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signs-of-the-moon · 24 days

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Moon High: Chapter 20

Dew dripped from the trees, sunshine reflecting beautifully within them. After a light drizzle in the early morning, the rest of the day promised warmth and light. Moonpaw shook out her pelt to clear it of moisture as she stood alongside several other apprentices.

Sunpaw and his littermates were to one side of Moonpaw. Beside them were Smokepaw, Magpiepaw, Tigerpaw and her siblings. On Moonpaw's opposite side were Blackpaw and Beepaw. They were all standing along the edge of Tree Dome, their mentors on the opposite side. Between the divided groups was Thornberry, pacing around the sandy clearing to give instructions.

"'Paws," he started, "the first things you will be tested on today are your fighting skills. Each of you will be put up against another of your peers, and judged by your mentors as you spar. Winning isn't necessary to pass this part of your assessment. Rather, a good show of what you have learned will determine if you are prepared to move onto the next level of training." The deputy's gaze swept over each young cat as he spoke, an air of authority radiating from his coat. "Moonpaw, you're up first. Beepaw will be your opponent." Thornberry flicked his ear, prompting the named apprentices forward. Moonpaw's heart began to pound in her chest as she stepped forward to meet with Beepaw. Excitement and apprehension began to swirl in the apprentice's belly, causing it to ache and already begin to distract her. I hope I will do well, she thought as she lifted her chin to size up her opponent. Beepaw gave her a surprised look, as if she'd never expected her to act that way.

It wasn't common for cats in Treeclan to size up others in battle, Moonpaw had almost forgotten. But she'd gotten used to the concept because of Hazepaw. It was something he'd told her that Oceanclan warriors did. He said it made a cat appear stronger and more intimidating to a foe, which could throw them off. Especially if the cat doing it wasn't as large or capable as their opponent might be. Moonpaw thought it could be interesting to try for herself, especially since she still wasn't confident in her fighting skills. But it seemed that was the wrong move to make.

Flinching, Moonpaw gave her head a quick dip in apology before moving into a more traditional fighting stance. Beepaw did the same, charging at the other apprentice when Thornberry gave the signal to start. The silver and black tabby was fast, too fast to evade. Moonpaw decided to take the she-cat head on as she came within striking distance.

Moonpaw threw a front paw blow, slapping Beepaw across the jaw. Beepaw recoiled at the hit then threw one of her own, knocking the other apprentice over with her strength. Moonpaw yelped in surprise as the older molly came upon her, trying to force her onto her back. But Moonpaw resisted, kicking out her back legs to trip up Beepaw. With a stumble, the tabby apprentice moved away just enough for Moonpaw to rise. Moonpaw's confidence was growing as the battle waged on, though she could feel the mentors' judgment upon her. With all the strength she could muster, the silver and white molly retaliated and pressed her own weight against the older apprentice. She wrapped her forepaws around her neck and grabbed for Beepaw's scruff; anything to incapacitate her and force her into surrender. Beepaw struggled beneath her denmate and soon fell to the floor, particles of sand and dust clouding around them. Moonpaw continued to push the silver tabby she-cat down, pretending to give her an injuring bite to the back of her neck. Beepaw let out a hiss, and finally went limp beneath her opponent. Moonpaw held her there for a few heartbeats more, until Thornberry called an end to the spar.

"Excellent work, both of you," he praised, prompting Moonpaw to yield her grip and step back. Beepaw rose to her paws with a full body shake. She gave Moonpaw a friendly smile, clearly impressed by the other molly's skills. Moonpaw felt warmth pool in her chest. She was glad to have beaten the older she-cat. More importantly, though, she was glad Beepaw was such a good sport about it.

After dipping their heads respectfully to one another, the two she-cats rejoined their peers at the edge of the tree-crowded hollow. Another pair of apprentices stepped forward; this time Foxpaw and Tinypaw. They both had an air of confidence about them, though Foxpaw seemed more assured of victory than Tinypaw did. Still, the undersized apprentice had determination blazing in her amber eyes, promising a good fight.

Upon Thornberry's signal, the apprentices met with a wave of paws. Tinypaw was the first to strike, at first crouching to the floor before springing up at Foxpaw from beneath his chin. Foxpaw retaliated by throwing blows at Tinypaw's head and shoulders; strikes that would be painful, if the two were to fight with unsheathed claws. Tinypaw however seemed undeterred by the ginger tom's efforts of attack, using her forepaws to wrap around his neck. She tried with all her might to flip the tom over, but to no avail. Instead, Foxpaw flipped her, after grabbing her by the scruff.

Tinypaw was forced to lay belly up. But she smirked, as if this had been part of her plan all along. When Foxpaw moved to feign scratches to her delicate area, Tinypaw countered by swinging all four paws at him. Her hindpaws struck Foxpaw along his throat, while the front pretended to scratch his eyes and nose. Foxpaw backed away with a fake squeak of pain, shaking out his pelt before glaring at his opponent. Tinypaw managed to scramble back onto her feet, arching her back to look more menacing. After a couple heartbeats of posturing, the apprentices met again. Foxpaw made a move to strike, which Tinypaw easily evaded. She ran around the tom's side, aiming to get behind him. Foxpaw whipped around to stop her, swiping again. Tinypaw barely dodged the second blow, rounding the ginger tom again. This happened several more times, until it seemed that Foxpaw was growing tired. She's trying to use her size and speed to her advantage, Moonpaw realized.

