Starwritten

Chapter Nine: Gathering

I couldn't sleep tonight.
What happened to Frozenkit was enough to keep me awake for 2 whole moons.
Also, tonight I am going to my first gathering.

***

I am sitting outside the apprentices den, thinking. I can't be distracted by Frozenkit. For right now, I need to ask Dropstar if he could tell the warriors to keep an eye out for Snowyheart's kits incase they escape.

My thoughts are interrupted by Sandypaw. "Hey, Sapphirepaw. Are you coming to the Gathering? Everyone's waiting on you." He says. I look up at him. "Yeah, i'm coming." I say as I stand up and follow him. I see that not all of the clan members are going. "Is everyone here Stonepelt?" Dropstar asks. From what Creampaw has told me, Stonepelt is his deputy. "Yes Dropstar. Sapphirepaw finally decided to join us." He meows. I roll my eyes. Give me a break. "Ok, we're off." Dropstar meows and takes off in the lead.

We are sprinting through the trees. Sandypaw is running beside me. Thank Starclan he isn't saying anything. Everything he says to me is either awkward or makes my head spin.

***

We enter the Gathering first. All the other clans are coming in after we do. Non of them look familiar. All I see that is, is Moonstar. The scents waft up my nose. Its enough to make a cat choke to death.

Everyone gathers under the Great Rock. At least that's what Sandypaw tells me its called. Everyone from different clans are talking to each other. What is this? I thought we were all enemies. I look around confused. Of course, no one even bothers to say hello to me.

Dropstar steps up first on the GreatRock. "Hello Clans. Thank you for coming to the gathering. As you all know, The Gathering at Fourtrees is were we can be at peace for one night. We do not want to make Starclan angry with us." He meows. That's why no one is fighting. This is peaceful ground. He turns to what I believe is the other leaders. "Also, one of my apprentice's has told me that she saw Moonstar and Forestpelt mentioning Flameclan in their conversation yesterday while she was getting moss." Dropstar growls. Murmurs rise from the crowd. Uh oh.

Moonstar steps up. "What Dropstar is saying is not true. Me and my clan have not spoken a word about Flameclan and we have no reason to do so. Your apprentice either is a mouse-brain, needs her ears cleaned out or both." She says sternly. A slow growl rises from my chest. A few cats around look at me. I stay focused on the leaders.

"Now now now, let's not get hasty here. We don't want to make Starclan angry with us." A blaze colored leader meows. "Blazestar is right." Dropstar says. Moonstar glares at them. That explains the pelt.

"Rainystar, do you have anything you would like to say?" Blazestar asks. Rainystar steps up. She is a very light grey she cat. "A new healthy litter of kits was born yesterday. Even though it is leaf fall, our clan is still healthy and strong." She says confidently.

"Who cares, Rainystar." Sandypaw whispers to me.

The rest of the gathering was pretty boring. Basically everyone accusing each other of stealing from other territories and telling stories of peace and old times.
I zoned out before they even started talking. I found myself thinking about Frozenkit again.

***

After the gathering, Dropstar gathers the clan up and we are off back to camp. Once there, I head straight for the Elders den. I peek my head in. "Everything ok in here?" I meow. Scarface lifts her head. "Oh, everything is just fine, Sapphirepaw Thank you." She purrs.

I head over to the fresh kill pile and pick me out a magpie. I see that Mistpaw is sitting in my usual eating place. Ugh, her again. I sit a few tail lengths away and eat my magpie. She sees me, growls and trots off to join Lightningpaw on the other side of camp. Alone again.

After I ate, I decided to keep watch of the camp that night just to gather my thoughts together. It got very cold and crisp. I look up and Silverpelt shines brightly across the sky. Is this a sign from Starclan? Probably not, but I should take note of it, and all the other weird things that have happened.