I'm back with another chapter!

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Redpaw was woken long before sunhigh to Tigerpaw nudging him with his foot.

“Redpaw, get up. Mistyleg and the others are already waiting.”

The ginger apprentice sighs and gets up, stretching in his nest before padding out, Tigerpaw already trudging to his own nest.

“Look who finally decided to show up.”

Redpaw glances at a young brown tom with white paws who’s sneering at him, but doesn’t say anything. He simply takes a deep breath and pads up to where his mentor is.

“Weaselpaw can be prickly at times, but he does have a good heart.” Mistyleg glances at her apprentice. “You did a very good job saying nothing.”

The ginger apprentice nods silently and dares a glance back towards the older apprentice.

“Let’s go.” The gray she-cat nudges her apprentice and bounds out of camp, Redpaw by her side, the other mentor and apprentice right on their tails.

Once out of camp, Mistyleg signals for her patrol to stop and she tastes the air. “Redpaw, what can you smell?”

The ginger apprentice opens his jaws and tastes the air like his mentor did. “It smells like … trees. And … sap.”

The gray she-cat nods. “That would be Skyclan. Must be a patrol.”

The border patrol continues on, walking along the shore of the lake.

Redpaw stares in wonder at the glittering blue water. “I’ve never seen anything like this. It just goes on forever!”

Mistyleg nods. “I remember that same awe when I was an apprentice myself.”

Weaselpaw sneers. “It’s water. So what?”

The gray she-cat turns and glares at the young brown tom, who immediately closes his mouth. “Try that again, Weaselpaw, and I’ll have your mentor speak to Featherstar about delaying both your warrior assessment and your warrior ceremony.”

Redpaw gulps as his mentor turns and stalks ahead. He chances a pitying look at his fellow apprentice, who has his tail dragging on the ground as he trudges after his mentor.

“Redpaw!”

The ginger apprentice bolts forward to stand next to Mistyleg.

The warrior glances at him. “Weaselpaw has a bad attitude about life, but he’s a good cat. Sometimes he needs a harsh word to put him in his place.” She sits down and flicks her tail, signaling for the other warrior and apprentice to continue on. Once they’re both out of hearing range, Mistyleg turns to her apprentice. “I had them go on ahead of us because of what I wanted to speak to you about.”

Redpaw tilts his head to the side, confused.

His mentor sighs. “If you could go back and prevent certain events from happening, would you?”

The apprentice sits down. “What do you mean?”

Mistyleg bows her head. “You’ve heard the stories of the Great Battle, I assume?”

Redpaw shrugs. “I’ve heard of it, but I’ve never been told the story.”

“I suppose you should hear it, then. My great-grandfather, Dewnose, told me once, before he went to Starclan, that he was just a kit when the Great Battle took place. But he would never forget seeing Ferncloud laying on the ground after the Dark Forest cats fled. He and his sister Amberkit, when he was still Dewkit, didn’t understand what was going on, but were quickly told by Cloudtail and Brightheart that all the cats that had been laying on the ground like that had gone to Starclan.”

“Even Firestar?”

Mistyleg turns to her apprentice. “Who told you that Firestar died during the Great Battle?”

Redpaw shakes his head. “No one told me. I only heard it from one of the elders as I was passing by the elder’s den.”

His mentor sighs. “Whoever said that speaks the truth.” She looks up at him, her eyes shining morosely. “Firestar died from his wounds after defeating Tigerstar in the Dark Forest.”

“The evil Tigerstar?”

Mistyleg nods.

Redpaw shakes his head and gets to his paws. “I hope I will never be evil like him.”

The gray she-cat rises and touches her nose to his ear. “I will help train you to be kind and compassionate, even more than you are now. You have a good heart, little flame.”

They continue on, the others in the patrol waiting for them at the border near the Ancient Oak. The rest of the time is uneventful, except for a Windclan hunting party that met them along the border.

Redpaw trots in after Mistyleg and over to where Ravenstorm and Honeystorm are sharing a thrush.

Honeystorm looks up. “Oh! Redpaw!” She gets to her paws and bounds over to him, touching her nose to his in greeting. “How was it?”