Foxpaw was panting at this point, his eyes intensely trained on his opponent. When Tinypaw made her move to go around him once more, Foxpaw had a hard time keeping up. Tinypaw finally succeeded with her plan of jumping on his back from behind. She grabbed his scruffed, trying to force the other apprentice to the floor. She was doing so good! Moonpaw griped internally. Tinypaw knows she doesn't have the weight necessary to push him down.

Then, Foxpaw bucked his hindquarters, throwing Tinypaw off himself unceremoniously. With a shriek, Tinypaw came falling towards the forest floor. But it was calculated, as she kicked out her hindlegs and spun once she landed in front of Foxpaw. Foxpaw's feet were stolen out from under him, forcing the tom to crash to the ground. Again, Tinypaw grabbed his scruff, shoving a paw onto his face. Then, Thornberry called the match.

"Great work. Your choice of moves were unique to say the least. But nonetheless you both did well," the deputy complimented, sending the apprentices back to their ranks.

The rest of the battles went similarly. Flamepaw and Blackpaw were called forward next. They were almost evenly matched, and the spar went on longer than any cat expected. Both apprentices' techniques were aggressive, and Flamepaw accidentally bit his opponent's ear in the heat of their brawl. Though he drew blood, the injury was luckily minor. Still, that didn't stop Thornberry and Thrushmask from scolding the tom for his error. Thornberry decided to call the match after that and sent the toms to stand with their peers again.

Then it was Sunpaw and Magpiepaw's turn. Though he had an extra moon of training over her, Sunpaw was no match for Moonpaw's sister. She won pretty quickly, as Sunpaw had stumbled his way through the fight. He looked a little embarrassed once they were sent back to the sidelines. Moonpaw purred at him, giving her friend a warm smile.

Adderpaw fought against Tigerpaw. The two seemed to have the most fun during their mock battle, throwing witty banter between them as they threw paws and jumped at one another. In the end, Tigerpaw ended up being the winner, which she happily and loudly gloated about before being silenced and sent to sit beside Moonpaw. Moonpaw shouldered her best friend playfully as Tigerpaw giggled at her with glee.

Lastly, Deerpaw was called forward. He was a Code Keeper apprentice, and not meant to know how to fight. But he was expected to be able to defend himself. So, Thornberry called Smokepaw up to face him. The fight was pretty one sided the whole time. Though he wanted to show off his skills, Smokepaw was delicate with Deerpaw. He kept him on the defensive, but left openings for Deerpaw to strike if he wanted. The brown tabby's timid nature got the better of himself though, which gave Smokepaw a clear advantage. He managed to win, but not without feeling some guilt for it. Moonpaw tilted her head for him sympathetically, and Smokepaw gave her a small, regret filled smile in return.

"That brings the end of the battle portion of your assessment," Thornberry decided. "Your next task is to hunt. Bring home as much prey as you can. All will be judged on their technique, form, and speed, rather than amount caught. But- yes, Tigerpaw- you may be given extra points depending on the type of prey you catch. You have until sundown to complete this assignment." Once again Thornberry looked at each apprentice in turn. Blinking slowly, he added; "May the branches hold your weight."

Then, with a flick of his stubby tail, Treeclan's deputy dismissed the group. Adderpaw was the first to take off into the woods, Magpiepaw not far behind. One by one, each apprentice picked their own direction to stalk in. Moonpaw decided to turn around and head west. She'd hunt as far away from the Tree Dome and Treeclan's camp as possible, to ensure she'd find plentiful amounts of prey.

At this time of day, the forest was alive with activity. Birds chittered as they flew from branch to branch, singing their mating songs. The trees slowly blossomed as the warmth of the Newleaf sun shined upon them. Steam rose from the grass underpaw as dew evaporated with the growing heat. Mushrooms overtook fallen logs. Spiderwebs spread like gray film over ferns, and insects buzzed around fresh plant growths. Most importantly the sounds of tiny creatures skittering through the undergrowth made their presence known. Moonpaw opened her mouth to taste the air and see what was available. There was a quail digging about, around two fox-lengths away. A shrew crawled out from it's burrow a tail-length and a half in the opposite direction. But the scent of cat overwhelmed the delectable smell of prey closeby. One of Treeclan's other apprentices was hunting here. I'll have a hard time catching anything with competition around, Moonpaw decided, continuing westward until she could no longer scent any clanmates around.

