Dawning Snow: Book 1 by _Cloversplash_

Chapter 7

Creekfall took a step forward, claws unsheathing.

I felt my throat go hot with fear. Is Creekfall going to challenge Mapletail?

Mapletail glared at Creekfall as he meowed slowly, "We all caught the fish. Flow- erheart just fell into the pond."

The deputy glowered at him. "And for that," she announced, her gaze raking over the rest of the cats, "Creekfall doesn't need to eat fish today." She padded towards the fish he had set at my paws and dragged it towards her. "You don't need this huge fish. You can eat a minnow like the rest of the apprentices," she snapped, snatching up the chub in her jaws and bounding towards Eclipsestar.

I stared after her, anger bubbling up inside of me.

"Are you going to let her treat you that way?"

I jumped and looked around. Who was that? I didn't recognize that voice.

"Well? Are you?" the voice hissed. "Or are you the weak little kitten everyone thinks you are?" I growled.

I'm not a weak kitten! I retorted. I strode to Mapletail just as she was about to sink her teeth into the chub, and shot out a paw, heaving the large fish back to me.

Mapletail snarled angrily, her startled ears flattening. "Give that back, apprentice!" she growled, rising to her paws and taking a threatening pace forward.

I hesitated. Her fur had fluffed up to twice its size, and for a moment I was tempted to run away. "Only cowards run from a fight."

I'm no coward! I growled at Mapletail, fluffing up my own pelt. I was already full grown, and I was nose to nose with my deputy. She wouldn't dare fight a medicine cat.

"I am a medicine cat, the same age as a full grown warrior. I need just as much food as you, if not more! And did you catch this? No. Creekfall did. So Creekfall gets to eat it." I was surprised at how naturally the words came. This is way overdue! I thought. I should have hissed at Mapletail when she insulted me before!

The she-cat lifted a paw, ready to strike me, and I dug my claws into the earth. I'm not going to fall on the ground like I did when I was smaller! Not this time! I told myself.

But then Mapletail lowered her paws, a thoughtful look falling across her face. All signs of her aggression had vanished.

She just sat down and began to groom herself. "Very well. Eat the fish."

I stared at her for a moment, puzzled, before I turned and padded back to Creekfall, the shocked gazes of my Clanmates hot on my pelt.

I sat next to my friend and bent down to take a bite. After a few moments, the cats broke off into their cliques and I finally looked up into Creekfall's stunned eyes.

"Wow, Cloverpaw," he murmured, "Uh, thanks." He paused for a brief moment. "No one has ever stood up for me before. Let alone an apprentice!" His pelt began to bristle with excitement. "That was awesome! You stood up to Mapletail! No cat does that! You should have seen her face. She was so furious!" he purred.

As he talked about how 'amazing' I had been, I felt a shiver of triumph run down my spine. I bet Flowerheart would never have done that!

"Let all cats old enough to swim gather to hear my words!" Eclipsestar's voice rang around the camp as he slid atop the willow stump in the center of the camp. Cloverpaw and Creekfall glanced up at their leader.

"I have decided who will be travelling to the Gathering tonight."

An excited murmur rippled through the crowd.

"Myself, Mapletail, Mossleap and Cloverpaw, Flowerheart, Mirewind, Oakfall, Runningpool, Fernbounce, Creekfall, Aspencall, Lightstep, Cindertail, Graystorm, Hawkpaw, Leopardpaw, and Streampaw will all be attending the gathering. Remember. You are representing RiverClan. Behave yourselves." He leapt off of the stump and padded to his den.

Cloverpaw and Creekfall exchanged a bemused glance. "We get to go to the gathering?"