The young apprentice nods. “It was good. I was taken through the territory and we came across a Windclan patrol that was hunting on their side of the border. There was also Skyclan scent, but we didn’t see any patrols.”

“I’m glad you got to see the territory.” She moves to press her cheek against his ear, but he turns away, his small frame hunched low as he bows his head.

“Redpaw?” Honeystorm looks at Ravenstorm as he pads forward. “What’s wrong?”

Redpaw turns to look at the black tom. “You were told about the story of the Great Battle when you were apprentices, right?”

Both warriors look at each other, shocked. “Well, yes. But why do you ask?” Ravenstorm sits next to the ginger apprentice.

“Mistyleg told me the story, exactly the same way her great-grandfather, Dewnose, told her.” He looks up at both of them. “I don’t want that to happen to us.”

“It won’t. We’ll all make sure of that.”

The three of them look up to see a massive, elderly black-and-white tom pad up to them.

“Dewnose was my mentor. He was a very stern warrior, but always put the needs of his Clan first before his own.” The tom sits down across from Redpaw. “Reminds me a lot of both Brightheart and Cloudtail.”

The two warriors glance at each other over the apprentice’s head.

Redpaw is intrigued. “What was Cloudtail like, Badgertooth?”

The black-and-white tom chuckles softly. “Big and fluffy with fur the color of snow. He was a big cat, but he was so gentle and kind. He was one of the best trackers Thunderclan ever had.”

The ginger apprentice looks at Ravenstorm and Honeystorm. “I want to be like Cloudtail and be the best tracker Thunderclan has.”

His parents chuckle and Badgertooth rasps his tongue over the apprentice’s head. “In time, young one. You just listen to your mentor and learn everything you can.”

“Honeystorm! Ravenstorm!”

A light brown tabby she-cat pads up to the group. “Cinderfrost wants you both on a hunting patrol.”

Ravenstorm nods. “Understood, Leafwillow. We’ll be there in a moment.”

She dips her head and turns around, padding away.

The big black tom gets to his paws and turns to his mate. ”You coming, Honeystorm?”

The pale ginger tabby nods and they both excuse themselves before padding off, disappearing over the edge of the camp.

Redpaw lays down to listen to Badgertooth’s stories of when he himself was an apprentice, wondering if he’ll ever help protect the Clans.

— — — — — — —

The sun was sinking low on the horizon when Featherstar yowled out from the Highrock. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting."

Redpaw turns to Patchpaw and Snowpaw, his sister having just come from the apprentice den. All three pad over to where the other apprentices are sitting so they can listen to the elderly Clan leader.

“The Gathering of the Clans is tonight, which means that some of our newer warriors and apprentices will meet cats from other Clans. The cats that will be going with me are Cinderfrost, Pinetooth, Ravenstorm, Mistyleg, Roseshadow, Sandpelt, Brightfern, Rainbird, Leafwillow, Robintail, Tigerpaw, and Redpaw.”

Murmurs of excitement sweep through the crowd of cats and Featherstar silences them.

“Those who are going to the Gathering should get something to eat. The Clan meeting is dismissed.”

The group scatters and Tigerpaw nudges Redpaw, making the younger apprentice look at him.

“You should count yourself lucky.”

The ginger apprentice tilts his head, confused. “Why?”

Tigerpaw sighs. “It’s a great honor to be chosen by a Clan leader to go to the Gathering.”

Redpaw’s ears prick in curiosity. “I never knew that.” He dips his head. “Thank you.”

“Anytime.” Tigerpaw turns and pads away to the fresh-kill pile, leaving Redpaw on his own in the clearing.

The ginger apprentice gets up to go get something to eat, his littermates pad up to him.

“You’re so lucky that you get to go to the Gathering.” Patchpaw dips his head, a bit sad. “We have to stay here.”

Snowpaw nudges her brother. “There’s always next time.”

Redpaw nods. “You’ll get to go.” He flicks his tail. “We all might get picked to go for the next Gathering.”

The fluffy white apprentice steps forward and touches her nose to his. “You must tell us how the Gathering went when you return to camp with the others.”

