The Endless Prophecy - Night

Chapter 5

"Let the Gathering begin!" yowled Nightstar as he leapt on the Great Oak.

The cats on the island immediately quietened as the leaders began to deliver their news. Nightpaw was chosen to come to the Gathering, as well as Firepaw, Softpaw, and Baypaw.

"ThunderClan has three new apprentices," he announced. "Nightpaw, Rosepaw, and Blazepaw. Unfortunately, two of the apprentices were not able to attend this Gathering. " Nightpaw puffed out her chest proudly when her Clanmates, and some of the other Clan cats chanted her name. "Other than that, the ThunderClan forest is prey-rich and our warriors are strong. Any trespassers on ThunderClan territory will be dealt with," he glared at WindClan, and they squirmed uncomfortably. A single WindClan warrior called out faintly that it wasn't their fault, but it was time for Stonestar to speak.

Stonestar nodded curtly at the leaders and began his speech. "ShadowClan has been blessed this moon. Lilyfur has given birth to two kits, Jadekit and Jaykit." The ShadowClan cats cheered. "Also, we have recieved three new warriors, Jackdawsong, Sparrowpelt, and Rollingfeather. Other than that, we have nothing else to report."

Hawkstar stood up. "Cherrytail, an elder of SkyClan has passed away," he choked out. Nightpaw remembered that Cherrytail was Hawkstar's mother. "We will grieve for her. She was a honorable warrior, and served her Clan for her entire life." The cats around the island called out her name solemnly, and dipped their heads.

"RiverClan mourns your loss," meowed Froststar. "Some rogues tried to make camp on our territory, but we chased them off. We have nothing else to report."

"Congratulations on your victory, Froststar," a gray warrior called Thornwhisker spoke up. "As Crowstar and Mudpelt are feeling a bit unwell, I will represent WindClan instead. We have a new warrior, Moorwind. And we have also welcomed a new apprentice into the Clan. This apprentice claims that he is from ThunderClan, but he wants to join WindClan. He has passed our test, and now he is an apprentice in WindClan." His eyes glittered... in triumph?

"But-" Nightstar meowed in shock. "We haven't sent any apprentice to WindClan!"

"He claims that he came of his own accord. Is it really that they are so bad in ThunderClan that even their apprentices leaves the Clan?"

Yowls of outrage rose from the clearing. It took all of the leaders to calm them down, even Thornwhisker. 

Nightstar lifted his head. "If you believe that, then you're wrong," he leaned closer to Thornwhisker and hissed. "What is the name of this apprentice?"

Thornwhisker glared into his eyes. "Blazepaw."

Nightpaw gasped. No, not Blazepaw! Blazepaw was loyal to his Clan-- or was he?

Shredpelt stood up. "It's all my fault," he wailed. Nightpaw had never heard him wail before. "I was too obsessed with his training, I didn't think about how he would feel!"

His friend in ShadowClan, Starlingclaw, murmured into his ear. "So he ran away, didn't he?" Mapleheart nodded for him, and ran her tail along Shredpelt's spine. He turned away from the crowd, staring at the ground numbly.

Nightpaw couldn't look, she turned and ran away, again. Moons seemed to pass by as she ran, away from the island, away from RiverClan, until she was back at the ThunderClan border.

"What are you doing here?" a white apprentice marched up to her.

Nightpaw whipped around and snarled. "Get away from me!"

The tom blinked in shock as he recognized Nightpaw. "N-Nightpaw? I- remember me? Blazepaw?"

Nightpaw gritted her teeth. "Yes, I do remember," she forced the words out, then turned away and trudged back in the direction of ThunderClan, until she heard Blazepaw calling after her.

"What now?"

"Do you want to join WindClan?" Blazepaw offered.

"No," Nightpaw spat.

"Why?"

"Because, that would make me a traitor to the Clan, part of the WindClan scum, and will make me stoop as low as you, Blazepaw, the one who never cares about his kin," Nightpaw fumed. Why was he talking to her now? After moons of deserting her and betraying ThunderClan?

"I-"

"Which is why you're not my brother."

"Nightpaw, I-"

"We're enemies now."

"No! Let me explain!"

"Do you want me to fight you?" Nightpaw unsheathed her claws.

"I-"

"So leave me alone."

"You're not leaving until I let you!" Blazepaw blocked her path.

Nightpaw stared at him. "Very well." She hurled herself at him and easily pinned him to the ground. Then Blazepaw went limp.

"What have WindClan been teaching you?" she scoffed. "You're so soft--AAARGH"

Blazepaw had been feigning. He pushed back up, and pinned Nightpaw. She glared at him, then began to claw at his pelt.

"Ouch! Nightpaw, you have to listen to me! Please!"

"Fine," Nightpaw stopped attacking him, but kept her claws unsheathed.

"So you know when I was really jerky back in ThunderClan?"

"Get to the point," Nightpaw hissed.

"Okay, fine," Blazepaw sighed dramatically. "So after Shredpelt chased me out--"

"He didn't!"

"-- I went to ShadowClan, but they turned me back. RiverClan said they had too many warriors already. So WindClan was the only option, get it?"

"No," Nightpaw spat. 

"I didn't feel at home in ThunderClan, I'm sure you feel the same, they just don't let us explore, or even teach us battle moves! Nightpaw, there's loads of reasons why you can join WindClan!"

"First, you left me. Second, RiverClan is the smallest Clan in the lake. Third, you could have just gone back to ThunderClan." Hissing angrily, Nightpaw pushed herself up. "I don't even know why you're even my kin," why was she here? she was wasting time with this arrogant furball! She made to pad away, but then she heard more pawsteps.

"Blazepaw!" the small black-and-white tom was here again. "Oh, who's this? Wait, you smell like ThunderClan. Are you coming to join us too? Blazepaw is my friend!"

"No! I am not my filthy traitor of a brother. Now leave me alone!"

"I'm not a traitor!" Blazepaw leapt on top of Nightpaw, hissing furiously, finally unleashing his patience. He clawed at her pelt, and continuously tried to bite her throat. Nightpaw kicked out with her hind legs and Blazepaw rolled over to his friend, who was staring wide-eyed at the pair.

"I thought you were my brother?"

"I'm not your brother, remember?" Blazepaw sneered.

"I-"

"Get lost, ThunderClan," Blazepaw flung Nightpaw over the stream and she landed with a thud on the ThunderClan side of the border.

Nightpaw stared helplessly after him as he laughed and trotted away from her with his WindClan friend. Suddenly, the bush beside her shook and Rosepaw stepped out.

"I saw what happened," Rosepaw said in a low voice. "I'll get you back to camp, don't worry. Blazepaw's not worth it."

Nightpaw blinked at her gratefully. She was glad that at least Rosepaw still remained loyal to her Clan.