AshClan's Future {COMPLETE}

Chapter 19

"With that, I say this gathering is at an end." Birdstar spoke, ending the gathering. "I say we enjoy the lovely weather and talk for a bit." The elderly leader jumped down from the tree and began talking with Foxstar. Echoheart could feel a sharp tension in the air, no one would talk about it though. There was the strange tension between LichenClan and MoonClan that only seemed to get worse with each passing gathering but now the tension between SunClan and AshClan.

It had been a moon since Goldenstar lead an unprovoked attack against SunClan that resulted in the death of the SunClan warrior Stonewhisker. SunClan didn't mention anything about the fight other than announcing Stonewhisker's death and casting hateful glances towards Goldenstar who held her head high without regret.

The Clans were talking, but SunClan weren't talking to AshClan cats and LichenClan wasn't talking to MoonClan. Echoheart hadn't participated in the fight, she didn't see a point to it. Though most of her Clanmates did, and they happily followed Goldenstar into combat. No AshClan warriors were severely injured, the worst had been Roseclaw and Riverstorm.

Echoheart had feared for her sister's safety when she returned, but she quickly recovered and returned to her old self in a few short days. She would follow Goldenstar off a cliff. Echoheart thought bitterly. Echoheart didn't think that Goldenstar had made the right choice, there was no reason to attack SunClan and kill one of their warriors, and what made it worse; the warrior had been killed by Echoheart's father.

Jayclaw had explained himself saying that he refused to let Stonewhisker take one of Goldenstar's nine lives. He had been hailed a hero, but Echoheart didn't feel the same way. The warrior code says we shouldn't kill other cats. Echoheart flicked her ear. Goldenstar had lives to spare, Stonewhisker didn't. Maybe if Goldenstar had lost a life she would have seen how stupid that fight had been. However, since AshClan hadn't suffered any losses, Goldenstar and the rest of AshClan would see it as a victory.

"Hey there." A sudden voice made Echoheart nearly jump out of her pelt. She shot to her paws and spun around to see Cedarclaw. "Woah there," He chuckled, amber eyes sparkling. "Didn't mean to scare you."

Echoheart managed to calm down her racing heart. "It's okay." Her pelt burned. "I was just lost in though."

"How are you tonight? I was worried you didn't come." Cedarclaw stepped closer to Echoheart, she could feel her stomach flipping.

"I'm good." She purred without thinking. "You?"

"I'm good as well." Cedarclaw waved his tail. Since Echoheart and Cedarclaw met at the gathering three moons ago they made a point to speak at every gathering. The MoonClan was kind and made Echoheart feel like she actually had a friend. "What is going on between you and SunClan by the way? Does it have something to do with the SunClan cat that died?"

I can't tell him everything. "There was a border fight that went wrong, I wasn't involved though."

"Hopefully SunClan doesn't hold that against you." He lowered his voice. "Several moons ago, when I was still an apprentice, there was a border skirmish that resulted in the death of one of our warriors. Owlstar waged war on LichenClan and Cloudstar hasn't let it go yet." So that's what happened. "Please don't tell anyone." Cedarclaw begged. "Cloudstar doesn't want the other Clans getting involved."

"I won't." Echoheart mewed. "I promise."

Cedarclaw's eyes sparkled. "You know, Echoheart." He cleared his throat. "I really enjoy talking to you, I feel like I can tell you anything."

Echoheart's pelt burned deeply. "I feel the same way." She admitted. He doesn't know my sister, he just knows me. He doesn't tear me down.