Rosethorn's Destiny

9

As day faded to twilight, and as the swarm of sleek, well-groomed cats gathered outside the clan entrance, the heat boring down on them. "Come on!" Cried Blizzardpaw, his sleek icy fur shining silver and golden in the dappled light. His brother, Falconpaw, kneaded his claws into the soft, lush grass beside the young white tomcat. Rosethorn purred, her eyes glinting. After just a heartbeat, Timberstar leapt into the clearing from the elders den, and swerved through the crowd towards the front. He raced out of the camp, the other cats hard on his paws. Rosethorn was panting by the time she caught up to her sons, who were practically leaping over even the smallest leaf in urgency to get there faster. "Slow down! Your going to kill yourselves." She panted, gasping for breath just as they reached the shore, the island looking dark and shadowy like ShadowClan. They hesitated for a moment more, then raced into the water, only one tail-length deep. They raced around to the fallen tree and leapt into the island, ears twitching and noses alert for the other clans. There was WindClan, Rosethorn thought, and ThunderClan. Her nose twitched and the bushes rattled on the other side of the hollow and the dark cats of ShadowClan padded through, eyes glinting in the fading light. "They smell weird, like dark and pine." Mewed Falconpaw, whom Rosethorn quieted with a quick flick to her paw to his ear. "That's ShadowClan." As RiverClan, shaking water out of their pelts, padded down the slope, Rosethorn caught sight of Badgerclaw, and she bristled and growled under her breath, her eyes blazing grey fire. She shouldered through the rest of the cats to, once again, catch up to Falconpaw and Bizzardpaw. She flicked her tail in the direction of a group of cats. "That's ThunderClan. They live across the lake from us." Next she pointed her tail to WindClan, "They live past horseplace." Shen she changed her gaze to ShadowClan, "And that's ShadowClan, who's territory are on the other side of the greenleaf twoleg place." Falconpaw was about to pad off to meet other cats with Blizzardpaw, but she stopped them, "You can do that after, the leaders are beginning to speak." Just after she finished speaking, the leaders began to. First was Berrystar of WindClan. "Prey is running well, and we have a new warrior and new kits. Applestripe, and Willowkit, Silverkit, and Thrushkit." She stepped back as the clans chanted the names of the new warrior, and kits. Next was a new cat from ThunderClan. "I am sad to announce that Mousestar lost his last life fighting a fox away from the nursery," She paused as the clans mournfully chanted the name of the past leader. "I am Eaglestar, and my new deputy is Badgerclaw." Rosethorn stiffened, eyes blank, tail bushed out. Se shuddered, then went back to her normal self. "We only have to announce that our prey is running well, and Ashfeather has moved to the elders den." Rosethorn turned to see a pretty grey and white she-cat sitting with the other ThunderClan elders. Next Timberstar came up. "We have plenty of prey, but as always, there are two legs on the border we share with ShadowClan. And, we have two new apprentices. Blizzardpaw and Falconpaw, sons of Rosethorn." Now it was her turn to smirk as Badgerclaw stiffened and looked around, ears perked, neck craning. Her two sons heads poked up when the clans called their names. Last of the leaders was Snowstar of ShadowClan. "We have good news and bad news. Prey is great, and we have a new litter in the nursery. Please welcome Aspenkit and Pinekit. Our bad news is that Waspfang, the past deputy, has moved onto StarClan territory, and my new deputy, who will serve me well, is Oakleaf." The clan leaders then jumped off the rock and Timberstar padded over to his clan, flanked by Owlfur. "The clans won't be sharing tongues tonight, it's about to rain." All the cats looked up as heavy raindrops fell onto their heads. The clans then departed, going back to their camps to sleep and ponder over the gathering.