Allowing the sounds and vibrations of the forest to guide her, the silver and white apprentice closed her eyes; getting a good feeling of the area surrounding her. A twig suddenly snapped nearby, grabbing Moonpaw's attention. An inexperienced young rabbit was making its way through the bushes. Its tiny twitchy nose snuffled through some fallen flower petals, detecting fresh sprigs of grass hidden beneath. It munched on its meal, unbothered, and most importantly unaware of the predator that lurked close by. Moonpaw quickly dropped into a crouch, prowling through the undergrowth with as little noise as possible. Her pelt briefly brushed along some shrubs, drawing the rabbit's attention. It sat upright, staring straight at Moonpaw. But the silver and white molly was too well hidden for its weak eyes to detect. So after another tense heartbeat, the rabbit relaxed and returned to its grazing. Moonpaw let out a silent sigh, then pressed on to close the gap between herself and her prey. When she was only a tail-length away, Moonpaw shot out of the undergrowth and lauched right onto the rabbit. She felt the lilthe creature gasp beneath her as her teeth fastened to the back of its neck. Before it could cry out or feel any suffering, Moonpaw snapped its spinal cord, ending its life. The rabbit went limp in her jaws, and Moonpaw silently thanked Starclan for its life.

After hiding it beneath a thick clump of sticks and mulch, Moonpaw went on to catch a mouse and a pigeon to add to her fresh-kill pile. But the sounds of prey died away in her area after the fact, prompting her to press forward in her search for food. As she stalked along, Moonpaw swore she saw a pair of intense amber eyes observing her through the trees.

Further ahead, a sharp acidic tang passed through Moonpaw's scent glands, nearly causing her to gag. She recognized the smell from one of her first tours of Treeclan's territory. It was the Thunder Path. She must not be to far from it, she figured. Prey would become more scarce the closer she drew. So Moonpaw decided to turn around and hunt elsewhere. But before she left, she spotted Flamepaw nearby, tracking a very fat squirrel. His form was flawless, and he moved as silent as a owl as he stalked. He'll catch the squirrel for sure! Moonpaw bet, tucking herself behind a mulberry bush to watch him make the catch. As Flamepaw readied himself to pounce, a hefty gust of wind kicked up, blowing downwind of him. The fuzzy creature sat up as it caught the scent of cat on the breeze. Its pupils grew wide and it scampered off without a moment of hesitation. Tough luck! Moonpaw pouted.

Flamepaw stood upright as his prey got away, chattering his teeth. His tail lashed with frustration, too. Moonpaw was just about to turn around to allow him to go back to hunting, when she heard a cat hiss out; "What are you doing!?"

Moonpaw jolted, crouching further behind her bush. The cat meowed again, only this time Moonpaw was sure they were addressing Flamepaw. She couldn't see who it was though, nor could she recognize their voice from this distance. The wind was blowing opposite of Moonpaw's direction, so she couldn't scent them either.

"Do you want to fail your assessment?" The cat threatened. Flamepaw shook his head. "Then go after it!"

"But-" Flamepaw whipped his head from the cat, towards his prey's direction, and back.

"Go now!" The cat yowled, scaring the squirrel into running faster. Flamepaw groaned and sprinted away from the unidentified feline, hurrying after the squirrel as fast as his legs could carry him. Moonpaw decided to follow from a safe distance, interested in seeing if Flamepaw could catch his prey before it was too far from reach.

The scent of the Thunder Path grew stronger as Moonpaw made her way along, until the black stone river came into view at the bottom of the hill. The squirrel was headed right for it. And so was Flamepaw. Worry began to creep its way into Moonpaw's belly. But she pushed it back, assuring herself that Flamepaw wouldn't be stupid enough to try and pursue the creature once it touched the monster path. But to her dismay, Flamepaw didn't seem to be slowing down. Moonpaw's heart clenched. She pushed her paws to move faster, pelting her way towards her denmate to stop him before it was too late.

The squirrel soon made it to the edge of the Thunder Path, and paused to look over its shoulder. Spotting Flamepaw, the lengthy rodent took the risk and scampered across. Moonpaw was certain this was where Flamepaw was stop. But he didn't. Her heart began to pound faster as she watched the ginger tom race after the squirrel, his claws nearly scraping its tail. A rumbling sound was rounding the nearby corner; a warning of danger approaching.

"Flamepaw!" Moonpaw yowled as she drew close to the Thunder Path's edge. But her cry was left unheard.

As her pawpads made contact with the unnaturally warm stone, Flamepaw had managed to snatch up the squirrel. Moonpaw wanted so desperately to celebrate her clanmate's triumph at that moment; but she couldn't. A monster had come roaring along the path, speeding past Moonpaw like a spark of lightning. It'd missed her by a whisker-length, striking Flamepaw instead. Red and gray flashed across Moonpaw's vision; her fur swept aside with the rush of wind and smoke the monster left behind in its wake. Moonpaw shut her eyes and coughed, just as the blood curdling cry of her clanmate ran out. Then, just as quickly, everything fell into silence.

Shaking, Moonpaw spared herself of the sight she knew she was about to see for a moment more. She took a few pawsteps back. Then, bravely, she peeked open her eyes.

Flamepaw had been thrown across to the other bank of the Thunder Path, his blood steaked vibrantly across it.

