Darkest Night

SkyClan was nearing the bridge. Alderheart jumped onto the fallen tree before they reached him, unable to face their hopeful gazes. He followed his own Clanmates through the long grass on the other side and emerged into the clearing beyond. WindClan, ShadowClan, and RiverClan had arrived, but only a soft murmur filled the clearing. The cats spoke to one another in muted mews, exchanging wary glances, each Clan keeping to themselves.

Alderheart’s pelt prickled with worry. He’d expected to find them more jubilant. After all, they’d killed Darktail and chased the rogues from their land. And SkyClan had been found. The skies have been cleared, Alderheart thought, remembering StarClan’s prophecy. Am I the only one who’s happy about it?

Leafpool beckoned him with a flick of her tail. She was already sitting beneath the Great Oak beside Willowshine, Mothwing, Puddleshine, and Kestrelflight, who sat, hunched and stiff, gazing uneasily at the Clans.

Alderheart hurried through the wide gap between RiverClan and ShadowClan. He was surprised to see how few ShadowClan cats had come. WindClan sat apart on the far side of the clearing. His own Clanmates had gathered near the medicine cats. He remembered, with a pang, his first Gathering, when apprentices from all the Clans had swapped stories and showned off the new hunting moves they had learned.

Now the apprentices sat in silence. Whorlpaw and Snakepaw sat like stones beside their ShadowClan mentors. Brindlepaw, Fernpaw and Smokepaw, the young WindClan cats, blinked at them, as though puzzled by their aloofness. Nightpaw, the dark gray RiverClan apprentice, glanced nervously at Breezepaw. But her denmate looked away, the wind ruffling her brown-and-white fur.

Alderheart’s paws pricked. What was wrong with them? His gaze flitted farther around the clearing. Where were all the elders? They loved to come to Gatherings to share gossip and stories with one another. Tonight, Millie and Graystripe were the only elders here.

As he reached Leafpool’s side, the SkyClan cats began to emerge from the long grass. A hush fell over the clearing. Plumwillow and Blossomheart followed Leafstar and Hawkwing, their Clanmates on their heels. All of SkyClan had come, except Tinycloud, who’d stayed in camp, too close to kitting to make the journey.

Leafstar paused and lifted her chin, letting her Clanmates file past. Hawkwing scanned the gathered cats through narrowed eyes, then padded toward an empty space beside ThunderClan and with a flick of his tail beckoned Plumwillow to follow.

Blossomheart strolled after her. Dewpaw, Reedpaw, and Finpaw stayed close to their mentors’ sides. The young cats stared at the other Clans, their eyes wide. Had they ever seen so many cats in one place? Violetpaw looked nervous as she slid from the long grass. She paused beside Hawkwing, her gaze flitting from her father to her ShadowClan Clanmates. Alderheart guessed she was wondering where to sit: with ShadowClan or SkyClan? Perhaps she’d choose ShadowClan. There were so few of them here.

She whispered something in her father’s ear and he murmured back. Quickly, Violetpaw dropped her gaze and hurried to where Twigpaw was sitting beside Lionblaze. Alderheart felt a pang of sympathy for the young cat as SkyClan took their places beside Hawkwing. Rowanstar had given her permission to remain with ThunderClan for a while. But had she ever really known where she belonged?

Bramblestar padded forward and dipped his head to Harestar, Rowanstar, and Mistystar. One at a time, the Clan leaders leaped onto the long, low branch of the Great Oak.

Alderheart looked expectantly at Leafstar. Was she going to join them? He felt a twinge of disappointment when she padded beneath the tree and sat neatly among her Clanmates, curling her long brown tail over her paws.

The Clan deputies, Tigerheart, Squirrelflight, Reedwhisker—looking healthier now—and Crowfeather, took their place among the roots of the Great Oak. Hawkwing stayed beside Leafstar as the Clans drew closer, gathering beneath the tree. Hostile glances flashed in the darkness, focused on Rowanstar.

“Should Rowanstar even be up there?” Icewing’s sharp yowl cut through the chilly air. The RiverClan she-cat was bristling with anger.

Lakeheart lashed her tail. “Right, is ShadowClan even a Clan anymore?”

“They chose rogues as their campmates,” Podlight snarled.

“I didn’t.” Rowanstar stared back at the RiverClan warrior.

Podlight held his gaze. “But your Clan thought Darktail would be a better leader than you!”

“What sort of leader loses the faith of his Clan?” growled Crowfeather.

“If the rest of us have lost Clanmates, their blood is on your paws!”

Alderheart’s breath caught in his throat as he realized that was Molewhisker’s yowl.

“We suffered losses too,” Rowanstar spat back.