Warriors || Aspenrose's Goodbye

Chapter Fifteen

Clouds clumped in the dark purple sky. A cold breeze blew, letting the clouds reveal a full silver moon. Aspenrose padded out of her den and into the camp clearing. Thornear, the deputy, stood with warriors around him. Half a moon had passed since Aspenrose's medicine cat ceremony.
       Thornear gathered the cats closer with a wave of his tail. "The cats who will attend the Gathering tonight will be the medicine cats, me, and Doestar." The black tom cast his hazel gaze around the clearing.
       "The warriors and apprentices who will attend the Gathering are Mistypool, Goldenfall, Junipermoon, Hollyflower, and Whitepaw," Thornear announced. "Blackheart is in charge once more while we're gone."
       Doestar leaped from the Highledge, waving her tail in signal to leave. The cats who had been called trotted through the thorn tunnel after their leader.

Aspenrose looked up at the oak as Doestar found a sturdy place to sit. ShadowClan were last to arrive; Rainstar leaping into the oak to find a place as well. Aspenrose took her eyes off the leaders for a moment before the Gathering began.
She sat in a group with the other medicine cats. She studied the faces of her piers, noticing something was off. Where is Minnowpaw? The young white tom had been very shy, but missing a Gathering was something Aspenrose didn't expect him to do.
Aspenrose wanted to ask Firepool, Minnowpaw's mentor, but a yowl from the oak made her hesitate.
Doestar had stood first, tail twitching. "Prey is finding its way into our territory well this coming season, and Aspenrose was made a full medicine cat. Her brothers were made warriors as well: Junipermoon and Cedarroar." The brown and white leader sat down as chanting rose from the island.
"Aspenrose! Junipermoon! Cedarroar!"
As the chanting grew more faint, Rainstar stood. "Prey has been running well in ShadowClan." the gray and white tom announced. "Swiftpaw and Ashpaw were made apprentices. And Puddlecloud and Snowheart got their warrior names. Skyfall was made a full medicine cat as well."He sat down and nodded at Waterstar.
      The gray she-cat got to her paws shakily. Aspenrose noticed how frail she looked. What life is she on?
       Waterstar's yellow eyes were heavy with exhaustion. "Sorrelfeather had become ill with greencough which turned to blackcough. She hunts with StarClan," the old leader rasped. Aspenrose guessed they must have been friends; Waterstar spoke again as whispers of farewell died down. "Fish are plentiful in RiverClan."
Aspenrose watched as Harestar stood in his turn. "We also suffer a loss in WindClan," the tabby and white tom bowed his head before continuing. "Our medicine cat apprentice, Minnowpaw, was killed by a band of rogues."
Shock pulsed through Aspenrose; and she realized she wasn't the only cat to gasp in horror.
"Firepool gave him his full name before he joined StarClan. WindClan will always thank Minnowleaf for serving his Clan to the fullest."
       A moment of silence carried over the island before the leaders started to descend from the oak. Doestar waved her tail for ThunderClan to follow her. Before Aspenrose could take a step, she caught a glimpse of wonderful copper eyes in the corner of her vision. Her ear tips burned with helpless longing.