Moonpaw gasped. She backed up to the safety of the forest's edge in her panic. Then, she hurried to check on her clanmate before she had time to stop herself. He could still be alive, some optimistic part of her mind yowled.

Moonpaw climbed up a tree near the Thunder Path. She balanced her way to the edge of one branch, then bravely leaped across to another. The second branch bounced as it took on her weight, steadying after a few heartbeats. Moonpaw sucked in a breath as she crawled across it over towards the other side of the path.

"Flamepaw! Flamepaw, can you hear me?" She cried out again, trying to gauge the tom's level of consciousness. But her call was never answered. Moonpaw climbed down from the second tree to inspect her clanmate. But as soon as she touched down onto the grass, she wished she hadn't. From the other side, all Moonpaw had been able to see was a large river of blood, and Flamepaw's back. But from this angle she got to see all of Flamepaw.

She first caught his expression. His eyes were as wide as a full moon, and jaws gaped at an awkward angle. The squirrel lay only a nose's length from his open mouth.

Flamepaw's entrails were the next thing to catch Moonpaw's attention. They were completely exposed, leaking partially on the grass, but mostly on the stone. His abdomen was caved in from the weight of the monster running over him. His smell had almost instantly become pungent as it mixed with the odor of the Thunder Path itself.

Finally, Moonpaw noticed the blood and body matter. It was everywhere; splattered all over the ground, seeping into the grass, and now it was all over her paws. She'd been too flabbergasted by what happened to realize she'd been stepping in it. But once she did, Moonpaw jumped back, shaking her paws as if she'd just gotten it out of the creek. A brief moment of panic washed over her, before another bout of determination took its place. She had to get help. There was no time to stand around and cry.

With body quaking, Moonpaw turned and went back the way she came, clambering up one tree, crossing into another, and coming down on the other side. When she got there she spotted Darkfire standing nearby, staring at Flamepaw. Her eyes were wide, but nothing else gave away the emotions she might be feeling at that moment. Then, the tortoiseshell warrior looked to Moonpaw.

"Call out for help," she commanded before turning away. Moonpaw hoped she was going to get Mothsong, or Blazestar. But she didn't have any time to make sure. Instead she ran through the forest, yowling out to grab the attention of any other clanmates she could.

Leafheart was the first to emerge from the woods, worry etching her every feature. Moonpaw had hoped her mentor would not be the cat to answer her cries. Then Thornberry came along, followed by Blackpaw and Smokepaw. Each cat looked to Moonpaw for answers. The only thing she could do at that moment was look at Leafheart and mewl;

"Fl..Flamepaw...."

That's all Leafheart needed to hear. Between the haunted look of her apprentice, the scent of blood, and the name of her son, the ginger tabby she-cat was eager to follow. She wanted to see what had become of Flamepaw. Moonpaw led her clanmates to him, standing back a bear-length from the edge of the Thunder Path. The thought of another monster rolling past her like the previous one gave her chills. Moonpaw would be certain never to step foot on the black stone ever again.

"No..." she heard Leafheart whisper, as Thornberry made the climb to check on the orange tom. Smokepaw followed him, while Blackpaw remained pressed to Leafheart's side. Moonpaw moved to flank her other side as Thornberry made it to Flamepaw. His fluffy brownish-black pelt bushed with alarm when he saw the state the apprentice was in. Smokepaw gagged at the sight, turning to vomit into the grass. Then Leafheart began to sob, relying on the apprentices beside her to keep her upright.

"Flamepaw!" She cried out, "Starclan, no, not my son!"

#warrior cats #warrior cats ocs #wcs #wcs ocs #signs of the moon: moon high #signs of the moon #moon high #book 2 #chapt 20 #moon pov

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signs-of-the-moon · 4 months

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Moon High: Chapter 18

The moon was nearly at its peak in the sky by the time Treeclan reached the Gathering Clearing. At the front of the chosen cats, Blazestar stood, with a stern expression fixed on his face. Clearly he had something on his mind, something he'd soon come to make everyone else's problem too. Moonpaw wasn't too far from him, seeing the anger blazing in his eyes as the orange tom turned to dismiss his clan. Moonpaw crouched a little as she passed him, not wanting to be caught in his path and bother him. She followed the tail of her elder friend, Badgerface, moving up to his side to match pace with him as he mixed into the crowd.

"So what happened to the Moon after the argument with the ocean? I have to know!" Moonpaw insisted, wanting Badgerface to continue a story he'd been telling on the way to the Gathering.

“Ah. Well, you see…” the elder started as they walked.

Moonpaw nodded along to the old tom's words, searching the clearing with her eyes as they padded along. Slowly, Badgerface's fable faded into background noise. Soon, Moonpaw realized she'd drowned it out entirely. She was too occupied looking for Hazepaw to focus. She was eager for the white tom to pop out and surprise her–like he'd done at the last full moon meeting. Though many white pelts mingled through the clearing, none belonged to her dear friend. Disappointment began to worm its way into Moonpaw's chest. It must have shown on her face, too, as Badgerface gave pause.

“Moon, I think you should go mingle with some cats your own age now," he meowed, resting his tail on her back.

