I had this story up before, but I took it down to revise it. It is a lot better than the first, trust me.

Disclaimer: I do not own warriors. Erin Hunter does. But I wish I did.

Chapter One

A Dream of Death

The moon was shining brightly from the sky as two shapes walked along the shore of the lake. The round ball of light was full. The two shapes moved quickly, keeping within three foxlengths of the lake, not to break the code they lived by.

The lake and the area around it was silent, the only sounds coming from the paws of the moving felines. Nothing stirred in the night, nothing showed itself.

One of the shapes, a ginger tom with a flame-colored pelt, kept looking back to see if the other was following him. She was, and she wasn't happy about it.

Ivypaw groaned inwardly, careful not to let Firestar hear her. She didn't need another lecture on how important it was for her to come to this Gathering- even if she didn't want to. Her sister, Dovepaw, was sick with the illness that was spreading. Jayfeather, the medicine cat of ThunderClan, said that the only symptom was mostly a fever, but it was like greencough, a deadly disease that every cat hated to catch. Ivypaw knew that Dovepaw felt bad, but Firestar, her leader, had dragged her to the stupid Gathering.

I wish I could stay with Dovepaw, Ivypaw thought to herself. I could get her water and fresh-kill. That would help her. But, I can't.

Another groan came, and the apprentice forgot to keep it hidden from Firestar. The ThunderClan leader stopped moving, and he turned his green eyes at her. They were filled with frustration and something else that Ivypaw couldn't really make out. Sorrow? Guilt? Regret? She wasn't sure.

"Ivypaw, I know you are upset that you had to come to the Gathering, but, you are the only cat in the Clan, other than Jayfeather and myself, who is healthy enough to come on this journey," Firestar told her, for the third time since the two of them left the camp. Ivypaw knew it was a lie. Cinderheart and Brackenfur were healthy- warriors, too. Why couldn't they come? Why her?

"No. Brackenfur and Cinderheart are healthy," she stated. "Why didn't you choose them?" Ivypaw really wanted to be back at camp, not with her leader staring her down. Firestar's emerald eyes were boring into her own, and Ivypaw actually felt a little scared by him.

The tom looked away after a few more moments, then muttered, "I wish I could have." Ivypaw was confused. He had to bring her?

"What?" she breathed. "What do you mean?"

Firestar looked startled, as though he hadn't planned to speak his mind aloud. Ivypaw gazed contently at him, waiting for him to explain his words. But, the ThunderClan tom just turned around and began walking along the shore again.

Ivypaw reluctantly followed him, letting her paws go over the WindClan border. They were in WindClan territory now, and Ivypaw thought that the other Clans were lucky. They didn't have the new illness, with only two cats going to the Gathering. No, they had full patrols that would laugh at the two ThunderClan cats once they set paw on the island. Ivypaw really wished that this was all a dream, something that when the most embarrassing part of the night came, she would wake up in her nest in the apprentices' den.

But it wasn't a dream; it was real.

Once the tree-bridge came into view, Firestar stopped once more. He let his eyes lock contact with her blue ones.

"I want you to act right and act like this is a regular Gathering," Firestar told her, and Ivypaw nodded her head. "It won't be what you might think it is, with only ThunderClan having the small Gathering group," he continued. "The other three have problems within themselves as well."

With that, he turned around, then made a run for the bridge, Ivypaw close behind. What was so special about this Gathering? Other than the fact that she was going to be humiliated. In front of the other Clans.

You can do this, Ivypaw, she thought to herself. She could, if she made herself forget that many cats were going to be staring at her.

Ivypaw jumped onto the tree-bridge first, digging her claws into the smooth bark. The bridge was always a challenge, even for experienced warriors. It was smooth from the waters that lapped at it, and may cats had actually fallen into the dark waters. The silver-and-white tabby made her way across the bark, then weaved her way through the branches at the end. Ivypaw jumped, landing on the soft sand.

Firestar joined her a moment later, and the two ThunderClan cats walked into the clearing. Ivypaw stopped in mid step, letting her mouth hang open in complete shock.

There were only two cats from each Clan!

Just like them. Ivypaw closed her mouth, then looked at her leader. Firestar didn't look at all confused. Instead, he seemed to know this was going to happen. What is going on? Ivypaw asked herself.

Firestar left her side, walking over to Onestar, the WindClan leader. Ivypaw noticed it was him and Boulderpaw, Willowshine and Mossypaw from RiverClan, and Flametail and Pinepaw from ShadowClan.

Ivypaw moved over to where the other apprentices were, next to the Great Oak. Mossypaw was the only one to look up, green eyes shining brightly when she spotted Ivypaw. They were actually friends, meeting each other for the first time at Ivypaw's first Gathering. It was Mossypaw's first Gathering as well.

"So you're the one chosen for ThunderClan," the RiverClan apprentice commented. Ivypaw settled beside the she-cat, unable to speak. Why was she chosen? Instead of being angry at coming to the Gathering, she was confused and interested now.

"I guess," Ivypaw replied, finally finding her voice. "But what are we being chosen for?"

