Chapter One

Rushfoot sprinted from the forest into the camp. My kits! he thought, bowling over two young warriors in his hurry to the nursery. Brindlefrost was standing outside. "Can I see them?" he demanded, bouncing with nervous excitement. "Please?" His silver fur was on end; his yellow eyes glowed.

"Please be kind to Spottedthorn. She had a rough birth. Congratulations." Brindlefrost touched noses to him fondly and walked away as he entered the nursery. The smells of warmth and milk overwhelmed him.

"Rushfoot?" She and her kits were curled into the corner of the den. Her voice was weak, thin and dry as leaves.

"Spottedthorn." He lay down next to her, gazing over his kits. "Congratulations. They're beautiful."

She purred, surprising him. He'd never seen her show happiness before. She lay her head down.

"Have you named them?"

"I was waiting on you." She yawned. "I think we should name the tabby Cherrykit." Rushfoot watched her face carefully, seeing the grief flash across her sea-green eyes and then vanish.

"The gray, Flintkit?" he suggested.

"It's beautiful."

They stared at the final, silver she-cat. "Aspenkit," they said in unison. Rushfoot gave a light laugh, but it died quickly; Spottedthorn had stopped purring. "Spottedthorn?" No response. He glanced over her face and found her to be dead asleep. He gave a smile and exited the den.

Rushfoot, on the Gathering patrol, headed to Fourtrees. He was nervous; they weren't meant to speak of the new mating standards in FieldClan, but chances were it would leak. He brushed up against Swiftfrost as they descended into the clearing. "What was that thing Darkstar was talking about earlier? I was with Spottedthorn; I couldn't hear the announcements. Something he's going to say tonight?"

Swiftfrost cringed at the mention of Rushfoot's mate; his own, Pinesong, along with their kits, had been murdered a moon before the new mating order. "Darkstar will request two apprentices or kits from both clans."

Rushfoot cringed. "That's not going to go over well." Swiftfrost shook his head and walked away. Rushfoot glanced up; CliffClan was arriving.

Dawnstar, the leader of CliffClan, leapt onto the rock and began to speak. "I'll go first." She was still panting from their descent into the clearing. "Timberstep moved into the elder's den. We have a newly christened warrior, Embersong." Everyone cheered. "Also, Spraystar, be on alert for a bear we drove into your territory. That is all."

Spraystar gave her an icy glare. "Thank you, Dawnstar," he replied drily. "We really needed a bear in our territory." He cleared his throat. "We have two new warriors, Willowheart and Dewflower." He waited for cheers to subside. "We had a shark come into our territory, but we waited it out and it left in a few days." He nodded to Darkstar. "You best watch out for it."

"We will, thank you, Spraystar." He sucked in a deep breath. "FieldClan has a request." Silence rang out. "We have not had kits in many moons. There are no apprentices in the den. Our warriors are aging and no young life is coming to replace them." He gave a long sigh. "So we come to you, requesting two kits or apprentices from each clan."

Yowls of outrage rose up. "Never!" CliffClan warriors howled. Ravenwing ducked close to Smokepaw and Featherpaw, two OceanClan apprentices. Some young warriors were leaping on FieldClan cats; slowly, it appeared that some of FieldClan was being forced out of Fourtrees.

"Silence!" Spraystar bellowed. The chaos ceased. "What will happen if we refuse to comply?" he hissed, hair rising. His blue eyes were angry.

Darkstar bowed his head. "Nothing. This is a request, not a demand. We will not attack if you refuse to give us kits." After another pause, he continued, "This Gathering is over." He leapt off of the rock and guided his clan out of the clearing.

Spraystar dashed into camp. "I need Cindershade, Ivyheart, all queens, and all apprentices to meet by the training hollow." Goldenwing tapped noses with Hailstep and exited the nursery. Smokepaw and Featherpaw trotted over with darkness in their eyes; Stempaw and Cornpaw followed not quite so eagerly.

The cats made a circular shape with Spraystar at the head. "FieldClan is a clan in need," he began. "As long-time allies with them, I believe it is our duty—"

"We owe them nothing!" Ivyheart snarled. "Not our kits, not our apprentices, nothing!"

