Just around the Riverbend

[Heathclaw]

"And here we are! The end of wonderful ShadowClan, and the beginning of dark and dismal RiverClan. Watch your step!" said the lighthearted ShadowClanner, bringing the long-haired WindClan leader right to the ShadowClan border.


"Thanks. If I never see you again, it'll be too soon," Rustlestar growled, crossing over into RiverClan, with Lightheart's parting words chasing after him.

"Yeah, I get that a lot! Hope to see ya next moon!"

Rustlestar was growing fatigued- being on his paws for an entire day was starting to wear on him, and he was certain that the travelling herbs Rowanwing had given him would be wearing off soon. The sun had long since set, and RiverClan's territory was dark, and exceedingly wet, even in the rain. It would be so easy to take a piece of prey here in the dark- no one would ever know.

No. Not today, not ever, Rustlestar reminded himself sternly. He pressed on, following scent trails as he had done in ThunderClan, the wetness in the air magnifying the strength of the RiverClan smell. He had no hope of having a RiverClan cat show him the way- only a mousebrain would be dumb enough to be out in the open on this dark, wet night. Right...

Fortunately, he remembered hearing that RiverClan's camp was sheltered in a little island between two streams, so it was only a matter of following the cat scent to the sound of rushing water, until he found that river. A breath, a bound, and a perilous leap later, Rustlestar found the RiverClan camp in easy walking distance.

He took one moment to straighten out his fur as best as he could- he didn't want to walk in disheveled as he had in ShadowClan, and then charged forward into the RiverClan camp, yowling out a warning of his approach. "Cats of RiverClan! I come with a message that concerns all the clans!"

[Tikker]

The scents of fresh-kill filled the nose of the dark brown tabby she-cat as her pawsteps led her towards the pile that the last hunting patrol had just returned with. Leaning her head down she noticed a sleak looking fish.

"Ah, this one seems well enough," the dark leader spoke lowly to herself as she picked up the small, dead aquatic creature. With her prey within her teeth, Briarstar walked over to her usual spot near her den and lowered the fish.

Looking hungrily at her food, she was just about to lay down to take the first bite when she heard a yowl of a familiar voice. Rustlestar? What does he want, he's a little ways away from his Clan, the RiverClan leader thought to herself.

"Cats of RiverClan! I come with a message that concerns all the clans!"

The sound of the WindClan leader's voice sounded as if he was going at this since sunrise, that was if he had gone to all the other Clans.

"Well, well, Rustlestar, what is this message? If it is so important that the WindClan leader has to greet us with his presense...

Briarstar trailed off, she had recently gotten back from getting her nine lives and she hadn't been getting enough good sleep before waking up a couple days for the dawn patrol, so she really wasn't in the mood for something that wasn't of great importance.

"Alright, Rustlestar, I'm listening, but make it quick, it's late and I have to be up with the patrols."

She sat down with her prey behind her, wrapping her tail around her paws, awaiting her fellow leader to speak quickly before she decides to claw his face for tresspassing in her territory.

[Heathclaw]

Rustlestar was, at first, at a loss for words. How was it that this cat knew his name and rank? They hadn't had a gathering yet... he could only assume that RiverClan was spying on WindClan, or worse, that cats of his clan were engaging in idle chatter with RiverClanners. Or, had they recieved a message from StarClan? But then again, why would such a message only go to RiverClan? Rustlestar decided to put this in the back of his mind, making a note to strengthen the patrol on RiverClan's border, just in case. At any rate, he had a message to deliver, and this cat, Briar... something, seemed very anxious for him to spit it out.

"You'll need to put one more thing on your list. There will be a gathering at the next moon. WindClan, ThunderClan, and ShadowClan have already promised to be there, and we'll be expecting you as well. It has been too long since our last Gathering- during this one, we shall reembrace the warrior code, and truly reclaim our pride as warriors. I hope to see your clan there."

ThunderClan had been certain to agree in the beginning, and it was kit's play to pull on ShadowClan's pride. Rustlestar had expected RiverClan to be trickier- that was why he had saved them for last.

"Now, I have patrols of my own to manage. I'll be seeing you soon, Briarstar." And with that, Rustlestar turned out of the camp, setting his pawsteps for home at long last.