Bluefur's Choice

The Gathering

The night of the Gathering was clear. Leaf-fall had arrived in earnest now, turning the trees into a patchwork of brown, red, and orange.

Bluefur stood near the head of the patrol, Whitestorm at her shoulder. Mistypaw, Mosspaw, and Stonepaw were a short distance away, their tails flicking impatiently. This would be their first Gathering, and Bluefur could hear their excited mews, although she couldn't make out the words.

"I bet they'll make some friends tonight," Whitestorm meowed. "There are quite a few apprentices in the other Clans right now."

"Hopefully they don't reveal too many ThunderClan secrets," Bluefur mewed teasingly.

Stonepaw's head swiveled in Bluefur's direction. "Hey! We heard that!"

Stifling a purr, Bluefur was about to respond when Sunstar gave the signal to enter Fourtrees. The ThunderClan cats bounded down into the clearing, and in the chaos Bluefur found herself in the center of the crowd, next to her kits.

"Who should we talk to?" Mistypaw raised herself to her full height, trying to look over the heads of the gathered cats.

The three apprentices huddled together, watching the fierce cats loping around them. Mosspaw was staring at an intimidating ShadowClan tom. "As long as it's not him I think we'll be okay."

"There's a group of apprentices over there," Bluefur suggested, pointing toward a cluster of WindClan cats. "Why don't you go talk to them?"

But her kits hadn't taken three pawsteps before a cat approached her from behind. "Hello, Bluefur." She slowly turned toward the achingly familiar mew.

Bluefur had trouble finding her voice for a heartbeat. "Oakheart," she meowed, dipping her head.

"I see you are doing well."

"I am. Leaf-fall has been kind to ThunderClan this year."

Oakheart nodded. "Prey is also running well in RiverClan."

Mosspaw, Mistypaw, and Stonepaw watched the exchange curiously. It was obvious that they were expecting an introduction. "Mosspaw, Mistypaw, Stonepaw, this is Oakheart." Taking a deep breath, she turned to her former mate. "Oakheart these are my kits"- Our kits, she thought, nearly overwhelmed with despair- "Mistypaw, Stonepaw, and Mosspaw." She pointed them out by name with her tail, and she could almost see the thoughts flickering behind Oakheart's green eyes as he rested his gaze on each of them.

Mosspaw broke the silence. "Hi."

"Hello there, Mosspaw," Oakheart choked. "Mistypaw, Stonepaw." He watched them, seeming to be at a loss for words for once. The three of them watched Oakheart, their inquisitive eyes never leaving him. "I'm glad to finally meet you."

"Us?" asked Mosspaw.

"Of course," Oakheart told her. "I was at the Gathering when your birth was announced, and knowing Bluefur was your mother I wanted to see how you were turning out."

"So you're of RiverClan," Stonepaw began conversationally. "How do you know our mother anyway?" Bluefur knew it was an innocent question, but she had to consciously prevent herself from bristling.

But Oakheart's answer was smooth. "We met at a Gathering a few leaf-bares ago. I've been a burr in her side ever since." Oakheart shot Bluefur a teasing glance, and she looked away.

Mistypaw tilted her head. "Do you only hunt fish?"

"Mostly, but there's nothing stopping us from catching forest prey now and again."