Thanks to everyone for reviewing…makes me so proud! –wipes tear from eye- Before I start bawling and writing a corny thank-you speech, here's chapter 5!

Chapter 5

"What's the hurry?" A warrior called out from the crowd below the HighLedge.

Heatherpaw turned her head to the speaker. It was a small, plump brown tom.

"Oh, great." Rosepaw mumbled from beside Heatherpaw. "Owlflight got up from his nest! We should all run for cover!"

Heatherpaw laughed. Owlflight is the laziest cat in the Clan and is also, unfortunately, Rosepaw's mentor.

"We have important news, Owlflight." Nightstar told him, flicking her tail as she waited for the cats to finish gathering.

"This ought to be interesting." Rosepaw muttered. "Important news for Nightstar is whether or not she caught a mouse yesterday."

Heatherpaw chuckled.

"Where's Icefang and Firepaw?" Nightstar asked.

"They're out training, Nightstar." Badgerfrost replied, impatient.

"Oh really?"

"Yes, Nightstar. They are mentor and apprentice, remember?"

"Oh yes. I remember now." The leader then yowled for attention and the cats became quiet.

"We have disturbing news for ThunderClan today. RiverClan has been caught around our territory once again." Nightstar mewed.

Several cats hissed and others yowled angrily.

Heatherpaw felt Rosepaw's pelt bristle for a second. "Again?" She asked, her voice a bit higher than usual. "I think RiverClan's losing their taste in fish and testing ThunderClan's squirrels."

"I can't blame them." Heatherpaw whispered. "Fish is the nastiest thing I've ever tasted."

"Me too. I don't know how those water-lovers can stand it!" She laughed, but it sounded like it was forced to Heatherpaw's ears.

Nightstar was trying for their attention again. "Calm down, everyone. Calm down." The cats were still talking amongst themselves.

Badgerfrost looked at his leader strangely. "Calm down?" He rolled his eyes. "Great StarClan."

Eventually the cats' murmurs died down.

Nightstar cleared her throat. "The gathering is tonight, so we will talk about this further with Ravenstar."

Heatherpaw smirked. Ravenstar was Nightstar's twin sister, exiled out of ThunderClan when they were warriors and joined RiverClan. She is the complete opposite of Nightstar. She is actually a good leader, but she is very ambitious and outspoken. The two cats get along like fire and water.

"Who will go?" Redfeather asked, his clear, deep voice ringing above the others.

Nightstar blinked in confusion. "Well…"

Badgerfrost sighed and took a step forward. "Raggedstorm, Redfeather, Maplefur, Heatherpaw and Firepaw will go to the gathering tonight." He mewed.

Nightstar looked at him. "Thank you, Badgerfrost. I knew that. Meeting dismissed."

Heatherpaw smiled at herself. She was going to the gathering! She then noticed Rosepaw looking sorrowfully at the ground underneath her white paws.

"Oh, Rosepaw. I'm sorry." She told her.

The white she-cat shrugged, the cats swerving around her to go back to the dens. "Aw, that's okay. There's always the next one."

Heatherpaw frowned. That was what she said last gathering. "But you never even went to one. You should go."

"It's fine, Heatherpaw."

"I already went to one. If I could, I would switch places with you."

"I know you would do that for me, but it just can't be done."

Heatherpaw gritted her teeth angrily. "It's not fair that they always forget about you."

"They don't forget about me, they just…pick the best apprentices to go, that's all."

Heatherpaw shook her head. "That's not true! You're a great apprentice, Rosepaw!"

Rosepaw smirked. "Try having Owlflight for a mentor. He won't even get up to get fresh-kill, the lazy fat cat that he is."

Heatherpaw licked her reassuringly. "It's probably because I'm the leader's apprentice and she wants to show me off to all the other leaders just to show how 'perfect' she is."

Rosepaw shrugged. "Maybe." She then smirked. "There is one thing I won't be missing, though."

"What?"

"You have to go with Firepaw. Hah!"

Heatherpaw's heart sank. "Oh, no!"

"I'll tell you my secret when you come back, okay?"

Heatherpaw opened her mouth to answer, but she heard her name being called.

"It's your perfect mentor, Heatherpaw, calling for her perfect apprentice. Good luck! See ya!" Rosepaw waved her tail and disappeared into the apprentice's den.

Heatherpaw mumbled a goodbye and trudged to the black-pelted she-cat.

Nightstar was waiting for her patiently as she sat, her tail wrapped neatly around her paws. "Heatherpaw? What took you so long?"

"I was talking to Rosepaw." She replied.

Nightstar sniffed and looked behind the light brown tabby's shoulder, as if Rosepaw was eavesdropping on their conversation. "I don't like that she-cat."

"Why?" Heatherpaw asked, her pelt starting to bristle. No one will insult her friend if she can help it! Not even Nightstar!

"She has an 'attitude'. If I were you, I would stay away from her."

"You're not my mother, Nightstar!"

Nightstar bared her teeth angrily. "But I am your leader! See? You are turning into her. Stop talking to her or else…"

"Or else I'll ruin my 'perfect apprentice' image?" Heatherpaw hissed.

Nightstar lashed her tail. "Heatherpaw!"

"Why are you ignoring Rosepaw? She's a good apprentice! She should go to the gathering, instead of me! I already went!"

"No. The decision's already set. You are going to the gathering."

Heatherpaw gritted her teeth. She was not going to plead and beg with the leader like a little kit.

"Besides, do you know who her mother was?"

