WARRIORS: Cruel season #1 Rises the Moon

Chapter twenty two

Sootstar looked up at the rising moon, a full moon gathering. The last time he had gone to one he was deputy of Moonclan, helping Dawnpaw join the clans in peace. He looked at his clan members under the tree stump, they all kept their gaze on Sootstar and Rustedclaws. "The moon is rising, it is time we go to community island." Sootstar said, leaping off the log and onto the grass. The cats of the clan backed up, making space for him and Rustedclaws. Sootstar waited for everyone to get sorted. "Come on now!" Sootstar padded forwards, Rustedclaws by his side.

Astroidclan walked across the two-legs bridge, entering the island. Moonclan was already there, they all knew sunclan would be late, they always were. Moonclans leader, crowstar,laid on one of the large stepping stones in the pond, the rocks that clan leaders always sat on. Sootstar padded up to him, noticing something new in the waters, it was a new stone. "Me and my warriors helped carry the stone here, we have a new leader now so its time we bring some changes." Crowstar spoke, sitting up. Sootstar looked suprised, sepping closer to the water. "You did this?" Sootstar leaped onto the large rock, sitting down. Crowstar nodded.

Rustedclaws and Mistyshores padded up, talking quietly. The two sat down, seperating. Hiddenstar walked into camp, his warriors falling behind. Hiddenstar padded up the small hill to the pond, he had a root pouch wrapped around his belly. "Hello, Sootstar. I see you have gained your leader stone? Well done." Hiddenstar bowed his head slightly. "And greetings, Crowstar. I assume you did this?" Hiddenstar nudged Crowstar jokingly and leaped onto his stone. "You would be correct, new clan equals changes, and we will work with it as well as we possibly can."

Crowstar looked up to the sky, the moon was high in the sky. "We are ready to start." Crowstar said, looked back down at the two other leaders. "Let the gathering begin!" Hiddenstar yowled, the cats of the clans stopped talking and looked up. Crowstar started, "Throughout this moon, many things have happened. As all of you know, the territory has gaines another clan that has fought for their creation and surpassed our expectations. So cats of all clans, welcome  astroidclan!" Crowstar yelled, voice raspy with age. The cats below yowled with acceptance, especially the Sunclan cats, they were making up for their troubles.

Sootstar smiled and looked to Hiddenstar. "Well, in Sunclan we have had many plentiful hunts, we have found that beavers are beginning to build dams around the lake. Even though hard to catch, we have fed many this green-leaf." Hiddenstar stated. "And this moon we have apprentices two cats, Fireflypaw and Lightpaw." The cats below cheered the apprentices names. Hiddenstar raised his paw, silencing the cats in the clearing. He looked to Sootstar, waiting for him to begin. "You may begin, Sootstar." Hiddenstar spoke, Crowstar was staring at him too. Sootstar swallowed, looking down at the cats.

"Well, in astroidclan we have gained a new medicine cat! Mousetail." Sootstar spoke nervously. Cats below looked at mousetail, cheering the she-cats name. Mistyshores sighed, gaze placed on her. Mousetail looked back into the deputys eyes, returning a small smile. "And a new deputy, Rustedclaws." Sootstar continued, looking to the tom at his right. A ginger toms snarling caught his attention, Monarchsong. Sootstar returned the glare of the jack below. "Green-leaf is treating us well, many rabbits and mice have been caught the past moons. Now, everyone is at peace and happy, we have established astroidclan as a real clan." Sootstar gritted his teeth, stating at Monarchsong.

Sootstar, the leaders and the deputies gathered their clans, one by one leaving. The elder apprentice Bumblepaw looked at sunclans gathered cats, a black and white apprentice looked back and smiled brightly, walking onto the bridge with their clan. Bumblepaw remembered the promise to meet them again the next night. He scurried forwards, realizing his clan was beginning to leave. The cats thundered across the bridge, paws shaking the wood slightly. Bumblepaw turned his ead to look at the water below them, but Dawnpaw was there beside him, smirking quite obviously at him.

"Do you have a crush on Crescentpaw?" Dawnpaw asked, louder then the other expected him to say it. Bumblepaw hushed him, looking around to see if anyone heard or noticed. "Be quiet you fool!" Bumblepaw whisper-yelled. "Maybe." He continued, Dawnpaws smile got wider when Bumblepaw spoke. "I knew it, you have been seeing them every night." Dawnpaw nudged a dazed, confused Bumblepaw. "How did you know??" Bumblepaw looked back at him, his face  still with confusion. "A medicine cat always knows, its part of the deal." Dawnpaw said, realizing they were off the bridge now. He noticed Bumblepaw now looking at the departing Sunclan in the distance.

As the clan got closer to camp, Dawnpaw saw Bumblepaw becoming more and more restless, he was jittering and his eyes were darting around, perhaps to see if anyone heard them talking. As the two settled into Astroidclans camp, Dawnpaw padded towards Bumblepaw. "Can you come to the medicine den? I just want to talk to you." Dawnpaw asked, Bumblepaw looked up at him, standing up. Dawnpaw padded to the medicine den, Bumblepaw followed, legs shaky. Dawnpaw didnt fully know what to say, even if before he was laughing and joking about it with him.

"Are you. Ehem- actually like-" Dawnpaw began but stopped to find the words to say it. "Do you actually like Crescentpaw in a uhm- not friend way?" Dawnpaw asked, inching closer to the other apprentice. Bumblepaw shifted his paws, looking down. "I dont know." He murmered, not able to look into the others eyes.  Dawnpaws face dropped, not sure how to tell him it was against Starclans law.  "I know that you like them, even though it a bit.. Wrong I still support your decision to see them." Dawnpaw leaned against him, attempting to sooth him. "I think it will lead your path to glory."