Warriors: Calling Wild

Chapter Fifteen

     "All cats old enough to yowl gather here beneath the high ledge for a clan meeting!" The gray tabby hollered from his position on top of the high ledge. Most of the clan was already gathered, but those who weren't quickly emerged from their dens and sat beneath the highrock. Splashfoot took over, as she always did on a full moon.

     "The cats who will attend the gathering tonight are: Pebblepaw, Mousepaw, Sootpaw, Snowpaw, Willowpaw, Flashpaw, Steampaw, Nightpaw, Darkear, Birchfeather, Rainclaw, Tigerlily, Zebrahstripe, Oatwhisker, Darkfur, Berryheart, Copperpelt, Nutwhisker, Pepperclaw and Snowpelt. We will leave at dusk."

     When dusk arrived, the cats who were attending the gathering were assembled at the entrance to the camp, eagerly awaiting their leader. Greeneyes was going to stay behind with the rest of the clan. When Clawstar took the lead, his deputy and Oatwhisker cats flanked him. Berryheart and Pepperclaw took the back to make certain that no cat got left behind. Sootpaw walked with Steampaw on his right and Pebblepaw to his left Snowpaw was in front of him and Willowpaw and Flashpaw were close behind. Nightpaw, Mousepaw and Birchfeather were walked flank to flank just behind Clawstar and Darkear, Rainclaw, Tigerlily, Zebrahstripe, Darkfur, Copperpelt and Nutwhisker were in a circle around Snowpelt who was chattering about the squirrel she caught this morning.

      They were the first ones to make it to the gathering rock, and each cat took their places among the gorge. The warriors were closest to the gathering rock, with elders near the exit, and apprentices huddled under a gigantic ledge in the cliff. A path carved by many generation of paws carved the sides of the gorge, making a way into the bottom. Sootpaw followed the other apprentices to their spot and settled down with his tail wrapped around his paws. He scented a rancid smell coming from where his territory started, and turned around to see more cats plunging into the gorge. His pelt pricked with the idea of somecat on his territory, but forced himself to flatten it. There was a truce.

     A tortoiseshell leaped atop the gathering rock and sat down next to Clawstar. Steampaw gasped.

     "Is Clovernose the new leader of DropClan? Did something happen to Ravenstar? Who's the new deputy?" She asked one of the newcomcing apprentices. Sootpaw listened in on their conversation.

     The tortoiseshell apprentice giggled. "It's Cloverstar now. Ravenstar lost a life to a dog and now my mother is the leader. The deputy is Fennelclaw." Snowpaw nodded solemnly. Another apprentice strolled over to the two she-cats and interrupted.

     "Newtpaw! Come on, Pebblepaw is taking about he swam out of the river after falling in!"

     Newtpaw turned to her littermate and hissed. "Not right now Licenpaw! I'm busy."

     Lichenpaw turned away and padded after another apprentice towards Pebblepaw. Sootpaw knew he would twist the story in his favor. He wasn't really upset, but it would be nice to get some credit. He followed the apprentices over to Pebblepaw who was ranting about his success.

     "—so, then I swam across to the other side and realized I was in NightClan territory. So I swam all the way back. I was against the current!"

     Sootpaw cut in. Pebblepaw had a look of horror on his face when he began to speak, but it was only for a moment.

     "Yeah. I was there and saw the whole thing! He wasn't even scared!" Pebblepaw gave him a grateful look and went back to telling his story. Sootpaw felt proud to help out a clanmate. The gorge was so full, he was sure every clan was here now. He had now memorized the smells of all the clans and was able to pick out the different clans from the rest. He made his way over to a group of apprentices and sat down. He sensed some cat watching him and looked around. He was right. Birchpaw was staring him down from next to Flashpaw and a silver apprentice. She blinked once and looked away. Sootpaw's pelt prickled at the sight of the two of them together  but there was notinbg he could do about it.

     The tortoiseshell spoke up first. "Ravenstar is deceased and I take her place as Cloverstar. I have received my nine lives from StarClan and the new deputy is Fennelclaw."

     A thick furred black she-cat took Cloverstar's place in the front.

     "RuneClan has two new warriors. Oakpaw and Coldpaw are now Coldheart and Lostfoot." The clans howled out the new warriors names. Sootpaw spotted the two warriors and looked at Lostfoot. Why was his name changed? Then he saw his paw, well, where his paw was. Seeing his confusion, a black tom leaned toward his ear.

     "I'm Clawpaw. Lostfoot got his paw stuck in a fox trap, he's so clumsy." A black tom cuffed Clawpaw's ear with his paw. "Sshhh."

     Clawpaw looked at his paws. "Yes Nightstorm." The gathering was a blur from there, and he barely noticed when his clan starts to leave. He caught up to them at the border and with a signal from Clawstar, the clan cats went full speed back to camp. Even the elders managed to keep pace. By the time Sootpaw made it through the entrance, they were all panting. Greeneyes rushed over to the elders and herded them to their den and the clan cats panned out to sleep. Rainclaw promised to do some battle practice tomorrow, and Sootpaw was excited. He was the first one to fall asleep.