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talonslockau · 7 months ago

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Forest of Secrets - Chapter 16

Chapter 15 || Index || Chapter 17

“Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!”

Fireheart looked up from where he was sitting with Peppermask. The familiar call was hardly a surprise; it was the night of the Gathering, and all cats had been waiting eagerly for Bluestar to announce who was going. Even Graystripe, he noted with a twinge of dismay. It wasn’t like the gray tom would be going: he had barely been present in camp the entire moon, even after being lectured by his sister and his longtime friend. There was no way Bluestar or Tigerclaw would reward him now by letting him go.

Still, he padded forward patiently to sit with the other warriors. He hoped Bluestar would still choose him to go; even though she had previously implied he would get to go to the Gathering, there was always the chance that Tigerclaw had managed to change her mind.

Peppermask sat beside him, her tail resting over his; he could feel her tense, as she too wondered if she would be allowed to go. She had been very helpful, making sure that no hunting patrol had come back empty-pawed. And yet, he could all too easily see how Bluestar might overlook her in favor of more experienced warriors, like Whitestorm or Dappleshine.

“Another moon has come and gone, and so it comes time for another Gathering.” Bluestar’s eyes shone in the dim sunset light as she gazed down on the crowd of warriors. “In addition to Tigerclaw, Yellowfang, and Dewpaw, as well as any elders and queens that wish to make the journey, I will be bringing with me Longtail, Mousefur, Dustleap, Fireheart, Cinderspark, Willowbranch, Peppermask, and Graystripe.”

Fireheart gasped in surprise, glancing over to Graystripe nearby, but the tom remained stoic as he gazed up at the leader. Why in Starclan’s name had Bluestar chosen him? Then he recalled the times he and Peppermask had covered for the dark gray tom and claimed he was busy hunting. Perhaps she thought he was more dedicated to the Clan than he actually was.

“We leave at once.” She announced, leaping off the rock. “Whitestorm will be in charge of camp while I am gone. Meeting dismissed.”

Those that had not been called to go left for their dens, some good-natured grumbling amongst them. Fireheart padded over to where Bluestar was waiting, watching as Graystripe ignored them and came to stand beside his mother Willowbranch. They hadn’t talked since that dawn with Silverstream; part of it hurt, not being able to talk to his friend, but this time Fireheart wasn’t the one that had done anything wrong. It was up to Graystripe to come to his senses.

He glanced over as the patrol of elders came over. He wondered briefly if Speckleflight or Snowkit might come, but then he caught sight of the newly retired queen guiding her son into the elders’ den with the help of One-eye. He couldn’t help but frown at the sight; it seemed wrong, watching a young and capable tom walk into a den meant for those who could no longer serve the Clan.

He didn’t get a chance to dwell on it as Bluestar led them out of camp. He walked side by side with Peppermask, but it wasn’t long until Cinderspark was bounding up next to them. “My first Gathering as a warrior!” She crowed to both of them, vibrating from excitement.

“I told you it’d happen.” Fireheart purred to her, glad to see her spirits lifted so high even after everything that had happened in the past few moons. “It’s a shame Mistspring couldn’t come with you. I’m sure she’s just as proud.”

“Yeah, but Yellowfang said she needs to rest her voice, not chatter away like a starling all night.” The dark gray molly sighed for a moment, but she didn’t let the thought get her down. “But it’s okay! I told her I’d tell her everything that happened when I got back!”

He glanced at Peppermask trotting beside him, barely able to suppress a smirk. “I’m sure she’ll appreciate that.” He managed to mew, not fully able to keep a straight face. Luckily, the newest warrior didn’t seem to notice.

“I know she will! She said she was sure that it’d be exactly like she was there!” Cinderspark replied brightly, oblivious to the snort of laughter from her sister on Fireheart’s other side. “Anyways, I’m gonna go catch up to Graystripe. Bye!”

They watched as she sprinted off, before the ginger tom finally let loose a fit of giggles. “Poor Mistspring. Cinderspark’s gonna make her go deaf from all her yelling.” He commented to Peppermask.

“Are you sure she isn’t already?” Peppermask retorted mirthfully. “Then again, she must be used to it after seven moons of mentoring her. And it’s better she gets her excitement out with someone that’s used to it rather than us.”

“I guess that’s true.” He replied, just as Bluestar and Tigerclaw began to accelerate their pace. He and Peppermask responded in kind, keeping their eyes and ears open as they raced through the forest. It wasn’t long at all before they were at the log bridge across the river.

“Everyone, be careful crossing!” He heard their leader call out from the front. “The snow-melt has iced in the cold. I don’t want any of you falling in the river tonight.”

Longtail was the first to step up, wrapping his paws around the log and beginning to slide his way across. Fireheart watched for a moment before turning to Peppermask. “At some point, I feel like it would just be safer to use the Thunderpath to cross.” He remarked to her.

“You know Tigerclaw would never.” She mewed back to him with a shake of her head. “Besides, I hear it gets even more dangerous when it’s covered in ice. Monster paws don’t have claws to grip through ice, so when leafbare storms happen, there’s inevitably a few that slide off into the forest. If that happened on the bridge while we were crossing…”

They both shivered at the thought. “I see your point.” Fireheart still remembered how easily the Monster had thrown Brokentail through sheer force, and the former leader’s current state was a regular reminder of the damage Monsters could do. If one attacked an entire Clan, even by accident… no, it was best not to think about that.

It felt like an eternity before the two young warriors finally stepped up to the decayed root system of the log bridge. “You first. You’ll need someone to help fish you out if you fall in again.” Peppermask nudged him with a smirk, whiskers twitching as he glared at her.

“I will not.” He retorted angrily, giving a nod of respect to Bluestar and Tigerclaw standing beside the bridge before delicately stepping up. He didn’t hesitate to wrap his paws around the log just as Longtail had, digging his claws in and slowly scooting his way across. He was sure it looked ridiculous, but he wasn’t going to fall in a second time, especially not with half the Clan watching.

He waited patiently as Peppermask, then Bluestar, then Tigerclaw made their way across. There was little idle chatter as they waited: each cat was too eager to reach Fourtrees, saving their breath for tales of glory and grandeur that they would tell to the other warriors when they arrived.

Their leader led them proudly up the slope to Fourtrees, halting at the edge of the clearing as usual. There were dozens of cats in the crowd below, and he could easily see the six cats sitting on the Great Rock in the middle. It seemed Thunderclan was the last to arrive.

They only hesitated for a moment before Bluestar gave them the signal to charge down into the hollow. There was no need for formalities; each cat knew how to conduct themselves at the Gathering. Fireheart stopped at the edge of the crowd, watching as it parted for Bluestar, Tigerclaw, Yellowfang and Dewpaw to maneuver their way through to the Great Rock.

He turned to see the Thunderclan patrol already dispersing. Graystripe had already disappeared, though it wasn’t long before he caught sight of a flash of silver and saw a large gray tom weaving his way towards it. He didn’t bother hiding his scowl at the sight. It was clear where his former friend’s priorities lay.

He turned, about to ask Peppermask where they might find Mistyskip, but instead bumped into a large gray shoulder. “Oh! I’m so sorry.” He mewed, looking up to see he had run into Stonestep, one of Riverclan’s greatest warriors, who turned to look in surprise.

“Ah, Fireheart! Are you here to join the rest of us in telling your tales?” Stonestep’s tail gestured to the warriors seated near him; large, muscled toms and mollies that were looking at him curiously. “I’m sure Tornear and Mudclaw especially would be eager to hear the tale of how you defeated Brokentail himself!”