Mossypaw shrugged. "I don't really know, but if there are only eight of us total, and four apprentices, then I am guessing that something big is going to happen. But it's only a guess," Mossypaw added when she saw Ivypaw's worried look.

"Do you really think that something big is going to happen?" Boulderpaw queried. Ivypaw gazed at the WindClan tom. She had always thought that WindClan warriors knew everything, never asking questions. But now that belief was gone. WindClan wasn't as great as Onestar wanted everyone to believe.

Pinepaw shook her head. "Probably not. I mean, the only reason why we're here is because we are the only ones who aren't sick. Flametail and Littlecloud call it FeverDeath, because if you don't get the cure in time, you die. We already lost an elder to it, Whitewater."

FeverDeath. Ivypaw ran the name over in her mind. It fitted perfectly for the sickness.

Boulderpaw breathed a sigh of relief, though Ivypaw could tell he was still a little nervous. So much for WindClan never showing their scared.

"Shh," Mossypaw ordered softly. "Their coming." Ivypaw followed her gaze to see that the two medicine cats and the two leaders walking toward them. They didn't look too happy. Ivypaw gulped, suddenly nervous like Boulderpaw.

The four older cats stopped in front of the apprentices, emotionless like most ShadowClan cats. Ivypaw wondered what was going to happen.

Flametail spoke first. "I know you are wondering why there are not many cats here, and we understand that you must be very confused. FeverDeath is a very widespread illness, causing many cats in the Clans to come down with it. It is also very deadly. We have lost an elder to FeverDeath, and our stocks of feverfew are becoming lower."

Ivypaw spoke up. "Where are the other leaders? Blackstar and Leopardstar aren't here."

"They have come down with FeverDeath," Willowshine mewed quietly. Ivypaw noticed that Flametail looked uncomfortable about admitting Blackstar was sick. But, he continued his speech.

"Feverfew is the only cure for the sickness. But since we have been using the herb for the ones who are sick, not much left of it remains. We, the medicine cats, are baffled by the current fever. I mean, it is different than greencough- easier to cure, but more deadly if feverfew is not given in time."

Willowshine started speaking next. "At the half-moon, we all received a dream from StarClan, one that we kept quiet from everyone. The voices of StarClan spoke to us, saying that if the medicine runs out, many cats will die." She stopped for a moment to give a quick glance to Pinepaw. "Some cats are already beginning to die. The dream hinted at the location of a new supply of feverfew, an untouched patch of the herb that could save the Clans. But, the patch is far away, and we have to stay here to help treat the sick."

"You four have been chosen you are young, strong, and have not contracted the fever- yet. Your vital mission is to find this new patch, gather as much feverfew as possible, and bring it back quickly," Onestar said.

"Unfortunately, as dreams from StarClan often are, we didn't get much specifics," Flametail added. "We can only repeat StarClan's words to you." With a glance toward Willowshine, the two medicine cat apprentices began to speak.

"To the north, the Hill That Cries holds what you need.....Along a winding face, topped with dozens of eyes, you will find one special pool with a garden of the herb you seek."

Ivypaw was mesmerized by the words of her ancestors, wondering how they could know what was going to happen in the future. She snapped out of her trance when Willowshine began to speak again.

"We have no more information, other than you need to bring it back in seven days, but we can teach you an easy way to carry the medicine back. You can wrap it in leaves."

"This is one of the most important missions in the history of the Clans," Firestar meowed. "If you cannot bring the feverfew back in time, we might all die out."

"Because the dream said that we would need to find the precious herb in seven days, we estimate that it would take three days' travel from the lake to the Hill That Cries," Flametail spoke, "otherwise it would be impossible for you to go there and return in time."

"Do you have any questions?" Onestar asked.

"Why not choose Cinderheart?" Ivypaw questioned Firestar. "Why couldn't she come do this mission instead of me?"

"And how come Tigerheart couldn't come?" Pinepaw asked.

"Sedgewhisker?" Boulderpaw inquired.

"And Robinwing?" Mossypaw queried.

Firestar looked a little shocked to see that they didn't want to go on this mission. Ivypaw sure didn't. She would rather come down with FeverDeath and be with Dovepaw, than go on a mission that wouldn't be successful.

"We chose you four because you are the ones StarClan wanted. The mossy rock, the vines of ivy, the small boulder, and the pine trees. StarClan gave us guidance on who to choose, and we chose you four," Willowshine answered.

Ivypaw knew that she was going to have to go on this mission. If it was the will of StarClan, then, even if she refused, she would have to go. No matter what.

"I will go," she said, stepping forward. Mossypaw copied her, and the other two did the same thing as well.

"Do you know what the situation is?" Firestar asked. Ivypaw nodded. The situation was the Clans were running out of feverfew, and they need to find some more.

"Do you know what your assignment is?" Onestar questioned. Again, Ivypaw nodded. Their assignment was they were to find the feverfew.

"Then you must be off."

Ivypaw sighed and got to her paws, ready for the journey to begin. She really didn't want to go, but she had to. With the others following her, she made her way to the tree-bridge.

Okay, that was a long chapter. 2011 words without my author notes. I hope you liked it, and chapter two will be up soon. Hopefully.