Starlight

Chapter 8

Brambletuft slipped through the trees, jaws parted to distinguish ThunderClan scent from among the mingled Clan scents that hovered in the air. It wasn't easy; they had traveled together for so long that the Clans no longer kept their separate, distinctive scents. Cats were darting everywhere, trying to say good-bye to friends in other Clans. There was so much activity, so much tension crackling between different cats that Brambletuft could almost imagine he was in the thick of a battle—except in this battle there were no enemies.

Already it was sunhigh, and Skystar was eager to set out for the new territory. She had sent Brambletuft to make sure no cat was left behind when they set out for their new home.

Brambletuft spotted Mousefur saying good-bye to Heavystep from RiverClan. The ThunderClan warrior looked thin and tired. Was she eating enough?

"Hi, Mousefur," he meowed. "Skystar would like us all to gather near the stump now." He carefully avoided giving her a direct order; Mousefur had a short temper, and he didn't want his tail snapped off.

"Okay, I'm coming." Mousefur gave Heavystep's ear a quick lick. "Go safely," she told him. "I'll see you at the Gathering."

"Good-bye, Mousefur." Heavystep watched her go before nodding to Brambletuft and slipping into the trees where RiverClan was gathering.

Brambletuft almost ran into Squirrelflight, who skidded around the trunk of a tree right under his paws.

"Hi, I was looking for you," she panted. "Come with me."

She doubled back and led him down into a small hollow where Tawnypelt, Feathertail, and Crowfeather were waiting. "I want to ask you all something," she meowed. "I don't want this to be our last meeting. I want to keep our friendships strong, and I want to keep seeing all of you outside of Gatherings."

"What do you suggest we do?" Feathertail asked. "Our Clanmates will get suspicious if we're away on patrols all the time."

"We can meet at night, almost like our own Gathering. Maybe we can meet on the half-moons, like the medicine cats do," Squirrelflight suggested.

Crowfeather shrugged. "I wouldn't be against it," he agreed. "Night patrols are much more relaxed and my mother is the deputy so I can trust her to cover for me."

"Our Clans would see it as treason," Tawnypelt warned them. "If they find out, we could be punished harshly."

"We have to meet," Squirrelflight meowed almost desperately. "So we can stay seven."

Brambletuft flinched as he thought of the two cats who would never return to their Clans: Swiftpaw, who had selflessly given his life, and Stormfur, left behind with the Tribe of Rushing Water.

"We'll always be seven, Squirrelflight," Feathertail comforted her. "They'll always be with us as long as we remember them."

Squirrelflight's gaze was turned toward the mountains. In a voice, almost too low to hear, she murmured, "Remembering isn't enough."

Tawnypelt gave herself a shake, resting her tail-tip on Squirrelflight's shoulder. "Well, this won't catch any prey," she meowed. "I'd best be off. I'll see you all at the real Gathering, then we can figure out our gathering times."

She turned and bounded away, the others calling good-byes after her.

Crowfeather dipped his head. "May you travel safely," he mewed, beginning to back away.

"We'll be traveling together for a while," Brambletuft pointed out. "We have to cross your territory to reach ours."

"We need to keep to our own Clans now," Crowfeather argued. "Especially with Mudclaw as leader now, he won't like it if I'm seen traveling with you." He turned and disappeared over the top of the hollow.