Destiny: The Forbidden Prophecy (OLD)

Chapter 14

     "Riverclan?" Beetlepaw whispered his words slurred. After the apprentice had been 'stung' by the twoleg is mind hasn't gone to his normal senses. Neither has his mentor's: she had got brutally 'stung' all the way from her throat to her scruff, if it weren't for Lionstar she wouldn't be alive. Lionstar had given away his life for her. While Maplefang stitched up her wounds with cobweb to stop the bleeding. Opening his eyes, he saw a tiny corner of light shine out from the medicine den, it was time for the gathering! It was a full moon. Why didn't he notice? Why did the injury have to happen a few days ago? Why not later?

     His fur prickled in curiosity as he stood up, he felt as if brambles were holding his forelegs down, a brown spotted cat appeared next to him. "You're supposed to be resting, Beetlepaw." Deerpaw's soft voice said. Though he was just a new made-apprentice he seemed as if he had been a medicine cat for much longer. "Did you hear me? I know you're partially deaf, but-"

"-I'm fine, Deer?"

"Paw."

"Deerpaw!" Beetlepaw finished. "Lilytail? Where-?"

     Deerpaw sighed, his vision focusing on Beetlepaw's fur, "She's about to leave for the gathering." How could she go to the gathering? She was hurt, I was hurt. "Don't blame me! It was Maplefang who made her come. Apparently she couldn't see herself without her sister at a gathering." The two toms stood still staring at eachother awkwardly in silence. Could I go too? I don't want to leave my mentor alone! She's my favorite cat in this world! Beetlepaw smirked, She and Redfur never gave up on me!

    "Deerpaw!" Vineflower shouted throughout the clearing, interrupting the awkward silence between them, he rushed his way out of the rocky medicine den. The quiet shadow of the large willow tree hid Beetlepaw in the den, as many cats shouted for their apprentices to leave. Why can't I go? Beetlepaw wondered as a shadowy figure appeared in the medicine den, it had a similar scent such as: Maplefang's. Lilytail! Beetlepaw's tail lashed in excitement, he knew his mentor would have not forgotten about him after all!

    "Beetlepaw? Are you here?" Lilytail said as she poked her head in the medicine den, tapping her tail just in case he didn't hear her. Beetlepaw yelped in responce, hoping that she would get closer to pounce on her back; scaring her. She walked carefully to the sudden yelp, and just like he predicted he pounced on her. Gripping onto her back he said, "I got you!" Her big brown fur stuck onto his claws as if he was trying to climb a tree.

     "Come on we have to go to the gathering!" She chuckled, leading the apprentice out of the medicine den as she shook her pelt. The cold breeze shook the apprentice, though he was hurt he could pull through it, they made their way to the rest of the cats that were allowed to go to the gathering this moon.

"Is everyone ready?" Lionstar roared as he looked around to the group of cats that surrounded him; Otterfoot, Maplefang, Vineflower, Deerpaw, Spots, Lilytail, Beetlepaw, and Rabbitheart. Lionstar's bright yellow fur glowed from the faint moonlight that struck from the Wetrock. Almost as if he were a real lion. Beetlepaw could feel his own excitement spread thought the clearing to the forest as he walked with all the other warriors and their apprentices. Oh yeah,            Frogpaw was there too. But where was Robinwing?
As Beetlepaw padded along his mentor, he visioned himself as the leader of Riverclan, thinking of his name Beetlestar. Imagining a day where he could step on top of the boulder with the other clan-cats. A day when he wouldn't be envisioned as just a 'deaf cat'. A clan leader; a loyal, trustful, useful cat. Though he had worked hard, his warrior ceremony was long-overdue by three moons. Especially that he was two moons older than Shybreeze. He shook away his thoughts, feeling the padded grass along every pawstep he took, looking around he saw Spots and her mate close together. Reminding him of Otterfoot, his foster mother after his real mother died, taking care of him throughout the way.
    "Are we there yet, Lionstar?" Rosepaw asked, driving the tom away from his thoughts. Lionstar stopped, his eyes glittering like Starclan had reached out to him, "One more pawstep, Rosepaw. Though this old-Skyclan territory may look like ours it's not as land." Like promised, Lionstar swapped the corner, and there it was. The promised boulder. Mudstar and Redstar were already on it. Confidentially sitting, just like a leader should.

