The Quest of Dawn (Warriors, Book 3)

Chapter 11

"What?" Dawnpaw gasped. Around her, similar exclaimations were coming from the other cats, even WindClan and ShadowClan. Hauntedstar stumbled to keep his balance on the rock; Boldstar had pushed him a little too hard.

"You heard me," Boldstar spat, his gaze seeming to rake all four Clans with burning claws. "A RiverClan border patrol passed by the bridge. One of the cats smelled of ThunderClan!" Even as he spoke, Dawnpaw knew what had happened. Mossypaw had been on dawn patrol; ThunderClan scent must've rubbed off on her!

Hauntedstar stepped forward. "Boldstar, did you think they might just have patrolled by ThunderClan's border before they went to the bridge?"

"You think I can't recognize the scent of mousebrains and foxhearts when I smell it?" Boldstar snapped back.

"Are you sure that's not the scent of your own cats?" Goldenstar hissed snarkily. Boldstar bristled. "I mean, they have the same exact personality."

Parrotfeather spoke up from where he stood beside a ShadowClan tom. "And what about the prey stealing?" He howled. "Is there any evidence of that, or are you just making flimsy excuses for a war?"

"We can't go to war," Mumbled the golden tabby.

"We certainly can!" Boldstar snapped back, his eyes wild ewith rage and anger. "And we haven't had proof of prey stealing, but it's only a matter of time before-"

Hauntedstar suddenly spoke up. "Look! StarClan is angry." Dawnpaw felt a flash of confusion; then, fourtrees suddenly began to be engulfed in shade. A cloud drifted halfway over the moon. "We need to stop fighting and finish this gathering," Hauntedstar mewed shakily. "Before anything bad happens."

Boldstar growled and stepped back.

"I have some bad news," The golden tabby said, stepping forward and gazing at the Clans. The cloud drifted away from the moon; soon, the clearing was filled with silver light again. "Nightstar was chasing a rat across the thunderpath, despite knowing how badly hurt he would be if he bit him. But as he pounced on it and killed it, a monster hit him." The tabby bowed his head, then looked up again. "I, Thunderdog, have taken his place as leader."

There were murmers throughout the crowd, most about how good of a leader Nightstar was, then Seedrise spoke up from where she sat beside three RiverClan apprentices. "Thunderstar can't be your name," She called. "That wouldn't be right. Thunder is already used as a Clan name."

"Seedrise is right," A brown tom mewed from the crowd of RiverClan cats. "It would be disrespectful if you took the name of ThunderClan."

Thunderdog, the new ShadowClan leader, dipped his head. "I thought of this ahead of time. My name will be Dogstar."

The Clans erupted into cheers.

When they died down, Dogstar spoke again. "My choice of deputy is my loyal brother, Stempelt." He glanced at a ginger tom with a white underbelly and paws. He sat at the rock beside the Great Rock with the other deputies.

Dawnpaw's tail twitched. She had heard of how snarky and fierce Nightstar had been, so she couldn't say she was really sad that he had died. She noticed that Mossypaw didn't look exactly sad either, though there was still a flash of pity in her eyes.

"ThunderClan has been thriving," Hauntedstar mewed, stepping forward. He still looked slightly shaky after Boldstar had nearly shoved him off High Rock, but his voice was clear. "Newleaf has sent prey running from their burrows and into our paws. Our elders are well-fed, and we have four new apprentices: Applepaw, Dawnpaw, Graypaw, and Mulchpaw!"

The Clans began to cheer their names. Dawnpaw puffed out her chest and tried to appear as big and strong as possible.

"Dawnpaw? Hauntedstar's daughter?"

Dawnpaw's ears pirked up.

"It seems so. Look at her fur."

"I hope she's not as pathetic as her mother. Rosebranch killed that little she-cat in a single swipe!" A RiverClan cat jeered.

Dawnpaw began to bristle. She knew the WindClan medicine cat, Rosebranch, had murdered Flowerpelt. Her father had always said it was a simple mistake, and Flowerpelt had died protecting her Clan. But as she scanned the crowd, she could make out Rosebranch sitting with the other medicine cats by the Great Rock. The medicine cat's eyes met Dawnpaw's, and she flinched and looked away.

Coward! Dawnpaw thought, curling her claws into the ground.

Goldenstar stepped forward; she still had a glint of anger in her eyes, but her voice was steady as she spoke. "As I was saying," She cast a swift glare at Boldstar. "RiverClan has two new kits, born from Drythief and her mate, Bogpelt. Fish is plentiful, and we have no trouble with the other Clans."

Boldstar pushed forward. "WindClan is doing fine," He mewed, his voice edged with a bit of dry anger. "One of our medicine cats, Treeface has retired to the elders' den. Rosebranch will take his place."

Dawnpaw studied the crowd and spotted Treeface sharing tongues with Ratfur, Desertstorm, and a ShadowClan elder she didn't know. One of his eyes was scratched and scarred; Dawnpaw knew that Ravenshadow had clawed it out. But there was a reason behind that, obviously. Despite being clawed by her grandmother, she understood why. And she would work extra hard to make up for it.

Hauntedstar spoke up. "Is this gathering over?"

"I suppose so," Dogstar mewed.

The leaders all nodded and leapt down from the Great Rock. Dawnpaw felt a flash of emberassment as Hauntedstar slowly tiptoed to the edge and leapt down, landing unbalanced and shaken.

"I have to go," Mossypaw mewed, switching Dawnpaw's attention to the young RiverClan she-cat. "I'll see you at the next gathering, maybe?"

Dawnpaw purred. "I'll see you!"

Mossypaw purred and gave Dawnpaw's ear an affectionate lick, then bounded off to join her clanmates. Dawnpaw headed over to her friends, who were bunched together in a group with the rest of the ThunderClan cats.

"I can't believe Boldstar!" Applepaw was whispering. "How dare he accuse ThunderClan of stealing prey? And like we'd ally with those fish-faces!"

Dawnpaw was about to speak up about Applepaw insulting her friend, then shut her jaws. She knew how petty her friends got when she talked with other cats. "That was dumb," She simply mewed, trying to act like she agreed. "I can't wait to get back to camp and rest." She would have plenty of time to train with Ravenshadow tonight.

"Me too," Graypaw agreed.

I'm glad I met Mossypaw at the gathering, Dawnpaw thought, not feeling a single ounce of regret. But oh, tonight will not be easy!