Secret To Keep

Prologue - My Revenge - Wildpanther
It wasn't fair. And everything that was about to happen was Freedomstar's own fault. If he hadn't been so stubborn and mean, I wouldn't have to do any of this. The onyl things he wanted were honor and pride and woudl do anything to have strong warriors that coudl fight off any intruder or win any fight. That's why he had taken in that easdropping kit: Hiddenpaw. He had seen strength in her and wanted it for his own clan, knowing that the rogue would just go to another clan for help if he had refused.

He didn't have a heart like most cats thought. I had gone to him privately asking him to give me a few moons to do a private mission by myself away from the clan. I had told him it was extremely important to me and that I couldn't take no for an answer, but he hadn't let me. He told me he had to have all his warriors with his clan and that the thing that shoudl be most important to me was MysteryClan.

To be loyal to it.

To fight for it.

To die for it.

To make it strong and umbeatable.

Nothing else mattered.

Nobody could understand what he was going through. And even if at least one warrior did, they couldn't do anything about it. The leader's word was law and everyone respected that. So he had to keep everthing a secret. Nothing could ruin his plan or it would be the last thing he ever did.

But that aprentice. His apprentice. She knew. And she was a threat. Bigger threat than she thought. It took no more than a cat to destroy everything, especially an immature rogue-born apprentice. She didn't know anythign about being a warrior yet or even about the clans. One selfish move from hers was bad enough.

I suddenly started hearing pawsteps behind me and I knew it was one of my followers."You called us master?" I turned aroudn to face him. I had done well when I went out to look for rogues who wanted to do something just for fun. They didn't ask anythign in return, especially to someone who could just beat them up like me. But they were very big and muscular. Just the type I needed to do my work.

"It's time. I'll be expecting you in exactly one moon with everything I told you to get." I spoke slowly, letting my words sink in the rogue's mind. "You better no mess anything up. You know the plan."

The rogue nodded. "You have succeded in becoming deputy?" he asked. Succeded? It had been no hard work at all. I had been destinied to be deputy and if it wasn't for Cindersky, I would have been deputy a long time ago. Just because I had been away when Freedomstar had decided who was to be the next deputy. But I didn't regret my absence at all. It had changed everything about me. And since then, nothing had been the same ever again.

I smiled at the rogue, showing off my big fangs.

Chapter 1 - Around Camp - Hiddenpaw
"Aren't you happy your mentor is deputy sweety? Isn't it exiting?" Vinecloud voice echoed in my head. I still couldn't believe Wildpanther was getting what he wanted. It wasn't fair. Freedomstar was a good leader and he was just lying to him. Pretending to be loyal and all.

I just nodded to Vinecloud.

"Hey. I haven't been out in the territory with you yet, how about we go for a hunting patrol? You, your mentor, me and another cat?" Her question took me by surprise. That'd be the first time I went out with my mentor. He'd never taken me hunting so I didn't really know how. And worst of all, I wouldn't be able to make a good impression on Vinecloud.

Part of me wanted to say no to her, but the rest of me didn't want to disappoint her. It would be our first time in the territory together....

"Sure!! It would be great, I'll finally get to see you hunt! I've heard you're a great warrior. But I'm not the best at hunting yet, Wildpanther has...." I stopped for a second. "He really wanted me to know the territory. He says you need to learn and memorize your surroundings if you want to be a better warrior and learn how to live in it." I quickly made up a lie. Suddenly, it didn't seem so much of a made-up thing. I had heard it somewhere.

Strike.

"Not to worry sweety, maybe some other day? You tell me when you're ready to show off those moves and try beating me at a hunting competition." She smiled and padded to the warriors' den. It felt weird somehow to see her go there instead of the nursery. A picture came into my mind. Me, older and going into the warriors' den for the first time. All excited and proud.

"Missing you non-mother yet?" I turned around and came face to face with Muddypaw. Great! Kestrelpaw's sister and Littlepaw's best friend.

"I won't lie. It just feels weird."

