Shade

Chapter Thirteen

Shadepaw watched the Gathering unfold, paying full attention to the four cats atop the branch - Silverstar, Furzestar, Lavenderstar and Thornstar. RiverClan, ShadowClan, WindClan and ThunderClan, respectively. And if she just diverted her gaze upwards a bit... StarClan. Every Clan present in one place. It was like something out of a dream.

"I shall speak first," Thornstar declared. The huge tabby tom looked like he could crush a cat's skull with just one paw. "Prey in ThunderClan is running well, despite leafbare approaching. A few sunrises ago, Palesand gave birth to a healthy litter of three. We hope that the coming colds do not harm the kits."

Thornstar stepped back, an indication that he had finished speaking. Lavenderstar spoke up next.

"The rabbits have begun to go to ground, but there is still plenty for our Clan," she announced. "One of our elders, Kestrelbliss, has moved on to hunt with StarClan. We spotted a fox near the RiverClan border and drove it out of Clan territory, but it may return."

Silverstar dipped her head to Lavenderstar. "Thank you for the warning. RiverClan has much to report in this Gathering. The fish are still swimming, and we have plenty of prey. Shortly after the Gathering, Smoketail and Jaggedpelt were made warriors, and a few sunrises ago, Runningbreeze and Frogleg."

"Smoketail! Jaggedpelt! Runningbreeze! Frogleg!" The four Clans chanted to the sky, welcoming the four warriors. Shadepaw had almost forgotten how recently Smoketail had been an apprentice himself.

"We also have two new apprentices," Silverstar went on. "Shadepaw and Shimmerpaw."

"Shadepaw! Shimmerpaw!"

Shadepaw felt the eyes of all four Clans on her; some prideful, some calculating, some questioning and some alarmed, no doubt at the scar on her face. Forcing her fur to lie flat, Shadepaw lifted her head, telling them silently, I am not ashamed of who I am.

The chanting died down.

"That is all." Silverstar dipped her head to Furzestar to allow the ShadowClan leader to speak.

"ShadowClan is thriving," the massive tom announced. "Our warriors are strong and our apprentices prepared. Since the last Gathering, we have named three new apprentices, Crushpaw, Scratchpaw and Badgerpaw."

"Crushpaw! Scratchpaw! Badgerpaw!" The cats called out the names. Three ShadowClan apprentices, two golden brown tabbies and a black and white tom, stood together, acknowledging the calls.

"Just recently, our Clan has discovered disturbances on the RiverClan border. Silverstar, would you care to enlighten these cats?" Furzestar's glare was dangerous.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Furzestar." Silverstar's eyes were wide with surprise. No cat could doubt that she was telling the truth.

"I'll tell them then," Furzestar snarled. "Cats of all Clans! RiverClan are traitors to the warrior code. Just recently, two RiverClan cats were found on ShadowClan land! They were of course challenged, but they claimed the land was theirs and fought like rogues against our noble warriors!" Furzestar yowled his accusations to the sky.

Furzestar said some other things about RiverClan, but Shadepaw didn't hear any of it. Hackles were bristling and cats were turning against each other, but Shadepaw didn't notice. It felt like the whole world was spinning around her, like any moment now the ground would open up an swallow her whole. It would be welcome. Shadepaw whimpered to herself. "It's not true," she whispered. "It's not true, none of it is true."

"I always knew you river cats weren't natural," Scarletpaw snarled. "To do something like that! It's disgusting!"

"And you call yourselves warriors," Thistlepaw hissed.

"It's not true." Shadepaw's voice shook. "Shimmerpaw." She looked desperately at her sister.

"Of course it's not true," Shimmerpaw growled at the ThunderClan apprentices. "Shadepaw's the most decent cat I know! Furzestar's making it all up!"

"You would say that, fox-heart." A growl rumbled in Scarletpaw's throat. "You're just like the rest."

There was a loud yowl. A ShadowClan warrior Shadepaw didn't know had jumped on Jaggedpelt, and the two were tussling in the dirt. Raventail yowled a battle cry and sprang to help him, and soon the whole Gathering exploded into battle. Shadepaw saw the medicine cats a little way off, looking on with horror.

Stop fighting, Shadepaw thought, looking up at the moon. Clouds were completely obscuring it, so she couldn't see it at all. StarClan, what do I do?

"Shadepaw," hissed a voice.

The black apprentice turned her head to see Nutriver crouched in the bushes a little way off. Shadepaw ducked under a flying leap launched by Scarletpaw and raced over to the starry cat, grateful beyond words that she wasn't alone.

"Nutriver, what do I do? They're all fighting!" Shadepaw looked beseechingly into Nutriver's pale blue eyes.

"Follow me," the honey coloured tabby murmured, slinking out of the bushes. Shadepaw followed her in a winding path around fighting cats, dodging many that tried to attack her. She ducked into the shadows, hoping that her dark pelt would keep her out of sight.

"Shadepaw?" Nutriver stopped suddenly and looked around.

"I'm here," Shadepaw whispered. Nutriver started.

"I didn't see you there. Well, come on."

They stealthily approached the tree that held the branch where the leaders stood, bristling at each other.

"I can't go up there." Shadepaw looked up at the daunting height, and the four great leaders on the branch. "I'm just an apprentice, I can't..."

"You will if you want this fighting to stop!" Nutriver snarled. "Do you trust me or not?"

Shadepaw froze for a minute. Did she really trust this cat enough to climb up to the High Branch? Follow your instincts, Smoketail had said, seemingly a lifetime ago. What did her instincts say?

"Well?" Nutriver lashed her tail impatiently.

"I'm coming." Shadepaw followed that StarClan warrior's path up the trunk of the tree, digging her claws in and hoping she didn't fall. Nutriver bounded right up to the leaders' branch, Shadepaw on her paws.

"Shadepaw?" Silverstar hissed. "What are you doing up here?"

Shadepaw froze. Nutriver flicked her shoulder with her tail.

"They can't see or hear me. Tell them to look at the moon."

"L-look at the moon," Shadepaw stammered. "We need to stop fighting... StarClan is angry."

Silverstar was too taken aback to argue. She looked at the moon, and gasped. "Thornstar, Lavenderstar, Furzestar... look."

Shadepaw looked too, and her breath was taken away. The clouds covering the moon were glowing blood red, sparking with energy. Even as she watched, an invisible claw scraped a path through the cloud, allowing one beam of light through the clouds. It shine down from the sky right towards the cats...

... and landed on Shadepaw.