River Of Fire

I don’t think this is the end of it, Violetshine thought. What is going to happen to ShadowClan?

CHAPTER 15

Thin clouds dotted the sky, too few to cover the full moon that shone out above the lake. The night air was cool and fresh as Twigpaw padded along the lakeshore with her Clan. Almost a half-moon had passed since the fire that had devastated the RiverClan camp, and the injury to her hind paw was completely healed.

Bramblestar was leading his Clan, with Squirrelflight by his side. Leafpool and Alderheart were with them too, though Jayfeather was still lying sick in the medicine cats’ den. But he was the only cat still suffering from the bellyache, and Twigpaw hoped that better times were ahead.

Her paws tingled with anticipation as she and her Clanmates crossed the border stream and headed along the water’s edge through WindClan territory.

Maybe RiverClan will be there! If they are, it will be the first time for moons that they’ve been to a Gathering.

It gave her a good feeling to think that RiverClan had opened its borders again, though Twigpaw still wondered what StarClan thought of what was happening around the lake. ShadowClan’s fate wasn’t resolved yet; Twigpaw had managed a quick chat with Violetshine when they were patrolling their shared border, and her sister had told her that there were still tensions between the SkyClan warriors and those who had belonged to ShadowClan.

We survived the storm, Twigpaw thought. But what’s next?

When Bramblestar led his Clan through the bushes into the clearing at the center of the island, the other Clans were already there. Twigpaw looked up into the Great Oak to see Mistystar perched on a branch as well as Harestar and Leafstar. Reedwhisker was sitting on the oak roots with the other deputies.

Twigpaw was happy to see the RiverClan cats back in their proper place, but she spotted several cats from the other Clans muttering together and casting hostile looks at the RiverClan cats, who were clustered together at the far side of the clearing. She could tell that not every cat shared her feelings.

“I thought every cat would be glad to see RiverClan back,” she whispered to Finpaw, who was sitting beside her in the shelter of an elder bush.

Finpaw shrugged. He was about to reply, but Sparkpelt cut off whatever he meant to say.

“RiverClan should never have left in the first place,” she snapped, her green eyes wide. “Now they think they can just stroll back and have everything like it was? That’s not happening!”

Twigpaw blinked in alarm at her mentor. She didn’t want to get into an argument, so she was relieved when Bramblestar, who had leaped up into the Great Oak, stepped forward to start the meeting.

“Greetings, cats of all Clans,” he began. “I’d like to welcome Mistystar and RiverClan among us again. They’ve been missed.”

There was some muttering at the ThunderClan leader’s words, as if not every cat agreed, but Bramblestar didn’t let it bother him.

“ThunderClan is thriving,” he went on. “Prey is running well in our territory, and we have four new apprentices. Stempaw has been apprenticed to Rosepetal, Plumpaw to Mousewhisker, Shellpaw to Bumblestripe, and Eaglepaw to Ambermoon.”

Yowls of congratulations erupted in the clearing as the cats called out the new apprentices’ names. The four young cats sat with eyes shining, embarrassed and happy at the same time.

Twigpaw felt a sudden stab of envy, remembering their apprentice ceremony a few days before. She wished she could feel the same eager energy, but her own apprenticeship had dragged out so long that it was hard to be enthusiastic about training anymore. Still, she was happy for her young Clanmates, and yowled out their names along with the rest.

As the sound died down, Bramblestar dipped his head and sat on his branch once again, waving his tail for Harestar to step forward.

“Prey is plentiful on the moor,” the WindClan leader reported, “and we have made two new warriors. Brindlepaw and Smokepaw are now Brindlewing and Smokehaze.”

“Brindlewing! Smokehaze!”

As the two new warriors were acclaimed, Harestar gave up his place to Leafstar, who waited for quiet before she began to speak. “SkyClan also has two new warriors,” she announced. “Dewpaw and Reedpaw are now Dewspring and Reedclaw.”

Twigpaw felt an even sharper pang at the SkyClan leader’s news. They’ve been apprentices as long as I have! Then she felt Finpaw pressing affectionately against her side.

“It’s okay,” he whispered. “It’ll be our turn soon.”