"Ya, it would for you. You don't belong here!" she snapped at me.

"Did Littlepaw tell you to say that to me? What now, she's too little to tell it to me herself?"

"You did not just-!" he mad voice got interrupted by Shimmerpaw's call as she padded to join us.

"Sweetpaw is asking for you. She said for you to come." she spoke directly to Muddypaw. The brown she-cat just nodded and rolled her eyes annoyed at me. I turned to look at Shimmerpaw, not saying anything yet feeling a bit bad about the way she had just left me the other day.

"Hey..." she meowed, her voice a bit lower than usually. "Look, I'm sorry about leaving you there. I know Littlepaw can be a pain in the tail, but she just promised me something if I just hanged out with her. It's a fair deal..."

''Deal? Littlepaw was being fair? Since when? "What are you meowing about?" At least she got the pin in the tail part right.''

"Okay, I'll tell you, but promise me to keep it a secret." she meowed and sat beside me, lookign around to make sure nobody was near to hear. "I kind of like this tom and Littlepaw promised me that she'll make sure he hangs otu with me and maybe starts liking me too..." Figures. She's mooning over a tom.

"Well, that's awesome for you but I wouldn't trust Littlepaw. So...who is it?" I jumped to face her, now feeling all excited and curius about her crush.

She looked shy for a second but then blurted out the name. "Lionpaw! He's soo cute!!" Suddenly, a huge smile coudl be seen across her face and her eyes were all sparkling with joy.

"You like Lionpaw? Since when?"

"I don't really know, but it fels right, you know? We used to talk all the time when we were kits, but then a while after we became apprentices, he hangs out more with Blazepaw. I feel like I'm invisible now to him.

"Well, why don't you start hanging out with Blazepaw and him? I mean, be friends with his friends. Then you'll all be friend and you'll get a chance to be with him."

"I guess..."

"Shimmerpaw!" We both turned around to see a blue-gray and red-brown tom pad towards us. I soon recognize the cat. Not only did her have a very unique pelt colour, but he was my two favourite buddies' father.

"Hi Starseeker." she gritted her mentor.

"Swiftstorm and his apprentice are going to take the Sandy Shore for fighting practice, so how about some hunting? I can ask Wildpanther if we can go on patrol so you can practice some hunting."

"Sure!" Starseeker nodded and headed towards the warriors' den, where I supposed was my mentor.

"Well, don't tell anyone, kay? I'll see you later!" she turned around, waving with he rtail and soon joined her mentor who was already with two other cats. Woodfrost, a very know warrior who also happened to be Echocave's mate - Kestrelpaw and Muddypaw's father - and Fallowtail, an elder.

I wondered what Fallowtail was doing there. It was extremely strange for elders to get out of camp. I didn't know Fallowtail very well, but I remembered that she had been made an elder a little while before I joined. I padded into the clearing, trying to make out the cat's words.

"I'm not an useless cat you know! I can still hunt and will very much appreciate if you let me come with you on this patrol. My legs need some stretching and I'm not going to stay in my nest all day!" she snapped at Starseeker.

"It's alright Fallowtail! I was just wondering if you were feeling well and was sure that you wanted to come with us."

I swear I could've heard her murmur somethign to herself that sounded like 'mousedung' as she started to follow the patrol out of camp. I giggled a bit. Everyone knows better than to argue with an elder. They migth be old, but they are extremely wise and can step all over you with one simple sentence. You did not want an elder mad at you or they'll be some fake rumors about you all over camp and even to other clans if you didn't apologize.

"Hiddenpaw!" Wildpanther called my name as he rushed towards me and signlaed me to approach him. "We're going out for your fighting lesson. C'mon." Finally!!! I nodded to him as we got out of camp. He just kept facing front, not even baring too look to the side or his back all along the way. Fine with me!

