Creamfluff's Hope

*/\* Chapter Thirty-three */\*

"Creampaw! Over here!" 

Creamfluff heard a familiar voice calling her name near the back of the Moon Hollow and squinted to see Sunnypaw waving his tail to her. FeatherClan and MistClan were the only cats in the Moon Hollow right now, so Creamfluff looked over her shoulder at Softpaw.

"You remember Sunnypaw, right?" She asked. Softpaw nodded and Creamfluff led her over to the golden-brown tom.

"Hey there!" Sunnypaw sat down, as Creamfluff and Softpaw did the same. "That's Softpaw with you, right?"

"Yes," Softpaw replied for himself. "You're Sunnypaw?"

"Sunnysky," Sunnysky corrected him. "How many more moons until you get your warrior name?"

"One more, as of tonight. I think." Softpaw looked at the sky where the full moon shone brightly overhead.

"What about you, Creampaw?" Sunnysky looked at the MistClan she-cat.

"Creamfluff." She smiled. Creamfluff noticed how she didn't get nervous or anxious anymore when speaking to the FeatherClan tom. Those feelings had transferred to Softpaw for whenever she looked and spoke to him. 

"Creamfluff," Sunnysky repeated. "An interesting name for a unique she-cat."

Creamfluff smiled at his compliment where Softpaw let out a low growl. Sunnysky looked at him and purred.

"Do you think I like her?" He asked, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

"From the way you speak to her, yes, I do." Softpaw lashed his tail over the sandy floor. Sunnysky turned his head to look at one of his Clanmates. Creamfluff followed his gaze to see a tan tabby she-cat with darker colored markings. The she-cat only looked to be eighteen moons old at the least.

"Morninglight?" Softpaw questioned. Sunnysky purred and nodded. Creamfluff heard paws scrabbling down into the Moon Hollow and turned to see Streamwaters leading WaterClan to the Gathering.

"Where's Patchedstar?" Softpaw mewed from beside Creamfluff.

"I don't know." Creamfluff hoped the WaterClan leader hadn't died. She knew that Patchedstar was the oldest out of all four leaders, but surely, she hadn't used her ninth life up yet?

Streamwaters jumped up onto one of the branches of the leafless oak tree where the leaders sat. Creamfluff was still confused on why Streamwaters was sitting there. Cedarstar soon led ShadeClan into the Moon Hollow and joined the other leaders on the branches of the oak tree.

Heatherbranch, Windycloud, and Darkheart sat at the roots of the tree as Ripplestar called for silence.

"All the Clans are here, indicating we should begin the Gathering." Ripplestar cleared his throat before speaking. "The snow is finally melting on the moors, promising warmer weather. All of FeatherClan wishes for newleaf to come faster than usually. We have also welcomed Sunnysky as a new warrior of FeatherClan." 

"Sunnysly! Sunnysky! Sunnysky!" Chants of approval and acceptance came from all four Clans. Ripplestar dipped his head to Blizzardstar before he sat down.

Blizzardstar looked out over the Clans. "MistClan is thriving, and we too wish for quicker warmer weather. Nightmoon and Cloverpetal's kits are growing stronger each day, and we have also have a new warrior; Creamfluff."

Creamfluff straightened as cheers from every Clan - except for ShadeClan, she noticed - cheered her name loudly with acceptance. "Creamfluff! Creamfluff! Creamfluff!"

Blizzardstar sat down, letting Cedarstar speak. "Two of our kits strayed over the MistClan border, but Creamfluff and Lilypurr brought them back." He said nothing more as he sat down and nodded to Streamwaters. 

"As you've noticed, Patchedstar is not here." The light blue tom tried to keep his voice from shaking as he spoke. "She said for me to tell you all that she is sick but will be back by the next Gathering."

Sighs and murmurs of relief came from the Clans, along with a couple of cats meowing their good wishes. 

Streamwaters paused before continuing. "But I have better news. The streams and river are thawing, allowing WaterClan to go back to hunting fish."

A couple mrrows of disgust rippled through ShadeClan, FeatherClan, and MistClan. Creamfluff shuddered at the thought of preying on fish. They were described as slimy and scaley, and they came from the water. Creamfluff preferred mice to fish any day.

"Otterpaw has earned his full medicine cat name," Streamwaters went on, nodding to Pikestream's apprentice. "He is now Otterfur." 

"Otterfur! Otterfur! Otterfur!" Meows of approval came from the others as Otterfur fluffed up his plain brown fur and straightened. 

"Whitespot and Quiverwhisker are also expecting kits." Streamwaters purred. "WaterClan is ending leaf-bare strong." 

Blizzardstar leapt down from the oak tree and walked over to Dapplefur, the FeatherClan elder. Cricketclaw, Boulderfoot, Thistlebush, Motheye, and Cloverpetal grouped themselves together to talk in peace with one another. Sunnysky made his way over to where Morninglight, Amberstorm, Grayleaf, Harshbite, and Ratback were talking to each other.

Creamfluff and Softpaw made their way over to Thrushwing, Fishbreath, Smokeflank, Shredpaw,  and Gorsetuft were chatting amongst each other. 

"Hi," Creamfluff purred in greeting, squeezing between Thrushwing and Gorsetuft. Softpaw nervously sat in between Shredpaw and Smokeflank, flicking his tail in silent greeting as he started chatting with Shredpaw.

"Hello," Fishbreath smiled at Creamfluff, her gray fur sleek. "We were just talking about the change of season approaching us."

"Hopefully the weather warms soon," Smokeflank mewed gruffly, his one eye glinting with hope. "It'll bring better luck for Patchedstar."

"Thank you for your concerns," Fishbreath mewed. "I hope for the same."

"StarClan will protect her either way," Thrushwing mewed. "Patchedstar was always a strong cat."

Fishbreath looked up at the stars. "I've never seen her so weak."

"It's probably just a fever," Gorsetuft said, his brown tabby fur bristling as a breeze swept through the hollow. "I remember Cricketclaw had a fever once, and she wouldn't leave her nest except to use the dirtplace."

"And you have two medicine cats," Smokeflank pointed out. "Surely that should be enough to keep Patchedstar well?"

Fishbreath shrugged. 

"Just because a Clan has two medicine cats doesn't mean that they have the power to keep a cat alive," Creamfluff noted. 

"Cats have died in the paws of medicine cats many, many times," Thrushwing agreed. "Pikestream is old but experienced, and I'd guess she's trained Otterfur well."

Fishbreath nodded in agreement. "Pikestream might become an elder soon. Otterfur knows enough to take over all of the duties of a healer."

Creamfluff was about to add something when Blizzardstar called for her Clan to come to her. She, Thrushwing, and Softpaw dipped their heads to the others before trotting over to their leader. Streamwaters called for his Clanmates after MistClan had gathered and left the hollow to head back to camp. 

That's three chapters I've published today in honor of 200 reads. I didn't have much planned for this chapter, so sorry if it's a little boring.