fifteen

"I had a dream last night it was New-Leaf, you know? I actually woke up this morning thinking there were leaves on trees and actual warmth. Little did I know that it snowed during the night and the river is actually frozen over." Dawnwhisker picked her way through the layer of snow that coated the forest floor, Dipperflight just behind her.

"Could be because you were practically sleeping on top of me...," he muttered, receiving a tail flick to the nose.

"Don't blame me, it's cold. Ugh, I don't know why Fennelstorm sent out a hunting patrol, it's not like a mouse is going to come out and eat-- hey, wait, just kidding, I think I smell a chaffinch, wait right here..!" She lowed to the ground, stalking off, her paws lightly crunching on the snow. Dipperflight watched her leave, and he sat down, wrapping his tail around his paws.

The river is frozen... I wonder how they're doing. It had been two moons. He had tried not to think about it. About Sagecloud, Foxpaw, Daisystar, any of them. He tried to focus on what was going on in the moment, Fennelstorm had told him that was the best thing to do. Forget the past, think about the present. It had been good, too. Fennelstorm hadn't brought anything up from the before, he hadn't been really scary. He had been kind, a little protective here and there but it wasn't too bad. Dipperflight had even gone to his first gathering since he and Fennelstorm had first been together. Sagecloud wasn't there.

"Got it!" Dawnwhisker purred as she tramped back, a diluted red, gray, and black bird in her jaws. "If it were New-Leaf, this bird would be waaay fatter. It'll still make Plumkit and Cypresskit happy, though. Speaking of them, I'm tired of Cypresskit complaining that she's hungry, she actually gets a guaranteed meal just about every time prey is brought back." Dawnwhisker complained.

      "They'll be apprentices really soon though." Dipperflight noted as they continued on through the snow. Dawnwhisker nodded dramatically.

      "Thank StarClan. For the past three dawn patrols I've gotten back, from they've successfully woken me up when I'm napping. I just want to keep dreaming about it being New-Leaf, but instead I get to wake up to them fighting about who's the mouse and who's the hunter." She huffed, her tail flicking behind her. "Anyway, gathering tonight. I pray to STARCLAN I get chosen, the last thing I want is to be stuck in a freezing camp with the kits."

      "I'm going to ask Fennelstorm if he'll ask Oatstar to bring me."

      "I wish I had an in with the deputy. I have an in with the deputy's mate though, that's pretty close, right?" She gave the dark tabby a playful nudge, one of the bird's feathers tickling Dipperflight's shoulder.

       "I can ask him for you, too," he purred, and she jumped on her toes with excitement.

       "Awesome! I've been talking with Stormcall recently about catching birds. He says his sister is expecting kits so he wants to be able to help be a good brother. I'm so glad I don't have siblings that seems like such a chore."

      "Wait Stormcall, as in Stormcall from RiverClan?" Dawnwhisker tipped her head to the side slightly before nodding.

       "Was he one of your kidnappers? He seemed so nice, though...." Dipperflight hadn't actually told anyone what had happened in RiverClan. That would've meant he would have had to tell what led him to go in the first place, and Fennelstorm had been so great since he returned. Sweet, funny, and affectionate. Nothing like before. To come forward now... it would be too late. He's changed. He's better now.

       "No, no, Stormcall's really cool. His sister is Rookchaser, right?" Dawnwhisker nodded eagerly.

        "Yeah, that was her name. He's pretty funny, and his mate is so nice, they're honestly goooals. Next to you and Fennelstorm, of course." The enterence to camp blended even better now that everything was coated in a layer of white, the bright ginger tabby Sorrelleap sitting guard was the only thing giving away the gorse tunnel's location.

"Good hunting! Nice chaffinch, Dawnwhisker." Sorrelleap purred, and the calico tabby purred awkwardly, ducking her head with embarrassment.

"Ah--thanks...," she waved her tail as if brushing off the compliment, and the pair padded into camp, a clump of snow falling off the tunnel's leaves and onto Dipperflight's shoulder. He let out a small yelp from the sudden chill, shaking his pelt out as Dawnwhisker laughed brightly.

"Dipperflight! Did you want to go to the gathering tonight? I'm sure Daisystar will be completely shocked yet again that you're strong and resilient even after being taken by his clan." Oatstar was sitting under the High Rock, and greeting them as soon as they set paw into the open, slow layered glade. The she-cat only ever stuck around in camp when it was snowy out. Her body buzzed with unused energy, her tail tip flicking back and forth as she spoke. Dipperflight nodded quickly.

"Yeah-- that'd be great-" the golden brown tabby leader grinned, leaping to her paws.

"Fantastic. I can't wait to rub it in Daisystar's face, that old badger!" She laughed. "I've gotta go talk to Heatherberry, but you're totally in for going tonight." Dawnwhisker glanced over to Dipperflight, a pleading look on her face.

      "Oh-- er- can Dawnwhisker come, too?"

      "Sure!" Oatstar called over her shoulder, entering the stone medicine den.