Heatherpaw felt as if a dagger pierced her heart. Rosepaw was always blamed for the deeds her evil mother has done. Her mother was the former ThunderClan deputy and she had tried to kill Nightstar, finally earning herself banishment from the Clans. Personally, Heatherpaw would've been happier if Rosepaw's mother succeeded in her attempt to murder Nightstar.

"It's not Rosepaw's fault what her mother did!"

"But her blood runs through her veins! You don't know what that she-cat tried to do to me!" Nightstar argued.

"But it was not Rosepaw who did it! It was her stupid mother!"

Nightstar hissed. "I'm not going to argue with you, Heatherpaw! That she-cat's father is loyal enough, so I'll consider her."

Heatherpaw sent out a silent prayer of thanks to StarClan for Badgerfrost, who happened to be Rosepaw's father and much better suited for the leader position than Nightstar.

Heatherpaw then considered it. But it's really odd that he also forgets about his daughter when he picks out the cats to go to the gathering. It's almost as if he's ashamed to have a daughter who has a mother like that. Oh, how pathetic.

"Onto other matters, I wasn't going to sit and chat with you all day. I was going to train you today, but due to this RiverClan business, we can't."

Yes! Heatherpaw thought excitedly.

"But I do expect you to work on that awful crouch."

"Awful crouch? But, Nightstar, Swiftpaw said-" Me and my big mouth! She thought angrily.

"Swiftpaw? Who's he?"

"Uh…no-one." Heatherpaw hissed through her teeth. Idiot. Moron. Mouse-brain. Fox-dung.

"Hm…Swiftpaw…Swiftpaw…" Nightstar flicked her tail thoughtfully. "Funny. I've never heard of a Swiftpaw."

"I was dreaming, Nightstar." Heatherpaw mewed, trying to sound as convincing as possible.

"Dreaming?"

"Yes, I was dreaming that a cat named Swiftpaw said that I had an excellent crouch."

"Hm. Well, keep dreaming, Heatherpaw." With that, the leader left her alone in the middle of the camp.

Heatherpaw chuckled. Nightstar is so stupid! She's the worst leader ever!

"I've heard of a Swiftpaw!" A high voice squeaked from behind Heatherpaw.

Oh, look who's back… Heatherpaw thought in despair.

"Heatherpaw, I've heard of a Swiftpaw! He was an apprentice when I was a warrior!"

Great StarClan! Heatherpaw turned around to face a fiery red tom with green eyes. Firepaw.

"He was killed, though. By a bunch of dogs. I remember."

Heatherpaw flicked her ears. "Please, Firepaw. Get out of my sight…now."

"But I thought you wanted to know about Swiftpaw-"

Heatherpaw rolled her eyes. Firepaw thinks he is a reincarnation of the great Firestar just because they both share the same name. What was Nightstar thinking when she named him? That's right, she thought, she can't think.

"Leave. Now." She spat.

Firepaw shrugged, but didn't leave, much to her immediate frustration. His green eyes then lit up. "Did you hear, Heatherpaw? We're gathering buddies! This is going to be my first gathering since I was Firestar! I'm so excited! Are you excited, Heatherpaw?"

Heatherpaw narrowed her eyes. I'm absolutely exploding with excitement. Not.

"Well, I'll see ya soon!" The small tom left her.

Heatherpaw softly exhaled. She hated that quirky tom of an apprentice. She also hated his boundless energy, and especially his obsession in believing he's Firestar.

"Heatherpaw!" It was her mother. She was coming towards her, her swollen belly dragging on the ground.

Heatherpaw ran up to her and briskly touched her nose to hers in greeting. "What are you doing out of the Nursery?"

Smokefeather shrugged. "I needed exercise. I've been cooped up in there for too long. A little walk would do me some good."

"Cloverleaf won't like it."

"She can't tell me what to say or do! I'm a full grown cat, and I should do what I want to do."

Heatherpaw smirked. It was evident where she got her attitude. Her mother was notorious for her sarcastic comments, just like her daughter.

"But she's the medicine cat." Heatherpaw argued.

"It's just for a pad around camp. I'm not going anywhere."

"You are so far along in your pregnancy, though. You could hurt yourself."

Smokefeather scoffed. "Now you're sounding just like Cloverleaf, Heatherpaw. Relax, why don't you?"

"Hm. I find that hard nowadays." Heatherpaw murmured.

Smokefeather licked her daughter's ears reassuringly. "I heard you were going to the gathering! Congratulations."

"Ugh. I don't really want to go." Heatherpaw growled.

Smokefeather looked surprised. "Why not? It's usually an honor to go to the gathering!"

Heatherpaw sighed. "But it's just a bunch of cats bragging about their Clan. I really don't want to listen to that. Besides, Rosepaw isn't going again."

"Oh." Smokefeather knew that the she-cat was her best friend. "Poor Rosepaw."

Heatherpaw sighed heavily.

"Go rest, Heatherpaw. You have a big night ahead of you."

Heatherpaw purred. Her mother was looking out for her almost as if she were still a kit. "I will." She mewed and added, "Be careful, though."

"I will. You know I can take care of myself."

"Like mother, like daughter." Heatherpaw chuckled.

"That's right." Smokefeather nodded and licked her in goodbye. She then left her alone once again.

Heatherpaw yawned and padded into the apprentice's den. It was empty, except for Firepaw. The tom was fast asleep, much to Heatherpaw's relief. She padded to her nest and curled up, sleep taking over her world before she could even say 'mouse'.

-takes hanky and blows nose- P-please review, e-everyone!

-Evanessence