Prophecy of the Stars

Chapter 3

(((ICEPOOL'S POV)))

I padded alongside my clanmates to the Gathering. A nagging slight guilt wobbled in my belly that I'd left my kits behind in the nursery, but I reassured myself that they'd be fine learning the warrior code with Daisy, Bristlefrost, and Mistkit.

I clambered past the log bridge and hurried over to Shadowpaw as discreetly as possible.

"Shadowpaw!" I couldn't help smiling.

"Actually, I've gotten my medicine cat apprentice name now. My name's Shadowsight now."

My smile grew slightly wider. "That's great!"

"How are your...um...kits?"

"Flowerkit, Moonkit, and Shadekit are all doing great," I replied, beaming.

"That's great," Shadowsight smiled. 

"Shadowsight-" I started, but 'Bramblestar' yowled the Gathering to a start.

"Let's begin," the second Tigerstar announced loudly. 

Shadowsight slid away and took a seat next to the other medicine cats. I caught Shadowsight's mentor, Puddleshine, looking at me curiously and I shifted self consciously on my paws. Puddleshine didn't know anything, did he?

"Our medicine cat apprentice has been given his full medicine cat name, Shadowsight."

"Shadowsight!"

"Shadowsight!"

"Shadowsight!"

I cheered alongside the other cats for my mate.

"Prey is returning after leaf bare," Tigerstar continued, "And we'll have full bellies before the next full moon." Tigerstar nodded at Bramblestar to go next.

The fake Bramblestar nodded his head in return. "Thriftear and Flipclaw are new warriors."

"Flipclaw! Thriftear!"

"Flipclaw! Thriftear!"

"Flipclaw! Thriftear!"

Bramblestar waited for the cheering to die down before continuing. "Bristlefrost has give birth to one healthy kit and Icepool has given birth to three healthy kits. Our two new 'paws will be warriors soon and ThunderClan is stronger than ever."

Mistystar, the leader of RiverClan, stepped forward next. "RiverClan is strong as well."

I nudged Rootpaw who was looking around the clearing rather than focusing on Mistystar's announcement.

"Pay attention!" I whispered gently to him.

"Sorry," He whispered back.

Harestar had now begun his announcement. "Kestrelflight and the other medicine cats went to the half-moon meeting, and Kestrelflight would like to tell you what he saw."

Kestrelflight stepped forward, his tail tip twitching. "The ice in the moonpool has begun to thaw," He mewed, "And we expected StarClan to share with us, but they were silent."

"Didn't they say anything at all?" Tawnypelt of ShadowClan asked from a group of ShadowClan cats.

"You said it was the ice that stopped you from communicating with StarClan!" One cat meowed.

"Maybe they didn't have anything to say this time." I suggested.

"Leaf-bare is over," Alderheart agreed, "They might not have anything to tell us."

"No news is good news," One cat added from SkyClan. I thought his name was Sandynose but I couldn't quite tell from where I was sitting.

From his perch on a branch Bramblestar frowned. "Has Shadowsight seen or heard anything?"

My heart beat sped up a little. Should I tell them about my vision? But accusing Bramblestar wasn't really Bramblestar was an outrageous, serious accusation more than half of the cats here wouldn't believe. Who was I kidding? No cat here would believe my dream! Besides, I didn't even know if it was a real vision or not. It could've just been a dream. Although it had felt so real... No, I was certain my vision hadn't been imagined.

"None of us have received any messages from StarClan," Kestrelflight shook his head.

"But Shadowsight has a special connection with StarClan. He's the only one they spoke to through leaf bare." Bramblestar insisted and turned to my mate. "Are you sure you haven't recieved any messages from them?"

I watched Shadowsight's fur prickle as he looked down at his paws. "I'm sure," He mumbled.

That's a lie, I knew instinctively.

"Perhaps StarClan is not speaking to us because they're angry at us not following the warrior code." Bramblestar meowed loudly.

My heart thundered in my chest like a thunderstorm. Did he know about me and Shadowsight? But how?!

"That's nonsense!" Dovewing, Tigerstar's mate, yowled. "StarClan would never choose to turn their tails on us. They're our family, our warrior ancestors."

"The ice isn't stopping them. We all know that, now that it has already thawed." Jayfeather muttered.

Bramblestar glared furiously at Dovewing. "You don't want it to be true because you're a codebreaker yourself!"

Icepool couldn't help being stunned Bramblestar would be so...rude to Dovewing.

Tigerstar's fur bushed up and he snarled at Bramblestar. "Don't talk to her like that-"

Mistystar padded between them. "Arguing isn't going to help with this."

"We need to get rid of the codebreakers in the clans so that StarClan will start speaking to us again. It's perfectly clear to me that we need to make sure the warrior code is upheld and respected."

I turned in alarm as Rootpaw suddenly sped off, running as if he was being chased by a cat from another clan.

"Rootpaw!" I called after him but he didn't stop.

I raced after him along with Needleclaw and a few other cats just in time to see him pull himself onto the bank of the lake.

"Are you okay?" I asked, alarmed. "What happened?" Why did you run away? 

Anxiety shimmered in my eyes as I helped Rootpaw to his paws, my pelt bristling with fear. "You could have drowned!"

"I'm sorry," Rootpaw murmured.

"Come on," I mewed gently, "Walking will warm you up."

I gazed softly at Rootpaw.

I wonder why he ran away...