It was better this way. Not having my mentor's gaze burn on my pelt. His amber eyes were like fire. Something you wouldn't want to see unless it pleased you when he was mad at you. I kept following, just noticing that we were headed to the ocean halfway there. I frowned. Normally, any apprentice would know where all teh training for fighting would be, but no. I didn't know because my mentor wouldn't teach me anything. So far, Bubbles had taught me a little bit how to hunt, Strike how to fight and Bearpaw had showed me the territory. Great!!

"Where are we going?" I asked, trying to lie about not knowing where we were actually going.

"The Sandy Shore. That's where all the apprentices go to pratice and learn fighting techniques. It's by a huge body of water." he meowed, his tone expressionless.

"You mean the ocean or sea?" I asked, feeling better and trying as hard not to laugh about how he had no idea how much I already knew.

"You...you could say that." Outsmarted by your own apprentice!! I silently giggled on how it had taken him by surprise. I guessed he heard me since he started padding faster and made a humph in annoyance.

"Hey Wildpanther!! You're finally here buddy!" the voice surprised me and I tilted my head upwards. Wildpanther smiled, or it looked it liek by his rigth side of his face and padded up to the big gray tom coming from the beach. ''What was he doing here? Oh no...''I didn't like where this was going.

"Yeah, finally made it here! Got a little bit delayed..." he looked at me joining them and then turned to back to face Swiftstorm. "But everything's good now. Let teh games begin. Alright, where you're apprentice?"

"Ahhh, she's here. I just sent her to warm up and do some running." Swiftstorm turned around as in looking for someone, his apprentice..."There she is! Littlepaw!!" No!

The white apprentice with black flecks neared us, her face showing joy until she got close enough to see who her mentor was really talking to. She slowed down, now I could see her rollign her eyes as she looked straight in eyes and then she grinned. I didn't like this. Her, grinning? At me? This was bad.

"Aww, so Hiddenkit and me are suppsoe to train together? Sure! Why not?" she meowed, this time looking at Swiftstorm.

"Hiddenpaw! Or did my name is too big and difficult to memorize?" I flicked my tail in the direction of my head.

"Oops! Sorry! I kind of forgot, you still look pretty small and all..." I silently snarled at her and she hissed.

"Enough you two! Try acting a little bit like sisters!" Swfitstorm bounced in front of us.

"She's not my sister!" Littlepaw snarled. Her mentor flicked his tail and she just closed her mouth, angrily looking at me.

I just remained quiet, now feeling again, Wildpanther's unconfortable gaze on me.

"Follwo me both of you." Wildpanther meowed, passing by us and nearer to the shore. As I followed him, I could now clearly get out of the bushes and step into the soft sand. It was perfect. After a long walk from camp, the relaxing sand under my paws just massaged them. I took slow steps on purpose, feeling the sand with each step. Then, there was the sea. The sun's rays reflecting on it and the soft sound of waves soothing my ears.

"Alright. You two are going to ahve a little fight. We'll be able to tell where you're both at with it and see what you need to improve on." Wildpanther explained as he sat down on the sand.

"No claws!" Swiftstorm quickly added. Littlepaw and I both nodded at the same time and faced each other.

"Prepare to be defeated..." she whispered so only I could hear. "You'll obiously loose. Just liek you lost Kestrelpaw..." That was it!

I quickly leaped at her. She dodged me, but wasn't fast enough that I landed on her tail. "Ow!" she screeched and back kicked me rigth on thr front paw, makign me loose my balance to the front. She took the opportunity and leaped at me, her paws going directly to me.

I made an effort to gain control again and croucnched to the front, putting my tail high on top and feeling her paw tripping over it. I turned around with one swift move and went back to facing her.

Chapter 2 - First Gathering - Hiddenpaw
"Good job both of you! Pretty impresive for a first time!" Swiftstorm patted us on the back with his tail as we got back to camp. He had been congratulating Littlepaw and I all along the way back beside talking to Wildpanther about clan issues and his mate, Tawnysky.

"Thanks..." it was nice having him to tell us we did a good job, but right now all I could think of doing was just throw myself on my nest and sleep for a whole moon. My paws felt so tired that they hurted and my shoulders and lets felt sore.

