the stars aligned | 𝐚 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

Chapter 8

The brown spotted tabby, Wrenfeather, appeared at Dappleshine's side. "Tenchstar will speak with their leader now," he murmured to her.

Dappleshine nodded just as a new cat stepped out of the reed den Wrenfeather had emerged from. He strode towards the loners with an air of authority, green eyes narrowing slightly. Tenchstar.

The dark grey tabby stopped beside Dappleshine, but he didn't speak. Instead, he was staring at Claire, who eventually raised her eyes to meet his challengingly. There was an awkward prickle in the air, and Echo took a step back, almost jumping into Rainclaw.

"Do they know each other?" Cloudy whispered in Echo's ear.

"Must do," Echo mumbled back. Neither Tenchstar nor Claire looked like they knew what to say.

Dappleshine nudged her leader gently, and he tore his eyes away form Echo's mother to survey the rest of them.

"I am Tenchstar," he introduced himself, though he still looked slightly shocked. "Welcome to RiverClan. Wrenfeather has told me you wish to seek shelter here?"

"My name is Sylvester," Sylvester dipped his head. "Our home burned down in a fire, and we have nowhere else to go."

Tenchstar nodded. "Dappleshine, Sylvester, come into my den so we can talk." He gathered the two cats with a flick of his tail and led them into the reed den Echo noticed must be his alone — the leader's den.

They were left standing with Wrenfeather and Rainclaw, and a smaller black and white tom came to sit beside Wrenfeather. Echo exchanged glances with the others. None of them were sure what to do now.

"You say your home burned down," Wrenfeather meowed. "Are any of you hurt? I have herbs to help."

"We're the Clan medicine cats," the black and white tom explained. He looked exited to be meeting new cats from outside the Clans.

"This is Thymepaw, my apprentice," Wrenfeather introduced the smaller tom. "Do you require medical help from the fire?"

All three of the loners glanced at Echo, who flattened her ears in embarrassment.

"Echo has a scratched tail," Claire informed him, having found her words now that Tenchstar was gone, which was strange to Echo. 

"I was in the fire," she meowed quietly. "But I'm fine now."

Wrenfeather's eyes narrowed. "I'll see to you after Tenchstar's decision."

Echo nodded, sitting down and wrapping her tail over her paws a little self-consciously. She didn't want RiverClan too fuss over her — but the thought of seeing the how a medicine cat healed someone was fascinating.

Most of the cats had gone back to what they were doing, although the smaller ones who must be apprentices were watching them curiously.

Echo wished Tenchstar would hurry up and make his decision — was it really that hard to decide?

"I'm sorry about your home," Rainclaw's voice sympathised, and Echo realised he was still sitting beside her.

"That's okay," she replied. "You weren't there."

"Tenchstar will let you stay," he promised. "He's a fair cat. He won't turn down anyone who needs help."

Echo let out a purr. "Good, because otherwise we'll be living under a bush," she half joked. Rainclaw purred a laugh in response.

Tenchstar appeared at the mouth of his den, followed by Dappleshine and Sylvester, and then the grey tabby leapt up onto a rock jutting out of the ground beside his den and surveyed the cats below him.

"All cats old enough to swim, gather in the clearing to hear what I have to tell you!" his voice echoed around the camp.

Dappleshine leapt up the rock and stood a little behind him, speaking to her leader quietly. The cats of RiverClan gathered beneath the rock, taking amongst themselves. Stormleap was back in camp, Echo noticed. He slunk around his Clanmates with narrowed eyes and sat down near the back of the group.

"Come and sit over here," Rainclaw instructed, leading them to a spot near the base of the rock. Sylvester joined them and sat beside his sister.

Echo sunk her claws into the soft ground below. What if Tenchstar didn't allow them to stay? Where would they go then?

To her surprise, Rainclaw stayed with them rather than joining the rest of RiverClan. He settled himself beside Echo, gazing up at his Clan leader.

"Cats of RiverClan," Tenchstar began. "As you all know, these loners have come to us seeking shelter." He paused, watching his Clan. "I have discussed this with Dappleshine and their leader, and have come to a decision."

Echo held her breath. What if he sent them away? She remembered Rainclaw's words about how Tenchstar was fair, and tried to stop herself from worrying.

"The loners may stay," the dark grey tabby upon the rock announced. "for however long they wish. While they are here, I order all of RiverClan to treat them as Clanmates. You will respect these cats as you respect me. I ask the loners that you join hunting patrols and participate in Clan life, in return for our generosity." He dipped his head to Sylvester.

"We will," Sylvester confirmed. "Thank you, Tenchstar." He nodded to the RiverClan leader.

The RiverClan cats broke off into small groups again, murmuring to each other as Tenchstar and Dappleshine leapt off the rock to join them. Echo let out a sigh of relief. She was exited to join in Clan life — maybe the loners would join RiverClan after all.

"I told you," Rainclaw purred from beside her. Echo smiled at him and had a sudden flashback of sharp claws raking her throat.

How could such nice cat be destined to kill me? she thought almost sadly.

Tenchstar came and joined them. "You can sleep in the spare den," he told them, and Echo noticed how he carefully avoided looking at Claire. He led them over to a den of reeds and smooth sticks beside the biggest den.

"The apprentices can help you build nests," Tenchstar promised. "Today you can rest, but tomorrow I expect to see you all hunting with my Clan — we do not take in loners for free."

Sylvester dipped his head. "We are happy to help," he meowed truthfully. "Thank you, Tenchstar."

Tenchstar nodded back and padded away. "Rainclaw, come join Shellfrost's patrol!" he called over his shoulder at the blue-grey tom, who bounded after his leader.

Echo padded cautiously inside the den allocated to her group. It smelt like the rest of the cats — a slight fishy stench, but muffled by the smell of water and earth. There was a patter of paws, and a couple of apprentices appeared with balls of moss and more reeds clamped firmly between their jaws.

"Hello!" the smaller one, a grey molly, meowed excitedly, dropping her moss. "I've never met a cat outside the Clans before!"

Echo purred with amusement. "Is that for our nests?" she guessed.

The other apprentice, a pale brown — almost white — molly, nodded. "We can show you how to make them?"

"That would be great," Aquarius thanked them.

Echo crouched beside the apprentices — who introduced themselves as Shimmerpaw and Ivorypaw — and watched as they explained how to arrange the moss over tangled stocked and weave in long strands of reed. "They float if it floods," Ivorypaw explained.

Echo was fascinated. What happened to the bloodthirsty, bone-eating cats Claire had told her about? She glanced at her mother and saw her watching the Clan — and in particular, Tenchstar — with an odd look on her face.

Something must have happened to Claire that was making her act strange now. Echo wished she knew what it was.