The ginger apprentice dips his head. “I will.” He turns to Patchpaw, but his brother turns away, his ears pulled back against his head. “Patchpaw … I didn’t ask to go to the Gathering. Featherstar picked me to go.” He strides forward and licks the black-and-white apprentice’s neck. “I’ll ask Mistyleg and Emberdust to talk to Featherstar to see if we can go to the Gathering together.”

Patchpaw turns to his brother, his ears pricking curiously. “You’d do that for me?”

Redpaw dips his head. “You’re my brother. I don’t want you to feel left out.”

The black-and-white apprentice smiles. “Thanks.”

The ginger apprentice nods and pads off to go get something to eat before the Gathering.

— = ++ — ~ — ++ = —

Redpaw barely swallows his last mouthful of mouse and returns from taking the bones away when Featherstar yowls from the Highledge. He trots over to stand between his mentor and Tigerpaw, his tail twitching in anticipation.

The old blue-gray tabby she-cat leaps down from the Highledge and beckons the cats chosen to attend the Gathering to her.

Redpaw follows Mistyleg’s lead as the group rushes out of camp, Tigerpaw right behind them.

The way to the Gathering Island wasn’t very long and the Thunderclan cats are thundering up to the tree-bridge, Featherstar coming to a stop and signaling for the rest of the group to stop.

“We must be careful when crossing the tree-bridge, for it is slowly being taken over by the rot.” She nimbly leaps onto the huge log and begins slowly treading her way across. Cinderfrost follows and then the rest, until the only cats on the shore are Redpaw, Tigerpaw, and Mistyleg.

The gray she-cat gently nudges her apprentice. “Go on. We’ll be right behind you, little flame.”

Redpaw nods and swallows nervously, leaping up and landing on the rotting bark softly before walking across the tree-bridge. After making it across safely, he jumps down and calmly waits for his mentor and friend to join him.

“You did a good job, young one.” Mistyleg licks his head and trots forward, leaving her apprentice and Tigerpaw on their own.

The big brown tabby tom nudges his companion. “Come on, Redpaw. You might get to meet some cats from different Clans.”

The ginger tabby swallows nervously and pads after his friend. Scents fill his nose as he steps into a leaf-littered clearing, the scents indicating that Shadowclan and Riverclan are already here. He just stands at the bottom of the hill, completely in awe of how many cats are already there.

“Redpaw.”

He looks at Tigerpaw, who’s been joined by a few other apprentices.

“This is Cloudpaw, from Shadowclan, and Frogpaw and Toadpaw, from Riverclan.” He looks at the other apprentices. “This is Redpaw. He’s one of the newest apprentices in Thunderclan.”

Redpaw dips his head. “A pleasure to meet you all.”

“How long have you been an apprentice, Redpaw?” The question comes from a pale brown she-cat with petite white paws.

“Only for about a half moon. But I’m learning a lot from my mentor.” The ginger apprentice puffs his chest out in pride.

A young black-and-white apprentice — one of the Riverclan toms — snorts and the other young apprentice — a dusky brown tom — cuffs his ears in irritation.

A yowl from one of the leaders silences the crowd of cats and Otterstar steps forward.

“The fish are plentiful in Riverclan and we are doing well. A beaver was discovered in our territory, but it was chased off by Troutfin, Mossfin, and Lakepaw during a border patrol. We also have a new litter of kits kitted by Hailfern only four sunrises ago. That is all.” Otterstar steps back to her place on the Gathering Rock.

Redpaw watches as a ginger-and-white she-cat steps forward.

Tigerpaw leans over. “That’s Flowerstar, the leader of Skyclan.”

The ginger apprentice nods and cranes his head forward to listen, his ears pricked curiously.

“Skyclan is doing well. We have three new apprentices: Darkpaw, Ferretpaw, and Beepaw.”

“Darkpaw! Ferretpaw! Beepaw! Darkpaw! Ferretpaw! Beepaw!” The yowls from the gathered cats echoes through the night.

“We also have a new deputy after the loss of Cherryfawn: Slatelight.”

“Slatelight! Slatelight!”

Flowerstar’s tail twitches and she steps back, being replaced by Owlstar.

“Shadowclan continues to thrive. Stonesun retired from his role as deputy several sunrises ago and has moved to the elder’s den.”

