Crookedstar's Promise/Chapter 13

==Chapter description==
:Crookedpaw and his Clanmates are on the way to the Gathering. It's Crookedpaw's first Gathering, and he's excited to go. Hailstar leads RiverClan over the Twoleg bridge, as the frozen river is too risky to cross. Brightsky, Petaldust, and Beetlenose hurry after their leader, and Cedarpelt calls to Crookedpaw and Oakheart to hurry up. Shellheart, Cedarpelt, Crookedpaw and Oakheart hope that the Gathering will be peaceful, what with ThunderClan's recent attack on WindClan. Shellheart assures that RiverClan won't attack WindClan for taking Willowkit and Graykit, and when Crookedpaw asks when RiverClan will reclaim the kits, Shellheart mutters probably never.
:Crookedpaw sees his Clanmates head toward ThunderClan territory and asks why they aren't using the path by the waterfall, but Oakheart reminds him that there's a truce and they can cross another Clan's borders. Crookedpaw shivers at the heavy ThunderClan scent as he enters the forest. Brambleberry comes up to Crookedpaw and tells him she's proud of him before hurrying to catch up with the rest of the patrol. Crookedpaw is relieved when his Clan finally emerges from the trees, and he sees Fourtrees for the first time. Hailstar realizes that the other Clans have started the Gathering without RiverClan, and he plunges down the slope toward the hollow, his warriors following. Oakheart and Crookedpaw stream down the hill and push into the sea of pelts at the bottom.
:Hailstar leaps onto the Great Rock with the other leaders, and Cedarpelt leads Crookedpaw to the middle of the crowd, where it's warmer. Crookedpaw looks around at the gathered cats and spots Reedfeather among WindClan. Stretching up to get a better look, Crookedpaw stumbles forward and falls against a pale ThunderClan she-cat, who hisses at him to watch out. Crookedpaw, self-conscious about his jaw, nervously introduces himself. The she-cat just stares at him, and Crookedpaw jokes that his warrior name will probably be Crookedjaw before saying that he guessed cats would stare at him. The ThunderClan cat hurriedly apologizes and says he just startled her. Crookedpaw asks her name, and she replies her name is Bluepaw. Crookedpaw asks her how Gatherings work, and Cedarpelt's warning to be quiet doesn't stop the apprentice from asking Bluepaw which leader Pinestar is. Bluepaw points out the reddish-brown tom, then asks Crookedpaw how this could be his first Gathering as he looks old enough to have been an apprentice for a while. Crookedpaw explains how he was apprenticed late, and a tortoiseshell leans over and tells the apprentices to be quiet.
:Crookedpaw whispers an apology, but then asks Bluepaw which one Heatherstar is. Bluepaw says she's the small one next to Cedarstar, and nods toward ThunderClan's medicine cat, Goosefeather. Crookedpaw scowls at the raggedy old tom, recognizing him as the cat who chased him on the stepping-stones and caused his broken jaw. Bluepaw continues, pointing out the ShadowClan medicine cat Sagewhisker and WindClan's medicine cat, Hawkheart. Noticing Bluepaw's rage, Crookedpaw asks if she dislikes him, and Bluepaw reveals that he killed her mother. Crookedpaw is grateful that Rainflower is still alive, then quickly asks about the deputies. The ThunderClan deputy, a bright ginger tom, turns around and tells Crookedpaw and Bluepaw to be quiet.
:Crookedpaw and Bluepaw turn to the Great Rock and watch as Heatherstar gets up and announces that her Clan has finally recovered from ThunderClan's attack. A ThunderClan tom growls that no elders or kits were harmed, and Ottersplash, with a glare at Reedfeather, snarls that no kits were stolen either. A WindClan tom whips around to face Ottersplash, but she holds her head high, and Owlfur pushes through the crowd to stand beside her. Cedarpelt tries to calm the warriors down, but Owlfur and Beetlenose are intent on taking back Willowkit and Graykit. Reedfeather joins in the argument, and tensions begin to rise. Pinestar steps forward and tries to give his report, but Beetlenose approaches Reedfeather with hostility. Shellheart shoves Beetlenose back as Hailstar steps forward.
:The RiverClan leader reports that RiverClan has been free from Twolegs, and Crookedpaw purrs as he remembers the Twoleg kits that were on the ice. Bluepaw asks if they fell in, but Crookedpaw assures her that they were safe. Hailstar then announces Oakheart's warrior name, and all the Clans, even WindClan, cheer. Crookedpaw explains to Bluepaw that Oakheart is his littermate, and Bluepaw nods toward a white she-cat sitting nearby and says that's her sister. Crookedpaw politely mews that maybe if their siblings become leaders, they could be deputies together, but Bluepaw hisses that she wants to be leader. The tortoiseshell once again tells them to hush, and Bluepaw dips her head.
:Cedarstar is next, and he announces that ShadowClan's deputy, Stonetooth, is moving to the elder's den, and that Raggedpelt will be his replacement. Crookedpaw notices Bluepaw's narrowed eyes as she watches the ShadowClan cats, and wonders why she doesn't trust them. The leaders jump down from the Great Rock, and Cedarpelt tells Crookedpaw that they're leaving now. Crookedpaw follows his mentor out of the hollow, and Oakheart falls in beside him and asks how his first Gathering went. Crookedpaw tells him that he met a ThunderClan apprentice who also wants to be leader, and Oakheart assures that he hasn't given up on being leader either before challenging Crookedpaw to a race back to camp.
:Crookedpaw blinks open his eyes and finds himself dreaming. Mapleshade appears and asks what he thought of the Gathering. Crookedpaw excitedly says that he talked to a ThunderClan apprentice as if she was a Clanmate, but Mapleshade hisses that he should never say that. Crookedpaw wonders why, and Mapleshade shoves her muzzle toward his face as she snarls that RiverClan is the only Clan he should be concerned about. She asks if he forgot his promise, and Crookedpaw mews that of course he remembers to put his Clan above everything. Mapleshade tells him to start practicing his moves, and backs away to watch Crookedpaw swipe at the air. She yells at him to reach, and tells him to stay up as his legs begin to falter. Crookedpaw continues and feels himself getting stronger through the pain, knowing that this is what it takes to be leader. He wonders if Bluepaw or Oakheart are training in StarClan as well, and reminds himself of his promise to Mapleshade.
==Characters==
===Major===
===Minor===
===Mentioned===
==Important events==
===Others===
*Crookedpaw meets Bluepaw at the Gathering.
==Trivia==
*This chapter aligns with chapter 11 of Bluestar's Prophecy, and chapter 21 of Yellowfang's Secret.
==Notes and references==
fr:La promesse de l'Élu/Chapitre 13
Category:Chapter subpages
Category:Crookedstar's Promise
Category:Super Edition arc