Warriors: The Prophecy

Chapter Fourteen

           It's been a half moon since the battle. The weather was getting hotter, and prey was thriving. Yet the demeanor in the Riverclan camp was sorrow. Checkeredpaw's death affected everyone in the clan deeply.

Fernpaw considered him one of her closer friends. But out of every cat in the clan, Crowstar was the most devastated.

Although Sandfur was equally heart broken, she used her duties around the camp to distract herself. Mistpaw, Checkeredpaw's sister, did the same.

Crowstar though, he sat in his den all day every day. Gingerpelt would go into his den to speak with him from time to time, but gave up after awhile. Everyone assumes he's just a heart broken father. But Fernpaw believes he blames himself.

If this continues...Riverclan will spiral. We need our leader.

Fernpaw was sitting outside of the apprentice den, gazing up at the sky. It had been a hard day of training and she was exhausted. But she couldn't wait for the sun to go down. Tonight was a gathering. But she was worried that Crowstar wouldn't even bother coming.

What would that show Shadowclan? We mustn't seem weak at this time.

What was even weirder, was that she kept having the same dream over and over again. The shadow cats attacking Winclan. She couldn't help but wonder if Starclan was trying to tell her that Windclan was still in danger.

Fernpaw glanced up in surprise as Crowstar padded out of his den with Gingerpelt. Cats sitting around the camp murmured to each other as they watched the Riverclan leader climb up the Wetrock.

He sighed and gazed around the camp as the cats began to circle around the rock.

"As many of you know, we have a gathering tonight." The leader meowed. His voice was rough and dry. "I have chosen Rustyfur, Sagebreeze, Fishpelt, Twigpaw, Fernpaw, Shrewpaw, and Briarpaw to attend the gathering tonight."

Fernpaw purred lowly at the thought of attending her first gathering.

Crowstar looked up at the sky as the last bit of sunlight faded and the moon could be seen slowly rising.

"We will leave now." He meowed quietly and he leaped down from the rock.

The chosen cats began to file out of the camp, following Crowstar who was leaning steadily against Gingerpelt.

"Fernpaw!" Briarpaw meowed as she padded over to her, followed by Twigpaw and Shrewpaw.

"You exited for your first gathering?" Twigpaw asked with a purr.

Fernpaw nodded and glanced back at Crowstar.

"He looks pretty skinny doesn't he?" Briarpaw whispered, following her sisters gaze. "I hear he's not eating like, at all."

Fernpaw's ears laid back against her head and she shuddered.

"Though it seems like Mistpaw and Sandfur are handling it better." Briarpaw continued.

When Fernpaw didn't respond, she nudged her gently before starting a conversation with Shrewpaw.

Twigpaw padded closer to her as they crossed the scent markers into Windclan territory.

"You okay?" He meowed lowly.

Fernpaw blinked at him and forced a purr, pushing her worries to the back of her mind.

"Yeah. Just sorta worried about the gathering."

"Don't worry." The dark brown tom meowed. "Gingerpelt will make sure Crowstar stays in check.