Here we are at Chapter 1 of Demon Clans 4.

"Get it Flamepaw!"

Flamepaw snapped into action, running at the rabbit, his mentor Gorgestorm had chased in his direction. The rabbit suddenly realized it was a trap but it couldn't veer away from Flamepaw in time. Flamepaw pounced and with a quick bite the rabbit stopped moving.

"Good job Flamepaw!" Gorgestorm, a brown tom hurried over to his apprentice, "I almost lost that one." Flamepaw beamed with pride. It was rare for Gorgestorm to give out praise. Gorgestorm looked up to see the sky getting dark. "Okay. Let's take this back to camp."

Flamepaw picked up the rabbit in his teeth before following his mentor, through Flameclan territory. Unlike the other clans, half of Flameclan was taken up by a field while the other half was in the forest. The two cats climbed down a small hill and reached the bramble entrance of Flameclan camp. Eggflame, the guard stepped aside to let the two cats in.

In the camp, Flamepaw dropped his rabbit on the fresh-kill pile and picked up a mouse, before padding over to a pure white she-cat. "Hey Swanpaw."

Swanpaw looked up from her rabbit, "Oh. Hi Flamepaw. How was training today?"

Flamepaw settled down next to the she-cat, "It was great. I caught a rabbit."

"Good for you."

Flamepaw looked up to see his mother, Spottedclaw standing before him. Flamepaw's younger brothers, Mudkit and Bonekit were wrestling with Spottedclaw's tail. "Thanks," said Flamepaw.

He glanced at the entrance to see Brackentail, his father Smokeclaw and his brother Milkpaw coming in. Smokeclaw and Milkpaw padded over to Spottedclaw. Smokeclaw nuzzled his mate before turning to Flamepaw. "How was your training?"

"Good," said Flamepaw, looking down. Flamepaw's didn't know why but he always felt uncomfortable around his father. In fact he didn't feel close to any of his siblings.

"The two of you are on the dawn patrol tomorrow," said Smokeclaw

Flamepaw groaned inwardly. Why did he have to be on the dawn patrol again? He had been on it two days ago. He glanced over at Swanpaw and knew from her expression she didn't like the idea either.

Before he could protest, Cloudstar jumped onto a fallen log and yowled, "Let all cats able to catch their own prey gather here under the High Log!"

"Tonight is the gathering," whispered Swanpaw, "I hope we aren't going."

"The cats going to the gathering tonight are Smokeclaw, Leafpelt, Talontail, Gorgestorm, Flamepaw, Rainstorm, Swanpaw, Jumpsky and Duckpaw. We will be leaving now." Cloudstar jumped off the log and headed for the bramble entrance.

Flamepaw gulped down the last of his mouse before getting up. Cloudstar waited for all the cats to gather before heading into the forest. The three apprentices walked near each other with the warriors a couple paw steps ahead.

"How is your training coming along?" asked Duckpaw, who was Swanpaw's brother.

"Mine is good," said Flamepaw. He looked ahead to check how much longer. "Why do I have to go to the gathering?" he sighed, "I already been to the last one…"

"Stop complaing," snapped Duckpaw, "It's mine and Swanpaw's first gathering."

Swanpaw nodded, "I would like it if you introduced me to the other apprentices."

Flamepaw nodded, happy to be helping Swanpaw. Flamepaw looked ahead and saw the four boulders in the middle of the lush field. The group of Flameclan cats went through the boulders. Two of the rocks were already occupied. Their deputies sat directly under their leader and the medicine cats were talking a little while away from the rock. "The black tabby with the scar is Scarstar," whispered Flamepaw, "He is the leader of Nightclan. The black tom is Blacktail. Nightclan's deputy. The dusky brown is Cedarstar. He is Treeclan's leader. And the silver tabby sitting below him is Streampelt."

"Let me guess," said Duckpaw, "He is Treeclan's deputy?"

Flamepaw nodded before watching Cloudstar hop onto his rock, while Smokeclaw stood below him. Leafpelt and Talontail hurried over to the other medicine cats.

"A fox!" cried Swanpaw.

