StarClan isn't real..

Chapter 30

Yellowpaw sniffed at the branches of the nursery, stepping aside to allow a gust of wind to blow in. It went straight through the gorse bush, sending a chill through the nursery. Fallenthroat had moved into the nursery a few days ago, carrying Ryepelt's kits. If wind could get into the nursery, espically with the coldness of leaf-fall, the queens or kits could easily fall ill. The nursery would need more defense.

Turning, Yellowpaw saw Finchpaw carrying dry bedding towards the elders' den. Her steps were slow, and her eyes were dull. The scars on her eyes stuck out, a constant reminder that she had fought in the battle.

Padding across the clearing, Yellowpaw headed towards her temporary mentor, Deadbee. He wasn't exactly her mentor- she was old enough to take care of herself, and she didn't have much to learn- but she still needed his permission to go out of camp, even just to look for hawthorn and gorse.

"Can I go out to find more gorse for the nursery?" Yellowpaw asked as she reached the deputy, who was grooming himself beneath the Highrock.

Deadbee nodded. "Mhm." He glanced towards the fresh-kill pile, where Patchstep's kits were nibbling a piece of fresh-kill. "That tabby looks so much like Nettlestem. I wonder if it's secretly her, in disguise."

"Maybe." Yellowpaw blinked uncomfortably.

As she headed away, she nearly tripped over one of Patchstep's other kits; a tortoiseshell she-kit, followed by the tabby she-kit and the brown tom. "Sorry!" The tabby mewed, then scurried away with a flick of their white-tipped tail.

I wish I had a kithood like that, Yellowpaw thought, suddenly feeling a strong urge to curl up with Blacktooth like a kit.

She spotted her mother at the side of the clearing with Beetleshine. She looked sad, and Yellowpaw shared her grief. Fallowpaw's death seemed to carve a hole in every cat's heart. Yellowpaw wished he could've gotten into StarClan. He deserved that eternal happiness, after making a sacrifice like that.

But he's not. Yellowpaw thought. Her tail stump twitched, and she headed towards the heather tunnel.

***

The full moon cast silver light on Yellowpaw's ginger fur, and she squinted against the glow. She walked alongside Finchpaw, who looked awfully nervous as she looked around. Yellowpaw privately wished that Applestar hadn't let her go to the gathering; the Clans had suffered losses from the battle, and Finchpaw hadn't fought for the Clans.

Instantly, Yellowpaw was aware of curious gazes from the other Clans. This was also her first gathering showing her injuries, and could hear exclamations of shock and pity that made her want to claw someone.

She joined her clanmates and ducked her head to hide her face. Yellowpaw was perfectly aware of how creepy her scars looked; long, fleshy claw marks and missing pieces of flesh. She had seen a glimpse of Greenfern's injuries; one of his eyes had been scratched away, but he seemed fine.

Finchpaw's fur brushed against Yellowpaw's side as she sat up. Turning her head, Yellowpaw saw her adoptive sister pad away towards a black and white RiverClan she-cat named Tallpaw.

Yellowpaw's ears pricked. She watched as Finchpaw tapped the RiverClan cat on the shoulder and exchanged what seemed to be a friendly greeting. Then the two sat down and started sharing tongues.

Are their tails twined?

Yellowpaw felt a shiver of unease. It's just a friendship. She remembered that Lilypaw had said that Tallpaw was a noisy sleeper; perhaps she had trained in the Dark Forest? That would make sense. Obviously, she and Finchpaw knew each other. But still, they seemed too friendly. Were they maybe more than friends? Yellowpaw shook off the thought. A WindClan cat and a RiverClan cat? Impossible!

Then she remembered Sandleap and Greenfern, and her tail twitched.

"Let the gathering begin." Echostar's mew broke into Yellowpaw's thoughts. She looked up, trying to appear subtle.

Smokestar began the meeting, flicking Echostar's shoulder lightly with her tail-tip. "ShadowClan has been recovering from their injures, after the battle." She announced. "We have a new warrior; Applewater." She waited for the cheering to die down, and Yellowpaw glimpsed a blue-gray young warrior lifting their head proudly. "Echospeck has given birth to a pair of tomkits, and prey is running despite the late leaf-fall chill."

Echostar went next. "SkyClan is doing well. We have a new warrior named Newtpelt," She waited for the cheers to die down, "and our apprentices' den is practically overflowing with two new apprentices; Dewpaw and Brownpaw. Unfortunately, a Dark Forest warrior managed to sneak into our nursery and killed one of our kits."

The Clans let out murmers of pity, and Yellowpaw sighed.

Crouchstar cleared her throat and spoke. "RiverClan suffered a loss," She mewed. "Sandleap was a brave warrior, and fought well in the battle. She died as a true warrior, fighting for her Clan. Her apprentice, Fallenpaw, has become a warrior named Fallensprout, alongside his littermates, Tallspirit and Brightbelly."

"Fallensprout! Brightbelly! Tallspirit!" The Clans cheered. Yellowpaw risdked a glance at Finchpaw, and saw her happily nuzzling Tallspirit. Her adoptive sister looked happier than Yellowpaw had seen her in moons.

Bouncestar spoke next. "ThunderClan suffered no major losses. We have three new warriors; Hollyfrost, Willowflake, and Scorchstone." He waited for the cheers to die down, and then glanced at a quartet of apprentices who looked no older than six moons. "We also have three new apprentices; Littlepaw, Driftpaw, Kestrelpaw, and Robinpaw. My mate, Stumpyheart, has also given birth to a beautiful she-kit."

A few cats murmered congratulations, and Yellowpaw noticed that Logheart and Larkwood greeted the new apprentices kindly.

Finally, Applestar spoke. "Before I share my Clan's news, I must thank the rest of you for risking your own warriors for my Clan, and all the Clans." He dipped his head to the leaders, and the entire crowd of cats. "My Clan suffered great losses as well. My deputy, Specklebird, turned out to be a traitor. He was killed, and my new deputy is Deadbee."

The Clans cheered for the brown tom. "Deadbee! Deadbee!"

"Nettlestem has died protecting her kits, who are now here as apprentices; Casperpaw and Whitepaw. Fallenthroat has moved to the nursery, and I'd like to inform you all that it is not Ryepelt's fault that the attack was at the wrong time."

Applestar went on. "Patchstep gave birth to a litter of three beautiful kits, named after cats who died in the battle. May we honor Speckleleg, who died on the thunderpath, and Stormcloud, who died twice; once protecting her medicine cats, and another time while saving our medicine cat, Weedtooth. Oatflower has taken her place as a secondary medicine cat, but there is one cat who we still must honor."

Yellowpaw's heart seemed to drop into her paws, and she could feel Finchpaw's distress from a crowd away.

"Fallowpaw gave up his entire existence," Applestar announced. "When Logheart, one of our new warriors, was killed, Fallowpaw took action. He ate deathberries and traded lives with Logheart, but faded forever. It is very admiring, in my opinion, that a young cat could commit such a sacrifice. But he did, and we will remember it forever."

How could I not? Yellowpaw thought. She glanced at Finchpaw, who had her muzzle buried in Tallspirit's shoulder. The fur on Yellowpaw's shoulder rose. Now she had something else to think about, and not just about Fallowpaw.

Is Finchpaw falling for a RiverClan she-cat?