Scars

Chapter 4

"It is time to leave for the Gathering!" Snakestripe leaped off the Fallen Tree toward the camp entrance. Sedgepaw felt less excited than before. With all the drama about Seedstar and Fernfrond she had no time to think. She wished as much as any cat that Seedstar was going. At least Seedstar agreed not to let Snakestripe say that Shortwhisker is filling in as Sedgepaw's mentor. She heaved a sigh and trod to the entrance. Snakestripe turned to leave. Every cat followed as if he was a well-respected leader. He is anything but that. Sedgepaw trailed behind for some of the way. Shortwhisker let Sedgepaw ride on her back.

When they reached the River of Spirits, Shortwhisker mewed, "We cross here to get to Fourstones. The stones sticking out in the middle is where the four leaders of the Clans sit. We cross over this log that stretches across. There is one for each Clan. Except for LeafClan and TreeClan of course!" Sedgepaw purred. She drew in the scents of the other Clans. Sedgepaw saw that a swirl of stone surrounded the Fourstones. There were so many cats! At least ten from each she guessed.

She began to hear murmurs from the other Clans. Some were about Seedstar and some about . . . her. Sedgepaw saw this one apprentice. Her white and grey tabby fur shone silver. Her blue eyes were clear. Sedgepaw went to sit next to her. Before she sat down to start a conversation, Snakestripe yowled, "Let the Clans gather under the Fourstones!"

A black and white-pawed she-cat stood on her stone and asked, "Snakestripe, where is Seedstar? Is she alright? Because I don't see her among your cats."

Snakestripe glared at her. "I will speak first. Seedstar is not here with us tonight because she is expecting Pebblesplash's kits."

The Clans began to cheer Seedstar's name. Snakestripe continued when all was quiet, "We also have five new apprentices." His mew turned into a disappointed growl, "Only one of them is here tonight. She is Sedgepaw." Of course he isn't going to mention that I am his daughter. The Clans cheered her name, "Sedgepaw! Sedgepaw!" Sedgepaw flicked her right ear. The apprentice next to her seemed to have cheered the loudest. Or it was because Sedgepaw was so close to her. "The others are Heatherpaw, Longpaw, Firepaw, and Rabbitpaw." Her littermates' names were cheered. When the noise settled down, a messy brown tom stepped up, "I, Scorpionstar of BranchClan, announce that Redstar had passed away from old age. I am now leader of BranchClan." The she-cat dipped her head to the new leader. "Scorpionstar! Scorpionstar!"

"My deputy is Wolfstripe." A brown tabby tom dipped his head.

"Moonpaw."

"What?"

"My name, it is Moonpaw."

"Oh, I am Sedgepaw."

"A kit as an apprentice?"

"I am not a kit! I am just small!"

"Geez, sorry."

"Sorry for snapping. It is just that my littermates bully me to much."

"Oh, well-"

"Stop your chatter! The leaders are waiting for you!" Sedgepaw looked up to see a large blue tom. She looked back up at the leaders. The black she-cat cleared her throat.

"I will speak next. LeafClan has a new apprentice, Moonpaw. Also, one of our queens, Leopardjaw, has had her kit, Swirlkit."

The Clans cheered. The Gathering was coming to an end. The cats began to share tongues with cats from other Clans. Sedgepaw was speaking with Moonpaw.

"Yeah, that was my mentor, Bluestorm. He is always so picky and he wants me to everything exactly perfect. What is your mentor like?"

"My mentor is Seedstar."