Bloodflower

Chapter 20

"Dawnpaw, are you done checking over those oak leaves yet? The Gathering patrol is about to leave."

"Just a moment, Grayleaf." Dawnpaw gave the pile one last sniff, and then pawed them into a store hole. She and Grayleaf had gone herb gathering that morning, and had picked up some oak leaves along the way. After letting them dry in the sun, Dawnpaw was tasked with making sure none of the leaves had been damaged from sun exposure.

If you didn't want me to be left behind, then you should have given me the job sooner!

Hurriedly Dawnpaw finished scraping the leaves away, and headed out of the medicine den. Grayleaf was waiting impatiently for her by the entrance.

As the two medicine cats padded over to join the Gathering patrol, Dawnpaw caught her sister's eye. It had been three days since Rainfoot's kits had gone missing, brought back by Rosepaw and her patrol. But at the same time, the Clan had learned that it was actually Rosepaw's fault that the kits had been tempted to sneak out in the first place.

Dawnpaw felt a pang of sympathy for her littermate. Then she pushed it away briskly. Rosepaw hadn't even told her about her nights out of camp all by herself. If something had killed her, I wouldn't have even known about it! Plus, on the morning the kits had gone missing, she had been strangely rude and upset, taking out her frustrations on Dawnpaw.

Dawnpaw quickly broke eye contact with Rosepaw. What did I ever do to her? She had no reason to be so harsh to me. And I can't believe she never said anything to me about the tunnel by the elders' den! It was an effort for her to keep her fur flat. She didn't want the Gathering patrol questioning why she seemed so riled up.

Adderstar rose briskly to his paws when every chosen cat had assembled. He lashed his tail, whisking around to race out of camp. "Let's go. This Gathering is bound to be an eventful one."

Threatening growls rose up from the patrol, making Dawnpaw feel anxious. What's going to happen when Adderstar announces that FireClan broke the warrior code?

Patchflower and Quickstorm—both chosen for the Gathering—flanked her.

"I wouldn't mingle with any cats from other Clans tonight," Quickstorm warned.

"Especially FireClan," Patchflower added. "Stay close to Grayleaf, and be alert. I don't want you getting hurt if a fight breaks out."

"There won't be a fight!" Dawnpaw gasped. "The Clans wouldn't dare break StarClan's truce!"

She waited for her parents to agree, but their eyes only darkened grimly.

"FireClan broke the code once," Quickstorm sighed. "They might do it again."

Nightpaw, who walked a few paces ahead of them, fell back with his ears pricked. "If a fight between our Clans does break out, what do we do?" he asked worriedly. "Do we flee? Fight back? If we fought back, won't StarClan be angry with us, too?"

Those are good questions, Dawnpaw thought.

"We'll do what we must to defend ourselves," Patchflower meowed. "StarClan cannot be angry at us for that."

I hope so. Despair clawed at Dawnpaw. The last thing we need is a war with another Clan right before leaf-bare!

"I'm glad Adderstar will be mentioning what FireClan did," Minnowtail chirped up ahead. She was talking to Forestfire. "They deserve to be shamed in front of the other Clans for breaking such a valuable part of the warrior code."

"I completely agree!" Forestfire mewed. "Those fox-hearts need to answer for what they've done." She scoffed. "As if they could even justify leaving four kits to be eaten by a fox. I'd like to see them try that!"