A pang of guilt suddenly gripped Moonpaw. She parted her jaws, ready to apologize for losing interest in the elder's story. Then the crackly mrrrp of another cat split through the air. A trio of old warriors appeared a bear-length ahead. Oh, perhaps it wasn't her sullen expression that had made Badgerface stop speaking. Instead, the arrival of his friends must have prompted him to set the task aside, for now. A golden tom, a long haired spotted molly, and a white mangled faced tom trotted up to Badgerface. Moonpaw looked at them in awe as they greeted her elder friend. Their pelts were littered with scars, which spoke of battles Moonpaw would love to hear tales of.

Badgerface laughed with sarcasm as one of the elders quipped at him. Something about bothering young apprentices with helping him get around in his old age. Then Badgerface moved to cuff the old she-cat over the ears. Afterwards, he pushed the golden tom to the ground playfully, displaying how capable and strong he still was as a counter-argument. The scarred white tom simply shook his head with a smile at the display.

Moonpaw mrrowed with laughter as she watched the old cats tussling as though they were kits. It made her heart feel warm to see them so lively, even at their age. But it was clear Moonpaw wouldn't fit in with this group, so she allowed Badgerface to go on ahead without her.

Moonpaw's gaze flitted over the throng of cats, still looking for that familiar pelt. One did emerge, but it didn't belong to Hazepaw. Instead it was Deerpaw, Tigerpaw's brother. He looked a little skittish with enemy warriors pressed around him on all sides.

Despite being a moon older than Moonpaw, this was Deerpaw's first Gathering. He'd been too nervous to attend his first few. But he swore he could handle going this time around. Moonpaw could practically smell his fear. Clearly, Deerpaw had lied. It was sad to see him in such a state. So Moonpaw made her presence known to him, gently pressing her flank to his. Though he jolted a little, the tom instantly relaxed, realizing a clanmate had come to his aid. Moonpaw urged him to follow her to a less crowded part of the clearing, where he could feel more secure. Upon receiving the space he so desperately craved, Deerpaw heaved a sigh. He sat back on his haunches, then looked to Moonpaw almost teary eyed.

"Thanks," he murmured before wrapping his fluffy tail around himself.

"It's no trouble." Moonpaw twitched her ears. "Are you sure you were ready to be here tonight, chipmunk? You know you could always go home."

Deerpaw lowered his ears. "Don't want to..."

Moonpaw tilted her head curiously. Deerpaw looked as though he were ready to pass out with so many strangers around. Why did he push himself to deal with such anxiety?

"I'm too grown to be scared of Gatherings. That's what Tinypaw said. I want to be braver, to make her proud," Deerpaw elaborated.

Moonpaw nodded, understanding his choice now. Tinypaw was his favorite littermate. It made sense he'd want to face his fear for her. Especially so they could enjoy Gatherings together, like tonight.

"Deerpaw!"

Moonpaw swung around when she heard the high pitched mew of the pale tortoiseshell molly. Tinypaw came bounding over to them. Relief washed over her features when she saw her brother safe. Her tail raised in greetings as she got closer.

"There you are! I was starting to worry about you." Tinypaw rubbed her muzzle against Deerpaw's. Then she turned to Moonpaw. "Thanks for guiding him from the crowd. I'm sure the stupid furball was getting overwhelmed by the amount of cats around."

"...don't like strangers..." Deerpaw pouted and slumped his shoulders. Tinypaw moved closer to him, licking the tom over the ears. She was exactly his height, when he was sitting.

“It really was no trouble,” Moonpaw assured with a tail sway, left ignored as Tinypaw fussed over her brother. Though she wished to carry on a conversation with her denmates–perhaps to distract herself from looking for Hazepaw more–it was clear she wouldn't get much out of the pair. After trying and failing again to catch Tinypaw's attention, Moonpaw padded back into the crowd.

She mewed small "hellos” to cats she passed as she went back to searching for Hazepaw. Along the way she walked by Nightpaw, who was standing beside Wolfheart. Moonpaw's father was boasting about the apprentice to some of his friends, praising her quick wit and skills. Nightpaw was practically glowing with pride as her mentor spoke of her accomplishments. She looked up to him, it seemed, as she added in how good Wolfheart was as a teacher. Moonpaw had never seen the she-cat so happy before.

Not far away, Nightpaw's mother, Darkfire, was standing beside two other tough looking warriors. Her claws were unsheathed as she told them about a recent Oceanclan skirmish she'd helped win. A close by sand speckled warrior had his eyes narrowed at her, clearly agitated by her recount of the event.

There were others from Moonpaw's clan nearby as well, and cats she recognized from patrols and the previous Gathering. But none of them were Hazepaw. For a short while more, Moonpaw continued looking for him. But it did not seem like he was present tonight. Defeat weighed down Moonpaw's heart like a heavy stone. He promised he'd make it to the Gathering. Has something happened? She wondered.

