Warriors: A Dangerous Path - Book Five (Completed)

Chapter Twenty Five

A full moon crossed the sky behind thin wisps of cloud as Bluestar led her warriors to the Gathering. Waterlily trekked behind Shadowpaw as they all followed Bluestar down the slope. Tigerstar and Leopardstar were already there and sitting side by side speaking softly to one another.

Waterlily sighed in regret, knowing this was not going to be a good Gathering. She knew that RiverClan and ShadowClan had formed an alliance. Who knows what would happen now. Bluestar still refused to make an alliance with WindClan. Waterlily padded down to her usual spot with the medicine cats in the middle of the clearing. Runningnose sat awkwardly on his haunches like Yellowfang used to.

"Greetings young one." The old tom rasped, swiping his tongue over his chest. 

Waterlily dipped her head in respect, but she stayed silent. Her eyes were fixed on the two leaders standing on the high branch. His ears pricked in hopes to hear what Tigerstar was saying, but she couldn't hear a thing. She could only hear Mudfur talking about a story of him curing a sickness way back then. 

"And I had to go so far north, almost in the twoleg's garden to fetch the herbs. With a dog constantly barking, it was pretty difficult to concentrate." Mudfur mewed. 

Waterlily looked over at Mudfur as he spoke, seeing that she couldn't hear anyone else. She may as well listen to his story. Once Mudfur finished, Tallstar stepped forward and began the Gathering with a low growl for quietness. All cats turned their gaze to him and there was sudden silence. Tallstar softly cleared his throat just before he spoke. "WindClan is doing well. There is nothing to report here." Then he stepped back to his place and sat down. He nodded his head, signaling that he was finished and for Bluestar to go next, but Tigerstar got up instead. 

Tigerstar took a step forward and puffed out his chest. "We have new kits in the Clan and ShadowClan is growing strong." His meow was low and strong as it rang across the clearing. "And everyone knows that I was once apart of ThunderClan." He added, and paused for a quick moment to look around the clearing and stopped as he saw his two kits sitting surrounded by other ThunderClan apprentices. Then he continued. "While I was in ThunderClan, I had two kits. Thanks to you all, you have raised them well into being apprentices and I think it's time I take them to be with me." He looked over at Bluestar, his amber eye blazing like fire. "Bluestar, I ask that you give me Bramblepaw and Tawnypaw."

Yowls of protest from ThunderClan warriors broke out before Tigerstar had finished speaking. Waterlily sat in silence and narrowed her eyes. How dare he even think that! She spat to herself. She fixed her gaze on Bluestar, wondering what she would do.

Bluestar drew herself up and waited for the noise to die away before she replied. "Certainly not." She meowed. "These are ThunderClan kits. They are apprenticed now, and they will stay where they belong."

"ThunderClan?" Hissed Tigerstar. "I think not! The kits belong with me, and my warriors will take care of their apprentice training."

Bluestar shook her head. "I understand your concern, but they will be well trained here."

Tigerstar paused again, his gaze sweeping around the clearing, and when he spoke again it was not just to Bluestar but to the whole audience of cats. "The ThunderClan leader tells me how well my kits will be trained under her guidance—but ThunderClan have a poor record in looking after their young cats. One kit carried off by a hawk. One apprentice savaged to death and another permanently crippled when they were sent out alone without a warrior. Does any cat wonder that I'm concerned about the safety of my kits?"

Almost all of ThunderClan had gasped in horror, wondering how he knew about Swiftpaw and Brightpaw. Waterlily narrowed her eyes again in disgust. She knew exactly who had told him. Darkstripe! She wanted to claw his eyes out, but spared him since it was still the Gathering. Waterlily shook her head to clear it, but more thoughts just kept coming and she missed most of what happened between Bluestar and Tigerstar. She had just caught the end of it.

Tigerstar dipped his head. "Very well." He agreed. "Next Gathering, bring them to me." Then the Gathering was drawn to a close. 

Waterlily tilted her head to the side. Leopardstar didn't say anything about her Clan. Was RiverClan truly apart of ShadowClan now? Waterlily shook that thought out of the way and reluctantly followed Bluestar up the slope.  She returned to the ThunderClan camp, her heart heavy with the weight of the recent Gathering. The tension in the air was noticeable, the conflict between Tigerstar's demands and Bluestar's refusal casting a shadow over the Clan. 

Everyone could sense the tension when Bluestar padded into camp. Normally she would jump onto the highrock and talk about what had happened since all cats were up and wondering about Tigerstar intentions. But instead, she padded back into her den.

Waterlily settled into her den, arranging her herbs with a distracted mind. The events of the Gathering played over and over in her thoughts. Tigerstar's demand for Bramblepaw and Tawnypaw had been a shock to them all. Giving them only until the next Gathering to hand over the apprentices, was like a sword hanging over their heads.

Sighing softly, Waterlily picked up a few herbs, her paws tracing their edges absentmindedly. As she continued to sort her herbs, her gaze drifted to the moonlit entrance of her den. The moon still hung high in the sky. She finished the few herbs she had left, then padded to her nest. She circled around in the moss, making it a little flatter. Then she settled herself down, tucking her front paws under her chest. She closed her eyes and let the Gathering problems drift away from her mind and let new thoughts came in. She still wanted to know why Shadowpaw was destined to be here in ThunderClan. He showed no signs of wanting to join Tigerstar. Tigerstar showed no interest in him either. But perhaps Tigerstar has planned it that way and he plans on making Shadowpaw do something later...