Mottlepaw padded slowly through the throng of cats waiting at the bottom of the hill. Looking around, she noticed Lakethaw talking to another cat, in front of the most enormous boulder she had ever seen. This must be the Great Rock! Four even taller oak trees surrounded it. Now I can really see why this place is called Fourtrees!
Mottlepaw was so excited that she didn't hear her name being called. "Mottlepaw. Mottlepaw!"
Mottlepaw spun around. Pricklepaw came bounding up to her; Excitement clear in his eyes. Mottlepaw could tell that he was just as amazed as she was at all of these strange, new faces.
"Mottlepaw, Quicktail is going to tell a story to some of apprentices! You have to come!"
"Who's Quicktail?" she asked him.
Pricklepaw sighed. Mouse-brained know-it-all!
"Well, I heard from the other Clan apprentices that he's the best storyteller in Windclan; maybe even in all the Clans!" mewed Pricklepaw imperiously. "But, if you don't want to come..."
"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Mottlepaw mewed back.
Mottlepaw followed Pricklepaw across the clearing. All around her were more cats than she had ever seen! Her nose was filled with more scents than she could ever have imagined; Shadowclan's musty scent, the undergrowth of Thunderclan, the moor that Windclan called home….. Fourtrees was alive with the sound of cats meeting for the full moon truce. She almost didn't realize that Pricklepaw had stopped.
"Hello," mewed a friendly voice, "Have you two come to hear a story?"
"Oh, yes Quicktail!" mewed Pricklepaw happily. "I've heard all about you!"
Quicktail mrrrrrrowed with laughter. It was evident that he was very proud to have even the newest apprentices know his name. Three Shadowclan apprentices were sitting by him; eager to hear what he had to say. Quicktail wrapped his tail around his brown tabby paws and settled down to speak.
"Only five of you listening, today? No matter. I think you will enjoy this story. I spent half a moon working on it! Now, here we go…
"A long time ago, there was a Windclan leader named Fallowstar. She was going to have kits, soon. The night before her kitting, a Starclan warrior visited Fallowstar in a dream. She told Fallowstar the futures of the three kits she was about to have. She told her that her first kit would be very brave, but would lose half his tail in battle.
'Oh, the poor dear!' Fallowstar exclaimed. 'And what of the others?'
"The starry warrior went on to tell her that her second kit would train the hardest of all the apprentices and would help the clan win many battles. Then, the Starclan warrior told Fallowstar the most exciting news of all. Her third kit would become leader of Windclan! After sharing her news, the Starclan warrior left.
"The next day, Fallowstar had three beautiful kits; one brown, one black and one gray; two toms, and a she-kit. Fallowstar thought about her dream, and she named them. Their names were Kitkit, Pawkit, and Starkit.
"The Clan often laughed at the brown and black toms; it seemed their leader already favored her gray she-kit, by adding "Star" to her name. But, it was not so. She showed them all the same love and affection.
'Awww, Kitkit. What a dumb name!' mewed Kitkit grumpily one morning. 'But at least my name won't be Pawpaw, huh Pawkit?'
'Come on, Kitkit, your names aren't that bad.' mewed Starkit.
'Easy for you to say, Starkit!' Pawkit replied.
"Soon, the kits were apprenticed. The two young toms grumbled about their names more than ever.
"One day, a badger attacked the camp! Kitpaw raced into action and battled fiercely as a lion. Finally, the creature fled; but not before it had bitten off half of Kitpaw's tail! Pawpaw sped after it, and knocked it out with one powerful blow to the head.
"In time, the apprentices received their warrior names. Kitpaw became Kittail. He was now very proud of his name, because now every cat would remember how he had bravely attacked the badger and lost half of his tail, which, of course, was now kit-sized. Pawpaw received the name Pawstrike to commemorate how he had beaten the badger with one strike of his paw. Starpaw was given the name Starheart, because she was always fair to her littermates; and didn't laugh at their names. In time, Starheart became deputy. When her mother moved to the elders den, she became Starstar, leader of Windclan. Starstar was a good leader, and she often joked with her brothers about how even though they had all had funny names, their names were special, and a part of who they were."
"Wow, cool story!" mewed a brown Shadowclan apprentice.
"Yeah, that was fantastic!" added Pricklepaw.
Mottlepaw had enjoyed it, too. Although I hope Lakestar doesn't hear this story! The Riverclan leader just might follow in Fallowstar's paw steps! Mottlepaw glanced over her shoulder and noticed the five clan leaders taking their places on the Great Rock. The Gathering is about to begin!
The Thunderclan leader, Loudstar, begin, "Welcome, cats of all the Clans! Prey in Thunderclan has been running well this Greenleaf. We are happy to report a new warrior: Foxtree!"
All the cats cheered for Foxtree. Windclan's leader, Swiftstar, reported the birth of five healthy kits. Stripedstar of Shadowclan warned that a fox had been seen on her Clan's territory. The Skyclan leader, Rosestar, had named a new warrior, Doveswoop. Then, it was Lakestar's turn to speak for Riverclan.
"I am pleased to announce six new apprentices: Pricklepaw, Mothpaw, Swooppaw, Poppypaw, Nettlepaw, and Mottlepaw."
Lakestar saved the best for last!, Mottlepaw chuckled to herself.
All too soon, the Gathering was over; no cat had anything else to report. It had been a really good first gathering, in Mottlepaw's opinion. But I guess we have to go home some time! Mottlepaw was already looking forward to the next Gathering. She hoped Quicktail would tell another story. Mottlepaw was still excited when she settled down in her nest for the night.