He hesitated, part of him wanting to join in with the Gathering festivities. This was a chance to truly impress some of the greatest warriors in all of the Clans! But, he reminded himself with a quick glance at Peppermask, he had a job to do here. “It’ll have to wait. I was wondering if, uh, Mistyskip was chosen to come to the Gathering this moon?”

“My sister?” Stonestep nodded. “Aye, she’s around. Probably gossiping with the queens, if I had to guess. Quite boring, really; most all that they do is talk about their kits.” He shook his head wryly. “You sure you don’t want to join us instead?” He offered, patting the ground beside him with a paw.

Fireheart forced himself to shake his head. “Next time, I promise. If you ask me then, I’ll tell you about how I fought Clawface after only two moons as an apprentice, too.” There were gasps and murmurs of appreciation at his words, but he waved his tail for Peppermask to follow him as he fought his way through the throng of cats around them.

“The queens will likely be over this way.” The spotted tabby mewed softly to him, before nimbly taking the lead from him. He didn’t hesitate to follow her, grateful at her ability to find her way through a crowd that he seemed to lack. He glanced up at the Great Rock as he trailed behind, where the leaders and deputies were talking amongst themselves. He noticed with a jolt that Bluestar’s icy gaze was watching him as he threaded through the crowd.

Why was she watching them? He panicked for a moment before realizing that he was probably just eye-catching in the crowd. No fur was quite as bright and vibrant as his, especially under the full moon light. Then another realization caught up to him; if he was that easy to track, then Bluestar had likely seen him leave for Ravenpaw’s farm with Peppermask. After all, she had mentioned seeing him leave the Gathering as an apprentice, when he had been going to warn Yellowfang about the danger she was in from Brokentail’s threats.

Then she looked away from him, and he quickly shook himself out. If she knew that they had lied to her about where they were going last Gathering, surely she would have said something to him when they were alone? And, in any case, they had done nothing wrong. There was no reason to worry.

Still, that guilt nagged in the back of his mind as Peppermask led him over to a group of mollies, slightly separated from the rest of the Gathering. It was easy to spot Willowbranch sitting there, the only Thunderclanner among them, but it was the silver-furred molly from Riverclan with icy blue eyes that his sight was focused on.

“Peppermask! It’s good to see you in good health. And your friend, Fireheart.” Mistyskip gave him a courteous nod, which he responded to in kind. “You haven’t taken any more dips in the river in this past moon, have you?”

His fur prickled uncomfortably as the mollies around him purred lightly. “I prefer to keep my paws in my own territory.” He finally mewed, trying to keep his voice light.

“As all good warriors should. Thunderclan is lucky to have both of you.” He took a deep breath to force himself to relax as Mistyskip continued on. She had just meant to have a little banter, but the memory of water flooding into his lungs still sent fear pulsing through his veins. It was clearly different for a Riverclan cat, who must be so used to the water. “Come, sit! Willowbranch was just mentioning something about a battle in the Twolegplace with some rogues.”

“Indeed. Fireheart himself was one of the combatants!” The silky silver Thunderclan tabby mewed, her green eyes warm yet awed at the sight of him. “You should tell us what happened. I’ve only heard what happened through sharing tongues with Cinderspark, and you know how excitable she can be…”

“Cinderspark? So she’s a warrior now! Congratulations, Willowbranch.” A tortoiseshell Shadowclan queen mewed earnestly. “I can’t wait for my own kits to grow up and become warriors. They’re still so young, but…”

“Actually.” Fireheart mewed, diverting attention back to himself. “Mistyskip, Peppermask and I were hoping to talk with you for a bit?” Alone, he added silently, hoping that she would get the drift without him having to say it out loud.

Her blue gaze glittered dangerously as she considered him for a moment. “Of course, I’d be happy to.” She turned back to the rest of the mollies. “I’ll catch up with you all later. Don’t be sharing all the juicy stuff while I’m away.”

“We most certainly will!” Another tortoiseshell mewed with a teasing grin as Mistyskip rolled her eyes and started leading them away from the Gathering. It didn’t take long at all until most of the hubbub died away and they were alone in a bushy area a little ways up the slope.

“I assume this must be important if it can’t be said in front of everyone else.” The older Riverclanner mewed as she turned to face the two young Thunderclan warriors. “So? I imagine that you sought me, specifically, for a reason.”

“We did.” Peppermask bowed her head respectfully as she sat down, and Fireheart did the same. “Mistyskip, I understand this is a lot to ask, but we need to ask you some questions about your dad, and the day he died.”

“I- I see.” The silver molly deflated as her friend spoke. “I wasn’t there that day, but I can try to answer what questions you may have. You might have to ask my brother if you want to know more.”

“We’re looking for discretion in this matter.” Peppermask mewed beside him. “Your brother is a good cat, but we can’t risk it getting back to our Clan that we’re asking about these things.”

The Riverclanner’s eyes narrowed briefly as she spoke. “I see. If I may, what does my father have to do with Thunderclan problems? I trust that whatever you’re doing, it is within the warrior code, but I can’t say anything that would put my own Clan at risk.”

Fireheart held his breath, unsure exactly what to say, but Peppermask seemed to have expected the question and flicked her ear with an unbothered air. “There are certain rumors within the Clan about what happened that day. Cats claiming responsibility for things they did not do. We want to know the truth, unbiased as it can be, and we agree that requires a Riverclan perspective.”

Mistyskip regarded them closely for a moment before slowly nodding. “Alright. Ask away.” She mewed wearily, as though the mere thought of her father’s death had already drained her.

He glanced at his companion beside him. He had so many thoughts, he didn’t know which to ask first. It didn’t seem tactful to jump straight into Oakheart’s death, but if they surprised her with his words, she might clam up and refuse to talk. “Why was Oakheart’s patrol out there that day?” He finally asked.

The silver Riverclanner rolled her eyes, and for a moment he worried he had asked something he shouldn’t have. “They were being fishbrains. My dad and my brother loved pushing each other past the limits. They weren’t expecting a Thunderclan patrol to come by, even though we had just taken Sunningrocks that same moon, so of course Thunderclan would be guarding the forest fiercely. They got caught, and they paid for it.” She gave them a curious glance. “But surely you already knew that part?”

“That seemed to be the general consensus, yes.” Peppermask answered with a dip of her head. “But with the amount of lies, it was hard to be sure we were in the right that day.”

“The fighting started in the forest, I know that much. Your warriors were defending their territory.” Mistyskip nodded slowly. “Shadespeckle - then my brother’s apprentice - came racing back to camp with a nasty scratch above her eye. She still has it, actually. She told us what had happened. Some of the warriors wanted to go help, but my uncle said that he wasn’t going to waste warriors covering for his brother’s mistakes. That he would either get himself out of trouble, or be stuck in the healers’ den for his arrogance.” She sighed wistfully and looked out towards her territory. “If he had, perhaps things would have been different.”

Fireheart perked his ears curiously. “What do you mean?” He asked her eagerly.

“Dad realized he was in over his head and called for a retreat to Sunningrocks. I don’t think he expected your patrol to follow him. I think he also expected Crookedstar to send backup, and that made him fight more fiercely than he would have otherwise.” Her lips curled into a frown at the thought. “Maybe he wouldn’t have fought to his death.”

His heart lurched at her words. “So he was killed, then?”

She blinked in confusion at him. “Of course he was. I thought you knew he died?” She looked to Peppermask for answers.

“What he means to ask is, so he was killed by a Thunderclan cat?” Peppermask asked, brushing her tail against his reassuringly.

“Ah. Is that what some cats in your Clan are claiming?” Mistyskip nodded slowly. “Interesting. Killing is against the code, and I thought you Thunderclanners were more dedicated to that than to even your own Clan…” Her whiskers twitched in amusement as they both bristled. “But I can see how being the one to take down the great deputy of Riverclan would be quite the tale.”

