Warriors - Northstar's Reckoning - Book 1

Chapter 03 | The First Gathering I

"When did I stop being me?"
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He woke the next morning sweating profusely and out of breath. When he had escaped from his dream it was as if a giant weight was lifted off of his shoulders, the burden of knowing too much was unpleasant. Northpaw chose to forget the daunting words spoken to him by this mysterious feline, who he had seen twice but still couldn't put a name to his face. "The stars will be your downfall." What could that have possibly meant? It utterly terrified him, thinking of all the possibilities. The youngest apprentice looked around the den and everyone else was still asleep except for Basilpaw. The moody black tom - from the smell of it - never came back from his little temper tantrum from the night before. Northpaw chuckled at the thought of him sleeping out in the forest somewhere as he padded out of the den to start his punishment.

"Ahh, Northpaw! It's nice to see you again little one. You don't have to trouble yourself with me, Deerpaw already replaced the moss in my nest!" Oceanwaves was a blue-grey tom with cobalt eyes rivalling that of the actual ocean. He was the only older cat of the clan, besides Koifish, Ebonyflame and Midnightmist, who actually talked to him with respect and kindness.

"Ahh, Rosebriar ordered me to remove your ticks," the apprentice said sheepishly.

The elder nodded in recognition. "I see, since you're the youngest apprentice you're getting stuck doing all the chores huh?"

"Haha, something like that..."

"Well alright then!" Oceanwaves grinned and waved Northpaw over. "I wouldn't want to get in the way of your duties. Get to work and while you're at it, I'll tell you a story."

As he begrudgingly picked out his ticks the young apprentice was plunged into the tail of a brave NautilusClan leader. Nautilus started out as a lowly rogue, growing up in the city streets, with no two-legs to protect or feed him he knew the harshness of living out in the wild. Scavenging crowfood just to stay alive and trading herbs he found in the forest for fish. His parents had died when he was very young and he was raised by a loner named Taurus, but that's a story for another time. He was the only city cat that dared go into the forest where there were rumoured to be three dangerous clans that shredded anyone who crossed their borders. Nautilus was brave. In the forest, he met a beautiful white she-cat with a kind heart who he quickly became mates with, named Icedove. Except she was a clan cat. When her clan, AragonClan, found out about this treasonous act she was immediately killed. Through his grief, Nautilus took everycat from the poor twolegplace and gave them a home in the prey-laden forest, as a way to get back at the cats who killed his one and true love. But before she died she had children, who grew up to be two leaders themselves after Nautilusstar died. Icestar and Seastar.

"Why did Icedove have to die? It wasn't her fault she fell in love!"

"...You often meet your fate on the road you take to avoid it."

Those words chilled Northpaw to his very core.
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Once he was done caring for Oceanwaves they sat, simply sharing stories with each other. The kind old elder was like the grandfather he had never known and he didn't know what he would do without him. By the time the blue-grey tom settled down for a nap, it was dusk, and time Agamastar chose the cats that would be going to the gathering. "Ebonyflame, Basilpaw, Goldenivy, Ibislily, Jadelight, Juniperpaw, Almondflicker, Nightowl, Northpaw, Locustpond and Gazellepaw!"

He wasn't expecting to hear his name among the cluster of other cats that were going along with the leader, apparently he didn't listen to Rosebriar when she asked him to be left. And judging by her furious expression she did not agree with him. Northpaw leapt into the air with a cheerful squeal and then licked down his chest fur in embarrassment as some of the apprentice's snickered. He froze as he saw Basilpaw sitting in the corner of the camp, still brooding in the shadows...looking right at him. It was unsettling but he hurriedly brushed it off. Probably just as moody as usual.