Hailwatcher pads alongside Beechfoot and Mossyspots to the SkyClan camp entrance, trying to assuage his misgivings.
"You sure you'll be good, kiddo?" Beechfoot mews, snapping Hailwatcher out of his thoughts.
"I'm willing to stay back with you if you change your mind," he adds with a smile.
"Yeah, this might be more stressful for you than it needs to be," Mossyspots interjects, twitching a rounded ear.
Warmed a little by the older cats' concern, Hailwatcher nods.
"I'll be fine...I have a weird feeling that I should go, and I think I should listen to it," he murmurs, flashing a wavering, awkward smile at Beechfoot.
The senior medicine cat studies Hailwatcher's gaze for a heartbeat before sighing.
"Alrighty, kiddo," the cream-furred tom mews wearily.
"Just stick close to us, okay? I don't want anything happening to you."
"Okay," Hailwatcher affirms, leaning forward on his paws as the medicine cats pause at the camp's entrance.
Featherstar and Mudslip stand in front, having a quiet conversation amongst themselves, and the rest of the Gathering patrol's cats form a line that curves around a bush near the camp tunnel.
Beechfoot leans forward to murmur something to Featherstar, who turns to ensure all of the Gathering patrol is present.
Rimeshimmer, Twigtail, and Brindlespark linger impaitently, as well as Briarleaf, Haystep, Smokefur, and Timbernose, cats Hailwatcher hadn't had a chance to talk to.
Dustcloud and Olivebounce, siblings around the age of Acornwish and Fallowhop, stand shoulder to shoulder.
"I believe that's everyone," Featherstar calls out, surveying the group of cats once more with a sweeping flick of her tail.
Mudslip supplements her leader's statement with a nod, locking eyes with Hailwatcher for a moment.
The SkyClan deputy flashes Hailwatcher a polite smile then glances away, green eyes flickering with unclear emotion.
"Let's be on our way, SkyClan," the brown tabby adds, starting out of SkyClan camp without glancing back.
Hailwatcher shuffles forward, tail twitching back and forth as he wills his paws to move.
Something dreadful pulls at the corners of his mind.
Huddled against Beechfoot's side, Hailwatcher steps down from the wide log bridging the mainland to the Gathering island.
He grows tense, but a bit of his nervousness diminishes upon observing that only WindClan and RiverClan have arrived.
Beechfoot frowns at Hailwatcher as the medicine cats walk toward the distant figures of Rabbitwhisker and Ivyhawk, gently licking the younger tom's ear.
"You good, kiddo?"
"..As good as I'm going to be," the small gray tom mumbles in reply, pressing his paws hard into the ground.
From approximately a tail-length behind, Mossyspots heaves a wordless sigh.
Ivyhawk's expression brightens as the medicine cats draw nearer; he rises to his paws and pads forward with an energy Hailwatcher has never before witnessed.
"Thank StarClan, it's you all," he mutters, nodding to Beechfoot and Mossyspots before his green gaze focuses on Hailwatcher.
"Are you okay? Why are you with SkyClan?"
"I'll explain," the young medicine cat mews quietly, withdrawing from the RiverClan medicine cat's intense gaze.
Rabbitwhisker leans forward from his position to the left of Ivyhawk's seat, squinting intently at his fellow medicine cats.
Hailwatcher finds it difficult to tell whether the WindClan medicine cat has trouble seeing or just acts the way he does because he wants to, but dismisses the thought.
"Oh, it's you," the pale tom quips, twitching an ear.
"..Hey," Hailwatcher mutters, glancing at the gathered RiverClan, WindClan, and SkyClan warriors and letting out a quiet sigh.
Ivyhawk assumes his previous sitting position after a few moments, and Mossyspots sits down on the other side of Rabbitwhisker; the two exchange glares before turning away from one another.
Bewildered, Hailwatcher crouches down between Beechfoot and Ivyhawk, pressing closely to the former's side.
"So what happened in ShadowClan? We saw the blood at the Moonpool and got worried," Ivyhawk mews urgently, his previously worried expression darkening.
Profoundly unprepared to bring up the topic again, Hailwatcher clears his throat with a rumble clearly intended to fill the resulting silence.