Flamepaw's head whipped around to see where Swanpaw was pointing. He relaxed when he saw who it was. "Swanpaw. That's Twilight. He is a member of Nightclan. Didn't you know that?"

"I forgot," murmured Swanpaw.

Flamepaw surpressed a chuckle, "Anyway. Come this way. The apprentices are all over here." Flamepaw lead Duckpaw and Swanpaw to a group of apprentices.

"Hey Flamepaw," spoke up a black tom with a white paw, "Who are they?"

"This is Duckpaw and Swanpaw," introduced Flamepaw, "Duckpaw, Swanpaw. Adderpaw, and Badgerpaw are from Nightclan."

"Pleasure to meet you," said Badgerpaw.

"I heard you were the cat that became Twilight's first apprentice," said Duckpaw.

Badgerpaw nodded, "Yes. I was a bit nervous at first to be trained by a fox but now I think of him as any other cat in the clan."

"But he is a fox," protested Swanpaw.

Badgerpaw shrugged, "I just don't think of him that way." Badgerpaw shot a look at her mentor. Twilight was looking up into the stars of Starclan. "He seems to be doing that a lot lately. I have no idea why."

"Hey," said a ginger tom, "Aren't you going to introduce us Flamepaw?"

"Oh sorry. These two are Gingerpaw and Grasspaw. They are Treeclan apprentices."

"I wonder what is keeping Streamclan?" asked Grasspaw, "They don't live too far away. In fact, I am surprised that Nightclan got here before them."

Flamepaw lifted his head and a scent of water and fish hit his nose. All the apprentices turned their head to see a group of cats heading towards them. "The one in the front, with the silver blue fur is Waterstar," he whispered to Swanpaw and Duckpaw. "The cat behind her is the deputy Tallstorm and the red tom is the medicine cat Rabbitstripe."

"Why is she walking funny?" asked Swanpaw.

Waterstar's footsteps were not well placed and she almost fell down a couple of times. A brown tabby she-cat broke away from the group and headed for the apprentices.

"This is Mousepaw," introduced Adderpaw.

"Hi," said Mousepaw. She glanced back at Waterstar. The leader had reached the Streamclan rock but had a rough time climbing onto it.

"What's wrong with Waterstar?" asked Gingerpaw.

Mousepaw shook her head, "I have no idea."

Scarstar yowled, signaling the beginning of the gathering. "Nightclan is doing well. Sparrowtail has given birth to two kits. The prey is plentiful since it is newleaf. That is all."

"I'll talk next," spoke Cedarstar, "Treeclan is doing well also. We had a bit of a run in with a fox but we chased it out of the territory." He shot a glance at Twilight. Flamepaw looked as well, curious about the fox's reaction. Twilight's face was blank. It looked like he didn't even hear Cedarstar. "That is all."

"My turn," said Cloudstar, "We now have two new apprentices in the clan right now. Duckpaw and Swanpaw."

Flamepaw noticed how uncomfortable they were feeling while all of the clan cats there looked on. "Don't worry," he whispered to them, "Everyone feels the same way."

"I'll talk now!" cried Waterstar loudly.

Cloudstar blinked in shock. It was obvious he wasn't finished. "Waterstar. I'm not done yet."

"Who cares about the clans like they are right now?" said Waterstar loudly, "We are missing the most important part of the clans and that are the-"

Flamepaw didn't get to hear the rest of the leader's sentence. A huge cloud, crackling with thunder covered the moon.

"You have upset Starclan, Waterstar," said Cloudstar, "Come. Let us return to camp."

Cloudstar jumped off his rock and beckoned for his clan to follow him back to camp.

"I've never seen Cloudstar this angry before," whispered Swanpaw, as they were walking back to camp.

Flamepaw was about to answer when he heard a sound coming from the nearby bush.He glanced ahead but it looked like the warriors didn't hear it. "What was that?" asked Duckpaw.

Flamepaw jumped. He thought he was the only one to hear the noise. "I don't know. But I'll check it out. Cover for me."

Flamepaw made sure the warriors weren't watching before slipping into the nearby bush. On the other side he saw someone he was surprised to see. "Waterstar?"