The Leopard's Lair

Gathering at the Full Moon

It's a full moon tonight, so it's time for a Gathering at moonhigh!

But....since I can't stay on Wattpad until moonhigh, which is 12 AM, I'll be doing the Gathering now at the Seasons Tree with LeopardClan, MouseBurrow, WolfPack, and FoxDen (four groups, but I made up 3 of them just now).

Leopardstar leapt onto a branch of the Seasons Tree on the side where the tree had green leaves grown as if it was the season of greenleaf. She led her Clan of cats here for the Gathering. Brightfrost sat at the bottom of the tree.

Mousestar squeaked as he led his tiny group of mice to the Seasons Tree and scurried up to the branch on the side of the flowering leaves, which represented newleaf.

Alphawolf howled as he led his Pack to the Seasons Tree. The rest of his Pack called out in response and pawed their way through the colder ground to the side of the Seasons Tree that had snow on the ground and lacked any leaves on its branches, which represented leafbare. Betawolf sat at the bottom of the Tree while Alphawolf climbed the sturdier branches of the Seasons Tree on the leafbare side.

Foxstar led her Denmates to the Seasons Tree to the side with orange leaves, representing leaf-fall. She climbed onto the branches, which were less sturdy than the leafbare side, but sturdier than the newleaf or greenleaf sides.

The Gathering would begin with the leader whose season was currently occurring and then would move to the next season in order.

So Foxstar went first, "Fellow Clan, Pack, and Burrow, FoxDen has been very healthy this leaf-fall. We have one new apprentice and four fox cubs: Russetpaw, Redcub, Scorchcub, Embercub, and Firecub."

She dipped her head towards Alphawolf, who howled before speaking. "WolfPack needs more prey. We are lacking rabbits as they have turned to their white fur to hide in the snow. Are there any other types of prey we could hunt in this leaf-fall weather?"

Leopardstar meowed, "Your Pack could try hunting deer. My Clan has discovered large deer on FoxDen's border. Maybe you could try that."

Alphawolf dipped his head in agreement. "With all respect, we must try that after the Gathering is over when we hunt."

Mousestar turned towards Alphawolf, waiting for his turn to speak, or rather, squeak.

Alphawolf dipped his head towards Mousestar, who dipped his tiny head to show that he understood.

Mousestar squeaked, "MouseBurrow has done very well this leaf-fall! We had many kits."

The dark gray mouse held out a tiny finger, pointing to seventeen small mice sitting on top of a mother-mouse.

"I is Smallkit!" the first kit piped, showing his small buck teeth

"Me am Tinykit!" the second kit swished his tail.

"Am Littlekit!" the third kit washed her face.

"I a-am D-Dustkit." the fourth kit fidgeted, being nervous, but remembered how to squeak his name.

"Me is Graykit!" the fifth kit chipped in, scratching her tiny ear.

"G-good G-Gathering. I am B-Bravekit." the sixth kit shivered anxiously, her eyes shifting from the wolves to the foxes to the cats.

"Bravekit isn't very brave, but I'm Heavykit." the seventh kit squeaked, trying to be bigger than his other littermates.

"Heavykit! That's not how you speak about your third sister!" the eighth mouse-kit protested against her brother's greeting. Noticing it was her turn, she coughed with a small huff and "waved" with her tiny hand. "Hi, I'm Sorrelkit!"

The ninth kit was sleeping, so the tenth kit answered for his brother, "That's Snorekit. I'm Ashkit."

The eleventh kit fell off his mother-mouse's back, then squealed, "I'm okay!"

The twelfth kit squeaked in her kindest voice, "That was Dropkit. I'm Oakkit."

The thirteenth kit was nowhere to be seen, and, being the hungry kit he was, had eaten all of the pinecone nuts that he collected for leafbare. His name was Wildkit.

The fourteenth kit piped up, "I'm tired!"

The fifteenth kit chittered as he thought it was funny and replied, "Hello, Tiredkit! I'm Chitterkit!"

"I am not Tiredkit! I'm tired!"

I'm tired of writing this. Goodnight.