An: I love this piece of artwork! Hope you like it! And thanks for 1000 views, you are all amazing!! :)
That night the cats grouped round together in the camp clearing, before they were to set off for the gathering.
Olivetail stood beside Blackpaw's mentor, Swanleaf, and Lemonpaw overheard them chatting excitedly about the gathering.
"I wonder if Zebrastar will give news on Sweetwillow's kits." Swanleaf wondered, her white tail twitching nervously.
"Probably. I wonder if she has had them yet..." Olivetail murmured.
Jetstar leapt in front of the cats, her tail raised and black coat gleaming in the starlit night.
"LilyClan; those who I named earlier, let us go to the gathering!" She pounced effortlessly onto the grass her green eyes beaming with excitement.
The cats followed her into the forest beyond. Lemonpaw's paws tingled. I can't believe I am actually going to a clan gathering. I never would've thought there was four more clans past Twolegplace!
Jetstar led the group of cats towards the sun drown place, where the clan arrived at a small grass clearing on the sun drown cliffs.
Wow. I've never seen the sun drown place before! We're so high up... I've only heard about this place in the elders' stories.
Olivetail padded beside Lemonpaw, noticing her gazing in awe at the wide expanse beyond.
"That's were Sandclan live." His tail wavered over a hollow in the cliff face.
Cool. They actually live on the cliffs?!
Jetstar's green eyes glittered like emeralds in the moonlight, as she leapt onto a large boulder.
"That's the Starstone, where the clan leaders speak." Olivetail meowed nonchalantly, sitting down beside Lemonpaw.
A group of cats raced into the clearing from the hills, their pelts mostly of dark colours and the flanks lean. A silver tabby she-cat jumped onto the Starstone next to Jetstar.
"Greetings Silverstar, and how is Echoclan?" Jetstar mewed.
"Good. Good thanks. The clan is running well this newleaf." The silver tabby replied, her tail swishing rapidly.
"Good." Jetstar murmured, nodding briefly.
Is she hiding something or just being friendly? Lemonpaw wondered. She watched closely as more clan cats arrived.
"That's Zebrastar, and his deputy Ambernose. " Olivetail cried, pointing his tail towards a black-and-white tom and a ginger-and-white she-cat. The two cats walked side by side and seemed close.
"Oh, and they are also mates. " Olivetail whispered, seeing Lemonpaw staring at the pair of cats, her eyes full of curiousity.
Leader and deputy as mates... I wonder how their clanmates accepted that.
"We are just waiting for Snowclan now." Olivetail reported.
On that note, a large silver tabby tom with a long flowing coat trotted elegantly into the clearing.
"Lynxpelt!" Jetstar shrieked anxiously.
"It's Lynxstar now..." He sighed, his eyes full of melancholy.
Jetstar didn't say anything, she merely dipped her head to the grey tabby, and let him climb up onto the Starstone beside her.
"Let us begin." Zebrastar yowled boldly, his voice ringing out across the clearing, uniforming the cats before the Starstone in utter silence. "Sandclan is doing great this moon. We have a new medicine apprentice, Chestnutpaw." Zebrastar's gaze fell onto a dark ginger tom who was sitting beside a young dark brown she-cat. "He has chosen to give up his warrior training and will now train as a medicine cat instead. Sandclan will be honoured to finally have a new medicine cat apprentice."
"Chestnutpaw! Chestnutpaw!" A few young Sandclan apprentices chant the ginger tom's name. Chestnutpaw lifts his head proudly.
"Sandclan has also been blessed with new kits this moon, as Sweetwillow has given birth to three kits, Puffinkit, Flintkit and Cheetahkit!"
Murmurs of congratulations rose among the cats and a ginger tabby tom gazed up at Zebrastar with pride in his eyes.
"The ginger tabby over there is Racingwind, the father of Sweetwillow's kits. Olivetail whispered beside Lemonpaw.
Lemonpaw watched with anticipation of what would happen next as Zebrastar stepped back to let Jetstar speak.
"Lilyclan is doing well this moon, we have a new apprentice in Lemonpaw!"
Whispers of voices from among cats from other clans, made Lemonpaw worry of how they felt about this. All eyes fell on her as Jetstar continued.
"We also have news that Swiftwing is expecting Bubblesplash's kits."
Mews and sequels could be heard from the Lilyclan cats as Jetstar held calm. It seems that even our clan didn't know that Swiftwing was pregnant! Lemonpaw thought.
"Bubblesplash thought that it would be better to announce the news at the gathering as a surprise to both the other clans and to Lilyclan." Jetstar purred.
Bubblesplash nodded to Jetstar, his blue-grey fur shimmering in the moonlight like the stars of Silverpelt.
Jetstar moved back and Silverstar took her place.
"Echoclan is also blessed with the presence of kits, Smokeybreeze has recently borne Bronzepelt's kits, Wolfkit, Twitchingkit, Marblekit, Darkkit and Tweedkit."
Some unusual names. Thought Lemonpaw as she looked at the around ginger tom who was sitting next to a dark brown she-cat.
"The she-cat is Volepool, she is Bronzepelt's half sister." Olivetail confirmed, when there was a pause in Silverstar's speech as the cats congratulated the birth of kits.
"Our prey is running well and our herbs are freshly stocked up."
I bet she is just trying to make Echoclan sound strong... Lemonpaw thought.
"And that is all. Lynxstar?" The silver tabby leader mewed and stepped back.
Lynxstar crept forward nervously, his dappled grey fur gushing in the breeze. "As you can see, Snowclan is grieving for our beloved leader, Whitestar, who died just two sunrises ago of greencough." The grey tom looked grave and many of the Snowclan cats' eyes clouded at the mention of their deceased leader.
"However, it is not all bad news, Snowclan have a new warrior in Harepelt!"
"Harepelt! Harepelt!" A number of cheers rose from the crowd.
"He has trained hard and I am sure Starclan will be pleased with his skills and guide him as a new warrior of Snowclan! That is all, thank you."
After that, each of the cats began to gather and chat amongst each other.
Lemonpaw was standing nervously to one side.
"There's a group to apprentices over there," Olivetail points with his tail, "why don't you go and speak to them? Just don't give away any battle moves or strategies."
Like I would. I am a clanborn cat after all!
Lemonpaw padded over to a spot where Blackpaw was talking to the new Sandclan apprentice Chestnutpaw and a black-and-white tom also from Sandclan.
"Lemonpaw, this is Pandapaw, he and I met at the last gathering." Blackpaw declared.
"Hello. So your from Sandclan right?" Lemonpaw questioned.
"Yep." Pandapaw nodded.
Right, I have to be careful here... "So what's it like living up on the cliffs?"
"Its great!" Pandapaw squeaked. "We have an amazing sunset and sunrise right from our dens, you can see right across that giant stretch of water for ever."
"Sounds fantastic!" Lemonpaw purred before noticing a white tom step between them.
"Come on Pandapaw, Chestnutpaw, I think that's enough chatting for one day, don't you? Zebrastar wants to leave now."
"Aww.. Okay Lightingcloud." Pandapaw muttered, his tail low.
Wow. He sure is protective of what information leeks out!
Meanwhile, Olivetail and Swanleaf encouraged Blackpaw and Lemonpaw over with their tails.
"It's time to go," Swanleaf informed.
"Did you both enjoy yourselves?" Olivetail pressed.
"Very much!" Lemonpaw cheered.
That was exciting! So many cats...
AN: Sorry for slow updates still very busy in college, hope to finish this story soon. May place some extra short stories after the book is finished, if you are interested...