Lurking Evil

Chapter 8

A full moon glowed pale yellow as it hovered above the horizon. The moonlight lit up the DawnClan camp as it rose into the sky, and the black silhouettes of branches looked like long claws, waving in the cold breeze. The cool night air made Whisperpaw shiver as she sat beneath the High-stone, waiting for Eveningstar to announce who was going to the Gathering.

Raypaw pranced behind Hailpaw. "Do you think I'll be able to go to the Gathering?" Raypaw asked excitedly, his orange tail swishing across the ground as he sat down. The new apprentice had hardly had any sleep last night, and he'd been on a tour of the whole territory earlier today, but he still looked as full of energy as he normally was.

"No," Hailpaw told him, "You've only been an apprentice for two sunrises."

"Awh," sighed Raypaw. "Are you going?" he asked Hailpaw.

"I don't know. I hope so."

Whisperpaw looked to her left and saw Echopaw next to Sparktail, glaring angrily at the ground. Goldheart had told her she couldn't go to the Gathering, in case she reopened her shoulder wound. Goldheart would also be staying behind to help treat the other cats who'd fought in the battle, in case they needed herbs. Creekfall had suggested this, and Whisperpaw guessed that Creekfall didn't really think the injured cats would need to be treated; the silver tabby warrior was worried that Aspenleaf would have their kits, and wanted the medicine cat here just in case.

"Okay," Eveningstar yowled, and Whisperpaw turned her attention to her leader. "It's time to choose the Gathering patrol." He looked around the clearing. "I'll take Twigfoot, and Yellowpaw can come while Goldheart will stay," he meowed, looking over the Clan. "And Sagetail can come, along with Sparrowtail, Prairiefoot, Fogtail, Ferrettail, and Sparktail." He paused, then meowed, "And for the apprentices, Hailpaw, Cloverpaw, and Whisperpaw can come."

"Yay!" A squealing came from a cat behind Whisperpaw. She turned and watched as Hailpaw jumped around his sisters, excitement filling his voice.

"Awh!" wailed Raypaw, but Sagetail silenced him.

Whisperpaw's heart filled with joy. She was going to the Gathering! Her wounds were healed enough to go!

Whisperpaw smiled as another thought filled her mind. She might be able to see the cat she'd been wanting to see the past two moons! Last time she'd seen him, at the previous Gathering, they'd both agreed to try and come to the next Gathering so they could talk to each other again, but Whisperpaw hadn't gone to the past two Gatherings. Whisperpaw had succeeded this time thought, and she was coming to the Pointed Mountain, but she didn't know if he was going to. Maybe his Clan had told him to stay back at camp; what if he wasn't there?

Her thoughts were interrupted by Eveningstar, yowling that it was time to leave. "Let's go!" the DawnClan leader called, leaping off of the High-stone, with Twigfoot, Fogtail, and Hailpaw right behind him. Cloverpaw walked with Yellowpaw, while Meadowheart and Prairiefoot trotted side by side with Sagetail. Whisperpaw fell behind to walk with Sparrowtail, and together they followed Sparktail and the rest of the patrol through the forest.

The chilly night wind blew against the patrol, and the branches above their heads shook, while dead leaves blew around on the ground. Dark gray clouds billowed in the distance, but none threatened to cover the moon, and the stars seemed brighter, as if the whole of StarClan was watching them.

There were little patches of snow here and there, Whisperpaw noticed as they walked onward. The snow patches were underneath the trees, protected from the sun's rays. In the past day, the snow had melted as the weather grew a bit warmer, but not warm enough for Whisperpaw's liking. It was still chilly, and leaf-bare had obviously set in.