      Dawnwhisker silently let out a cheerful yowl, bouncing on her paws. Dipperflight smiled lightly, and was about to head to the meager fresh-kill pile with the caliby when he heard his name be called.

      "Dipperflight, come sit with me," Fennelstorm called, laying in a patch of sun. Dipperflight glanced over to Dawnwhisker before nodding, padding to his mate.

      "Yes?" Dipperflight murmured, sitting down next to the ginger tabby.

      "How was your outing?" The tom asked, eyes half closed as he groomed his own pelt.

      "It was nice, I guess. A little cold, but it's Leaf-Bare." He shrugged. Fennelstorm purred.

      "Aren't you so glad you have a mate that lets you go on hunting patrols?" A purr rumbled out of his throat and Dipperflight settled down with his paws tucked under himself.

      "Yeah. Tomorrow I think I want to go to the river, I heard it's frozen--"

      "The river? Why would you ever want to go there-- RiverClan might go and grab you again." Fennelstorm looked up through half-closed eyes, a sort of a threatening look glimmering in them. He knows why I left.

      "Oh.. I guess whatever you send me on will be just as good, then..." he offered, and Fennelstorm nodded.

      "Owl Tree is what I was thinking, you and Rosefoot. I think I'll ask Oatstar for Plumkit as an apprentice, you could help me train her, too." Dipperflight's eyes lit up.

      "Oh-- really? That would be awesome!"

      "Yeah. I've noticed she's a little quiet, but she seems pretty smart." Dipperflight nodded enthusiastically. "If you start acting like you did before, though, I won't let her within a tree-length of you." Fennelstorm warned, and Dipperflight nodded.

      "Yeah, yeah, this will be great. She's an apprentice next moon, too, right?"

      Dipperflight's breathe billowed out in a cloud, crisp night air biting at his pelt. The full moon's light shone down in the Gathering hollow, outlining the bare, snow covered four trees. Oatstar and ShadowClan's leader Chervilstar dusted snow off the Great Rock. The two clans had arrived at the same time, and had walked the final stretch to the Hollow together.

"Hey, that's the elder from ShadowClan, he's got some sick stories about tons of romantic affairs back in 'his day.' I'm going to go talk to him, wanna come?" Dawnwhisker looked to Dipperflight.

"Mm..," a cold wind gusted through the hollow, bringing with it the scent of fish. "Maybe later?" Dawnwhisker quirked a smile and nodded.

"Yeah, he'd probably think your cute and try to hit on you," she teaser, bounding off before he could give her a flick of his tail. He looked ahead to where Fennelstorm was conversing with ShadowClan's deputy, Hornetwing, before glancing back up out of the hollow to where RiverClan was padding in at a leisurely pace. His heart quickened as he saw them... Foxpaw was trotting happily by Ravenpaw, and his sister Newtkit was now Newtpaw and at his other side. Stormcall was with Troutface, Hazelstream, and Yarrowfur, Breamclaw close behind them. Daisystar was right behind the ground of apprentices, Rushfrost and the medicine cat Wrenleaf in a bright conversation.

      His heart beat even faster when padding slowly next to a tortoiseshell and white she-cat, Sagecloud came into sight. His pale gray tabby fur was silvery in the moonlight, his smile bright and brown eyes warmer than a Green-Leaf morning. Dipperflight blinked, looking out across to Fennelstorm, closing his eyes.

      I never got to say goodbye. I haven't even seen him since-- I can still see his face... He looked back to the RiverClan tom, their long fur gently buffeted by the leaf-bare winds.

"Dipperflight, hey, you weren't here at the last gathering!" Foxpaw bounded forward, yellow-green eyes bright. Kit fluff no longer lined his ears, and his fur was getting to have the long thickness of a full grown RiverClan warrior. He was still short and full of energy, which made Dipperflight purr to himself.

"Yeah, I stayed behind, Fennelstorm didn't want me to come since it was snowing." Foxpaw rolled his eyes.

"That's lame. You missed it, Newtpaw was announced as an apprentice! Sagecloud is her mentor, it's so cool because now he'll actually get to go to all of our training sessions as an actual mentor!"

"Foxpaw, come here I want you to meet someone!" A queen called, and both of the toms looked up to see who had called. While Foxpaw met the face of his mom, Dipperflight locked eyes with Sagecloud. The gray tabby tom seemed a bit shocked, but he could see a brightness beginning to radiate from him, and his feathery tail waived him over.

Without hesitation, the thickly striped tom strode over, head and tail high with excitement, not even looking up as WindClan also arrived in the Hollow.

"Sagecloud..!" He breathed the name out as he neared.

      "Dipperflight," the RiverClan tom purred.

      "You weren't here at the gathering two moons ago." Sagecloud nodded.

      "Yeah, I had stayed behind to patch a hole in the queen's den, Owlheart was freaking out about Rookchaser staying there, and she was ready to cuff him. You look pretty good, Dipper!" The dark tom ducked his head with embarrassment.