I started making my way to the dens, feeling so tired that I practically sleep walking. Suddenly, I bumped into someone. Barely opening my eyes, I realized they had black pelt and amber eyes. Wildpanther! I merely jumped, fully opening my eyes now.

"I'm sor-!" I got cut off when I realized it was only Blackrock.

"A bit tired?" his asked, his eyes only showed friendhip and caring. There was something about him that made me feel right...

"Yeah...Just got back from my first fighting lesson..."

"Well, let me give you a tiny tip..." he stopped for a second and grinned. "Go to the apprentice's den that way instead of here in the warriors' den." I looked over to where he was pointing with his tail and for the first time realized I had been going to the wrong den this whole time. Mouse-dung!

"Oh..." I chuckeled a bit, "Sorry. I'm really tired I don't even know what I'm doing." He nodded and I turned around, feeling totally embarased that for once I felt graceful my pelt was dark enough that wouldn't show my blushing.

"Alright!! Everyone gather around and listen up!" Wildpanther's yowl echoed through the dens minutes after I finally reached my nest. The timing couldn't be any better, coudl it? I stepped outside, happy the there was no sun or bright light at night that would blind me or wake me up.

"The following cat will be attending the Gathering tonight!" he announced. Gathering!! I had forgotten all about it! "Redfoot, Brindlefang, Darkbranch, Nettletangle, Littlepaw, Bearpaw, Woldpaw, Kestrelpaw, Hiddenpaw, Iceberry, Talonpaw, Shimmerpaw, Arcticmask, Blackrock, Mintwhisker, Orangemask, Fairheart and Sweetpaw!"

Everyone in the clearing nodded and some of them started making their way to the camp entrance, while the other's made their way to the dens. I searched the crowd for the familiar tortoiseshell pelt of Shimmerpaw, but didn't find her. Instead, me adoptive father joined me.

"Excited?" he asked as Darkbranch came over to join me.

I nodded happily and finally got to let out all my anxiety. "I can't believe I'm finally going to the gathering for the first time! Finally see Free Mountain and get to see all of the other cat from the other clans! I mean, when I first came here, this whole clan seemed like a whole bunch of cats but now three clans together?? It's going to be epic!"

Darkbranch smiled at me. "You haven't seen nothing yet until you get there. Believe me, it's quiet a sight to see. When I was your age, and went to my first Gathering, I couldn't believe my eyes. It's umbelievable." he smiled and I could tell by the look in his eyes that he was going through old memories in his head.

All this time, Darkbranch had always treated me like his own daughter, just like Vinecloud had. They were extremely caring and I knew they loved me very much. There were only a few times that I realized this, and this was one of them. Even Vinecloud's parents, Orangemask and Skylight treated me like family. Skyligh giving me my grand-kit nickname, Sunny-Hiddenpaw. Used to be Sunny-Hiddenkit.

The way wasn't very long, almost the same lenght as going to the beach. I looked up in the sky, seeing all the starts lighting up the dark night. Only few clouds were visible and the moon shone brightly in the center of the sky.

"We're getting closer." Shimmerpaw whispered in my ear almost scaring me. I looked over to my side to where she was padding beside me.

"I was looking for you back at the camp." I told her.

"Oh, I was talking to Lionpaw. He wasn't chosen to come." she told me, sighing. Only a few apprentices hadn't come. Then the memory came back to me when Wildpanther had first announced who was coming.

"What happened to Muddypaw? She's a brand new apprentice like me. Why didn't she come?"

"Oh, aprantly she got into this fight with Wolfpaw and then she just went to the territory without warning anyone. Lots of warriors went out to look for her. Pity...She was very mad with Wolfpaw, but he won't say what happened to anyone but the warriors."

"Maybe I could ask him later?"

"Yeah...I guess. You have been hanging out a lot with them lately..."

"Yeah, they're really nice and friendly, sometiems moddy, but it's funny!" I smiled.

