✨Rain✨

The air was crisp and cool, signaling an early leaf-bare.

I padded through the small forest surrounding the river on both sides carefully, scenting the air.

The Gathering is tomorrow night. I wonder if Jax or Kaci have already chosen cats to go with me yet.

"Rain! Come quick!" I heard Jax yowl.

I sprinted back to camp, my fur bristling in alarm.

"No! You're going to stay here to guard the camp!" I heard Kaci growl lowly, glaring at Berry.

"But what if you're attacked on the way to this so called Gathering?!" She hissed, her claws digging into the ground.

"Listen to your Second! He knows what's best for you!" snarled Temple.

Dagger just growled and glared.

Neko,Flint and Lion held the Huntress back,who swiped at Kaci,her green eyes blazing with fury.

"Is it because I'm small?!"

Daft and Spider growled.

"Stand down,Berry." growled Daft,stepping forward to pin her warrior down.

Kaci padded to stand over Berry to mew calmly, "No,Berry. It's not because of your size. We don't know what these other Groups are capable of. So, I ask you to please guard our camp while the rest of us are away."

I stood, proud of my old friend.

I knew I made the right choice for my Second....

I cleared my throat, raising to my paws from my place beside Kaci.

"So...The cats accompanying me and Kaci to the Gathering are Wasp,Quill, Erin, Sap, Cinder,Starla, James and Spider."

Every cat seemed satisfied...

Except for Temple,who glared at me and Eliza, who looked fearfully at her mate from the nursery...

Temple followed me to my den and demanded that I allow her to go to the Gathering as well.

At first, I worried about her frail state,but the fire in her eyes told me a different story.

"Of course,Temple."

She purred, her eyes gleaming with delight.

"Thank you,Rain."

James and Eliza slept outside of the nursery, an old fox den, I noticed, with a purr later on that night.

Wasp and Sap had their heads were close together as if talking about the coming Gathering, Cinder watching them before joining the conversation.

I curled up in my nest and sighed,hoping that the other Heads aren't having this much trouble.

👑Winter👑

I yawned as I rose to my paws as sunlight leaked through the brambles of my and Owl's den.

Connor's voice split through the silence of the morning.

"The cats that will be accompanying Winter and Owl to the Gathering are Wes, myself, Bask, Lake,Waverly, Dusk, Sam, Xander,Tiger, Hanna,Yava and Aspen."

Finch frowned and began to complain loudly along with Zoey.

My mind raced...

I didn't know what provoked me to gather the other Heads like we're doing.

And so willing, everyone of them?

Even Feral?

My heart skipped a beat as I remembered talking with him,under the shade of the pine trees,discussing the Gathering and hopefully, becoming allies...

"So, I'll see you at moonhigh before the Gathering? " He asked, looking at the sky.

I nodded,purring as we parted ways.

"Yes. You have my word."

He paused, shocking me as he licked my cheek.

"I promise nothing will happen to you."

Since then, Feral had been haunting my dreams, filling my every thought...

"Winter?"

I spun around to meet the green eyes of Yava, stand next to Connor at the foot of my perch on the stone ledge.

Owl must be out hunting again.

"Yes?"

They shuffled their paws on the snow covered ground.

Connor stepped forward.

"Owl had a dream three nights ago about something terrible and he couldn't bring himself to tell you so he went for a run."

My claws slid out and scraped the rough surface.

"It is the eve of the Gathering and you tell me now that my Second had a dream from three nights ago and you didn't tell me?!"

They flinched, eyes wide.

"W-we're sorry!"

I snarled, my lip curled.

"Sorry catches no prey. Get out of my sight, both of you. You will not be accompanying me to the Gathering anymore. Tell Owl to report to me when he returns."

"Yes, Winter."

With heads bowed, they padded away.

I was watching Waverly and Lake spar in the clearing when I heard familiar pawsteps.

"Winter? You asked to see me?"

I spun around to face him, my eyes narrowing as I looked into his golden depths.

"I heard from Connor and Yava that you had a dream that something terrible is going to happen three nights ago. Care to share?"

He pawed the ground and cleared his throat, swallowing a bit of the mouse we were sharing near our den.

Soon after, I leaped onto my perch again to listen.

"I was wandering around the forest, lost and everywhere, I was surrounded by fog, cats were battling, but I couldn't recognize a single face, even under the full moon...  There was so much blood, Winter....
I didn't want to tell you because you would have postponed the Gathering and we've been working so hard to get ready."

He shuddered as if remembering.

I pressed my muzzle to his shoulder as I leaped down again to sit next to him.

"It's ok, Owl. I'm sure you just had a nightmare."

He nodded, not looking convinced.

I nudged him.

"Let's go see if Aspen is awake. She does need her daily herbs." I mewed.

His eyes brightened slightly, leaning on my shoulder.

"Ok."

So, we chatted with the Wise One, gave her her herbs and decided to hunt for the rest of the evening.

If only I knew what Owl's dream meant... Oh, stars above, what does it mean?

💗Mist💗

"The cats accompanying Mist and Stone to the Gathering are Jumper, Taz, Ryan, Finna, Cape, Dustin, Elm and Zane. The rest of us will guard the camp." Lynx mewed sharply, looking at me for approval.