Moonpaw paused to look at Split Rock. Four of the five leaders were present atop the ancient cracked boulder. They'd be calling the gathered cats together soon, for sure. It looked like they were waiting for Brightstar to arrive. Moonpaw supposed she could wait in her place alone until the announcements began. It was a good spot to listen and be out of everyone's way. Then, someone called out to her;

"Hi, Moonpaw!"

For a heartbeat she perked up, turning around to see who'd called. Yet disappointment greeted her again as Sunpaw stood in front of her.

"Oh, Hi Sunny.” Moonpaw deflated.

"You look a little down." Sunpaw blinked. Moonpaw gave a shrug. "Is it because you're lonely? I could keep you company, if you'd like?"

Moonpaw thought for a heartbeat. Though she'd like to stay where she was, in case Hazepaw finally decided to show his face, she had to admit she was feeling lonesome. Perhaps spending time with Sunpaw could cheer her up.

"I would like that, actually," she admitted.

Sunpaw lit up. "Great!" He made a small hop. "Come with me!" Before Moonpaw could say anything about going elsewhere, Sunpaw was leading her through the crowd.

Near a fallen branch, a few other cats appeared to be waiting for them. Moonpaw glanced at Sunpaw, confused. He seemed excited to meet with these other cats, his tail held high as he led her towards them.

"Hi everyone!" He chirped.

“There you are, Sunpaw!” Purred a longhaired tabby with the scent of the mountains on her pelt. Beside her sat two Oceanclan mollies, sand dusted fur. Sitting opposite of them was a young muddy Marshclan warrior. And next to her were two slender Grassclan she-cats. They all mewed various greetings to Sunpaw, a couple stepping up to touch noses with him. Gee, Sunpaw's really popular with she-cats, Moonpaw discovered as she observed his group of friends.

“‘Bout time you showed up,” grunted the only tom of the group, sitting off to the sidelines. Moonpaw couldn't pull her gaze from him once she looked over. Something about the tom seemed familiar to her. When she sniffed, his scent brought her an odd sense of nostalgia; the same way thinking about Skunkpaw or Rainkit did. But that was silly! How could she feel that way about a cat she'd never met? Was it a crush? Certainly not! But Moonpaw's head felt fuzzy the more she stared at the stranger. It was as if she'd met him before; like the tom had come from a dream. But Moonpaw was sure she'd never seen him until now.

“I found my clanmate sitting by herself. Otherwise I would have been here sooner.” Sunpaw's voice drew Moonpaw out of her thoughts. Then his head tilted in her direction. “Everyone, this is Moonpaw. Moonpaw, this is Pinepaw of Mountainclan, Stemflower of Marshclan, Otterpaw and Whisperpaw of Oceanclan, and Heatherpaw, Quailpaw, and Rabbitpaw of Grassclan,” he introduced, pointing his muzzle to each named cat.

Moonpaw nodded her head respectfully to them. “It's nice to meet you all.”

“So you are the fated moon spoken of so often.” Whisperpaw stared, her voice hushed and monotone. It was almost eerie, the way that she spoke.

“Does Sunpaw talk about me..?” Moonpaw blinked curiously, the fur on the back of her neck rising slightly.

“Sometimes he doesn't shut up about you,” Rabbitpaw snorted. Sunpaw's pelt bristled at the lynx point tom's comment. While Heatherpaw jabbed her denmate in the side with her elbow to be quiet. Moonpaw looked to Sunpaw, seeking an explanation. But he refused to give one, instead opting to lick down his chest fur. It was if he were trying to wash away the flustered feelings he was experiencing. Moonpaw resisted the urge to giggle.

"Anyways! Uhm, last time we met up, Stemflower was telling us about what it's like to be a warrior," Sunpaw mentioned, trying to change the subject.

"That's right." Stemflower flicked an ear, motioning to Rabbitpaw. "Rabbitpaw said he was interested in the duties I've taken up. I chose to be a Spy and a Gardener."

"What's a Gardener?" Quailpaw, a light brown tabby molly asked.

"They grow plants on the dry land Mountainclan gave to Marshclan, in the pine tree forest," Pinepaw explained.

"I've never heard of such a job." Rabbitpaw swayed his tail.

"Us either," Moonpaw added while Sunpaw nodded in agreement.

"I don't think the other clans are taught what Gardeners are. Considering they aren't needed out on the meadow, or in the forest," Stemflower told Pinepaw.

"Why do Gardeners grow plants?" Sunpaw wondered.

"For our medicine cats, mostly," the dark gray tabby she-cat responded. "Some herbs have a difficult time growing in the marsh. So we need to cultivate them ourselves. We also like to have plants for our dens; for construction and decoration. And we occasionally like to mix herbs in with our prey."

"Mixing herbs with prey?" Otterpaw wrinkled her nose.

Nasty! Moonpaw stuck out her tongue. She could almost taste the bitterness of the plants as she thought about having to eat them with her meals.

"Herbs can have nutritional value, besides those for healing," Rabbitpaw spoke up, "or so my sister, Mistypaw, says. So I guess cats are told to eat them to help make Marshclan's warriors stronger, right?"

