Bright Forest

Chapter 5

-Are we ready?- Poolspring asked.

Glistenfall and Rainingbud nodded.

It was Rustpaw's first gathering, and he was trying to keep his enthusiasm under control, or he would prance around threatened by Branchpaw's rude commentary.

Treefeather came too: even though she was a medicine cat, Kestrelstar invited her in. Once, Spottedpaw told him that medicine cats gather every full moon, the night after the gathering, or sometimes during the gathering, but the brown she-cat was a rare case: she didn't know anything about herbs or StarClan, so she was free to go.

Kestrelstar nodded and blazed through the forest, with the rest of her clan at her heels. Rustpaw took a minute to look back at Gemwing.

-I'm on guard today. Now go!- the gray tom hissed before Rustpaw could speak.

Rustpaw nodded and ran after the others, trying to keep up.

It was dark, and the moon was full and white, with stars shining alongside it.

Kestrelstar stopped and crouched down, and the other cats did the same.

Treefeather, who was at the back of the line before Rustpaw, whispered to the ginger tom's ear:-We're here. We're at the Abandoned Bridge.

Rustpaw peered down to see a bridge upon the river, filled with cats everywhere. It was old and covered with moss: cats were curled up on the staircases around, leaving the final one clear. "Woah... there's so many cats..."

Kestrelstar nodded and the whole clan reached the others, following the StormClan leader from the undergrowth.

They began taking their places all around the bridge as Kestrelstar reached two other shadows. Everything was dark except for a small accent of light frosty blue.

Glistenfall reached her apprentice:-By the scents we could hear a few days ago, which ones do you recognize?

Rustpaw sniffed the air:-DawnClan? And the other one... Doesn't come to my mind...

-It's OakClan- she explained. -We don't share a border with them, but good job recognizing DawnClan!

Rustpaw purred, happy to see his mentor proud of him, and he was also proud of himself. The gray she-cat then said:-Let's go to a more cornered place, so I can explain to you the rules of a gathering.

-There are rules?- Rustpaw asked.

-Yup!- Glistenfall led him to some sheltered ferns that were circling the clearing. From there, the dusty dark-ginger tom could see all of the cats. "There are a lot of cats..." he thought, looking at the various DawnClan and OakClan clan members talking and sharing news.

-Now, first of all, this is a form of truce every full moon, so no fighting at the gathering!- explained Glistenfall.

"I'd expect Branchpaw to break that, hehe..." Rustpaw thought to himself as he gazed back to see Branchpaw: the dark brown apprentice was near a group of cats talking, with his ears flattened and his paws ready to sink his claws into some flesh. He looked visibly uncomfortable.

-You're wondering if Branchpaw had ever broken that rule, are you?- asked Glistenfall, as if she was reading his mind.

-Well...

-Oh, he almost did! His mother then snapped at him before he could damage any of the other cats!- she said. -I hope that you could do better than him, Rustpaw... Don't break the code, even if it hurts, just don't.

Rustpaw noticed pain in her eyes. "Did Branchpaw ever break the code?" he gazed back at the brown tom.

Glistenfall shook her head:-Second of all, be on your best behavior; you're representing StormClan, and we are loyal and strong.