Faith's Journey - Book One (Warriors Fanfiction)

Chapter 12

Faithpaw padded alongside Acornpaw as they crossed the clearing toward the boundary, where Thistlestar and the rest of the cats who were going to the gathering were waiting by the entrance.

"Alright FernClan, let's head out. The other clans will be waiting for us." Thistlestar called, from the head of the crowd. The clan leader led the way to Four Birches.

Faithpaw climbed over the rise above the hollow and gazed down. Her breath caught in her throat. Cats of different clans were intermingled in the hollow below. It looked as if two clans were here along with FernClan. From their scents, FoxClan and CreekClan were already here. Two cats were sitting on the Great Boulder, the light of the full moon shining down on them and giving the hollow a white sheen. 

Thistlestar flicked his tail and lead his patrol down into the gathering. Once in the hollow, the cats began to scatter and pad over to different groups. The three apprentices stood at the edge of the crowd, Faithpaw was unsure of what to do.

"This is so exciting!" Acornpaw squealed, bouncing on her paws.

"Are we sticking together or splitting up?" Ashpaw asked, looking over at his two companions.

"I'm going to find some other apprentices." Acornpaw said. "I'll meet up with you two later."

"Okay." Faithpaw and Ashpaw replied. Acornpaw waved and bounded off into the crowd.

"So who are the leaders of the other clans?" Faithpaw asked Ashpaw, in an effort to start a conversion. 

"Oh, well, that light gray she-cat up there with darker gray patches and blue eyes that remind you of their river border is Lakestar, the leader of CreekClan. And the scary, for lack of better word, black tom with amber eyes is Darkstar, FoxClan's leader." Ashpaw explained.

Faithpaw nodded along, gazing up at the leaders.

"Oh, DuskClan just got here!" Ashpaw reported, pointing at a patrol of cats who were padding down the rise into the moon-lit hollow. "The white tom with tan stripes in front, is Eaglestar, DuskClan's leader." Ashpaw explained.

Faithpaw watched as Eaglestar's cats began to disperse among the three other clans, while Eaglestar himself continued on to the Great Boulder. He scrambled up its gray surface and sat beside the other leaders, nodding to each in turn.

"I think they're about to start." Ashpaw said, his ears pricking up in excitement. "Come on, let's find good spots!" With that, he raced off, with Faithpaw running after him. 

Faithpaw's fur tingled when she sat down beside a red tom that held a scent deep in its fur that Faithpaw couldn't put a name too. Ashpaw sat beside her, his pelt was brushing hers, as he scooted away from a fishy smelling CreekClan cat. They had found a pretty good spot where they had a good view of the four leaders. Faithpaw couldn't help but stare up at the Great Boulder. What is like up there? It seems like you could see the whole forest from there.... 

Thistlestar meowed something to Lakestar and stepped forward to the edge of the rock, his head held high and his fur shone in the pale moonlight. "Cats of the clans, welcome. I thank StarClan for sending us a nice night for this moon's gathering." He started. "I would like to start off with saying that FernClan is doing well. The forest is bursting with prey this newleaf and our apprentices are training well in this warm weather. On the topic of apprentices, I would like to announce that FernClan has one new apprentice, Faithpaw. We invited her into our clan a few nights ago and her training is going well."

"Invited her in? What does that mean?" A cat sitting at the base of the boulder meowed up to Thistlestar.

The FernClan leader glanced down, his tail swishing back and forth at the sharp remark."Our new apprentice, Faithpaw was once a kittypet but I decided to give her a chance to become a warrior. She seemed at home when my patrol found her in the woods." Thistlestar explained.

Faithpaw couldn't help but sit a little straighter, her heart beat beginning to grow louder in her ears. 

"A kittypet!" Darkstar had risen to his paws, his voice a growl. "Have you gone mad, Thistlestar?"

"I can assure you, no." Thistlestar replied, calmly.

"So FernClan is inviting in outsiders now! Isn't your clan full of enough worthless scraps of fur already?" The black tom spat, his amber eyes burning.

"Hold your tongue, Darkstar!" Eaglestar ordered. 

"Don't try to say anything, Eaglestar. We all your clan is practically a bunch of kittypets yourselves!" Darkstar hissed at the tan stripped tom.

Eaglestar opened his jaws to retort, but he sat down after a moment. 

Darkstar rounded on Thistlestar again. "FernClan is nothing but a group full of worthless cats that don't deserve to call themselves a clan!" 

Thistlestar met his rival leader's eyes with a surprisingly calm look on his face. Darkstar returned the glance, his eyes darkening to a roaring fire. Something seemed to pass between their gazes and Darkstar let out a low growl, his claws shining in the pale moonlight as they slid out as if it were a reflex.

Faithpaw stiffened. Surely Darkstar wouldn't fight another clan leader at a gathering where there was truce! Just then, dark shadows fell upon the clearing. Faithpaw glanced up. A few small clouds had floated over the moon above them.

"StarClan is angry!" A long-haired white she-cat with brown eyes yowled.

"They covered the moon!" A calico she-cat wailed.

Tearing his gaze from Thistlestar's, Darkstar's amber gaze swept the clearing, coming to an abrupt stop as it rested on Faithpaw. A few shafts of moonlight had broken out from the gathering of clouds overhead. The few patches of pale light illuminated Faithpaw's dark pelt and her green eyes shone with the light silhouettes of the moon as she gazed up at the leaders seated on the Great Boulder. The FoxClan leader bared his teeth and for a moment Faithpaw swore she could see fear flash in his eyes. What could he be so afraid of? With a dismissive shake of his broad head, Darkstar let out a disbelieving huff and reluctantly slid his claws back in. As he did so, the clouds began to retreat and the distressed yowling died away to a quiet murmur.

"Let us continue this gathering in peace." Lakestar said, shooting a hard look in Darkstar's direction, to which he hissed out of the corner of his mouth, his shoulder fur bristling.

"Let us." Thistlestar agreed, letting his gaze once again settle on his fellow leader, before motioning toward Lakestar continue the gathering.