“It’s against the code unless in self-defense.” Peppermask pointed out. “You can see how that doesn’t match up with what you’ve told me of your dad. That’s… part of why I’m suspicious.”

“Dad would never try to kill another cat.” The Riverclanner declared firmly, her nose twitching in disdain. “He was reckless, true, but he lived for the fight. There is no honor to be found in killing another cat, and it would’ve spoiled his victory. He preferred to beat cats fair and square.”

“So if he wasn’t killed, how did he die?” Fireheart asked as gently as he could.

The silver molly looked down at her paws, her blue eyes watering at the thought. “A rock slide crushed him.” She mewed softly, her voice trembling. “There was a loose pile of rocks, near the edge of Sunningrocks. Mudwish thinks he rolled into it while fighting, and chose to stand his ground instead of run away. Maybe he didn’t realize how far he’d gone… Maybe the blood rushing through his ears hid the sounds of it collapsing. It doesn’t really matter. The end result is the same.”

Peppermask gasped beside him, and they both leaned in closer. “And he’s absolutely sure? There were no killing blows on him?” He asked, his heart racing. If it was true, then they had the proof they needed - that Oakheart, at the very least, had not died to Tigerclaw��s paws.

She shook her head. “He was wounded, yes, but nothing that would have kept him from running away. Nothing that couldn’t have been treated with a few nights in the healers’ den.” She looked back up to them with a mournful sigh. “Mudwish said it was painless, at least; that he would have died instantly. He didn’t suffer, and he died in battle. I don’t think he would have wanted to go any other way.”

The spotted tabby beside him nodded, and he could tell from the look on her face she was thinking of her own father. He could have lived so much longer, if not for Tigerclaw. “Thank you, Mistyskip. That’s what we needed to hear.” She mewed to the other molly. “And the rest of your Clan, do you think they’d say the same?”

“Without a doubt. We have no reason to hide his death. It was too early, yes, but it wasn’t shameful.” She glanced out towards the Great Rock, which was mostly obscured from their view. “I’m sure even my uncle would say that in front of all the Clans, if need be.”

“There’s one more thing we need to ask.” Fireheart spoke quickly, all too aware that the leaders would call them together soon. “One of the cats who was there - the most trustworthy one - he said your father said something very odd before he died. He said that Redtail attacked your brother, and then Oakheart pulled him off and said ‘You of all cats know better than to attack him.’ Do you have any idea what that meant?”

The Riverclan molly looked baffled. “Are you sure he said that?” She replied, her bewilderment leaking into her voice.

“If not those exact words, then something close to it.” Peppermask replied, her tail flicking nervously. “So you have no idea why he tried to protect Stonestep, then?”

“No!” Mistyskip protested before she had even managed to finish her question. “Dad never protected any of us. He said that the most important teacher in life is natural consequences - and he knew Stonestep, especially, never backed down from a fight.” She stared off into the distance, her brows furrowed, as she searched her memory for some explanation. “Unless he wanted some deputy on deputy fight, but even then, what a strange thing for him to say. I watched them fight once, when I was a young warrior; they loved to taunt each other, but nothing as strange as that.”

“Then why would he say something like that?” Fireheart pressed, as confused as she was by it all. “You don’t suppose he had some vendetta against Redtail - or that Redtail had somehow harmed Stonestep in the past?”

“No, I don’t think so. And I don’t know why he said that, either.” Mistyskip was still frowning as she stared off into the distance. “But I think I know who might.”

She looked back to the two Thunderclanners as they perked their ears eagerly. “My mother, Graypool - she was probably the closest cat to Dad, besides my uncle. I think sometimes, she knew his mind better than he did. If there were any cat that knew what he meant by that, it would be her.”

“Is she here?” Peppermask pressed quickly, glancing back towards the rest of the Gathering.

“No, she-”

“Cats of all Clans!” Fireheart didn’t recognize the voice immediately, but he knew well enough that it was one of the leaders. He looked back to Mistyskip, and he could see the urgency he felt echoed in her eyes.

“I’ll convince her to come to the next Gathering. My uncle would never say no to her if she wanted to come. We’ll see you then.” With that, she sprang back towards the Great Rock, where a crowd was already forming. With a knowing glance at Fireheart, Peppermask did the same.

He was about to follow when he spotted Silverstream and Graystripe sitting next to each other. His lip instinctively curled at the sight, and he stalked over to sit close to them. They were barely hiding their affection for each other as they pressed into each other - purely for warmth, of course.

“Even as leafbare has arrived, Windclan continues to thrive in the moors.” Tallstar was the first to step forward, his golden gaze gleaming as he looked down on the assembled cats. “Just this moon, Ashfoot and Deadfoot have welcomed a new litter of four kits into the nursery.”

Fireheart’s eyes flickered to the dark deputy, who sat tall and proud beneath his leader. “We are also proud to announce four new warriors; Webpounce, Quickbreeze, Robincloud, and Whitetail. They have served the Clan faithfully as apprentices, and I am certain that Starclan will light their paths for many moons to come.”

All eyes turned to see the four new warriors, their fur fluffed and chests puffed as they basked in the gaze of the other Clans. His eyes were drawn to Whitetail, recalling his past meetings with her. She looked far more confident in herself than she had when he had first scared her, amongst the tangle of sky-walking Thunderpaths.

“That is good to hear, Tallstar.” Crookedstar mewed, standing as the black and white Windclan tom stepped back. “Riverclan has also welcomed a new litter in the nursery. Three kits, each happy and healthy thanks to the tireless work of our healers.” The crowd murmured the usual congratulations at this, with the two Riverclan healers sitting up a little straighter at the praise.

“We also have four new apprentices - Brushpaw, mentored by Beetlenose; Copperpaw, mentored by Whiteflame; Skip-paw, mentored by Morningwhisper; and Swallowpaw, mentored by Sedgecreek.” The crowd searched for the four mentors, finally finding them sitting beside a few very nervous young apprentices. One was a big black tom with a graying muzzle, while the rest were tabbies of various stripes.

“We thank Starclan that they have not yet frozen the river this leafbare. May they see fit to continue to give us a mild one.” With that, the disfigured tabby stepped back with a pleased nod to the other leaders.

“A mild leafbare is good for us all.” Nightstar mewed, the next to step forward. “Prey continues to run in Shadowclan territory as well. And we also have four new apprentices at the Gathering tonight. Rowanpaw, apprenticed to Redfern; Oakpaw, apprenticed to Wolfstep; Cedarpaw, my own apprentice; and Lavenderpaw, apprenticed to Newtspeck.”

Congratulatory murmurs spread through the crowd once more. It didn’t take long to find the other set of young apprentices, several mentors protectively hovering nearby. The one that drew Fireheart’s attention the most was a dark ginger molly, her fur shining like a Riverclan cat’s but a far more striking color like his. He wondered briefly if she had once been a kittypet, before quickly shaking the thought from his mind. With how Thunderclan had reacted to him at first, he doubted that any other Clan would be willing to take in such an outsider.

“It is good to hear Shadowclan is finding plenty of prey in their own territory. I am sure that means Thunderclan won’t be scenting any hunting patrols across our borders in the next moons.” There were growls from the Shadowclan cats as Bluestar stepped forward, but Fireheart and many other cats purred in amusement at her words. It was no secret that Shadowclan often found prey across their borders, though Brokentail had taken that to an extreme.

“Though prey runs swiftly in our territory, I am pleased to say that thanks to some of our newer warriors, we have had no trouble finding freshkill. Thunderclan’s future shines brightly, and I thank Starclan for granting us such capable warriors.” Fireheart glowed with pride at her words. “We bring with us one of those new warriors today; Cinderspark, who has proven herself in the eyes of Starclan.”