      Just beside the Riverclan leader, the Shadowclan leader arrived: Blackstar. He was a short-haired black tom. The only thing interesting about him is his pride and his 'wits', unlike Mudstar he was way too kind for his own good and his fur the color of mud. He would probably invite a kittypet over. Oh wait we have an  ex-kittypet in our camp. Whatever. Stormpool's special. Beetlepaw thought sitting under the boulder beside his mentor and her mate. Ew love. To be honest, I really don't care. I just want to be sassy.

      Lionstar hopped onto the boulder as the rest of teh clan-cats sat down from their adventure. This had been Skyclan's territory. Beetlepaw wondered, his mind shifting into different places. Suddenly, Spots spoke up; "Maybe you should meet other apprentices, Beetlepaw?"

"No thanks, they're all boring. But, you know who isn't boring?" Beetlepaw's voice increased from a dark-sharp tone to an opposite one. A joyful and grateful one."Lilytail!". The tom laughed, he was almost as big as his mentor, he turned to his fur. It was glowing! Just like Lionstar's! Would he be the next leader of Riverclan? Of course, Owlwing deserved it, but he seems more like a father to the clan more than a leader.

       Spots glanced at her mate whose fur prickled in embarrassment, her ears lowered, Lilytail looked as if she just messed up fishing up a fish'. "Did you hear what he said, flower?" Spots purred, trying to make the she-cat face them both. Instead, she shot an embarrassed glance at them both and dug her head in her fur. Spots cautiously placed her paw on her paw as if it were the time that they first met, "Come on, Lilytail, you know you'll probably end up the next deputy of Riverclan, right?"

Lilytrail grumbled, digging her face even deeper in her fluffy fur. Spots cuddled with the huge she-cat as Beetlepaw walked away, wanting to meet Rushheart, Vineflower had said lots about the old medicine-cat. Especially since they were Maplefang's old friend. Suddenly all the leaders sat down on the boulder, signaling that the gathering was about to start. Beetlepaw was too late, he couldn't talk to the medicine cat, quickly he rushed back to his mentor's side as he stared proudly at the boulder, wishing that Lionstar would be the first to speak up.

      Redstar's yowl spread throughout the area, "I will go first. Is that alright?" The other clan-cats nodded as she spoke, "Windclan has gained new kits this moon from Orangestream. Their names are Longkit and Rufflekit, however we could not bring them due to them just being born yesterday. Their eyes are still closed and they are too fragile to make such a long journey. " Many cats meowed in approval, Windclan hadn't had kits in a long time since leaf-fall, many queens either had no milk or their kits had died. More approvals shouted throughout as Blackstar spoke:

      "Shadowclan is fine, we have new prey and kits. Though the twolegs' cows somehow manage to get on our territory." Beetlepaw shivered, he remembered how the twoleg had messed him up. Would Lionstar speak about that? Wouldn't that make his clan weak? Redstar and Blackstar studied Lionstar; he was scared. He obviously knew about the twolegs he couldn't avoid it. From the awkward silence a voice spoke up. It was Mudstar's. His soft and delicate voice, he was a new leader. He still had his nine lives impact. Meowing, "Thunderclan's doing very well and I'm glad the others are doing' too! We have nothing new to share, but Starclan wishes all the clans a great time!" He sounded worried. Many skeptical voices rose up from the clatter of cats. Had a leader been this nice? Is he faking it?  Spots kicked him, like if she knew what he was thinking. Studying him like an apprentice trying to catch prey for the first time. Pay attention, Beetlepaw! He told himself, just about when Lionstar was going to speak.

      Lionstar shook his pelt, trying to shake his worry away, "Riverclan is doing well. We have three new apprentices." Looking down at them, "Rosepaw, Frogpaw, and Deerpaw." A group of Riverclan cats meowed loudly once they heard Deerpaw's name. Is he popular due to being the third medicine cat? I wish I were popular. Wait- I have no friends. Whatever. The yellow tom continued to speak: "Though we have to report a twoleg that has been on our territory recently. It attacked one of our warriors and their apprentice." Quickly the crowd looked back. Oh great. They know. How swell. 

     "Though, they have pulled off and will continue their duties in another sunrise. Riverclan is proud that Starclan allowed these two-special cats to live. Starclan has blessed us!" Lionstar yowled, as the leaders hopped off of the boulder. Many cats yowled proudly that Riverclan was safe. Mostly just the Riverclan cats, but Rushheart was yowling too. Had Rushheart had a place in Riverclan?