"Oh and is it also because they're cute?" she said, now her shimmery eyes sparkling.

"What! No! Obiously not!!" I blurted out. "Fine, I admit they are a bit cute, a tiny bit! But that is not the reason why I hang out with them."

"Sure, isn't that the reason why you hanged out with Kestrelpaw and then stopped when Littlepaw started hanging out with him?"

"Does everyone knew I liked him? And no, we were just good friends as kits and then, yes he started spending all his time with her..." I saddened a bit with the last words.

"Oh..."

"Alright, everyone follow me. For the newly-made apprentices, stay close to a warrior as we go up the mountain." Freedomstar's yowl echoed through the trees. I looked over to his back that was facing the start of the mountain. Free Mountain. The elders told many stories about this mountain and it's past history. It's where Mystery, Secret and Puzzle became leaders. It is also the place where the great battle happened.

Freedomstar started making his way up and our clan followed. The mountain seemed so tall and getting to the summit would definately be hard. No wonder we left early for gathering. The climb is what took so long.

"Am I glad we're here!" Shimmerpaw exclaimed as we reached the top. I stopped looking borely down at my paws and kerked my head upward, finally seeing the summit. I felt sigh of relief escape me and excitement filled my whole body again.

Then, that's when I heard them. Many voices. Lots of them. I tried jumping up to see past some of the warriors in front of me to see the other clans, but I wans't tall enough and got only a few glimpses. Then, the clan starting dispersing through the summit, joining some groups of cats. The summit was big but the clans only took part of it.

"C'mon. I'll introduce you to my friends!" Shimmerpaw meowed eagerly. She them hoped over to the crowd and I follwoed her looking all aroudn me to all the strange cats. Different and weird scents filled my nostrils, two specific ones. PuzzleClan and SecretClan I guessed.

Then without noticing I bumped into Shimmerpaw. "There you are!" she said and signaled me to follow her as she approached a silver-cream tabby she-cat. "Okay, I want you to meet Eveningpaw!" she looked at Eveningpaw and I greeted her.

"Eveningswift now, Shimmerpaw. I had my warrior ceremony a few sunrises after the last Gathering." she meowed with her soft voice and the she looked at me.

"Hi! I'm Hiddenpaw."

"She's a new apprentice." Shimmerpaw explained.

"Oh, hey!! Nice to meet you! Who are your parents? I heard there were quiet a few kits born in MysteryClan."

"I...umm...I joined the clan as a rogue but Vinecloud has been my adoptive mother." I told her, feeling a bit unconfortable. As if reading my mind, she quickly meowed.

"Oh, well I'm glad you joined the clans! Shimmerpaw really needs a she-cat friend to gossip and tell her secrets too in her clan. Hard to keep up when we only see each other every moon." she smiled up at me and then playfully pushed Shimmerpaw. "Oh, and I also have a new friend. This is Echopaw." she meowed, nodding to a silver tabby she-cat who's pelt was blue-gray under the moonlight.

Echopaw soon realized she had introduced her and padded to join us, saying hi. "This is Shimmerpaw, the friend I told you about and her new friend Hiddenpaw."

"Hey!" "Hi!" "Hello!" we all meowed around the same heartbeat.

"Hello!" We all turned around and saw a ginger tabby she-cat right behind us. Her green eyes brightly sparkling.

"Hey Hawkpaw! Everyone this is Hawkpaw from SecretClan."

"Let the Gathering begin!!" a dark brown tabby tom meowed as he voice rang across the summit. Must be a leader. He was standing on a tall and large rock with two other cats. One was the familiar ginger and white tom, Freedomstar but there was another cat. She had black pelt with a noticable white splash on her chest and huge green eyes.

"Pss. Who are they?" I asked Echopaw, who was sitting beside me.

"The one talking is Hawkstar of SecretClan and the black she-cat is Wildstar from PuzzleClan, my leader."

"Oh..."

"Wait until you see what happens next. But stay quiet." Bearpaw whisper surprised me and I noticed that he had just padded over to us. I nodded.

