Moonlit Gathering

Season One, Episode Three of Fire and Ice
Every cat held their breath, waiting, waiting.

"Dustflight. He is a strong and noble warrior, has mentored many cats, and was brother to the former deputy."

Cloudspots watched from the sidelines as Dustflight was chosen. He was waiting, too, for something else.

"And now, two worthy kits must be apprenticed."

He blinked back tears of pride as the two kits, his, were apprenticed, Acornkit to Spottedfire and Heatherkit to Whiteflower.

He watched as the two new apprentices frolicked around, teasing each other with funny names like Acornbrain or Heatherdung.

He remembered when he was an apprentice, the way he would do the exact same thing.

And then he heard the words that would change his life forever.

"Cloudspots is the third Chosen cat!"

Cloudspots gasped. "Me?" He meowed quietly.

"Yes, you. See that cloud, the one with the dark spot in it? Cloudspots," his mate, Runningbloom, replied, smiling.

They intertwined their tails in happiness and joy for being Chosen.

Just then, a patrol running in broke their happy little bubble.

"Rats..infested..stealing prey," Rabbitfrost panted.

Cloudspots immediately snapped back to action as a loyal DayClan warrior.

"Let's go." He somehow managed to hiss through his hard and deterined look.

The patrol and Cloudspots ran off, waiting, waiting, to defeat the rats.

--

"And two new apprentices, Acornpaw and Heatherpaw." Firestar bowed his head, ending his speech at the moonlit gathering, while the Clans cheered. He backed off, and Ashstar jumped up to speak.

"As you all know, the Choosing has begun. We have also had a rather.. Traumatic experience. A pack of rogues came in, asking to fight, to see our power. Directly after, they leaped. We fought, some of our warriors sustaining major injuries. I don't know what this attack was, nor who it's from." Ashstar sighed. "I just wanted to warn you, just in case they attack DayClan too."

"Thank you, Ashstar." Firestar dipped his head. "Let us share our Chosen now. Sandflower, Foxpool, and Cloudspots."

"Leopardpatch, and Curlfoot, but-" Ashstar trailed off as he heard a hoot coming from behind him. A flock of owls took off from their roosts, almost forming a wave. Wait, that was it. Owls, waves, Owl, wave, Owlwave!

"And Owlwave," he finished smoothly.

"That was a sign?" A quiet voice came from the crowd. Owlwave. "For.. Me?"

"Yes. A flock of owls, forming a wave... yes." Ashstar smiled kindly.

"Wow, gee, my mentor's going on a special quest to save the world!" An awed voice drifted around.

"Yes, Icepaw, but not to save the world," Owlwave laughed affectionately for the small she-cat, her apprentice.

But one cat was not happy. Out of the corner of her eye, Owlwave saw a black tabby tom sulking on the fringe of the Gathering.

Must be from DayClan, she thought.

"Not again. Some worthless warrior getting chosen, not me, not me, not ME!" The warrior snarled. Owlwave's eyes widened and she gulped.

Then she turned around, back to the happiness, not letting the tom's anger get in the way of her joy.