“Stonesun! Stonesun!” The caterwauls of the crowd is almost deafening to Redpaw, but he focuses on what the leader has to say.

“I have also chosen a new deputy: Hawkbird.”

“Hawkbird! Hawkbird!”

“That is all from Shadowclan.” Owlstar steps back and Cedarstar of Windclan steps forward.

“All is well in Windclan. There is nothing to report.”

Redpaw holds his breath as Featherstar steps forward to share the news from Thunderclan.

“The prey runs well in Thunderclan and we have two new warriors: Robintail and Mosstalon.”

“Robintail! Mosstalon! Robintail! Mosstalon!”

“We also have three new apprentices: Redpaw, Patchpaw, and Snowpaw.”

“Redpaw! Patchpaw! Snowpaw!” The ginger apprentice shifts his paws nervously.

Featherstar sighs. “Smallflame and Pinetooth, as well as myself, Cinderfrost, and the other medicine cats, received a prophecy two seasons ago. ‘The fire will unite and save the Clans once again. Five will become one. But an old enemy that will rise from the ashes. Beware of the blood in the forest.’ We … We believe that Bloodclan will return, as well as the Dark Forest.”

Yowls of shock and disbelief sweep through the group and Redpaw glances at Tigerpaw in worry.

“We need to be ready. I’m fully confident that we can beat them. The Clans have beat them before, and they can do it again.” Featherstar turns to the other leaders. “We must be prepared.”

“But we all lost cats during the Great Battle!” Flowerstar cries in despair.

Otterstar nods. ”And we don’t have the Three with us anymore.”

“Pardon me.” Pinetooth catches the attention of the leaders and the five of them look down at the Thunderclan medicine cat.

“What is it, Pinetooth?”

“I believe that we do have at least one answer.” He turns to the crowd of cats. “This prophecy tells us that fire will save the Clans again. My belief is that a ginger cat will reunite the Clans together once more to fight against Bloodclan and the Dark Forest, much like in the story of the Great Battle we were all told as kits.”

Murmurs of concern spread through the crowd and Featherstar yowls to get their attention.

“I understand the concerns all of you may have, but we cannot let this destroy our very way of life. There have always been five Clans in the lake territories. We must fight for what’s rightfully ours.”

The other Clan leaders look at each other and Cedarstar is the first to speak. “Featherstar is right. We cannot lose our home. I will consult with my Clan about this and I will give my answer at the next Gathering.”

The other three leaders nod in agreement.

“Alright.” Featherstar dips her head. “We’ll share what we’ve decided at the next Gathering.”

Otterstar dips her head in acceptance. “The Gathering is concluded, then.” She leaps off the Gathering Rock. “Riverclan, to me!” Her cats fall into step behind her and then Riverclan leaves, followed shortly by Shadowclan and then Skyclan.

Featherstar jumps down from the Gathering and faces Cedarstar. “What do you think will happen?”

The reddish-brown tom shakes his head and gazes at his paws. “I don’t know.” His mew is quiet and he looks up at her, his eyes filled with determination. “But Windclan is with you, no matter what.”

The gray tabby she-cat smiles and taps her nose to his. “Safe travels back to Windclan.”

Cedarstar dips his head. “And safe travels back to Thunderclan.” He signals for his Clan and leaves the Gathering Island, quickly followed by Thunderclan.

Redpaw thinks about his first Gathering and what he can look forward to at the next one, if he’s chosen to go. But his thoughts are interrupted by one of Thunderclan’s apprentices nearly crashing into the returning party.

"Is that … Skypaw?"

The apprentice nearly collapses when she stops in front of Featherstar and Cinderfrost.

“Featherstar … the camp was attacked … and … Lightcloud and Mosstalon … Smallflame tried to … save them … he was … too late …” The she-cat collapses to the ground, having fallen unconscious.

The group races to the camp, Ravenstorm and Sandpelt helping carry the unconscious apprentice, and Robintail wails in grief.

‘How could this happen?’ Redpaw’s face hardens from one of shock to one of anger. ‘Whoever did this will severely pay for what they did.’

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What a cliffhanger!

This chapter turned out even better than I thought and I hope you guys liked it, too!

Anyways, I'll catch you readers in the next chapter!

PHOENIX OUT!!!