Connie shook her head furiously, pressing against her mate, watching their kits play in the snow.

"And me." grumbled Peck.

I nodded.

"Alright. But Stone? A word please?"

She nodded and followed me into our den.

"Ok,Mist. What is it?"

I flicked my tail.

"I need you to stay here to keep an eye on Honey. I fear her kits might come at any moment."

Stone nodded.

"Of course I will, Mist."

I purred. "Thank you."

She paused, looking at the stone wall at the back of our den...

"Mist? I've been having weird dreams lately. Something terrible is going to happen. I keep hearing voices in my head and the patrols tell me that they've found bits of prey scattered around the forest near Earth's border."

I growled, hackles raised.

"Do you think the other Groups are behind this?"

She shook her head.

"No. I think it might be an omen of what is to come..."

She shivered and I pressed a poppy seed toward her.

"Sleep, Stone. I'm sure you might be right, but we can figure out what to do when the time comes."

She nodded gratefully and I padded out of the den.

Later on that evening, as I lead a hunting patrol down the mountain slope, inhaling the air, I never felt more at home...

💜Feral💜

"You are not going to the Gathering."

Red snorted.

"Fine. I don't want to be around for what you have planned for all the other Groups anyway."

I curled up my lip and stalked closer to him.

"And what exactly do I have planned, Red?" I mewed silky, my eyes narrowing.

He sighed.

"All these patrols. Making Frost fetch her own fresh-kill and bedding and training her so hard that her joints constantly ache. Forcing two moon old kits and Newbies to train together? It's disgusting and wrong, Feral. Kits don't need to train unless they're six moons or older! You know that."

I smirked, purring.

"I realize that yes, but who makes the rules? That's right. I do! You want to change them? Then fight me after the Gathering. I'm going for a run."

Red snarled, "I will fight you. Before the forest drowns in the blood of the innocent."

My claws slid out as I raced through the forest, Red's words pounding in my ears.

I know what must be done.

"Cora! I am in need of your assistance."

The black she-cat dipped her head.

"Anything for you."

I purred at the blazing loyalty in her eyes.

"Increase the training schedule and make sure the patrols are ready for the time of the attack. We're going to show the other Groups who really rules these lands. Starting with this mouse-brained Gathering!"

She hissed, her claws digging into the ground.

"We're ready, Feral. We can take them out. One by one."

I purred. 

"That's all I wanted to hear. Be ready at moonhigh."

Cora dipped her head again.

"Yes, Feral."

💙💜💙💜💙💜💙💜💙💜

Fin and Spunk wrestled each other to the ground with Jasper and Shine looking on with interest.

Feather and Storm faced off against Devon and Reena, claws unsheathed, just like we practiced.

I watched them with a purr.

Leo, Indigo and Quinn ambushed Tanner,who hissed, his eyes gleaming as he knocked Leo down first, pinning him down, but he wasn't quick enough to see Indigo leap onto his back.

Quinn clawed at his ear, drawing blood.

Tanner yowled in fury, his eyes blazing as he managed to shake Quinn off and score his claws down his cheek and muzzle.

He spun around to face Indigo, blood pooling from his ear wound.

She purred, "Come to fight me, kit?" She taunted.

He snarled, leaping at her.

"Never call me kit again!"

She yowled, struggling under his weight.

I flicked my tail.

"Alright, you two. Stop acting like kits. Let's go get you healed. I think Cora wants you for a border patrol."

They nodded.

"Yes, Feral."

🐾🐱🐾🐱🐾🐱🐾🐱🐾🐱

"Mother! Mother! Did you see that? I beat Fin! Cora says that she thinks I'm almost ready to be a Newbie!"

I watched Nina nodded, smiling a little at the pride in Quick's amber eyes, but she still shuddered a bit.

How pathetic.

I noticed that the she-kit seemed to grow into a well trained warrior already.

Perhaps Cora wouldn't mind having a Newbie once her time comes?

Bug snorted, fluffing out his gray black pelt, his yellow eyes narrowed.

"Oh. Hush up. Feral said that if I'm good enough, I might be a Newbie by the Gathering!"

Hm... Is Bug jealous of his sister?

Nina shook her head as the kits began to quarrel again.

I purred.

"Feral. It's Red. He's gone missing again."

I shrugged at Feather's concerns.

"If the coward wants to run, let him run. He knows if he runs again, he'll be dead by sunhigh."

She winced, "Y-yes,Feral. I'm sure he knows."

I looked at her pawing the ground and laughed inwardly.

Is Red trying to turn my Lead Warrior against me?

"Go lead some patrols to keep your mind off him. Choose any cat to go with you. He'll be fine, Feather. He'll return to his senses eventually."

She nodded, although I could tell she didn't believe me all the way.

"Thank you, Feral. See you soon."

I nodded, deep in thought.

Perhaps Red needs a little talking to.

🐘🐨🐘🐨🐘🐨🐘🐨🐘🐨

OOOOHHH SNAP!

I'm lovin' this book!!!

So, who's your favorite character or characters so far?!

Mine's Feral 😍

Until we meet again. . .

🐾Moonshadow🐾