Warriors: Project Star

Chapter 15 | Ferretpaw | Hurt at the Gathering

oof, I'm sorry this was so late!  I've been busy lately! Also more fitting cover and name has been given! (If this seems like it changes the book too much remember the plot was preplanned and the book was meant to be 6.

"That's not exactly right," Kestrelwing pointed at Ferretpaw's hind legs. "They need to be ready to leap at the opponent, like this." As a demonstration, Kestrelwing gracefully leapt onto a mock opponent. Ferretpaw felt slight nervousness as he watched How could I compare to that?

Ferretpaw felt a strong gust of wind spray sand across his hind legs as he slowly mimicked how Kestrelwing positioned himself.

"No, not exactly like that. Hmmm..." Kestrelwing suddenly got lost in thought. "Swanpaw, can you see if you can get Ferretpaw to understand? I need to talk to Frosttalon real quick." Embarrassment took over Ferretpaw as Swanpaw gave him a sympathetic look. Frosttalon and Kestrelwing left the training hollow soon after, leaving the two of them alone.

Flustered by being singled out, Ferretpaw gave his chest a self-conscious lick. "I hope we're going to the Gathering in two moons." Ferretpaw decided to mention as Swanpaw went over the best ways to teach Ferretpaw in his head. "I think Mapleleaf said he will talk about that vision!"

"Hmm, really? We should go then!" Swanpaw responded before crouching down in the same way Kestrelwing did. "Oh, also, it's like this." After Ferretpaw made an incorrect way, Swanpaw butted in. "Nah, move that like this." Carefully moving Ferretpaw's leg with his paw, Swanpaw motioned for him to try and leap. Upon seeing that, Ferretpaw almost perfectly mastered the leap.

"That seemed like I did it!"

"You did. Now, do it again so you can do it in the heat of battle."

"Oh, right," Ferretpaw's tail drooped. "You'd make a good mentor!" Ferretpaw complimented as he began to get ready to leap.

"Maybe if you're stuck on something, I could show you, I guess," Swanpaw suggested, circling Ferretpaw's pre-leap crouch.

* * *

Finally, the mentors came back. Immediately, Ferretpaw showed off his newly learned move and Kestrelwing gave a nod of approval.

"Nice work." Kestrelwing congratulated, looking to Frosttalon.

"That's enough for today." Frosttalon sighed, taking a step for the exit. "Let's go."

"Oh! Nah, I and Ferretpaw are going to stay here for a bit." Swanpaw declined, giving Ferretpaw a light nudge. Frosttalon's eyes switched from Swanpaw to Ferretpaw.

"Y-yep!" Ferretpaw stammered a little at the surprise of this being sprung on him.

"Alright, then," Kestrelwing meowed as he and Frosttalon turned around. He swished his tail across the coarse and rough sand as the mentors left, and he watched them climb up the cliff to camp.

"So, what did you keep me here for?" Ferretpaw inquired, changing his amber gaze from the mentors to Swanpaw.

"Oh, y'know, just seeing if there was anything you needed to learn? Like battle moves?"

"Oh, yeah! Can we do the one where you go underneath them and scratch them?" Ferretpaw suggested. "I forgot the name though..."

"The half-turn belly rake? Sure!" Swanpaw guessed. Shaking his light grey fur free from sand, Swanpaw went over the best way to do it in his head again.

* * *

Two moons had passed since Swanpaw decided to help Ferretpaw out that day. Ferretpaw had felt himself age, growing more burly and doing well in battle training. He had progressed much further in training as well thanks to Swanpaw, and his ambition was just to live out the rest of his life, with the apprentices he had grown to be friends with. Maybe he would even mentor one of Blossomripple or Gullswoops kits.

Better than that, he was going to the Gathering, and this was the one no one wanted to miss—the most exciting Gathering of them all.

The one where whatever Mapleleaf's vision was would be said.

* * *

Cats were bustling around the sandy shores of WaveClan's beach. The leaders had already started the conversation part of the Gathering, and all Ferretpaw could do was wait for Mapleleaf to go up. "Ferretpaw?" A voice asked, a tortoiseshell she-cat suddenly stepping into his view.

"Sorry, Emberpaw. I was zoned out. I just can't wait!" Ferretpaw admitted, ignoring the cool night's wind brushing against his light brown coat. From the wind that was assaulting the Gathering, Ferretpaw could almost taste the sea salt. He gave her a wide smile as she glanced at him troubled.

"Whatever it is, I doubt it's good," Emberpaw sighed, shaking her head, her green eyes breaking contact.

"Do you know anything?" Ferretpaw asked, remembering she was Mapleleaf's apprentice.

"No, I... Yes. I know some of it. But! If a dream plunges Mapleleaf into the ocean to drown, then surely it's bad, no?" Emberpaw stuttered, struggling to get her words across.

"Well whatever it is, we'll be fine!" Swanpaw butted in, attempting to lighten the mood. His light grey fur was being battered by the wind picking up.

"Surely they'll start soon?" Jaypaw groaned. "It's cold and the winds are annoying!" His blue eyes conveyed his anger while he lashed his tail with burning red rage.

"Cats of all Clans, we have something important to ann-" Clamstar attempted to announce as she was back at the shore, her light grey pelt also seeming to hate the wind. She seems to be rushing the Gathering.

"Surely not more important than Clan news?" Brightstar purred mischievously, waving her tail in her face as Clamstar let out an annoyed groan.

"It is, and it's not about how prey is running well."

"I have important news that doesn't just prey. We have three new warriors: Sageleaf, Dawncloud, and Greyspots are newly made warriors of CliffClan." Chants of support rang out across the beach, but Ferretpaw was unable to see them due to his position.

"Anyone else?" Clamstar asked, and when nobody responded, she carried on. "Mapleleaf, may you please come up here."

"Of course." The ginger and black tom suddenly rose to his paws, approaching the leaders' place on the soft sandy shore.

"Moons ago I received a prophecy. We kept it in secret - even from our Clan - to see if we could decipher it. Alas, we couldn't, so we decided to share it to get your ideas."

"Suppose you did figure it out, Would you never share it with us?" Brightstar mischievously purred.

Mapleleaf ignored her. "The prophecy was:

'It will befall the Clans.

The stars have fallen to make a path for the cats that follow.

One follower is you, Mapleleaf. Find the others, or all shall be lost.'" As soon as the word lost was uttered, a sharp pain stabbed itself into Ferretpaw as he collapsed to the ground. Frenzied red pain rapidly ran through him, sending sharp stings across his body, mainly behind his eyes. He held his pained screams as he curled up, the pain still shooting through him. From Jaypaw's growls, Ferretpaw assumed Jaypaw was also hurting.

"What do we do?" Emberpaw cried as she leaned over Ferrerpaw.

"Hide them. If this turns into something bad we can ensure no one knows it happened to them, and if that something bad involves killing them, then..." Swanpaw frantically answered as he raced to Jaypaw.

"Alright alright! I'll get Ferretpaw."

As the sharp pain carried on, Ferretpaw felt a gentle bite on his scruff as his last memories were being hauled away into the bushes.