Fireheart could see Cinderspark puffed up to nearly the size of Lionheart or Whitestorm with her fluff as all eyes turned to her. Part of him wondered if she was going to explode from the excitement, but thankfully Bluestar spoke before she could. “I pray that Starclan sees fit to give us another moon of mild leafbare. Until then, may Starclan light our paths.”

“May Starclan light our paths.” The crowd echoed, immediately beginning to disperse at Bluestar’s cue. The leaders jumped down from the Great Rock to lead their patrols, their deputies and healers quickly following. The hollow soon filled with the sound of chatter as cats said their goodbyes to the other Clans, preparing for another moon of tension.

“Mild leafbare my tail. Mark my words, the snow will pile a tail-length high this moon!” Fireheart blinked as a tabby elder nearly bumped into him as he passed, heading for Shadowclan’s side of Fourtrees as he talked to Patchpelt and another Shadowclan elder. “Why, we might even have to dig our way out of camp!”

He snorted in amusement at the thought, turning to comment to Peppermask before remembering why he was sitting alone. He searched the main hollow, finally spotting the two a few tail-lengths away and nearly obscured by the tall grass. He wandered over, careful to appear as though he was just moving among the crowd even as he angled his ears towards them to hear their conversation.

“... won’t be going past the bend until after sunhigh. We can meet under the Twoleg bridge.” Silverstream was mewing to Graystripe as she briefly twined her tail with his. “You’re not on a dawn patrol, are you?”

“Tigerclaw put me on the Shadowclan patrol.” The Thunderclan tom replied glumly, before brightening up. “But that means I can meet you right after! It’ll probably be right after the sun reaches halfway to sunhigh.”

“I don’t want to have to wait that long. But I suppose if I must…” The silver tabby rubbed her cheek against Graystripe’s, and Fireheart turned away in disgust. He didn’t want to see or hear any more. As he trotted over to where the rest of the Thunderclan cats were waiting, a plot began forming in his mind. Graystripe was stubborn, and wouldn’t listen to them for anything. But perhaps he didn’t need to get Graystripe to see reason…

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talonslockau · 11 months ago

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Fire and Ice - Chapter 48

Chapter 47 || Index || Chapter 49

The moon was shining brightly on the horizon as Fireheart returned from another late day patrol. Though he had been busy all day, his paws still thrummed with energy as he made his way into camp alongside Lionheart and Mousefur. Tonight was the night of the Gathering, and it was set to be an important one. No one knew who Shadowclan's new leader would be after Brokentail and his deputy had been driven out. There were rumors that Windclan would be returning as well, and Fireheart was eager to finally meet the fourth Clan in the forest if those whispers proved true.

Alongside Graystripe and Peppermask, he was guaranteed to be going to Fourtrees alongside Bluestar and Quickflash. All new warriors were supposed to be there when they were presented to the Clans, and Peppermask hadn't been able to the moon of her naming because of Brokentail's hostilities. Plus, all three of them had been working hard on patrols; there was no reason for Bluestar to deny them the privilege now.

Their regal leader was talking with Quickflash and Whitestorm by the Highrock as they returned. As she spotted the last evening patrol returning, she gave them a swift nod and ascended the Highrock. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!" She yowled, her voice echoing through the cold air. He took a seat next to Lionheart as Whitestorm joined them, all of them looking expectantly up to their leader.

"As the full moon rises, it comes time for the Gathering once more. Tonight, we will have the honor of announcing our three newest warriors." The molly's blue gaze picked each of them out from the crowd as she stood proudly on top of the Highrock. "And we will have the opportunity to celebrate the banishment of one of the greatest threats the Clans has ever faced. It will be a night of pride and joy, a welcoming of new opportunities even as we face the coming of leafbare."

There were murmurs of excitement, and she waited for the talking to die down before continuing. "Tonight, alongside Quickflash, Yellowfang, and Dewpaw, as well as any elders and queens that wish to make the journey, I will be bringing Lionheart, Tinyfrost, Darkstripe, Tigerclaw, Willowbranch, Dappleshine, Peppermask, Fireheart, Graystripe, Mistspring, and Cinderpaw. Whitestorm will be in charge of the camp while I am gone." She dipped her head to the senior warrior respectfully, who returned with a small bow. "We leave at once. Meeting dismissed!"

The called cats began to crowd around the entrance. It was a large patrol, and merely a moon ago leaving the camp so lightly guarded would be unthinkable. Now, he watched as the elders nearly tumbled over each other to join them, barely holding back a purr of amusement. Everything was at peace now.

He tilted an ear curiously as he heard someone speak behind him. "Bluestar, I just wanted to remind you that Snowkit is over six moons old now…" It was Speckleflight, speaking softly as the leader jumped off the Highrock behind him.

"You know why I can't name him an apprentice, Speckleflight." Her voice was low as she responded, and he now turned his head towards them curiously. Snowkit's ceremony had been delayed? This was the first he had heard of it.

"He deserves to be a warrior just as much as any of my other kits!" The pale golden queen spat angrily, her hackles rising. "Surely you can find an able warrior to mentor him. Why not Whitestorm? Or Quickflash? Or even-"

"Enough. I am not having this discussion with you now." Bluestar's eyes glittered dangerously in the moonlight as she glared at the other queen. "Come to the Gathering or not. But Snowkit will be staying in the nursery. That is final." With that, she hurried past Fireheart, barely noticing him as she took her place at the front of the patrol with Quickflash. Speckleflight looked after her in disgust before turning away and padding over to the nursery, where her white kit was waiting for her expectantly.

He frowned after them for a moment, resolving to learn more about it later before turning and hurrying after the rest of the patrol. He had no time to think on it right now. Tonight was his first Gathering as a warrior!

The path up the ravine and into their forest territory was as familiar as breathing or sleeping now. He grinned as Peppermask and Graystripe padded up beside him as they entered the woods proper. "Just like old times, huh?" He purred as they began to speed up. "It's just too bad Ravenspirit can't be with us."

"I know." Peppermask admitted with a sigh. "I'm sure he's looking down on us from the Startrail now." They all looked up at the trees above them, through the breaks in the foliage to the dusk sky above them. The stars were just faintly starting to twinkle; it wouldn’t be long before the Startrail was visible.

"Yeah, you're all stuck with me instead." It was Cinderpaw, the dark gray molly stalking up beside them with a bitter growl. The warriors' fur ruffled uneasily as she spoke. "Your boring old apprentice sister that hasn't earned a warrior name and doesn't deserve any notice."

"It's not like that, Cinderpaw." Fireheart mewed placatingly. "I know it's hard being the last apprentice, but we've all been helping you out when we can."

"Then how come you guys never talk to me anymore?" Her fluffy tail lashed angrily at him. "You guys think you're all too good for me nowadays? Not even a hi or hello every once in a while?" She huffed and looked away from them. "I might as well wait for Snowkit to become an apprentice instead of hoping one of you will deign to come talk to me for a bit."

His fur prickled uncomfortably as he remembered the conversation he had overheard between Speckleflight and Bluestar. The leader had made it sound as though the oldest kit was never becoming an apprentice. But why? "Don't talk like that, Cinderpaw. You'll earn your name soon enough, and then we'll all be able to hang out around camp together." Graystripe spoke and broke him out of his thoughts, the ginger tom shaking his head to dismiss them. It didn't matter. Whatever the reasons Bluestar had, they were sure to be good ones.