Everything went silent and the three leaders sat and looked up in the sky with their eyes closed.

"Bless us spirits for this new Gathering and another moon to celebrate our creation." the all meowed together. I looked around as everyone's eyes were on the sky and I wondered what was happening. The sky turned pitch black except for the moon and that's when the magic came in.

Strings of light appeared on the sky. All different colours. Green, orange, blue, yellow, everything....It was like a nighttime rainbow, but brighter and bigger. It glowed beautifully on the black background. It moved like a snake along the sky, swiftly and slowly and I felt a sense of peace and calm overwhelm me. Then I felt different presences, all good.

The lights came closer and now parts of it was touching the land. As I looked closer into it, I saw shapes in it. Shapes moving and I noticed that they were cats. Many cats who's pelts shimmered and glowed. SpiritClan cats! I thought. Then, three SpiritClan cats made their way down to where the three leaders were. One was a small gray she-cat, the other was a black tom and the last one was a black tom.

Secretstar, Mysterystar and Puzzlestar. I gasped as I felt excitedment to see the first three leaders who founded the clans.

"ScretClan is very welll. We have two new apprentices, Badgerpaw and Waterpaw!" he announced and some SecretClan cats cheered as everyone looked dover to a black-and-white tom and a silver tom. "With one newly-made warrior, Flashclaw!!" he let cats cheer for a heartbeat and kept going. "And our queen, Rainweed just gave birth to two healthy kits, Indigokit and Flamekit."

Some cats started whispering but silenced a few heartbeats later. "And congartulations to our new deputy, Specklefeather!"

"Our clan is very strong and heatly. We had no sickness this season and we have a new apprentice, Echopaw! And our new warrior, Eveningswift!!" Wildstar spoke and I cheered for both of them along some other cats. "We've spotted some twoelgs near our territory but luckily scared the off along with their kittypets. No problem with them."

"MysteryClan is as strong as ever! Our clans is roaming with many new apprentices." Freedomstar meowed proudly. "I'm happy to announce our new apprentices, Wolfpaw, Bearpaw, Littlepaw, Muddypaw, Kesterlpaw, Hiddenpaw and Sweetpaw who has chosen to follow the path of a medicine cat apprentice." New cheers filled teh silent and everyone's eyes were on me and the rest of the new apprentices.

"My former deputy, Cindersky has become a queen due to her expectations of Nettletangle's kits and my new deputy is Wildpanther!"

When the news were over, Foxtail, PuzzleClan's medicine cat had announced that all medicine cats would remain here after the gathering to discuss and welcome Sweetpaw.

"Well, I better check on a few things before we leave. Nice meeting you Hiddenpaw!" Eveningswift bounded off along with Echopaw.

I padded around as cats started saying their final goodbyes or their final gossip, especially elders.

"Hiddenpaw! Come here for a minute!" Fallowwing called me over to where she was talking to a golden brown tabby tom I had never seen before. He was tall but his pelt and the way it was gave away that he was fairly old. Too old to be a warrior. "This is Brackenstorm and SecretClan elder and a good old friend of mine. And I do mean old." she laughed as she introduced us.

"Hi Brackenstorm! Nice to meet you!" I meowed.

"Hello. So this is the cat you've been telling me about. Orangemask's and Skyligh's adoptive gran-daughter." he meowed to me and paused. "We were all good friends back in the day when we could run for miles. We met as apprentices during the Great Storm when all clasn had to come here for shelter. I can tell you that that storm surely changed everything. It brought us together, including them who used to hate each other." he told me and I smiled at the story. I had heard of the Great Storm before. Even though it had been horrible, it had brought togetherness to everyone and teamwork.

I nodded. "Pleasure to meet you. You're very lucky to have them and their very nice daughter, Vinecloud. She's not here is she?"

"No, but Darkbranch is." I told him.

"Yes, I greeted him earlier. Well, nice metting you." He smiled and I nodded once again.