Ravenblaze's Determination [Warrior Cats Fanfiction]

Chapter 3

"Darkstar, I'm sorry!" Thistleblaze atoned. The sun had completely disappeared, and only a few streaks of orange scattered the side of the sky where the sun had set. The moon was beginning to show itself now, and as Silverpelt joined it, the warriors of StarClan appeared in the growing night sky.

"I know that, Thistleblaze, but punishments still apply. You are a mentor now, and it's your duty to keep Cloudpaw out of trouble," Darkstar told a guilty Thistleblaze. The black tom leader clearly wasn't happy, and his expression said everything it needed to about Darkstar's thoughts.

Thistleblaze stared at his shuffling front paws. He didn't say a word; it was obvious to any cat that he didn't have a way out of a punishment. He looked up to face Darkstar with his currently clouded orange gaze, clearly awaiting his punishment.

Ravenblaze watched everything unfold from the side of camp opposite the leader's den, where Darkstar lectured Thistleblaze. Ravenblaze couldn't help but feel bad for Thistleblaze the tiniest bit, even though it was all his fault Cloudpaw crossed the border...

Or was it? Had Thistleblaze tried to stop Cloudpaw from going to get the marigold, and Cloudpaw just deliberately disobeyed? It was definitely possible, as Cloudpaw always went the extra tree-length to help SnowClan.

Ravenblaze shook her head as Darkstar finally spoke again; it seemed as though he was in deep thought, deciding Thistleblaze's punishment, and Cloudpaw's as well.

"You and Cloudpaw will not be allowed to go to tomorrow night's Gathering," Darkstar told Thistleblaze in a strong, firm voice. "Instead, you will both check the queens and elders for ticks, and if you finish before the cats going return, you will check the cats staying here for ticks."

Thistleblaze's eyes widened with disappointment. He opened his mouth to object, but the sudden glare in Darkstar's eyes made him flinch and shut his muzzle. The rash warrior turned and trudged, black tail tip dragging on the ground, towards the apprentices' den to deliver the news to Cloudpaw.

It was then that Darkstar padded out of his den and climbed the earth on the side of it and onto the Frostledge, the ledge of rock hanging over camp used to address clan meetings. Cats were already starting to gather under the now night sky, including the deputy Leafclaw, who leaped up and sat on the lower-placed boulder next to the Frostledge.

"All cats old enough to walk in a snowstorm gather beneath the Frostledge for a clan meeting!" Darkstar's voice rang throughout the camp-sized dip in the ground where SnowClan cats lived.

The cats who weren't gathered already sat beneath the ledge. Ravenblaze took her seat, and as the others did too, she looked into the nursery, placed to the right of the leader's den. Spiderkit and Darkkit clearly wanted to join the meeting, but Athena kept her tail wrapped around them as Streamwater padded out, her eyes tired, having just woke up.

"Tomorrow night, as you all know, is the Gathering between the three clans," Darkstar informed. A few of the younger cats looked up to the sky to see the almost-full moon, which would indeed be completely full the next night.

Darkstar continued, "I have decided that the cats accompanying Leafclaw and I there will be Eelface, Blazetree, Nightflare, Barktail, Nightgaze, Willowstrike, Peachpaw, Ravenblaze and Stonepaw. Brokenflower will join us as well. The rest of you staying here tomorrow night may hunt alone or with another cat, or just relax. Cloudpaw and Thistleblaze will check the elders and queens for ticks, and one of them can check you, also, if you'd like." As he finished addressing those statements, Darkstar looked disapprovingly at the pale-gray striped she-cat and her mentor. Cloudpaw's expression was unable to be read, and Thistleblaze's head hung in embarrassment.

"Well, I believe that's everything there is to be covered," Darkstar concluded, "so clan dismissed." He flicked his black tail and jumped down from the Frostledge. Leafclaw followed suit and did as well, as cats resumed what they had been doing before the meeting.

Ravenblaze decided that it was time she rested. She'd had a long day, and she'd need plenty of sleep before the gathering the next night.

She walked over to and inside the warriors' den, where she curled up in her nest against the hard dirt wall and slept, excited for the next night.

***

The cats selected for the Gathering stood in a tight cluster, waiting for Darkstar to lead them out of camp. He finally appeared out of his den and flicked his tail. Leafclaw, who was at the outside of the ring of cats, waited for every cat to follow Darkstar out of camp in a single straight line so he could bring up the rear.

As the cats filed out of camp through the dense thicket walls, Ravenblaze saw Thistleblaze and Cloudpaw already in the elders' den. Thistleblaze seemed to be checking Fennelfoot for ticks, while Cloudpaw checked Stagpad. Ravenblaze couldn't help but notice that Stagpad looked more tired than he had the day before. Was something wrong with him? Or was he just extra tired? She couldn't help but see a slightly worried look on Quaileyes's face as she sat by her mate, tail wrapped around him.

Ravenblaze shook it off as she stalked through the thickets. They were extremely tight, woven smartly season after season by the cats who once lived in SnowClan generations before.

Ravenblaze emerged out the other side, Stonepaw soon behind her. He smiled with delight. This would be his second gathering, and he definitely seemed excited to go to the Tall Spruce and meet with other clans.

Soon, all of the selected cats were traveling across the moorland and towards the Gathering area. The full moon illuminated the swishing, wind-blown grass below, and stars dotted the night sky around it.

Ravenblaze travelled besides her father, Nightgaze. The two were very close and always were.

"Excited?" Ravenblaze asked her father, who replied with a shrug, "I guess. I've been to plenty Gatherings, and they could be a bit more interesting sometimes." Ravenblaze saw his point. There wasn't really anything important going on with AmberClan and ReedClan for the past few moons-nothing they wanted to share, anyway.

Soon enough, the SnowClan cats reached the tall spruce tree in the hollow in the ground that marked the Gathering place. It was far too tall for any cat to climb to reach one of it's branches-a sturdy one, anyway-so the leaders just sat on tall boulders, one for each clan.

As SnowClan walked into the hollow and around the spruce tree, waiting for the other clans to arrive, the scents of the other clans filled Ravenblaze's nostrils. Yuck! Thought Ravenblaze as the unusual smells of AmberClan and ReedClan overtook the scent of SnowClan she was used to. She shook it off and took a seat as ReedClan arrived, shortly followed by AmberClan. The hollow quickly became crowded.

It won't be much longer until the Gathering starts, Ravenblaze told herself. I wish Poppytail or Mosswing were here. She thought of her best friend and sister, back at camp. At least I have Stonepaw, Ravenblaze smiled as she thought when her apprentice padded over and sat by his mentor.

Ravenblaze cleared her mind as Jackalstar, leader of AmberClan, and Goldenstar, leader of ReedClan, both leapt to the top their own boulders as Darkstar had done when SnowClan had first arrived.

Let the Gathering begin, Ravenblaze said inside her head as Darkstar opened his mouth to speak.