Lionblaze glanced around the Gathering Place. He felt strange in the company of so many other cats after he found out that who he thought his mother was lied to him.
"Hello, Lionblaze!" called a voice. Lionblaze turned to see Tigerpaw approaching him.
"Hello, Tigerpaw. How's the prey running?"
"Just fine actually. I hear that RiverClan and WindClan have big news to share at this Gathering, I can't wait to find out what it is!" Lionblaze tilted his head.
"Really? I didn't hear that," Lionblaze answered, turning away from Tigerpaw. He glanced around the clearing, and is eyes locked with Heathertail's.
"Listen, Tigerpaw, I'll talk with you later, I have to go talk to someone else." Lionblaze ran towards Heathertail, who was standing with other shecats, recalling a dream he had the night before. In it, Yellowfang, one of the past medicine cats of ThunderClan, had come to talk to him, telling him something he knew that he should have realized before.
"Heathertail!" he called, skidding to a stop in front of her.
"What do you want?" she snapped.
"Listen, Heathertail, I'm sorry."
"What?"
"I shouldn't have accused you, and I'm sorry for everything that I did to you… I was…" his voice was suddenly muffled by her tail in his mouth.
"Don't even start with me, Lionblaze," she snarled, pulling her tail away. Lionblaze started to talk again, but Heathertail padded away from the other shecats to talk with Kinkfur of ShadowClan and Mosspelt of RiverClan.
"The Gathering will now begin!" yelled Blackstar, who stepped forward. "I will speak first. Prey is running well in our territory, and the training of our apprentices is going well. Snowbird will soon give birth to her kits, and our Clan is thriving. That is all."
"Thank you, Blackstar," Firestar said, taking Blackstar's place. "Whitewing is now a queen, and Cloudtail has taken over Icepaw's training. Prey is running fine, and our Clan is thriving as well."
"That is good, Firestar," Onestar and Leopardstar said simultaneously.
"Onestar and I also have news. The Twolegs have left the Horseplace, along with their horses. Smoky and Floss were taken with them."
"We both wish to claim this territory," Onestar added.
"NO!" Lionblaze shouted, along with several others.
"I have to object to that," Blackstar growled. "You already have your borders."
"And we can always expand them!" Leopardstar argued.
"I agree with Blackstar. You have your borders."
"This coming from a kittypet." Firestar snarled as Lionblaze flinched.
"Hello?" a new voice called. Every cat turned to look at the tree, which was where the voice came from. Lionblaze craned his neck to see. A brown and cream tabby shecat was standing on the tree, her amber searching the crowd. Many cats were on the mainland behind her, and a silver tabby shecat and tabby tom stood directly behind her.
"Who are you?" Onestar replied as he and the other three leaders jumped down from the tree and began padding towards the bridge.
"I am Leafstar, leader of SkyClan. This is my deputy, Snakefang," she motioned to the tom, "And Echosong, my medicine cat," she motioned to the shecat, "StarClan sent us here."
"Leafstar!" Firestar called, padding quickly up to the SkyClan leader.
"Firestar?" Leafstar asked incredulously.
"Yes. You have reached the Clans, Leafstar."
"Wait, Firestar, you know of this SkyClan?" Leopardstar asked.
"Yes. I had left for a period of time with Sandstorm back in the old forest, StarClan sent me to rebuild SkyClan. They were a lost Clan."
"We are very grateful," Echosong purred as she dipped her head.
"Where will they live?" Blackstar replied worriedly.
"The Horseplace," Onestar whispered.
"Do you have bees in your brain, Onestar?" Leopardstar hissed.
"I'm fine with it," Firestar answered.
"As am I," Blackstar added.
"Majority wins, Leopardstar," Onestar said calmly. "SkyClan may stay in the Horseplace. But as of right now, we have a Gathering to hold."
"Your Clan may join us," Firestar added to Leafstar, who then summoned her Clan to come onto the island. Lionblaze padded closer to the gap made for the SkyClan cats, who stayed in a small circle, unsure of what to do.
"Hi," he greeted them. "I'm Lionblaze, and I'm a warrior of ThunderClan."
"My name is Lotuskit!" said a tiny kit with white fur and green eyes.
"Hush now, Lotuskit," a dark brown shecat, obviously the kit's mother due to her eyes, whispered.
"I would like to introduce myself and my Clan. I am Leafstar, leader of SkyClan. My deputy is Snakefang, and my Medicine Cat is Echosong. I'm sure we will get to know the rest of you as we continue to attend Gatherings and meet on border patrols."
"I'd like to explain why we are here," Echosong called. "StarClan sent my apprentice, Sagepaw, a message, telling us we needed to reunite with the Clans. We have traveled for about a moon, but we lost our deputy, Sharpclaw, on the way here."
"Do any other Clans have news to share?" Leopardstar asked. When the other leaders shook their heads, she jumped down from the tree.
"Then I say that the Gathering is over." Leopardstar led her Clan off the island, followed soon by ShadowClan and WindClan. Soon, only ThunderClan and SkyClan were left.
"Leafstar, I never thought I'd see you again!" Sandstorm called, padding over to the SkyClan leader. Lionblaze watched as cats of ThunderClan and SkyClan chatted together, and sat down with a sigh.
"Lionblaze!" hissed a voice from a bush behind him. He whirled around, trying to find the source.
"You mouse-brain! I'm in the bush!" the bush behind him rustled and Heathertail stepped out, tiny scraps of leaves in her fur.
"What are you doing here?"
"You wanted to talk to me?"
"Well, yeah. I just wanted to apologize. Yellowfang told me that-" he broke off when he saw Heathertail's eyes sparkle.
"You knew all along, didn't you?"
"Yes. Feathertail told me the same."
"Then why did you-?"
"Because I didn't want to let the others know. We still have to keep this a secret, Lionblaze."
"I know. I'm just, so glad you forgive me."
"Of course I forgive you, Lionblaze." Lionblaze licked her ear softly, then pointed to the tree-bridge with his tail.
"You should go before Onestar wonders where you've gone," he suggested.
"Bye. I'll find a way to meet with you soon," she whispered as she disappeared from his sight.
A/N: Not that good, I know. To clarify: It has been a moon since Ashfur's murder. During that time, Yellowfang told Lionblaze to apologize to Heathertail, and Feathertail told Heathertail (Heathertail and Feathertail... hehehe) the same. Uh, any questions, ask in a review.
I'll try and update soon.
