The cats had left for the Gathering a while ago now. The walk had been refreshing, although Spiderpaw and Briartail didn't converse throughout the journey. Instead, Spiderpaw didn't look in her direction, knowing that if he did he would only be thrown away with a glare.
Dustpaw was trotting alongside Cometcloud, his beam wide and bright like the sun. Spiderpaw was happy for the young apprentice, knowing how brave he was considering he was distraught that Heronkit couldn't have come to his Gathering with him.
Spiderpaw still couldn't divert his eyes from the scars on Cometcloud's underbelly. Honeyflower had assumed that although fur may cover them, fur wouldn't grow in the positions of the scars, and Cometcloud would have to cope with them. Spiderpaw had to admit that they were well-placed and made him look like a brave warrior, but he longed to know what could have gotten them there in the first place. Of course he knew about the shiny two-leg object that had taken off the fur at the side of his pelt, but what interested him more was how the scars could have gotten on him in the first place.
Echostar was leading the group, her sandy fur flowing backwards with the gentle breeze. She looked strong in the moonlight, but her gaze was fierce. Spiderpaw sunk his head. Echostar was a loyal leader - he knew that for sure. But ever since Stonekit had been taken by Rocktail, she had hidden herself away from her Clan, hiding her personality from seemingly every cat other than Cometcloud. Spiderpaw was still convinced that she cared for her Clan, but he couldn't help but reminisce the way her personality used to be when he and his siblings were kits, how she would love to take them out for walks, how she would teach them to hunt and how she would tell them stories as Briartail was falling asleep, and when Aspenclaw was too busy chasing her tail to shut his eyes.
He let out a gentle sigh as he watched her tail. He lifted his shoulders, knowing Echostar could be able to brighten up in the future - however impossible that seemed.
Spiderpaw almost felt shocked when he saw the four Great Oaks towering in front of him. He had missed a Gathering when he was caring for Ashpaw, and although he did feel like he was missing out, he was satisfied when Oceanfur informed him that most things were fine throughout the Clans, and Honeyflower was thinking of him.
Spiderpaw breathed in the air around him, letting the mingled scents of all four clans invade through his nostrils. Beside him, Dustpaw's eyes were wide like moons. He looked as if he had seen StarClan for the first time, his jaw dropped in awe, and his ears drooped in surprise.
"Welcome to your first Gathering, Dustpaw," Spiderpaw heard Echostar say to her kit as the group followed Echostar through the last few trees before they reached the large group of cats in the hollow below the Great Oaks.
"I never expected the Gathering to be this big," Dustpaw meowed. He faltered a little and took a step back, and Echostar stopped in her tracks and gave Cometcloud a concerned gaze - as if they were conversing through their minds.
"Being intimidated by all of the cats on your first Gathering is nothing to be ashamed about," Cometcloud spoke calmly, his voice cool like a rock. "That's how I felt. Just go in there and talk to some cats. Nobody's going to bite you."
Spiderpaw's tail flicked down as he saw Echostar scoff from the front of the line. Dustpaw didn't notice though, he took too much interest in the Gathering in front of him.
He followed Echostar into the entrance of the hollow and smelt the air again. The cats were grouped together in large groups, and Spiderpaw let out a squeak as he felt someone step on his toe.
"Greetings, Petalsplash," Spiderpaw heard Cometcloud say to a darkly coloured she-cat. "I haven't seen you in a while."
"Sickness has brought me down, but Sedgepool has assisted me in a fast recovery."
Spiderpaw tried to extend his neck just enough to be able to see the she-cat. He entwined through a couple more cats to finally see the SunClan deputy face to face. He froze as she turned to him, bowing her head respectfully as they made eye contact. "You're Spiderpaw," she meowed. "Nice to see you back. What you did for Muskstar was very kind." Spiderpaw nodded as Petalsplash took a pause. "I feel ashamed we've never conversed before. These Gatherings are a great chance to get to know the other Clans, but I'm so used to sticking around the other deputies like yourself," she meowed, turning to Cometcloud. "As well as Rocktail and Heatherbird. She's making the most fine deputy for such a young cat, I admire the confidence she must have to take a position like that."
"I agree," Spiderpaw meowed. "And yes, I'm honoured to finally make your acquaintance."
Spiderpaw had only taken a few steps away from Petalsplash before his eyes met Eaglefang of SunClan. He made his way over and got his attention by gently tapping his tail against his flank.
Eaglefang turned around, and Spiderpaw could now see that behind him were two other cats. He recognised Crowcall in an instant, and he did remember the sleek she-cat from when they had met a very long while ago.
"Willowfrost," he meowed. "How are you?"
"All is well," she meowed. "Nice to see you again."
"Yes," Eaglefang agreed. "Spider..."
He stopped himself. "I'm sorry," he meowed.
Spiderpaw shook his head, although he was so pleased that the cats had assumed he had made much a great step in his training. "I haven't received my medicine cat name," he meowed.
Crowcall narrowed his eyes. "Really?"
Spiderpaw flinched, feeling bad that the friendly cat came off as a little intimidating to him. Eaglefang shared the trait of the teeth they had sticking out through the sides of their jaws - just like Talonstar, but somehow Crowcall's teeth just seemed to make him shudder just a little more.
"I don't mind," Spiderpaw admitted, knowing he was lying to himself a little. "I have much more to learn."
Willowfrost was the next to speak. "Taking care of Ashpaw must have gotten you a lot of training."
Spiderpaw's heart dropped by just hearing the name of the apprentice. He dipped his head.
"Are you okay?" Willowfrost asked.
"I don't know how to say this," Spiderpaw meowed. "I know Muskstar'll announce this first, but I hate to say that Ashpaw didn't survive."
He felt his voice breaking with the last few words, and the cats faded into silence, their wide eyes fading with shock.
"There was nothing I could do," Spiderpaw meowed. "I did all I could."
"We believe you," Crowcall meowed.
Eaglefang nodded. "Just a shame none of us got to know him."
Spiderpaw nodded. "He was quite a reserved cat."
"We are very sorry," Willowfrost meowed. "He's at peace in StarClan though."
Spiderpaw felt his stomach wrench as the other cats meowed in agreement. He felt even worse when he felt a tail tap on his shoulder, and for a second he was convinced that Cometcloud or Echostar had heard him spilling the business of the other Clans. But when Spiderpaw turned around, his ears pricked up and his pride surged straight back in the moment he recognised who had alerted him.