"..Well, a while ago, when he was still deputy, Slightstar..he killed a warrior out in the woods. And..I saw it. His cats caught me and he made me swear not to say anything...or he'd kill me."
Beechfoot crouches down to curl around Hailwatcher, perhaps sensing that things will get rough.
Ivyhawk listens intently, tufted ears twitching.
"So that's how it was for a little while..and then- well...he killed Willowstar. On the way to the Moonpool, because we were supposed to be seeking guidance for what to do about Birchstorm 'disappearing'."
Hailwatcher again attempts to clear his throat after feeling it tighten, but it only gets worse.
"Breathe, kiddo," Beechfoot murmurs into the little gray tom's ear, curling a little bit tighter around him.
Hailwatcher obliges, taking in a deep breath and gripping the ground below him with stiff paws.
"..Um..anyway. After that was when you all came to discuss that alliance..."
"-Speaking of that," Ivyhawk interjects, picking up after Hailwatcher trails off into silence, "-the alliance went through, in case you were wondering about it."
The young medicine cat sighs, recalling the uncomfortable image of Shellstar and Snowflash flirting with each other during the alliance meeting.
Rabbitwhisker loudly smooths down his pelt with rough, precise strokes, eavesdropping passively.
"..A little while after that," Hailwatcher continues with a shudder, noticing Mossyspots getting increasingly agitated, "-Slightstar got mad after I got a bit too close to telling soemone, I guess...so his cats beat me up until I passed out.."
Ivyhawk grimaces, a strange recollection flashing in his eyes.
"..Wow. I'm..I'm sorry. That's terrible."
Not sure how to respond, Hailwatcher decides to nod along and just continue talking.
Beechfoot comfortingly smooths down the tuft of fur on the gray tom's head, making him feel a bit better.
"Slightstar's mate saw what happened to me... a while after they left she woke me up and said she was leaving. And..I came with her, and now we're staying in SkyClan."
'Thank StarClan," Ivyhawk mutters, glancing in the direction of the island's log bridge as the ambient noise of the area swells in volume.
ShadowClan nonchalantly makes its entrance, led by Slightstar and Raggedfoot; even from his position several fox-lengths away, Hailwatcher could tell that both are inconvenienced by the recent turn of events.
The ShadowClan leader strides up to the tree where Wrenstar, Shellstar, and Wrenstar are seated, gaze flickering out over the crowd.
Hailwatcher withers fearfully as Slightstar's gaze locks onto him and practically burrows his way into Beechfoot's fur.
Feeling the silver tabby's eyes burn into his pelt again is a terrifying experience, especially with so much anger behind them.
"I swear to StarClan, I'm gonna rip his throat out-" Mossyspots growls, digging her claws into the ground.
"So much for medicine cats being peaceful," Rabbitwhisker taunts, staring at the bracken-colored she-cat through half-lidded eyes.
"Shut up, fluff-brains," she hisses back at him, which only makes the WindClan medicine cat's expression even more smarmy.
Ivyhawk makes a clicking noise, turning away with a concerned expression.
Hailwatcher glances through the tufts of Beechfoot's fur to see Slightstar scale the Gathering tree and balance elegantly on his perch, only to be met with an unimpressed glower from Featherstar.
"Good evening, everyone," the ShadowClan leader mews curtly, his monotonous voice now more debonair than usual.
"Good evening, Slightstar," Shellstar replies, the only one to straightforwardly greet the silver tabby; Wrenstar tuts and glances away with an indifferent expression and Featherstar carries on staring at ShadowClan's new leader.
"So this is what we're doing now? Really?" the SkyClan leader hisses, her long, striped tail lashing as it sways beneath her.
"I haven't the faintest notion what you're referring to," Slightstar replies calmly, a hint of taunting underscoring his words.
Featherstar, appearing to catch on, nods; the brown tabby instantaneously manufactures the same composure the ShadowClan leader is currently employing.
"..Hmph. We'll see if that holds up soon enough, I suppose," she muses, heather blue eyes burning with cold fire.
Shrugging indifferently, Slightstar turns to Wrenstar.
