Bluestar's Prophecy/Chapter 17

Chapter Summary
Bluefur's PoV
 * Bluefur attends her first Gathering as a warrior, and she notices that the Clans are being friendlier to each other than other times she has come. Mumblefoot shares tongues with Whiteberry, a WindClan elder, while Adderfang and Stormtail chat with Raggedpelt and Ottersplash. Poppydawn watches a group of ThunderClan and RiverClan apprentices show off and boast to each other. Crookedpaw heads towards Bluefur, greeting her by saying that she had fought well during the recent battle between ThunderClan and RiverClan over Sunningrocks. The blue-gray she-cat, uneasy, responds that she could fight even better now that she is a warrior. The light brown tabby, however, replies brightly that he had been made a warrior also. Bluefur guesses that his warrior name must be Crookedjaw, and the RiverClan tom confirms that it is, purring and asking her how she knew.


 * The Clan cats soon fall silent to listen to their leaders speak. Cedarstar is the first to make his report, saying that while newleaf always brings more prey and warmth, it also brings more kittypet invaders. He adds that they had to chase a ginger tom off their territory only that day, and Bluefur wonders if it was Jake. Hailstar, the next to speak, says that his Clan had increased patrols to make sure the barn cats stayed off of his territory. However, when Pinestar addresses the Gathering, the reddish-brown tom suddenly shifts the focus off of kittypets, saying that they would warn off any intruders and throwing a hostile glance at Hailstar. The RiverClan leader, lifting his hackles, asks if Pinestar is accusing them of crossing the border, while Raggedpelt and Hawkheart protest that ShadowClan and WindClan hadn't trespassed on ThunderClan land either. Angry yelling from all the Clans ensues, and Crookedjaw questions why Pinestar stir up trouble when they were all in agreement about the kittypets.


 * Hailstar, trying to quell the anger and hostility in the Gathering, announces that Crookedjaw has been made a warrior, and Pinestar then announces that Bluefur and Snowfur have also been promoted. The Clans give only half-hearted cheers of approval for the three new warriors. As the Gathering breaks up, Bluefur wonders why Pinestar had accused the other Clans of trespassing rather than blaming the kittypets. The blue-gray she-cat knows that there is been no evidence of other Clans on their territory, but that kittypets have been constantly crossing the border and hunting their much-needed prey, so she wonders why the reddish-brown tom won't admit that they are doing this.


 * The next morning, Pinestar summons Bluefur to his den and tells her that he has overlooked a vital part of her warrior training – taking her to see the Moonstone. The Clan leader says that he would have taken her there before, but the battle with WindClan and the heavy snows made it hard to. The reddish-brown finishes that now that he wants to go share dreams with StarClan anyway, he will take Bluefur along with him. The blue-gray she-cat is surprised that Pinestar has chosen just to take her and not Snowfur. Nonetheless, she is excited about the journey, and eagerly goes to get her traveling herbs from Goosefeather.


 * Pinestar and Bluefur head up to Fourtrees using the same route they did to get the Gathering the previous night. They pass through WindClan territory and reach the Thunderpath across from Highstones, but are then met by a patrol consisting of five WindClan cats, including Reedfeather and Talltail. Reedfeather challenges Pinestar and Bluefur, but once it is established that they are simply going to the Moonstone and have not hunted, the WindClan deputy and his patrol leave the two alone, although he still acts hostile towards them. The reddish-brown tom and blue-gray she-cat then cross the Thunderpath together and head uphill towards the jagged peaks. The grass beneath their paws turns to stone as they get closer, and the day fades to night as the sun sets. The two ThunderClan cats finally reach the entrance of the cave leading to the Moonstone, Mouthermouth. Pinestar looks at the moon glowing overhead in the dark sky and declares that it is time for them to go in.