"Yea, sure. Sometime next newleaf, I bet." With a growl, the dark gray molly picked up her feet and galloped to the front of the line, where Dewpaw was talking with Yellowfang. None of the warriors tried to stop her.

"She's taking this hard." Peppermask observed as their sister moved on. "I wish Bluestar would give her her name already. That would just leave Dewpaw, and healers’ apprentices are expected to take a few seasons or more to earn their healer name."

"Really?" Fireheart flicked an ear curiously, trying to forget about Cinderpaw. Besides, he hadn't heard much of healer customs, aside from what Dewpaw told him. "How come?"

"Well, they have to wait a season before they can be apprenticed as a healer. Plus, they have to go a season cycle to learn the growing seasons of all the herbs they use and how to harvest them." She nodded up to the small gray molly up ahead of them. "That's what Dewpaw's told me, anyways. It probably won't be until newleaf or greenleaf before she gets her name from Yellowfang."

"Yellowfang?" He blinked in surprise. "Why not Bluestar? I thought she gave every cat their names."

"Well, all the warriors, sure. But the healers have their own ceremony with Starclan, apparently. It makes sense, doesn't it?" He shook his head in confusion at the spotted molly's words. "I mean, healers serve Starclan, not the Clan leader, so it makes sense that it would be up to Starclan to name them."

"Ah." He'd heard that before, from Yellowfang. He supposed that it made sense when she put it that way. "I hope Yellowfang gives her a good name. Not something weird like 'Clawface' or 'Ratscar'."

"Shadowclan has some strange naming ideas. I mean, what kind of parent names a gray cat Yellowkit?" Graystripe chuffed at the thought, and Fireheart had to agree. That Starclan had named her Yellowfang when she was a healer was even stranger. "Still, it's up to Starclan, isn't it? Maybe they'll name her something nice, like Dewspots or Dewleaf, after Spottedleaf."

"Dewleaf would be a nice name for her." Fireheart agreed amicably. "But you're right. We'll see what name Starclan gives her, when the time comes."

They had reached the edge of the forest by now, where the fallen tree to cross the river was. Quickflash was standing by it as the elders and warriors crossed, patiently waiting to help if any required it. His mate, Willowbranch, stood beside him, her silver tail gently twined with his pale striped one.

"And there's our newest warriors!" The queen purred as their turn came up. "It wasn't so long ago that we were attending our first Gatherings as warriors, dear. Do you remember?"

"I do." He reached out and touched his nose to Graystripe's as he passed by. "And now we get to watch our kits do the same. How quickly the seasons flash by." Quickflash gave them all a light, teasing grin as he spoke.

"Daaaaad." Graystripe whined as he crossed the tree trunk, out of ear shot. The deputy chuckled mirthfully at his son's response, while Peppermask and Fireheart rolled their eyes at each other.

"Indulge an old tomcat his jokes." The pale tabby mewed with a wink to the remaining two as Fireheart stepped up to the tree trunk. He gave the ginger tom a swift, respectful nod as he passed by. "It's not every day a father gets to escort his kits to their first Gathering as warriors."

Willowbranch said something else as he jumped on top of the tree, carefully digging in his claws as he made his way across. Fireheart looked back to see her warmly grooming her daughter's forehead, before stepping back and letting her mate touch noses with the new warrior. Seeing such warmth between family always made him wonder if his own parents would be proud of him if they saw him now. But as much as he wanted to pretend otherwise, he imagined they would only see him as a wild savage now, rather than their young son.

Soon, the rest of the family joined them on the other side of the river. "Everyone's accounted for, Bluestar." Quickflash addressed the leader with a respectful dip of his head as he landed on the other side. "We can go whenever you're ready."

The gray leader nodded wordlessly, turning and flicking her tail for her Clan to follow her. Once again they ascended the slopes of Fourtrees, halting on the edge of the hollow and staring down at those that had already arrived. This time, Fireheart could smell that both Shadowclan and Riverclan had arrived before them, and he saw four figures standing on the Great Rock.

"Who's that next to Leopardflame?" He twitched an ear as he heard Cinderpaw's loud whisper from down the line. He could see the sparkling golden fur of the Riverclan deputy, but all he could make out of the cat next to her was that it was a dark warrior. He could see a light tabby that could only be Crookedstar speaking to a black cat whose glossy fur shimmered in the moonlight, like that of a cat who had been well taken care of for many moons. Had they chosen a newcomer to be their leader?

"I'm sure we get a closer look when Bluestar gives the signal to go down." He barely caught Dewpaw's response, but it brought a small smile to his muzzle. The young healer was pragmatic as always.

"Do you recognize any of them, Fireheart?" Graystripe asked beside him. "You took care of the Shadowclanners for a while."

"The elders, not any warriors!" He huffed back, gazing down at the hollow. He couldn't see Archtail or Crowtalon among the crowd; the two were likely too old to make the journey at this point. "But I don't see anyone I can recognize from here."

Graystripe nodded in understanding at that, but kept quiet as they waited. The Clan cats were restless as they sat patiently for Bluestar's signal to descend into the shadow of the Great Rock. Her blue gaze was narrow as she watched the other Clans moving about below. After several heartbeats, she nodded decisively and raised her tail for the patrol to follow her.

Like one body, the warriors raced down the slopes, their hearts beating in unison. Fireheart couldn't help but grin as his paws met the cool grassy surface of the meeting space, the other warriors mingling freely as the leader, deputy, and healers cut a path through the crowd to the Highrock. All around them were Riverclan and Shadowclan cats, chatting like old friends on this one night of peace.

"Isn't that Nightpelt?" He heard Peppermask gasp next to him. He looked up to the rock to see that she was right; there, talking to Crookedstar and now Bluestar. "I guess it must be Nightstar if he's sitting with the leaders."

"It must be." He supposed it made sense; Nightpelt had always been the strongest of the elders, and after the condition that Brokentail had left the Clan in, he was probably the strongest of the Clan. Beside him was a dark gray warrior with a torn ear that looked a bit similar to Cinderscar. "I don't recognize that cat next to him, though. He wasn't one of the elders, I know that much."

"I'm sure we'll find out when Nightstar speaks." Graystripe pointed out languidly. "I'm gonna go see if Stonestep remembers me. What about you two?"

"I think I'll go find the Shadowclan elders." Fireheart hadn't really gotten a chance to say goodbye, with everything that had happened, and even though they had despised him externally he had the feeling that they had developed some measure of appreciation for him through the seasons. "How about you, Peppermask?"

"I'm going to go find the queens. They always have the juiciest gossip." She gave them a conspiratorial grin. "If I find anything out, you two will be the first to know."

"I'll hold you to that!" Fireheart waved goodbye with a tail as he trotted off. It wasn't too hard to find the elders; they were bathing in the light of the moon where the gaps in the tree were the biggest. They were grouped into several clusters, the closest of which contained One-eye, Smallear, a Riverclanner, and two very familiar Shadowclan queens.

"Fireheart! What brings a young warrior like you to these old crows?" One-eye spoke, her clear eye glittering in amusement. "I hope you haven't come to embarrass my story-telling skills like last time."

"I'm sorry, One-eye." The ginger tom dipped his head to the Thunderclan elder respectfully. "But I'm actually here to speak to your companions today." He turned to look at Poolcloud and Featherstorm, who were keeping each other warm for the time being. "I'm glad to see you two looking well. How are Crowtalon and Archtail doing?"

"Bickering as much as ever." Featherstorm rolled her yellow eyes as she spoke, giving her companions a small grin. "You'd think they're three moon old kits with the way they complain these days. Even Mosspaw and Volepaw knew how to keep their mouths shut when they were in the nursery."

The circle of cats purred in amusement as she spoke. "How are they doing, by the way? I imagine they must be learning a lot, now that they're back home." Fireheart asked politely.

