Falling Star [1]

Chapter 14

"And that's how you twist the neck,"
Rainleap finished his demonstration. "Do you think you've got it?"
"Of course," Ashpaw replied. "It's pretty simple, really."
Her mentor laughed. "Well I'm glad that your injuries aren't affecting your determination."
She nodded.
"Alright you two," Crystalleaf padded in. "I think that's enough."
"Already?" Ashpaw asked.
"Well you've got to get enough rest to go to the Gathering, don't you?"
Ashpaw's face lit up. "Really? I can go?"
The medicine cat nodded. "I don't see why not. Your shoulder has almost fully healed, and your eye is starting to seal up." She smiled. "My one condition is that you're extra careful."
Ashpaw leapt up. "Thank you!"
"Ah ah ah," she said. "You still need to rest."
The small she-cat quickly got back in her nest, but her smile didn't fade.
Rainleap was smiling too, his ears perked. "This is great! You'll finally be out of camp!"

Ashpaw was woken up by the
sound of milling cats. She got up, padding outside to find almost all the cats in the clan melting into one big group. It took her a moment to remember that tonight was the Gathering. She searched for Rainleap, picking him out from the side of the group and padding over.
"Hey, Ashpaw," he said brightly. "Ready for the Gathering?"
She nodded.
"Alright everyone, let's get going!"
Froststar's voice caught the attention of every cat as they started to file out of camp.
Ashpaw saw Moonpaw and Birchpaw a few fox lengths away, and a small pang of guilt hit her chest.
"I wonder if anything interesting happened to the other clans." Rainleap said.
"Yeah," Ashpaw agreed. "Maybe
we'll be able to talk with the other cats, too."
Rainleap kept looking forward.
Ashpaw took more time to examine the cats around her. She saw Heatherclaw and Lionface talking as they went, Webpaw alongside her mother, Hollowheart. Barkwhisker and Wolfstep were whispering with Crowfoot, heads close.
She sighed.
"We're here." She heard Rainleap say as they came to the large clearing surrounded by towering oak trees. A small formation of boulders sat in the center, moss growing around the bottom. LakeClan and SunClan were already there, mingling with eachother.
SnowClan poured into the Stone Clearing, Froststar departing to sit upon the boulders with her fellow leaders. Flametail followed, sitting below the rocks and talking with the SunClan deputy, a large tom named Timberleaf.
Rainleap and Ashpaw settled beside LakeClan with the rest of the clan, though his tight muscles made if clear he was not ok with it.
Ashpaw huddled closer to him,
wanting to protect him from Fernpelt.
  A new scent filled her nostrils, and she twisted around to see BlazeClan approaching the Stone Clearing. Once they had sorted themselves out and were ready to start, Redstar hopped up on the boulder next to the other leaders, signaling that she was prepared.
   Finchstar stepped forward. "Let the gathering begin!" He yelled.
   Hawkstar went first. "There is nothing much to report," he said. "We have a new apprentice, Fogpaw. His mentor and father Badgertail has already started training him."
  He stepped back, nodding at Redstar to go. She puffed out her chest. "Our clan has much to say," she boomed. "First, our new queen Cloudsplash gave birth to two kits, Mudkit and Dapplekit."
  She paused before going on. "We also have a new warrior, Toadstripe."
   She flicked her tail to Froststar, who stepped in front of the others and began her report. "As you all know from what I said the last time we met, the SnowClan apprentice Ashpaw lost her eye to a fox one moon ago. Luckily, her recovery is moving along smoothly and she has been permitted to join us here tonight."
   Two hundred eyes turned in Ashpaw's direction.
  Once the whispers had died out, the clans' attention turned back to Froststar. "That is all I have to say."
  Finchstar went last, explaining how SunClan's prey was running well and their warriors were healthy.
The clans started to depart, comments on the quick meeting being whispered among the throng of leaving cats. Rainleap kept looking around, and Ashpaw didn't have to be told that he was looking out for Fernpelt.
"She's not going to hurt you,"
She said quietly.
He turned to her. "How can you
be so sure?"
She looked up at him.
"Because I'm going to protect you."