Stemflower purred, looking amused. "Something like that. The plants we eat also happen to taste good with the prey we catch. Brightstar isn't ordering us to take herbs so we can be stronger than normal warriors, in case that's what you're implying."

Speaking of the Marshclan leader, Moonpaw began to scent the strong odor of mud and saltwater beside her, as the flame point she-cat walked passed. Her shoulder brushed against Moonpaw's accidentally, catching the Treeclan apprentice's attention. Brightstar turned for a heartbeat and flashed an apologetic smile.

"Sorry, 'Paw, didn't mean to bother you. Just have to get past to start the meeting!"

Moonpaw smiled and stepped aside. "It's alright! I understand." It was almost awe-striking to interact with a clan leader besides her own. Most leaders would not mingle among the crowd for long after arriving at the Gathering clearing. But Brightstar seemed different. Though her clan was usually on time, she was almost always late to join her peers on Split Rock, it seemed. Moonpaw supposed she liked to spend time with her outer clan friends first. Or perhaps she liked meeting random cats, the way she was right now.

"It's an honor to meet you, Brightstar!" Moonpaw couldn't help but blurt out.

Brightstar blinked, then let out a small mrrow of laughter. She flicked her tail with good nature, receiving a respectful head dip from Moonpaw in return. The other apprentices with her mimicked her motion. Moonpaw noticed her new friends looking just as excited as she felt when meeting Brightstar.

Stemflower, on the other paw, nodded curtly to her leader, who brushed her tail along the warrior's shoulder. Then the Marshclan leader scurried off, taking her place beside Blazestar and the others.

"Let the Gathering begin!" Fogstar declared, looking down at the cats who gathered beneath Split Rock. Moonpaw made herself comfortable in a spot beside her new companions, tilting her head back to listen to the news of the evening. Sunpaw settled himself at her side, pressing their flanks together while they listened for news.

Fogstar glanced between the other leaders seated beside him. They nodded, granting him the opportunity to speak first, once the crowd settled.

"Welcome, everyone," he greeted, sounding as though he were in a better mood this moon than the last. "I come with much to report from Mountainclan. Firstly, my son, Darkpaw, has been accepted by Starclan, and will be training under Hawkfern as a medicine cat. Meanwhile our Code Keeper, Rockfall, has taken on Skypaw as his successor. Mountainclan welcomes these new apprentices, and hope Starclan will guide their paws on their journeys to become high ranking members of society." A pause was given so cats may call out the names of Darkpaw and Skypaw in celebration. Then, as silence returned, Fogstar continued; "Secondly, one of our warriors, Briarleaf, will be moving into the nursery after tonight. Her kits should come as Greenleaf arrives, and we are thrilled to welcome them into our ranks. Finally, Talonstrike has chosen to retire. He has served Mountainclan as a warrior for many years, and we are honored to care for him now, as he has cared for us. That is all I have to share this evening. Brightstar?"

Next, Brightstar stepped up to speak. "Marshclan also has big news to share, although not as joyus as yours, Fogstar. Coyotes have been spotted on the marsh. They're usually careful around clan cats. But this new bunch seems to be more tenacious than other families we've seen." Brightstar gave a moment of pause to allow cats to quiet down their murmurs of concern. "They also appear to be seeking territory to claim. My warriors have been doing their best to drive them out, so they will not stake claim on our land. But I believe this may push these beasts onto other territories in the Land's Star. So I urge you all to be cautious." Then Brightstar turned to the other leaders. Her expression shone with regret. But none of her peers seemed too upset by what she'd determined best for her clan.

"Which clan are they headed towards?" Blazestar decided to ask, his expression calmer than the other leaders'. Treeclan was the furthest from Marshclan. Moonpaw was certain that Blazestar was unbothered by the news of these unusual predators. Still, he seemed to care enough about the wellbeing of others to ask that question anyways.

"They'll likely turn to Mountainclan territory. With the upcoming warm weather, they'll probaby enjoy the cool air the higher altitude provides," the flame point she-cat answered

Fogstar grunted. "In that case, Mountainclan will increase it's border patrols."

Another murmur broke out among the crowd. Moonpaw glanced between all the cats around her, gauging their reactions. Not too far off she saw Nightpaw. Her eyes were narrowed with interest, ears pricked and eager to hear more about the coyotes. Moonpaw then looked beside her to Sunpaw, who seemed to also have noticed their clanmate. He looked concerned for a heartbeat. Then he blinked and his expression settled. Moonpaw decided she'd ask him his thoughts later.

Brightstar nodded. "Beyond that startling news, Marshclan has fared well this moon. Prey has increased, our clan is strong, and we look forward to Greenleaf. That's all I have to report."

Following her, Blazestar stepped up to share whatever had been bothering him all night. "Treeclan is strong and continues to thrive as Greenleaf makes it approach. Though last moon we lost Skunkpaw, one of our apprentices. Twolegs kitnapped him. Our efforts to bring him home have yielded no results, but Treeclan remains hardy in the face of this tragedy. We've also been handling the pressures at our borders with diligence, and will continue to do so as long as Grassclan and Oceanclan keep pushing."