The tabby queen shrugged. "Ask them yourself. They're here tonight." She glanced over her shoulder. "Mosspaw! Volepaw! Come here for a moment, would you?"

He turned to see two large blurs running up, skidding to a halt on the grass in front of him. The two had grown in the moon since they'd left; Mosspaw was almost his size by now. "Firepaw!" They gasped as they realized who was standing in front of them.

"It's Fireheart now." He corrected them gently with a small wink. "I'm surprised to see both of you here tonight. Especially Volepaw! You run just as well as your sibling these days." He dipped his head to the light brown tom, whose eyes widened in surprise as he was addressed by the warrior.

"Yea! Wetnose said Yellowfang did a really good job with my leg. It hardly hurts at all now!" He stuck it out for the ginger tom to observe, and he was pleased to see it looked perfectly normal. "I've been training really hard now that it's better. You better watch out if you ever cross Shadowclan!" The excited young tom crouched down, wiggling back and forth on his haunches and giving a very fierce growl.

"I'm sure you two will have me thinking twice!" He purred, pleased to see the once-broken kitten filled with such energy. It reminded him of himself, back when he was a new apprentice. "How are your new mentors? Do you like them?"

The two glanced uncertainly at their mother, clearly wary about giving any potential information to their enemy. The old queen smiled and dipped her head. "It's alright, dears. There's no need to keep your mentors secret."

"Well, Snowbird's really cool, since she's a new warrior like you. She gets what it's like to be an apprentice, you know? Not like Spiderfoot or Nightstar did." Mosspaw wrinkled their nose up at the mention of their old 'mentors'. "But she can be a bit mousebrained, too. She mixes up her hunting stances all the time."

"I'm sure she's just a bit nervous. I know I would be, if I got an apprentice right now." He didn't expect he would get any for quite a while; aside from Snowkit, the next kits to be apprenticed would be Goldenflower's, and he would be a warrior for less than a season when they got their apprentice names. Surely Bluestar wouldn't pick him to mentor instead of experienced warriors like Lionheart or Quickflash. "What about you, Volepaw?" He asked their brother with an encouraging smile. "What's it like to get your first real taste of apprenticeship?"

"It's awesome! Acornwhisper can be a bit stuffy at times, though." The tawny tom wrinkled his nose as he thought of his mentor. "All we do is practice hunting techniques and basic stalking. He still won't let me spar with Mosspaw or climb trees!"

"I'm sure he worries about your leg." Even Yellowfang had taken it easy for at least a moon after her leg had healed, though she was also much older. "It doesn't hurt to be patient. After all, you have two seasons to learn everything."

"Yeah, but it's still boring." He stuck out his tongue and blew a raspberry in the direction of what Fireheart assumed was his mentor. "I could easily climb the tallest pine in the forest if he'd let me!"

Seeing the alarm in Featherstorm's eyes at her son's words, Fireheart quickly chuckled. "Maybe not the tallest pine in the forest. You don't want to fall out of it like Halftail."

"Who's Halftail?" Both apprentices chorused, turning their bright eyes up at him.

"One of our elders. A badger bit his tail off when he was a warrior, and now he can't climb any trees for fear of falling." The new warrior turned to One-eye and Smallear. "You should let One-eye tell you that story. Everyone knows she's the best in the Clans when it comes to spinning tales."

The oldest Thunderclan elder rolled her good eye at that. "I suppose I could spare the time for that. Echomist here has been telling everyone I don't tell the young ones stories anymore, and I can't have that rumor going around." She eyed the Riverclan molly next to her, who smirked back and flicked her slender tail. The group purred as the two apprentices sat eagerly next to their mother. "What about you, Fireheart? Care to stay and listen?"

"I should see what Graystripe's up to." He admitted, standing and stretching. The old queen huffed, but didn't otherwise object. "Until next time, then."

He trotted off, winding his way through the crowd. There were so many scents, both familiar and unfamiliar; everywhere he looked, warriors were laughing and swapping stories with one another. It was loud, almost overwhelming, but Fireheart felt at ease as he slipped past them. He was one of them now; a proud and brave warrior, the best that the Clan had to offer.

He found Graystripe sitting in a circle of warriors, retelling the morning of the battle with Shadowclan. "Then I slammed his head into the ground hard enough to hear something crack, with only one paw! I'm sure that fleabitten rogue's ears are still ringing from the blow." He chuffed heartily before spotting Fireheart. "Fireheart! There you are! I was just telling everyone about how we earned our warrior names!"

"Indeed. Tinyfrost here mentioned you faced Brokentail himself and chased him away." The ginger tom turned to see Stonestep staring down at him, the great Riverclan warrior looking on him with a touch of awe. Had he impressed the great tom? He straightened up, mentally comparing himself to the Riverclanner, only to find he was still at least a whisker length shorter. "Surely that was just an exaggeration?"

"It's true!" Fireheart replied, fluffing up proudly. "I had just finished off Clawface with Tinyfrost's help when I heard Yellowfang scream." He glanced briefly at his mentor, remembering the admonishment the warrior had given him when his rage had nearly driven him to kill. If the tom remembered it now, however, he didn't say a word. "She had pinned the rogue leader, but he struck back viciously and revealed to the whole Clan that he was responsible for killing Raggedstar before throwing her off."

There were gasps of horror around the group, even from the Shadowclan cats that had been there. Murdering one's own Clanmates, especially one's leader, was unthinkable for the greatest and most noble practitioners of the warrior code. "He truly was a worse monster than any the Clans have faced." A Riverclan molly he didn't recognize sighed angrily. "I only wish we could have been there to help."

"There was hardly any time for a coordinated attack. We had to save the kits, after all." Graystripe pointed out, tail lashing at the thought. "Anyways! You didn't get to the best part, Fireheart."

"After he kicked her off, he lunged straight for a killing blow on the old healer!" Fireheart left out the argument that had happened in between, mindful to keep some of the Shadowclanners' secrets. "I didn't think, I just shoved him aside. He wasn't expecting anyone to interrupt their fight." He recalled the pure hatred with which the former leader had regarded him. "Then he said-"

"Wait, I wanna be his part!" Graystripe interrupted eagerly next to him. The dark gray tom bristled his fur angrily, narrowed his eyes, pinned his ears back, and lifted his lip in a snarl to imitate the former Shadowclanner. "So then he said, 'Don't waste my time, apprentice. I have nine lives! Do you really think you can take all of them from me?'"

"I thought this was my story." The ginger tom chuffed, gently nudging his friend with one paw. "So he says that, but I wasn't scared, right? I'd faced down Clawface when I was barely eight moons old!" There were murmurs of shock and approval from the other warriors at his words, just as he'd hoped. He conveniently left out that he had lost that fight badly at the time. "So I said back, 'I bet you've already wasted eight of them!' He looked like he'd never heard such disrespect in his life!"

"It wouldn't shock me if he did." An old Shadowclan tom spoke, white as pure snow. "I know he lost at least one driving out Windclan. He treated his lives like toys, not gifts from Starclan."

Several Shadowclanners shifted uncomfortably as he spoke, and Fireheart had to wonder why. Perhaps it was just the mention of Windclan, though those remaining had likely had little say in it. "It was then he realized he was outnumbered and fled. I didn't really do much, in terms of fighting him. It was thanks to all the warriors there that we succeeded."

