Birdclaw then got up and touched noses with Darkpaw. Willowbounce glowed with pride for her kits as she chanted their names with her clanmates.