With the full moon looming overhead, Moonflight did his best to mingle with the other Clan cats. Excitement ran through his pelt like fire and he thought proudly of how long he had waited for this night, to be introduced to as a new warrior at the Gathering with all four Clans present. The trees shivered as a breeze descended upon the cats gathered below and he swept his gaze around the clearing, noting that only ShadowClan was together with ThunderClan on the island where the Gathering took place. It was only early, but he could tell his leader, Foxstar, and the ShadowClan leader, Darkstar, were impatient to begin as they waited on different branches from the tree where the Clan leaders addressed the Clans. He couldn't imagine why, but when he felt a warm body press against him, he turned his attention away.

Seeing that it was his sister, Sunstep, he purred and rubbed his cheek against hers. Though they were from the same litter, Sunstep had succeeded as ThunderClan's medicine cat far earlier than any apprentice had ever been expected to, but despite that, she was well received for wisdom well beyond her moons. She was popular even outside of ThunderClan and she usually didn't have time to spare to be with him at Gatherings.

"Are you excited?" she murmured as she twined her tail with his, pressing her golden pelt into his silver. "You've finally received your warrior name, after all."

"Of course," replied Moonflight with satisfaction, their identical blue eyes glinting in the darkness. "But I can be patient for a while longer until RiverClan and WindClan arrive."

As soon as the words slipped from his tongue, a yowl echoed from the direction of the tree bridge that connected the island to the territories, announcing RiverClan's arrival.

"It seems you won't have to be too patient," mewed Sunstep with amusement, before breaking away to greet the grey tom, Nightfoot, who was RiverClan's medicine cat.

Moonflight watched her leave, marvelling at how her golden pelt shone even under the limited glow of the moon. He saw Silverstar, the RiverClan leader, leap up the tree to join the other leaders before glancing around to see if he recognised anyone to talk to. Meeting the eyes of a ShadowClan she-cat, he stood up to join her and she met him half way.

"I heard you received your warrior name," she said as they touched noses in greeting, her pelt rippling as she purred. She was completely black, apart from her single grey paw.

"That's right, I'm Moonflight now," he replied, sitting down beside her. "How have you been, Dawnpaw?"

"That's Dawnfur to you," she growled back in mock fury, swiping her only grey paw at him. "Did you think I would remain an apprentice while you became warrior?"

Moonflight purred with amusement and flicked his tail to her shoulder in apology. There was another yowl and moments later, WindClan swarmed to mingle with the other Clans. Featherstar, a slender black she-cat with a white muzzle leapt up onto the lowest branch and pressed her nose to Darkstar's in greeting. With the four Clans present, Foxstar nodded down to the two she-cats before standing on his branch and summoning every cat's attention with a yowl. Though he didn't stand beside any of the leaders, he was clearly the smallest, sizing around the same as an apprentice.

"The Gathering will now begin," he mewed before glancing up at Silverstar who was on a branch higher. "Silverstar, will you start?"

The longhaired silver tom nodded and stood, his tail flicking. "All is well in RiverClan this moon," he said. "Yesterday, one of our warriors, Hailclaw, chased out a fox who had been trying to hunt on our territory. Don't worry, it didn't move onto ShadowClan territory, and went for the mountains behind our territories."

Darkstar nodded in acknowledgement and the cats called out Hailclaw's name in approval of her bravery. Joining in, Moonflight stretched his neck, trying to get a glimpse of the much larger grey she-cat. He had never once spoken to her, but he knew of her well as she lived up to equal bravery and strength as her brother, the RiverClan leader. She was clearly admired amongst the other Clans too and Moonflight barely caught sight of her fluffy tail before she disappeared amid a throng of lithe bodies.

Once the commotion died down, Darkstar stepped forward. "ShadowClan's medicine cat apprentice has received her name from StarClan," she began, nodding to a pretty silver tabby she-cat at the roots of the tree. "She is now named Mintcloud."

The Clans once more joined together to call out Mintcloud's name and Dawnfur pressed her muzzle closer to Moonflight's ear to be heard. "This has to be the loudest Gathering we've had yet," she murmured in amusement. "ThunderClan will also be presenting a warrior. I wonder if WindClan will have anything to offer?"

Moonflight mirrored her amusement with a purr, drawing his tongue over his chest. He glanced expectantly up at Darkstar, knowing she hadn't yet finished if Dawnfur was to be announced as a new warrior too.

"ShadowClan also has two new warriors," continued Darkstar, her pale green eyes glinting with pride as she gazed down at the cats below. "Tonight, I present to the Clans, Dawnfur and Cloudstorm, as warriors who have proven their worth as warriors on numerous occasions."

Raising his yowl to be heard above the rest, Moonflight chanted Dawnfur's name as the black she-cat dipped her head in both embarrassment and pleasure.