Cindershade glared at her and flicked her tail. With a grumble, Ivyheart sat back down. But then Cindershade interrupted. "She has a point. I spoke to Brindlefrost; she stated that Spottedthorn gave birth to three kits this morning. I was told they were healthy and would make good warriors; I haven't a clue what would make Darkstar impose this on us."

Spraystar blinked long and hard at her. "Are you sure you haven't a clue?" he murmured; he knew his medicine cat well, and he was good at detecting when she was lying.

"Spottedthorn?" Mistysong broke in. "That tortoiseshell rogue? I can't imagine her ever taking on a mate, let alone bearing kits. She's so harsh and cruel. I don't understand how her own clanmates stand her."

Under the pressure of Spraystar's hot blue gaze, Cindershade broke. "She didn't take on a mate," she whispered hurriedly. "At least not willingly. Brindlefrost told me that every able warrior was forced to couple with another of the opposite gender. Anyone who refused was threatened with immediate exile. Rushfoot and Spottedthorn were almost thrown out on the first night." She gulped, realizing how much she had not only just betrayed her friend, but the whole of FieldClan.

"That's horrible," Goldenwing whispered. "Darkstar must be extremely pressured to force that onto his clanmates."

Spraystar appeared very serious. "Is there anyone here willing to assist a clan in need?" he asked.

Smokepaw and Featherpaw exchanged a look and a nod. They stepped forward together, fur brushing. "We'll go, Spraystar. We'll help FieldClan." He heaved a deep breath. "OceanClan has earned our loyalties. Now I believe it's time to transfer them for the good of FieldClan."

"I agree," Goldenwing broke in, lips trembling. "I will…I will be willing to offer my daughter, Frozenkit, to FieldClan."

Spraystar dipped his head. "Of course. Let us return to the clan." He headed back to his Ledge. "All cats old enough to catch their own prey join here under the Ledge for a clan meeting!" And they all emerged from the dens, slightly wary, apprehensively wondering who was being take from their clan. "Featherpaw and Stormpaw have decided that they are willing to leave OceanClan." Gasps rose up from the rest of the apprentices. Ravenwing and Robinsong looked grim. "And Goldenwing has offered to send one of her kits, Frozenkit, with them."

Hailstep broke through the crowd to Goldenwing. "How…How could you?" he bellowed, eyes alive with grief. "How could you do this to me? To our family? To our daughter?" He was blinking quickly, fur rising. "I trusted you!"

She said nothing to him, only backing away, reentering the nursery.

"They leave before dawn, and if they are spotted on this territory after sun-high tomorrow, they are to be attacked as enemies." Spraystar evacuated into his den, not believing what he had just done.

Featherpaw and Smokepaw headed to their den, as well. The former managed to close her eyes and rest; Smokepaw did not. Instead, he was tormented by vicious visions of FieldClan rejecting them, OceanClan casting them out, being forced to live as loners again. It won't happen. FieldClan will accept us readily. This is what they wanted. He sighed and rose, shaking off. He headed to the nursery.

"Goldenwing?"

The queen raised her head. "Smokepaw." She gave a broken smile. Frozenkit was at her belly. "I was just…saying goodbye."

"You don't have to do this, Goldenwing."

She bowed her head. "It will be best for her."

"You don't know that."

"I've heard the others making fun of her already. She's scarcely a moon old."

"The same will occur in FieldClan. It's a disability. She'll get over it."

"How can you be sure?"

"I just know. She's strong."

She got up and touched her nose to his head. "You can't change my mind, warrior. But thank you." She glanced back at her silver kit. "You have assured me that I am making the right decision." Smokepaw was confused, but didn't reply. "Hurry, warrior, take her. Dawn has almost broken." He glanced at the sky; she was right. He grabbed the kit by the scruff and returned to the apprentices' den, nudging Featherpaw.

She rose without complaint, taking Frozenkit from him. "C'mon," he murmured to her. "It's time to go." And for the final time, they exited the OceanClan camp.