"How are you this fine evening, Wrenstar?"
"Just fine," the WindClan leader answers sharply, lifting a skinny foreleg to draw a paw over her ear.
"Don't mind Wrenstar," Shellstar mews, flashing a smarmy grin.
"You know she's getting ol-"
"Shut it, fish-face!" Wrenstar snaps, thin fur bristling.
"Do you think your father would want you behaving this way? Learn some respect for your elders before someone with less patience than me knocks it into your thick head."
Slightstar smirks a little, amusement breaking through his composure; Featherstar displays a similar reaction, and Ivyhawk can't help but let out a snicker beside Hailwatcher.
The volume of discussion swells again; Hailwatcher glances over to find ThunderClan reluctantly arriving.
They trail unenthusiastically toward their area of the island; the Clan's collective energy seemed to be channeled only into Meadownose, who sits on the deputy rock and discusses matters quietly with Raggedfoot, and Ashpaw, who comes bounding through the crowd up to Hailwatcher once she sees him.
"Hailwatcher!" she calls out, crouching down to get down on his level.
Startled, the little gray tom recoils with a nervous chuckle.
"Hey, Ashpaw-"
"I was so worried about you with everything at the Moonpool," she mews, sorrow seeping into her tone as she squeezes into the space between Hailwatcher and Ivyhawk.
Unsure of what to say, the young medicine cat sputters a bit; Ashpaw leans closer and lowers her head, ears brushing Hailwatcher's pelt.
"I'm glad you're okay," the medicine apprentice adds, eyes obscured.
"..T-thanks," Hailwatcher murmurs in response, still confused but moved by Ashpaw's emotional state.
Starlingclaw, looking exhausted, pads up and practically collapses on the other side of Beechfoot, pressing his face into his paws.
"Hey, everybody.." he groans; Hailwatcher notices that he can see the ThunderClan medicine cat's ribs jutting out from his sides.
Rabbitwhisker elects not to reply, proceeding to smooth down his already immaculate pelt.
"Hey, buddy," Beechfoot mews, tilting his head in concern.
"Everything okay with you?"
Mossyspots stares disdainfully in Starlingclaw's direction, letting out a quiet scoff.
"..Sort of," the black and white tom mumbles in reply, wearily rubbing his face with a paw.
"Things in ThunderClan have been getting..rough lately."
"Everyone's starting to argue about what we should do about the fact that we're low on prey, and I hope it won't end in a physical dispute, but.."
Hailwatcher notices Ashpaw droop at her mentor's words and silently hopes that everyone can get along for once.
"I'm sorry all that's happening,' Beechfoot murmurs sympathetically.
"Hopefully you all are able to come to a solution."
"A solution that doesn't include stealing our prey," Mossyspots snaps, ears flattening.
"Mossyspots," Beechfoot mews through gritted teeth, '-not the time."
Ivyhawk sighs, Rabbitwhisker's expression grows a bit more smug, and Mossyspots turns away with a huff.
Looking as awkward as he probably feels, Starlingclaw glances over at Hailwatcher and his orange eyes flicker with curiosity.
"Hailwatcher! About- what happened...are you-"
"I'll explain," Ivyhawk cuts in, trudging to Starlingclaw's side and murmuring something into his ear.
The ThunderClan medicine cat's face contorts with horror; his gaze scans Hailwatcher's scar-laden pelt and something unclear flickers in his eyes.
After a few more heartbeats, Ivyhawk pulls away and returns to his original position between Rabbitwhisker and Ashpaw.
Starlingclaw stares down at his white-tipped paws before he angles his gaze up to look Hailwatcher in the eyes.
"..I- I'm sorry..that all that happened," he murmurs, tufted tail flicking back and forth.
Hailwatcher nods absently, still unsure how to react.
"What happened?" Ashpaw pipes up, raising her head.
"I'll explain later," Starlingclaw replies quietly, beginning to knead the ground with his paws.
"You good, kiddo?" Beechfoot mews, smoothing down Hailwatcher's bristling fur.
"..Y-yes," the small gray tom mumbles unconvincingly.