"Still, not many apprentices would be eager to take on a Clan leader, let alone one so ruthless and battle-hardened." Stonestep's words made him glow with pride. The older warrior was clearly impressed by him! "Of course, I can't say I wouldn't be so bold, but I'd be terrified for my cousins if-"

A loud yowl sounded across the clearing, and all the cats turned as one to the source. There, standing atop the rock, the three Clan leaders gazed down proudly on the assembled warriors, while their deputies sat beneath them in the shadows. Bluestar sat in the middle, with Crookedstar and Nightstar on either side. The crowd hushed, evidently waiting for the leaders to speak.

"Tonight is a night of joyous celebration, and I'm sure every cat has much to discuss." Bluestar stood to speak, gazing down on the assembled Clans with the same regal authority she had with her own warriors. "However, all of the leaders have much to announce tonight, and so we would like to begin a bit earlier than usual."

There was a bit of lighthearted grumbling as the crowd began making their way to the shadows of the Highrock. Fireheart and Graystripe made their way close to the base, where Peppermask was waiting for them. They nosed each other in greeting before waiting patiently for the leaders to begin.

Nightstar was the first to step forward. "As you all have doubtlessly heard, Brokentail has been exiled, along with several of his rogues that refused to bow to the warrior code. Shadowclan no longer recognizes these traitors as part of the Clan, and if they are seen on Clan territory they should be killed on sight." There were murmurings of discontent among the warriors below him as he spoke.

"Brokentail?" He heard a Riverclan elder grumble to another. "It's not up to us to take away a name given by Starclan, even if he is no longer their leader."

Fireheart frowned at that. What did it matter if Starclan had once named him leader? He had obviously done great harm with the position, so he no longer deserved to be called leader. It was just that simple.

"Starclan spoke to Wetnose and chose me as the true successor to Raggedstar. I stand before you as Nightstar, together with my deputy Wolfstep." He nodded to the gray tom at the base of the rock, who Fireheart assumed was the new deputy. "We are committed to the warrior code that Brokentail so recklessly spurned, and will lead Shadowclan proudly and nobly, as Raggedstar would have wanted."

"No mention of how we helped drive Brokentail out, I see." Graystripe hissed beside him, dark tail twitching in annoyance.

"Would you want Bluestar to admit such a thing out loud if rogues took over our Clan? It would make us seem weak." Peppermask pointed out evenly. "Besides, there were plenty of stories being told about what happened. We all know the truth. Isn't that enough?"

Graystripe grunted noncommittally at that as Nightstar continued speaking. "I understand that Shadowclan has garnered much ill will these past two seasons with its neighboring Clans, for good reason. To show that Shadowclan has changed for the better with my leadership, we will leave the other Clans in peace for the next moon, so long as they respect us in the same way. In addition, we will be ceding any territory gains Shadowclan may have made in Thunderclan or Riverclan territory since Raggedstar's death."

This was well received by Riverclan, he could tell. While Thunderclan hadn't lost anything to Shadowclan, aside from the invasions of their camp, it seemed that Shadowclan had been pressing Riverclan hard before Brokentail's exile.

"Empty words. I bet he doesn't have the warriors to defend all that territory, anyways." Graystripe muttered. "Not since he lost half of his warriors to exile."

"Did you sleep with thorns in your nest or something?" Peppermask snapped beside him. "You're never usually this prickly. Shadowclan is no longer a threat to our kits; surely you could stand to be happy about that?"

Her brother huffed. "Some credit for what we've done would be nice, is all I'm saying."

"Hush!" Fireheart spat at both of them. "I can barely hear him with your bickering!"

"We also bring to the Gathering two new apprentices, just recently turned six moons. They are Mosspaw and Volepaw, mentored by our great warriors Snowbird and Acornwhisper." Nightstar announced proudly.

The crowd turned to see the two apprentices sitting there, nervously looking at their mentors, while their mentors stood proudly in the other Clans' stares. Snowbird was a young, pretty white molly with long, silky fur, while Acornwhisper was a light brown warrior similar to his apprentice Volepaw.

"No mention of what they've been through, either." Fireheart whispered to the other two. "At least they'll be able to become proper warriors now."

"Yea." Peppermask murmured sympathetically. "Especially Volepaw. I'm glad to see he's doing well back home."

"He runs perfectly now. No sign of a broken leg at all." The ginger tom replied with a smidge of pride. He couldn't help but remember what Yellowfang had said; that he was responsible for saving them. And though he was still loyal to Thunderclan, he was still glad to see the young apprentices swelling into mighty warriors.

Nightstar stepped back, his piece evidently said. He nodded to the other two leaders, and after a moment Crookedstar stepped forward. He could see the crooked jaw for which the leader was named for from here, yet despite that he stood proudly as he looked down on the assembled cats. "Riverclan is most gracious for Shadowclan's generosity. We will reset the borders to that of the Thunderpath bridge, along Fourtrees, and across to the falls." The tabby's eyes gleamed as he looked at the dark tom, as though waiting for some objection, but all he got was a casual ear flick.

The Riverclanners murmured excitedly at this. It seemed that this was good news for them, while the Shadowclanners seemed largely apathetic. Fireheart hadn't seen enough of Riverclan territory to know if this was some significant concession or not. He looked to his fellow new warriors, but they seemed as lost as him.

"Indeed, our kits will thrive now, just as they did before Brokentail's relentless assault on our borders." Fireheart flicked an ear apprehensively. Crookedstar was laying it on a little thick. Was he looking to demand something from Thunderclan as well? "Riverclan can only benefit from more territory. Now that we have access to the uplands, we will have plenty of prey in the coming leafbare."

Nightstar frowned at that. "I did not agree to concede the uplands to you, Crookedstar. Shadowclan also has many kits that would benefit from the rabbits that run-"

"No!" Fireheart bristled in surprise as Bluestar interrupted the new leader with an angry yowl. They both looked at her in surprise. "The uplands belong to Windclan. They are not Shadowclan's to do with as they please."

Crookedstar huffed. "Windclan is gone, Bluestar, as they have been for several seasons now. It makes no sense to allow their land to lay unclaimed, especially with Brokentail on the prowl."

The Thunderclan leader narrowed her eyes. "That is why Windclan must return."

The two other leaders were glaring at her now. "Why is that, Bluestar? Do you have a reason, or are you just upset your Clan can't partake in the spoils?" Nightstar growled first. "Without Windclan holding the uplands, all the Clans will be able to partake in the prey that they hold. Our kits will be able to grow strong."

Bluestar drew herself up proudly. ""I am speaking from reason, not petty emotions like jealousy and greed." She responded slowly as she looked between the two other leaders that bristled at her words. "Crookedstar, Nightstar, you have both always been known for your wisdom and cunning. Surely you must see the destruction that lies ahead if you recklessly choose to follow this star-forsaken path?"

"Is that a threat, Bluestar?" Crookedstar snarled from beside her, his broad shoulders flexing to show the muscle beneath his glossy striped pelt. "Does Thunderclan believe they are the arbiter of the warrior code? The paws of Starclan themselves?" Fireheart flicked his ears as he heard angry muttering around him. "You are not the only one named by Starclan here. I have a duty to protect my Clan, as does Nightstar. I will do whatever it takes to ensure Riverclan thrives."

"Of course not, Crookedstar." The silver queen dipped her head smoothly to the brown tabby, who seemed surprised by her acknowledgement. "We all have a duty to our Clans. That is why Starclan gave us our lives."

The tom hesitated, narrowing his gaze. "Then you must understand why we are better off without Windclan. If we share in the prey of the moors, we can all ensure our kits' survival in the coming leafbare." Nightstar nodded from beside her, clearly agreeing with the Riverclan leader.

"That may be true." She admitted evenly. "Indeed, with the bounty of Windclan's territory to ourselves, all the forest's kits may survive leafbare."