"What do you mean by that?" Oceanclan's leader, Wavestar, challenged. Whitestar of Grassclan nodded along.

With a tail lash, the blazing orange leader continued; "Grassclan and Oceanclan scents have been caught beyond our borders. The stench of Grassclan has come particularly far into the forest. While Oceanclan remains close enough to the edge that they seem to be trying to act sneaky, still. But rest assured, my warriors are aware of your trespassing."

Dread struck through Moonpaw like lightning. Had some of her clanmates caught Hazepaw's scent on the Rubble Path from their meetings? Had they noticed hers there as well? Moonpaw's heartbeat quickened. She looked up to Blazestar, checking if he was eyeing her. But his focus was being held up by the enemy leaders instead. We'll have to be more careful from now on, she decided. Sunpaw pressed into her more, sensing her discomfort.

"It's rich of you to accuse my cats of trespassing." Whitestar's ears narrowed. "Have you seen any of my warriors on your land? No? Because we've certainly seen yours on our territory! A warrior caught a Treeclan apprentice prowling around the Forest Patch without cause, just today!"

Gasping, Moonpaw whipped her head, looking around for her denmates. Sunpaw was of course the first apprentice she saw. His pelt was bristled and he shook his head at her, silently swearing he was not the guilty cat. Next, Moonpaw looked over at Nightpaw. The black she-cat appeared unbothered, busying herself whispering with Wolfheart. Then, Moonpaw spotted Tinypaw and Deerpaw in the distance--right where she'd left them earlier. Tinypaw was standing protectively in front of her brother; her body too small to act as a proper shield. Closer-by was Magpiepaw, who sat with some of her own cross clan friends. She was crouched, ears lowered a little. She looked frightened, guilty even. Was it her? Moonpaw wondered, finally returning her attention back to the leaders.

"There were other Treeclan cats with her," Whitestar continued, "all fully grown warriors. What do you have to say about that, Blazestar?"

Fury burned in Blazestar orange eyes. He grit his teeth, clearly holding back a growl. Then he shut his eyes, lowering his head a little with a slow shake. When he looked up again, he seemed calmer. "My warriors were only carrying out their duty to mark the border, nothing more. I will speak with all of Treeclan's apprentices, to ensure no border crossing occurs again. But I will not correct the cats who knew what they were doing."

"So you admit that you sent your cats to mark further into the Forest Patch than they should?" Though Whitestar's voice was calm, it held sharp accusation.

"I've said no such thing!" Blazestar snarled. "My warriors know where Treeclan's territory is!”

With an indignant hrrumph, Grassclan's leader lifted a paw to lick. "See to it that they know what land rightfully belongs to Grassclan, as well. Or we will be forced to remind them ourselves." After glaring at Blazestar a heartbeat more, Whitestar faced the crowd. "Grassclan is and will remain strong despite the adversity. We have Cricketsong's newly named kits, who are quickly growing each day. We also have many strong apprentices; two of which will soon join us as full warriors. That is all I have to say this Gathering. Unless you've something else to accuse my clan of, Blazestar?"

Blazestar bared his teeth but bit back his tongue. He forced himself to sit further back onto his piece on Split Rock. Then he tucked his paws beneath his waggling tail. "No," he finally growled.

Wavestar stepped forward. "Then I suppose I should speak my news," he decided. "Oceanclan is doing better, now that the Newleaf storms are subsiding. We've begun venturing back to the beach. We are also reconstructing our original camp, which was wrecked by the waves in the bad weather. I believe within the next moon, Oceanclan should be moving back to the Twoleg Settlement Bridge. That should bring you some peace of mind, Blazestar."

"I'll have peace of mind when your clan stops fighting for the Rubble Path," the ginger tom hissed.

"I won't promise anything," Wavestar grunted.

Blazestar snarled at him in turn, moving to get in the silver and white tabby's face. But Brightstar butted in, piping;

"It seems that's everything that needs to be said at this Gathering!"

"Yes," Fogstar agreed, "let's end this now, before you lot break the full moon truce."

Though the two toms appeared ready to continue their quarrel, they agreed. With a nod, the leaders went their separate ways, weaving through the crowd to gather their warriors.

Sunpaw and Moonpaw took a short while to say farewell to their friends group before following each other to the edge of the clearing, seating themselves at Blazestar's side. Blazestar paused for a moment to rub against his son before calling to his gathered cats. He led them out of the Gathering Clearing and into the forest, but not before shooting a challenging glare over his shoulder towards Oceanclan. Moonpaw knew that tensions were high. But she hoped that things settled soon.

#warrior cats #warrior cats ocs #wcs #wcs ocs #signs of the moon: moon high #signs of the moon #moon high #chapter 18 #moon pov #sorry this took so long I didn't really enjoy writing this chapter as much as most others #also the holidays kicked my ass. got screamed at a lot at work and it burnt me out sooo bad #lost interest in a lot of things for a while there but its getting better #next chapter should come out on time hopefully #there's some other life stuff going on so provided things don't get worse everything should be normal again

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