He directs his attention up to the leaders as Wrenstar sounds the call.
"Cats of all Clans, this Gathering has begun!"
Hailwatcher looks on as Wrenstar cuts her eyes at ShadowClan's new leader.
"You may present your news first, since it's so very important," she mews tauntingly- her long, thin tail whips the air.
Slightstar regains the same stony composure Hailwatcher is accustomed to and nods.
"Very well."
"The prey runs exceptionally in ShadowClan, as always, and as you all can tell Willowstar has passed on. Several of his lives were ripped away by a fox attack occurring on a trip to the Moonpool, and I have stepped up to become ShadowClan's next leader," the silver tabby mews; Hailwatcher tenses and feels Beechfoot curl around him a bit tighter.
Featherstar scoffs, pivoting on her branch to glance down at Slightstar.
"Omitting a lot of details, Slightstar, but carry on," she mews, taking a facetiously passive-aggressive tone.
Ignoring the SkyClan leader's jab, the silver tabby twitches an ear.
"In other news, two new warriors, Acornwish and Fallowhop, have joined our ranks. We are extremely proud of them, and I'd hope that the rest of the Clans would congratulate them as well."
The crowd begins to cheer Acornwish and Fallowhop's names, and though Hailwatcher couldn't see either of them he has a feeling the former was rather embarrassed.
"That is all," Slightstar mews as the crowd's chanting dies down.
"I'll be going next," Wrenstar cuts in, unsheathing her claws to grip her perch tightly.
'The prey runs well in WindClan, and nothing particularly remarkable has occurred this past moon. Beepaw continues to recover after you RiverClan scum jumped her and wounded her."
"Again, we didn't-" Shellstar interjects, flicking his fluffy tail.
"I don't care what you claim, because I'd say the wounds Rabbitwhisker has to keep treating speak for themselves."
This remark silences Shellstar, who goes back to making the same petulant expression as a scolded kit.
Hailwatcher eyes Ivyhawk, who looks a bit vindicated.
"That is all I have to say," the WindClan leader mews, shooting a triumphant look at RiverClan's leader.
"Featherstar, you can go next, darling."
"Thank you, Wrenstar," the brown tabby mews.
"I know you all already know how well the prey runs, especially ThunderClan. Recently, an attack on one of our hunting patrols injured several of our warriors."
"In addition to that matter, we have accepted four cats seeking refuge from ShadowClan into our ranks, including their medicine cat. Care to explain, Slightstar?"
The ShadowClan leader raises a brow, and his smug expression fills Hailwatcher with dread.
"I have no explanation for why our medicine cat abandoned his duties to go climb trees. It was my belief that he wasn't adequately trained, but I wasn't the one who made the decision to stop letting him shadow the other medicine cats."
Hailwatcher presses hard into Beechfoot as he hears the murmurs rise up.
"Hey, isn't he talking about the half-Clan medicine cat? No wonder he left his Clan."
"So untrustworthy, those rogues..."
"What kind of medicine cat runs away from his Clan?"
The discourse grows louder and louder, and though he can't see him at the moment Hailwatcher has a feeling Slightstar is enjoying it.
Trying desperately to block out the noise, the little gray tom sniffs quietly into Beechfoot's fur.
"Kiddo..." Beechfoot murmurs, resting a paw on Hailwatcher's back as he begins to tremble.
"Don't let them get to you, okay? Breathe."
Ashpaw frowns, leaning closer but not saying anything.
Ivyhawk sighs.
"Beechfoot's right. Unfortunately, these idiots have mouths, and they're gonna use them. But don't let it get you down."
"Yeah, Hailwatcher," Ashpaw pipes up quietly, twitching her ears.
"It's gonna be okay."
Hailwatcher lifts his head, blue-green eyes twinkling and glassy, and glances wordlessly at the cloudless red sky.
He can no longer focus on what the leaders or the crowd are saying, just the cats surrounding him and their quieter and more profound words of encouragement.
He hears the sentiments echoing in his mind, reverbating, distorting ever so slightly every time his mind repeats them; he becomes aware of Beechfoot lovingly curled around him, licking down his fur every time trepidation causes it to bristle.