Whispers and Echoes

Chapter 4

"Alright," agreed Cloverkit as Twigfoot padded away toward the two warriors.

"What do you think he's telling them?" wondered Echokit.

"No idea. He could be telling them anything," meowed Hailkit, watching his father.

After a few moments, Bronzepelt and Gravelpelt nodded and padded toward the warriors' den, meowing to each other in hushed voices. Watching them go, Twigfoot stood up and walked back to Echokit, Whisperkit, Cloverkit, Yellowkit, and Hailkit.

"What did you ask them?" Echokit asked.

"Something between them, me, and Eveningstar," he replied to Echokit's disappointment. He must have noticed because he added, "You will see, very soon in fact."

The four of them nodded and Twigfoot continued, "So you want to know about the Gathering? The whole thing? Or just the part when Eveningstar mentioned DayClan's attack?"

"All of it," Hailkit exclaimed.

"Alright. Well, Orangestar spoke first—"

"Which Clan is he the leader of?" Cloverkit asked.

"DuskClan. Orangestar reported that all was well and that his Clan was well-fed this new-leaf. He also announced that they had named three new apprentices: Pantherpaw, Raccoonpaw, and Snowpaw. You'll meet them when you become apprentices I expect.

"Then Beechstar of NightClan spoke next. He said Twolegs had moved closer toward the river in search for fish, but they were still finding plenty of prey to feed their Clan. He also said that their medicine cat, Bushtail, had taken and apprentice named Icepaw, and she was to be the next medicine cat.

"After that, Rainstar, leader of DayClan—"

"That filthy, smelly, no-good, flea-bagged thief—" hissed Hailkit, but one look at his father's face and he quieted.

"Rainstar announced that her Clan welcomed two new warriors and that her Clan was coping well with the Twolegs and had enough prey to last them all of new-leaf and green-leaf. She mentioned nothing of her need to expand her territory. So—"

"She lied!" Echokit spat, disgusted at Rainstar and her will to lie to the rest of the Clans.

"So not only is she a thief, she's a lying thief!" growled Hailkit.

"So, she obviously doesn't have enough prey to last them all of green-leaf," Twigfoot continued, "The Twolegs must be scaring it all away. Every cat did notice that DayClan was skinnier than Rainstar made her Clan sound. The rest of DawnClan and I knew she was lying.

"Then, Eveningstar announced that we had also named two new warriors and that we were all getting enough prey and were healthy and strong. Finally, Eveningstar told everyone of DayClan's need to expand its territory and how they had attacked us and told us that they were going to hunt here in our territory if they liked. Rainstar turned to Eveningstar and spat in his face, calling him a liar."

"What?" snarled Hailkit, sounding outraged. "She lied twice? What kind of Clan leader is she? She disgusts me! Her whole, good-for-nothing Clan is so—" Then he stopped, seeing Twigfoot, and looked down at his paws.

"When I was heading back to the nursery last night, I didn't see any clouds. Wasn't StarClan angry?" Echokit asked, confused.

"Yes they were angry, but they did not send a cloud over the moon when Rainstar lied. They sent one when Rainstar hissed in Eveningstar's face. As you know, there's a truce at the Gathering each full moon. StarClan was angry that Rainstar was about to break the sacred truce," Twigfoot explained.