The dark midnight sky was shining brightly as the full moon rose into view, towering over the lake of the clans. The island of the main Gathering place was full of cats, and all clans were there, all except one.

"DarkClan has arrived! Sorry we are late." A white she-cat with orange spots mewed as she jumped onto the great tree, where the other leaders were. A grey tom just gave the she-cat a nasty look as he hissed with annoyance.

"You'd better be sorry, we waited for a long time. We were about to start without you." Fishstar, the grey tom, growled loudly. His green eyes narrowed at the DarkClan leader, and he stared at the other Clan leaders, waiting for their comments. When no cat said anything, he got up onto his paws, clearing his throat, "Silence! The Gathering has begun! RiverClan will share news first."

"Typical Fishstar, thinking he's in charge of the whole lake.." One cat was brave enough to mew outloud to their friends.

Fishstar just ignored the cat as he continued on with his announcement. "RiverClan is doing well this New-leaf, despite the recent flood. Our camp was damaged just a bit, but we are still strong, and we are still protecting our borders." He gave the clans a harsh stare, as if accusing them for wrong deeds, but then he started talking again, "We have much prey to eat, much water to drink, and new warriors to hunt for RiverClan! Lillysplash and Minnowleap!" A second after he addressed the names of the new warriors, everybody started cheering, everybody except DarkClan, who looked dull and lifeless among the crowd. Fishstar kept his stance for a bit, and once the cheering died down, he stepped back to let a ginger tom come forth.

"ThunderClan is doing well, and we also have much prey to eat and much water to drink. That is all..." Duststar finished his speech almost at once. He seemed to be keeping an eye on DarkClan, as if he could tell that something was terribly wrong..

Then a black she-cat with a torn ear and blue eyes stepped up to the front, keeping her head high and tail lifted. She seemed proud to be leading her clan. "Cats all of clans, I have some terrible news. ShadowClan has lost their wonderful leader, Fogstar. We will be mourning for him, but that does not mean we will be off guard. Since I was ShadowClan's deputy, I will now be known as Midnightstar. Other than that, ShadowClan has been doing well." Midnightstar finished, sitting back down in her spot.

A tom by the name of Gorsestar, a light colored tabby, announced that WindClan was well...

Now the only clan left was DarkClan..

Brightstar took a deep breath, and then she stepped up, standing silently as she watched her clan dip their heads with grief. "Our...our camp was destroyed, far beyond repair, and we are in search of a n-" She was rudely cut off by Fishstar, who got up and snapped his teeth at Brightstar.

"Do NOT ask RiverClan for land. We will not help you! We don't help other clans." The arrogant cat hissed with an annoyed tone, his fur bristling and tail lashing from side to side.

The other leaders just stared at her, and then Duststar and Gorsestar shook their heads without even saying a word.

But Midnightstar was sitting there, her ears perked up and eyes wide.

"Midnightstar?"

"I-I'm sorry, but no...The lake is only meant to hold four Clans, DarkClan was never meant to be here. I'm sorry. I think it is best that your Clan leaves the lake.." Midnightstar mewed with sorrow in her voice, but she meant every word, even though she didn't want to.

"L-leave? Just like that?! DarkClan has lived here for many seasons among the four Clans, and now you're THROWING US OUT?!" Brightstar's gloomy mood suddenly turned violent, her teeth barred and claws unsheathed. "You can't do this to my clan! What about the kits, the queens, the elders?! They aren't strong enough to make such a journey! Please, lend us some territory! Surely we can work something out?" She was desperately trying to convince the other leaders to agree and help her, but it seemed that nothing would budge their decisions.

"Just go, Brightstar. Surely you can find a new home, like SkyClan did." Gorsestar spoke up, his fur ruffled up from Brightstar's viciousness to save her Clan.

"Fine, we will leave, but mark my words! The death of DarkClan's cats during this journey, will be hung over you like haunting dreams, and we will forever blame you!" Brightstar yowled loudly to all of the cats down in the clearing, and then she jumped down to her own Clan, summoning them into a group. Then they all walked together towards the tree bridge, their heads down and tails dragging. The scent of grief and agony seemed to prickle and spark in the air, making the clans shift with discomfort as they watched the tunneling Clan leave..

Brightstar looked over her shoulder, giving the gathering island one last goodbye by wailing out with grief. Then she turned around, heading to where the rest of her Clan were gathered, to address the sad news...

DarkClan was going to leave. And they weren't coming back...