Warriors: Wishes For Four

Chapter 12

"Come on! We don't have all night!" FoxLilly groaned. "S-sorry!" SharkPaw mewed, almost tripping over her own paws as she sped up. She caught up with HazelPaw, gazing around at the beautiful forest.
"What are gatherings like?" SharkPaw whispered to her sister as they walked. "Well, all clans are one, only for the time of the gathering. No cat can fight. The leaders share the recent news of their clans, and you can meet new cats to make friends with!" SharkPaw thought nervously about what might happen. She didn't want to talk to cats from other clans!
After a walk that seemed like forever, they arrived at fourtrees and sat down in the clearing, right in front of the oaks. SharkPaw was surprised by how big they were. She watched as SpottedStar leaped onto the great rock with two other leaders. "Aren't there supposed to be four up there?" she whispered. "I guess WindClan's late." HazelPaw replied.
Soon after, more cats gathered in the clearing. A small, cream tom with one brown paw nervously padded up to the great rock and leaped onto it. "That's WindClans leader?" She guessed. "That's their deputy." HazelPaw corrected. "I don't know where WhiteStar is...wait...he actually might be leader now-"
"Silence, cats of the clans. We are about to begin." A red-ish brown tom meowed, seated on the great rock. "That's RayStar. He's leader of ThunderClan." HazelPaw whispered. StripeFur shushed her, and SharkPaw looked at the leaders as they spoke.
"TwigFoot?" SpottedStar meowed, confused. "I know a sickness has been going around WindClan, but...WhiteStar, is she really gone?" TwigFoot shook his head. "She was just not quite well enough to make the journey. You know how she can be." The other leaders nodded and exchanged glances. "You should go first, then. Get the questions out of the way." SpottedStar suggested. TwigFoot nodded quickly, then stepped forward. "Leaf-bare has not been as hard on WindClan as usual." he announced. "Prey is not as scarce as most leaf-bares, which is good, especially during these hard times. WhiteStar, and many of our cats, are not well, and one of our elders, LeopardTail, has died yesterday from the spreading sickness. Luckily, GoldenCloud is a gifted medicine cat, and one of our oldest kits has discovered an interest in being her apprentice. We could use the help. We have also made a new warrior, BerrySong! The focus in the clearing was turned to a calico she-cat in the back. Embarrassed, BerrySong lowered her head, awkwardly smiling. TwigFoot dipped his head. "I believe that's all there is I have to say." RayStar stepped forward next. "Early leaf-bare hasn't been too hard on us this time, either." SharkPaw noticed how the leader seemed to angerly glare at SpottedStar as he spoke. SpottedStar glared at him back, and SharkPaw braced herself for what he was going to say to the ThunderClan leader. After RayStar spoke for a while, SpottedStar stepped forward. "Well," he began, "I think we can all agree that this leaf-bare isn't too hard. But it will get harder. And ShadowClan is starting to notice the prey decreasing. We have made a new warrior aswell, ThornStripe." The attention turned to the brown and white tabby sitting near SharkPaw and HazelPaw, and SharkPaw noticed a ThunderClan cat murmur something to their clanmate, looking suspicious. SpottedStar turned to look at RayStar. "But one thing. One of our youngest warriors was found dead near the Thunderpath. Both ThunderClan cat and dog scent was on his body." Cats began murmuring and yowling protest. RayStar looked furious. "You're accusing my clan of murdering your warrior?" he yowled in disbelief. SpottedStar was trying to look calm. "I never said that. I only stated what was true. I would like to know if ThunderClan did have anything to do with it." RayStar stood there, shocked. "A lost dog killed a cat from your clan, and you blame my warriors because a little of our scent floated off the Thunderpath?!"
"I am not blaming anyone-"
"No. I cannot believe how mouse-brained you have become, SpottedStar. Your warriors are the murderers! Don't you remember SleekThorn?"
SpottedStar continued to try to defend himself, his tail lashing. "There is no need to mention SleekThorn!"
"Please, RayStar! He was just st-stating ne-ews!" TwigFoot mumbled nervously. "Stay out of this, kit-sized crowfood!" RayStar snapped.
"This is enough! You are going to upset StarClan!" HeatherStar growled, the RiverClan leader's silver tail bushed. Cats all around SharkPaw we're going crazy, arguing and yowling at the leaders. The medicine cats nervously glanced up at the sky, as if clouds could cover everything overhead at any moment. SpeckledPaw walked over to them and sat down next to SharkPaw, looking scared. "SILENCE!" RayStar shouted, angered. "You cats are beasts. SpottedStar, I hope you're very happy with yourself, and what this gathering has become because of you. Upset, SpottedStar opened his mouth to argue, but RayStar leaped down from the great rock and ordered for his clan to return to their camp. After a bit of hesitance, all of ThunderClan was gone from Fourtrees. SpottedStar, TwigFoot and HeatherStar exchanged glances. SpottedStar opened his mouth to say something, but HeatherStar looked at him thoughtfully. As if she could read his mind, she mewed "I didn't have much to say." TwigFoot stepped forward to SpottedStar. "I'm on your side." he mewed. The ShadowClan leader smiled at him, then turned to the third cat on the rock. "HeatherStar?" he asked. She looked uncertain. "I'll think about it. RiverClan, let's go!" she mewed as she leaped down from the great rock. Before SharkPaw knew it, she was also back at camp, more tired than ever, and cuddled up in her nest. Please, StarClan, let that never happen again!