The two toms on the Great Rock looked to each other, troubled by her agreement. "If you agree with us, then why would you want Windclan to return? Do you want to be responsible for the deaths of starving mouths in leafbare, knowing there was a solution to their hunger?" Nightstar asked, leaning forward with glittering eyes.

"Because it is an easy solution. But, as with any easy solution, it comes at a cost."

"The cost of what, Windclan?" Fireheart bristled as a voice nearby brashly interrupted the leaders' discussion. "Who cares about a Clan that couldn't even defend its' own territory? Good riddance, I say!" He found the source; the glimmering golden tabby deputy of Riverclan, Leopardflame. She glared up at the leaders as Quickflash shifted uncomfortably beside her.

There were murmurs of approval rising from the crowd, but Bluestar silenced them with a yowl. "That is precisely the sort of thinking that will result in the Clans' downfall if we don't allow Windclan to return!"

Crookedstar bristled at the molly's response to his deputy. "Don't be so melodramatic, Bluestar. We can protect ourselves where Windclan did not."

"For now." The Thunderclan leader responded steadily. "Indeed, the Clans may yet stand for many generations beyond us. The Clans that remain now are each strong in their own right." She looked out to the crowd below, her blue gaze skimming across each cat. "But it will not always be that way. Just as the moon, each Clan waxes and wanes over time. There will come a time when Shadowclan is struck by greencough, or Riverclan experiences a great drought. Before, the Clan would merely suffer silently. They would weaken, but they would ultimately survive."

Fireheart shifted uncomfortably as he realized where she was going. "But if we allow Windclan to be driven off because they were too weak to defend from such a brutal attack, that means that any weakness would be an opportunity for the remaining Clans." Bluestar's voice was icy as it rang across the clearing. "Every cat in the Clans must keep in mind that any hint of weakness could mean the end of their Clan. If you are fine with that, then by all means, prowl the moorlands at your leisure."

The cats around him murmured uneasily at her words. Fireheart knew they had all lived in fear that each day might be their Clan's last while Brokentail stalked the forest. While he knew Bluestar would never do something so cruel, he wasn't sure he could say the same for the other Clans' leaders. He could tell other cats were thinking the same thing.

"That's ridiculous. Such a thing could never happen." Nightstar scoffed. "As long as we have access to the highlands, we will have no need to turn on each other."

"Are you sure, Nightstar?" Bluestar flicked her tail languidly. "After all, you needed Thunderclan's strength to finally exile Brokentail and his pack of rogues. Has your Clan completely recovered from the loss of some of your strongest warriors?"

Nightstar bolted upright, and his warriors bristled all around Fireheart. "Shadowclan will not stand for Thunderclan bullying!" He hissed furiously into her face.

She stared steadily back at him, unphased by the snarling black tom in her face. "Of course not. I would never force my Clan to do something so unjust, like Brokentail did." She glanced over at Crookedstar beside her, then down to where Leopardflame sat. "But are you certain Riverclan will say the same? After all, their kits would be even stronger with prey from the moorlands and the marshes."

Leopardflame spat crossly back at her. "Don't try and drag us into your empty threats!"

"Empty threats?" Bluestar tilted her head curiously as the crowd buzzed angrily below her. "You said yourself that no cat should care about a Clan that can't defend its own territory. Would you sit idly by if leafbare came and both the moors and the river weren't enough to feed your kits? Shadowclan has suffered greatly, after all, and Riverclan has gained many warriors in recent moons. If your kits would die without food…"

"Enough, Bluestar." Crookedstar's voice was low and irritated, but the slump of his shoulders spoke a different story. "I am sure my deputy now understands the weight of her words."

"And you, Crookedstar?" She asked, straightening up. "Do you still believe that no harm will come from letting Windclan stay gone?"

The tabby tom was silent for a long moment, staring out over his Clan with a furrowed brow. "It was not long ago that Brokentail was threatening to drive Riverclan out for a river his warriors could not eat from. My Clan is strong, but it is not strength alone that makes us warriors. Brokentail showed us that." After a long moment, he dipped his head. "Bluestar is right. Windclan must come home, for the sake of all the Clans."

Nightstar stepped back, but he was still bushed out and glaring at Bluestar. "Perhaps it's not your decision to make. After all, Shadowclan currently controls the uplands."

The silver molly flicked an ear impatiently. "Is that so, Nightstar? Is this truly the tree which you want to die in?" She asked, her blue eyes glittering in the moonlight. "You told us not so long ago that unlike Brokentail, you were committed to the warrior code. That was why Thunderclan lent you our strength to drive him out. Yet you now defend his actions as just?"

Nightstar pinned his ears back, yet said nothing. Around him, Fireheart could hear Shadowclanners whispering apprehensively. Nightstar had escaped most of Brokentail's oppression in Thunderclan care, while his warriors had suffered under it. Indeed, he had championed being the opposite of what the rogue leader had stood for. If he said otherwise here, in front of all the Clans, it would only stir up mistrust with his warriors, even as they hungered for the rabbits of Windclan territory.

He could also see how the new leader could be seen as a Thunderclan sympathizer if he agreed to their demands now. But he had little choice, as Bluestar had not so gently reminded him; he was still in their debt, and Shadowclan was unlikely to be strong enough to enforce their bold words. "Well?" The Thunderclan leader prompted, her silver ears perked forward as she watched the former elder squirm. "What say you, Nightstar?"

After a tense pause the Shadowclan leader reluctantly nodded and sat down again. "If Windclan returns, Shadowclan will allow them to reclaim their territory."

"Does Shadowclan not know where they have gone?" Crookedstar asked, though far more ambivalent than Bluestar. "Surely we can send word for them to return."

"They disappeared the night of the battle. We have not seen nor scented them since." Nightstar replied sourly, evidently bitter about the whole ordeal. "Besides, even if we did know, we do not have the warriors to spare right now. Not when leafbare is so close."

Fireheart snorted at the thought. They couldn't even spare an apprentice? Even Thunderclan wasn't that busy, and their camp had been ravaged by rogues only a moon ago. To his surprise, however, Crookedstar nodded. "Neither can Riverclan. We need all our warriors to prepare, before the river freezes over."

The two toms eyed each other with a conspiratorial spark. "It's a shame, but Windclan will have to return home on their own, if they dare to do so." Nightstar mewed before yawning theatrically. "None of us can spare the warriors to find them."

"Perhaps you can't." Bluestar stood tall as she looked down at the crowd. "But Thunderclan has brought three new warriors to the Gathering tonight; Fireheart, Peppermask, and Graystripe." He shivered as her gaze locked on to his, and he could feel the crowd around him turning to look. "While they are valuable to Thunderclan, I am certain they would be proud to prove themselves to all the Clans by finding and bringing Windclan home."

He could see a snarl cross Nightstar's face, while Crookedstar looked on placidly. "Then the matter is settled. Thunderclan will send a patrol to find the missing Windclanners and bring them home." If he didn't know better, he would say the disfigured tabby was pleased about it.

Still, he found it hard to listen as the Riverclan leader continued talking, and soon his mind took him elsewhere. As he glanced at his friends beside him, he could see the two were also stunned at what had transpired. Peppermask was frowning, her eyes focused on some distant point, while Graystripe was still obviously in shock. They had just been issued an impossible declaration, to find a Clan that they had never met and which no cat had seen in moons. How could they possibly succeed?

Yet Bluestar was looking proudly down at them, and he knew he had no choice. He had to prove he deserved the warrior name he had been granted through deception; otherwise, did he truly deserve it? Besides, he would be doing so alongside his closest friends. If they couldn't succeed, no one could. He grinned at both of them, Graystripe looking over and giving him a smile in return. It would be fine, he told himself. It had to be fine, because he didn't want to think about what would happen if they failed.

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