Battlecats - The Path to the Trees - Changing Skies

Chapter 14

A full phase had come and gone. How could it have gone by so fast? Gingerpaw could remember the day she was first made a battlekit. It seemed so far away now, yet it felt like it was just yesterday.

Training had been rigorous and exhausting, but she had enjoyed every minute of it. She had learned so much in what felt like so little time. Gingerpaw touched her cheek with paw, remembering the battle with DarkPod, where she was finally able to show off her skills as a battlekit. She would have a scar now from that blow Mistyfall had landed. The calico she-cat grimaced. She remembered why Mistyfall had been able to land the attack in the first place. If that stupid battlekit hadn't gotten in her way, she wouldn't have a scar to show from that battle. The fur along her spine rose slightly. She'd get that stupid she-cat back for what she did, she was sure of it. What was that she-cat's name again? She only remembered Mistyfall, who she had seen in the podgrounds as a kit when her brother was rescued by Duckfeather from the Grand River. Either way, she knew she would get that needled brained she-cat back for attacking her so abruptly.

But tonight, she would push that to the back of her mind. Tonight was finally the night. Gingerpaw's first Moonlight Meet. Under the full moon, Challenger's Eye, all of the pods would gather under the Truce of the Ancestors on the Moonlit Island to share tongues, gossip, and converse with cats from other pods.

Gingerpaw was sat by the kill mound with the other battlekits, her paws thrumming with excitement. She dug her claws into the short grass below, hoping that she would be chosen to go this time around. She had been watching Lion Spirit intently as he made his way around the clearing, letting other cats know if they were attending or not. She hoped proving herself in the battle with DarkPod would give her a chance to be selected.

"Are you excited?" A voice echoed next to her. Gingerpaw snapped out of her thoughts and gazed at the cat in question. Wolfpaw was standing next to her with a fat pigeon hanging from his jaws. Gingerpaw nodded swiftly. "Of course I am! If I get chosen, I'll be going to my first Moonlight Meet!" She meowed excitedly.

Wolfpaw shrugged before lying down next to her and taking a bite of his prey. "It's not all that exciting. You're just meeting cats from the other pods and sharing useless news." He mewed through his chewing. Gingerpaw rolled her eyes good naturedly. "It might not be exciting for you, but I'm so excited to meet cats from the other pods. Especially LeafPod. Do you know what they're like?" She gazed at him intently. Wolfpaw shrugged once more. "They are...I would say pretty nosy. They're cats who are always interested in gossip from what I've seen."

"Don't you hope you're selected to go?" Gingerpaw inquired. Wolfpaw shook his head. "I'm on lockdown, remember? I can't go. Ever since that incident during training, when I had that spat with Fallenheart, I've been stuck doing work around the podgrounds." Gingerpaw began to feel nervous. Oh no! How would she be able to go to the Moonlight Meet without Wolfpaw? She didn't know how to act or behave at a Moonlight Meet and she hoped he would be there to help her understand.

"I really hoped you were going," she mewed, glancing at her friend. Wolfpaw glanced at her as well. "Sorry. But until I make up for the outburst I had during training, I won't be able to go to any Moonlight Meet anytime soon." Gingerpaw sighed. He was right. But she would be able to do this. Maybe Goldenpaw's anger had died down since the argument they had a while back. Maybe he had forgiven her finally. She glanced at him from where she sat next to Wolfpaw. He was lying next to Ratpaw, his paws folded under him and his tail curled around his side, his eyes gazing out across the clearing. She'd speak with him later.

Then, Lion Spirit finally made his way around to the battlekits. Gingerpaw could feel his overwhelming presence as he approached.

"Good evening battlekits," he meowed, dipping his head politely to the group. "Tonight is the Moonlight Meet so I need all of you to be on your best behavior." He glanced around at each battlekit expectantly. To which, each battlekit nodded respectfully to their chieftain.