"Thank you, Darkstar," mewed Foxstar as she sat down and he stood up to address the Clans. "ThunderClan also presents a new warrior tonight, Moonflight!"

By now, every cat's throat was dry with yowling the names of so many warriors. Moonflight held his chin up with confidence as his name bounced from the trees and echoing up to StarClan. He felt a rustle beside him and glanced over to see Sunstep press herself against him, her blue eyes shining with delight as she yowled his name as loudly as she could.

At last, the final leader, Featherstar of WindClan, stepped forward. "To add to this Gatherings bounty of liveliness, I happily present Breezepaw, WindClan's newest apprentice who has already displayed evidence that she will become a distinguished warrior in her time."

Moonflight raised his yowl once more, ignoring the soreness that had developed with every yowl and turned his gaze to see the small grey she-cat. She was sitting only several cats down from him with her mentor, Stormfang, her tail fluffed with excitement. Finally, the Gathering was over and Moonflight stood up to press his nose to Dawnfur's in farewell. Her eyes reflected the excitement of their first Gathering as warriors, though their throats were too hoarse to say anything more.

However, before they could turn away, Sunstep stood between them and set her tail on Dawnfur's shoulder and her nose to Moonflight's flank.

"Wait," she said and nodded to where the leaders were leaping down from the tree. "The leaders want to have a word with you both."

Exchanging a glance, Moonflight and Dawnfur followed her to where the leaders were waiting. ShadowClan's medicine cat, Jaywing, a black tom with fluffy ears, was also present with his apprentice, Mintcloud. Foxstar nodded to Moonflight as he arrived and Sunstep went to sit beside him. On the ThunderClan leader's other side, sat Kestrelpaw, a bright-eyed grey tom with white paws. Moonflight sat across from the leaders with Dawnfur.

Glancing around, Moonflight took note of the other cats gathered together, wondering what it was that the Clan leaders had called them to discuss. Did it have something to do with why there hadn't been a single report of anything negative? His gaze stopped for a moment to Whisperheart, the young WindClan deputy who stood with regal beside Featherstar. They exchanged a nod, before Moonflight's gaze shifted to the tortoiseshell she-cat with white spots. Though he had never spoken to her, he knew that she was WindClan's medicine cat, Whitewing.

Three more cats came to join them as the rest of the Clans finally faded into the shadows. Breezepaw, WindClan's newest apprentice, immediately went to sit beside Featherstar, and Moonflight recalled that he had once heard of the WindClan leader bearing a single kit. Though the resemblances between the two she-cats weren't striking at first, they did share the same green eyes and white muzzle.

Hailclaw and her apprentice, Nettlepaw, were the last to join the group and Moonflight marvelled, not for the first time that night, how large Hailclaw was for a she-cat. She had strong, broad shoulders, and her pale grey pelt glowed under the moon as she sat down. Her apprentice, Nettlepaw, was a black and white tom and was large enough to be a warrior. Moonflight suspected that by the next Gathering, he would have earned his warrior name.

"Alright, all of you are here," said Foxstar as Hailclaw and Nettlepaw settled down beside one another. He glanced around, exchanging a look with each leader and medicine cat before continuing. "The eight of us, leaders and medicine cats, have something to discuss with you."

Featherstar lowered her chin and nodded, though Moonflight couldn't help noticing with concern at the dark expression in her eyes. "My dear friend and deputy, Whisperheart, and my beloved daughter, Breezepaw," she mewed so softly that she was barely heard.

"My sister, Hailclaw, and brother, Nettlepaw," said Silverstar gruffly, his pale eyes shining expressionlessly in the dim light.

"My newest warrior and brother of my gifted medicine cat, Moonflight," added Foxstar, his gaze steady as he met Moonflight's eyes before shifting down to Kestrelpaw. "As well as my talented apprentice, Kestrelpaw."

"And finally, my last and most treasured kin, Dawnfur, and my Clan's most cherished medicine cat apprentice, Mintcloud," said Darkstar with downcast eyes.

Moonflight felt his pelt prickle at the tension of the Clan leaders and the medicine cats beside them. For whatever reason they had called them together for, he couldn't help but anticipate it with both fear and curiosity. There was a heavy silence for only a moment before Foxstar finally raised his eyes to first meet Sunstep's and then sweep across the warriors in front of him.

"StarClan has sent us a prophecy," he finally mewed and the leaders and medicine cats all nodded as they looked up, as if from mourning.

"What is it?" asked Dawnfur, her deep blue eyes round with curiosity. "What does it have to do with us?"

Darkstar stepped forward and her next words sent shivers down Moonflight's spine. "The great Clans under StarClan will become one; together they will travel across lands further than any cat, to a land without Clans. Together they will revive the warrior code and together they will bring life to the spirits of lost warriors."