      "No I don't, prey doesn't run very well in ThunderClan during Leaf-Bare." Sagecloud laughed lightly.

      "That's not what I meant, you look happier. Besides, you've got too much fur to be able to tell that you're getting proper meals. The river is frozen for us, so we're not doing as good as usual either," he sighed, and Dipperflight could see weariness in his eyes. His pelt wasn't as glossy as it had been, and overall composure was more subdued than usual.

      "That's too bad." The ThunderClan tabby murmured. Sagecloud brushed it off with a flick of his tail, but caught the eye of another cat.

      "Ah, hang on just a moment, I think someone wants me...," he meowed, distractedly. Dipperflight nodded quickly, and soon was occupied by Stormcall cheerfully giving him a prod.

      "Hey, it's about to begin I think, come sit with us!" The black and white tom motioned toward Dawnwhisker, Hazelstream, and a WindClan she-cat.

"Let the Gathering begin!" WindClan's leader, a light brown patched she-cat called out.

"Would you like to start, Chervilstar?" Dipperflight heard the leathe she-cat ask, but ShadowClan's leader shook her head.

"It's all you, Mottledstar." The long legged leader dipped her head, standing among the other three sitting leaders on the Great Rock.

"Very well. WindClan has faired well this past moon, Sedgechaser has been made a warrior." Dipperflight murmured the new warrior's name along with the rest of chants of "Sedgechaser, Sedgechaser" and a sleek brown tabby she-cat stood with her chest puffed out. Mottledstar swished her thin tail as the cheers died down. "That's all."

"ShadowClan is doing well, as one would expect," Chervilstar flashed a charming smile, her blue eyes gleaming, and Dipperflight noticed Oatstar roll her eyes dramatically. "A rogue has joined our clan, Muntjacfang." Oatstar's eyes lit up.

"Wait, what?" She gaped, slightly startled.

"What, did you not hear me? A rogue joined ShadowClan. He's not a rogue anymore, we don't give warrior names to non-clan cats." Chervilstar tipped her head up challengingly, and Dipperflight felt Stormcall lurch forward.

"Chervilstar always gets like this, one of these days she's going to cause something bad to happen...," Hazelstream whispered. Oatstar's fur lifted slightly.

"That's not what I mean. You let a rogue join your clan?" The pale brown tabby leader's tail swished back and forth behind her, her typical restlessness returning.

"Oatstar, it's none of our business what ShadowClan chooses to do outsiders. If they have a mutiny, it's none of our business." Mottledstar meowed simply, shrugging.

      "I'm more worried about my own Clan. He's not a warrior, he doesn't know the warrior code like we do. If my warriors die because ShadowClan let in some.. some Muntjacfang--" Daisystar let out a soft chuff of laughter, interrupting her rant.

"You two done, now?" They tipped their long-furred head to the side. Oatstar scoffed, flicking an ear, and Chervilstar sniffed, her head still high.

"RiverClan is doing well. The river has frozen over, mostly only by the ThunderClan border, but the land still provides us with plenty of prey." Dipperflight heard Stormcall laugh softly.

"Hunting birds is one of the most awkward thing to do though, he didn't mention that. I don't know how you do it, Dipperflight. I have a new respect for bird-hunting clans." The black and white tom murmured, and the ThunderClan warrior flicked his tail in reply, not wanting to speak and be glared at by other intently-listening cats.

"ThunderClan is doing perfect." Oatstar meowed coldly, her amber gaze sharp. Daisystar raised a brow awkward, as they were sitting between the two silently feuding leaders.

"I.. think that concludes the gathering..?" Mottledstar offered, and Oatstar leaped down gracefully from the Great Rock without another word.

"ThunderClan, let's go!" She snapped, already heading out of the hollow, her warriors tailing after her with confused faces.

      Dipperflight quickly bid a goodbye to Stormcall and Hazelstream, but as he pushed through the crowd of cats he was stopped by a wide-eyed Sagecloud.

      "Dipperflight, I need to talk to you...," he meowed in a hurry.

      "I have to go, my Clan is leaving, is it quick?" Sagecloud shook his head, his eyes darting around anxiously.

      "I.. meet me tomorrow night at Sunningrocks? I really need to talk to you. Please." The dark tom could hear his name be called by Fennelstorm.

      "Dipperflight! Come on, let's go, where are you?"

      "Please, Dipperflight..!" The gray tabby begged. The long-haired ThunderClan warrior blinked slowly, nodding.

       "Yeah. Yeah, I'll be there." He turned, bounding off to where Fennelstorm was waiting, his tail flicking impatiently.

      "Who was that?" The ginger tabby growled as the pair padded to catch up with their clanmates. Dipperflight looked ahead.

      "It.. it was nobody."

//AN

MMMmm watcha sayyyyyayyyayyyy. This isn't going to be cliché I swear. Or at least I don't think it's cliché... don't lose hope now, guys, we're almost done.