Featherstars curse

Chapter six

"Seeing as you are doing well in your training," Sandpatch mews as we walk through the forest. "I have decided you will go to the gathering tommorrow night. It is a very exciting thing but you must know to be on your best behaviour." He says. The gathering! That's so cool! A proud feeling spreads through me. And Sandpatch was impressed with my training! "Anyway let's get back to hunting. I saw you practicing your crouch, I did see somethings that need to be worked on however." He mews.

I run panting through the woven, bramble wall, bounding into camp. "Foxpaw foxpaw! Are you going to the gathering?" I skid to a halt, foxpaw walks out of the apprentices den, she stretches and walks towards me. "Of course I am, I wouldn't let fuzzypelt not take me!" She says hazily. I chuckle to myself and walk inside the den. Windpaw is there, carefully stretching out fresh moss onto his nest. My heart sinks"Argh.. I forgot that it was time we had to change bedding." I slump and turn to trudge out the den, how could I have forgot? Now you won't get any rest before the gathering I growl to myself "You know you can borrow some of mine? You need your rest before the gathering." Windpaw mews. I turn around. He stands there staring at me with an intent look. "Are you sure?" I mew padding towards him. "well it's either that or I would have to venture back into the forest to help you." He grins. " come, you can have this." He says, as he pushes a clump in my direction. We stand there laying moss for a while, then he walks over to me. " need some help?" He mews. "Uh um, I should be fine.." I mutter straightening out my nest. He takes a step back and I carry on. For a while I even forgot he was there. Then, his storm grey paw stretches out and starts laying down more bedding. Our paws touch for a second, sending a tingling sensation up my arm and through my body. " I'll just take this pile out side." He says, indicating at my discarded bedding, taking back his paw. My heart thumps in my chest. " sure..." I respond trying to hide the shake in my voice. I stand there for a while confused.. I have never ever felt like that before! I shake my head and try to forget about what just happened. Once my heart beat has gone back to normal, windpaw walks back into the den. " it looks the same as I left you?" He says "looks like you do need my help after all" he says cheekily, i look down at my paws to hide the embarrassment that floods my fur.

"He's such a flirt!" Foxpaw mews crashing into me "argh! For once walk in a straight line!" I new gruffly. "Someone's embarassed!" She giggles. "I'm not embarassed I just want to get to the gathering before new leaf!" I mew under my breath. We carry in the taunts until thunderclan reaches the top of the hill overlooking the gathering. Then, before you can say mouse, everyone is bounding down the slope.

"Okay just remember to behave yourself, and be polite. Not another word about any thing to the other clans, especially Riverclan." Sandpatch mews to me and walks in the direction of a group of warriors. The clearing is filled with chatter. Cats from all the clans mingle together in a truce. I scout the clearing for a russet red pelt, but I can't see above all of the commotion that fills the clearing. I wander around for a bit squeezing past warriors that refuse to move. As a squeeze past a tabby warrior, I tumble face first into a black wall. I exclaim and regain my paws. "Oh hi there, first gathering?" A cheerful voice sounds. I look up to see the black wall I crashed into, was however a sleek black she cat. "Uh... Um yea.." I mew in a confused voice. "Oh I'm flower paw.. From shadow clan, this is only my second gathering!" She exclaims cheerfully. "Oh I'm featherpaw," I mew as I sit back onto my hindquarters. "Cats of the clans, hush your voices and let the gathering begin!" A voice sounds from atop the leaders tree, the thickset brown Tom perches on a thick branch. Firestar sits almost half way up the oak, his fiery pelt stands out amongst the other leaders. "Well I guess that I will start with news from my clan." He exclaims scanning the cats. Everyone is silent and his voice echoes around the clearing. "Green leaf means prey is plentiful, and shadowclan is as healthy and as strong as ever. We have new apprentices in training." He takes a pause and tallstar stands up as to begin his report. "Be warned shadowclan as Strong as ever and with stop at nothing to defend our territory!" Hawkstar finishes his fur on end. Do you think there was an invasion? He seems pretty mad I think to my self. "I heard that Riverclan has been causing trouble with the border. My mentor won't say anything about it though... hawkstar seems to be taking it into his own paws," flowerpaw whispers to me. "Shut up will you!" The brown tabby exclaims. "Sorry.." I mumble, looking down at my paws. Hawkstar sits back in his hind quarters and tallstar begins..

Leopardstar, last of the leaders steps forward. "Riverclan is doing perfectly fine, prey is plentiful and warriors are strong." Some thunderclan warriors send whispers through the clearing. "Be warned, we are ready to put up a fight!" she exclaims with a triumphant mew. This sends ripples of anger throughout thunderclan...