Patchwhisker felt his ears prick, the smells of the Gathering coming back to him as he fondly remembered back to his apprentice days, when he'd simply been little Patchpaw. Known for his tricks and playful.

All that was gone now, of course. He was a warrior, aiming for the next spot as deputy. His mother always told him he'd make a good warrior. So he'd likely make an even better leader!

He'd be better than old, dog-hearted Shadestar - or the bully, Barkstripe.

It wasn't fair, really. He remembered when he and Barkstripe had been good friends, wanting to be the best warriors they could be. Then they grew up and Otterpelt trained Barkstripe until his claws bled.

Patchwhisker snorted suddenly, realizing he'd very dumbly walked right through some wild clover, that always made him sniff and sneeze.

The thoughts of the tom suddenly turned sad, he was growing older - maybe a bit before his time. The fur around his muzzle was slowly beginning to lighten and he wasn't as quick as he used to be.

That didn't stop him from taking Crowpaw as an apprentice, no way, no how. Crowpaw and Patchwhisker were very alike, both runts of the litter, both frowned upon as being weak and pitiful. But Patchwhisker never let that get him down, he was too fouced on being the best warrior he could be, hoping to the heavens that Berrystar would notice his skill.

Then Shadestar took over, born and raised by the harshest she-cat and tom in the Clan.

Pebbleclaw and Lionflight.

Patchwhisker remembered them, how Pebbleclaw had told Tigertail that; 'Little Patchkit won't live to see the sunrise, may as well tell Springflower to get rid of him.'

At least his father hadn't been as mouse-brained as Pebbleclaw. The tom had said it, right by the nest, where Springflower could hear the bitter words.

His mother had been such a gentle, loving she-cat. At least she was away from stupid SwiftClan now, able to live her life with his Tigertail in a nice, kittypet home.

Oh what an act he always put on, a mask he wore round them.

He was such a softy. That's why Barkstripe had gotten to become deputy, that's why everyone hated him, that's why Crowpaw wasn't going to be a good warrior.

And here he was, about to go off to a Gathering, and all he could think about was the past.


Cinderflight listened quietly to the chatter from Hollypaw and Frostpaw, both mewing about the Gathering, how great they hope it'll be.

It's stupid, Cinderflight wanted to say, but that would be unwise, and Shadestar would surely rip her claws down his pelt.

And he did not want that. Sure, he was a new warrior, four moons since his apprenticeship had ended. And like most SwiftClan cats, he was fast, he could dart around each tree without fail.

He just couldn't climb, but no worries, he wasn't a freaking AshClanner.

"Will you keep it down?" Cinderflight hissed towards the two she-cats, narrowing his eyes towards the silly apprentices, overjoyed with going to the Gathering. Big deal.

"Sorry, Cinderflight," Frostpaw whispered, ears falling back as she stopped her chatter all together, the watchful, and annoying eye of her mentor following her movements.

"Keep your tail up! What are you? A kit?" Cinderflight huffed, shaking his head. Frostpaw did as told, going back to gently talking to her friend.

Cinderflight left it, too tired to really care. He noticed Appleclaw was proudly walking next to him. "You know, you should be nicer!"

"No," Cinderflight replied, shaking his head.

Appleclaw mirrored his muzzle, frowning. "Lighten up, it's the Gathering!"

"I don't care," Cinderflight hissed. "I hate going to the Gathering - and also, I'll make this purrfectly clear. I am nice, but only to some cats."

Appleclaw sighed, shrugging her shoulders and beginning to trot after Blueleaf. 'Good, go chat with Blueleaf, she'll enjoy that.'


Oliver pricked his ears. The sound and smell of other cats getting closer and closer. He forced himself to stay calm. His first Gathering hadn't gone too well, he just hoped this one would.

He didn't like the idea of Gatherings, too many eyes. They watched him. Oliver worried when he saw them narrow, could they still smell his kittypet roots? Were they annoyed that he wanted to stay with his name?

The med apprentice tried not to think about it, realizing the Gathering was right ahead of them, trees looming over the smooth rock in the middle. The ground was slightly muddy from the storm they'd had a few nights ago. Oliver whimpered as he remembered the kits crying in the middle of the night, their mothers fast asleep, used to the sound of the rain that blocked their ears from hearing the cries.

Oliver remembered his silent walk through the rain that night, stepping in to calm the kits' as they cried, begging to be heard and kept safe.

"Littlekit? Hey," Oliver whispered, a flash of thunder blazing through the night. He'd dropped the slightly wet moss on to the earthy ground, moving to grab the small, 5 moon old kitten and place him gently next to Streampelt. As much as an annoying brat she was to her kits, she was still their mother.

"Oliver? Why-why is the sky angry?" the noise came from Robinkit, his fluffy, 2 moon old kitten fur damp from where he'd been laying in a pool of water that had dripped through.

Oliver thought for a moment. "Be-because you kits aren't asleep! It's saying you need your rest so you can wake up when the storm is over and you can play and run around!" he told them softly, patching Mistflight's nest with the moss. "Go on, Robinkit, Hazelkit. Snuggle by next to your mother."

The siblings hurried up to lie by their mother, soaked to the bone as they mewed, falling asleep slowly.

Oliver padded slowly over to Shadowkit and Blazkit. "Come on, the-the sky is crying, because it's sad you aren't asleep!" he told them, pushing the small kits over to Streampelt. "The sky is roaring like a great lion from Willowberry's stories! It's chasing away the storm, but needs you kits to fall asleep, so the Great Lion can appear from the lightning and roar away the rain clouds. Be-because he doesn't like it when little cats see him-"

"Have you seen him?" mumbled Shadowkit. Oliver blinked, he hadn't thought they'd listen to the silly story.

Oliver was jumping from one paw to the other. "Uh-uh, yes! I saw him once! And when I asked him about the storms, he said he needed all the little kits to be asleep for the roar to work, otherwise the sky cries. You little sweethearts need to sleep now, or else the Great Lion won't make the storm go away!"

Shadowkit and Blazekit's eyes grew wide and they stumbled towards their mother. "Great Lion! Please make the storm go away! Oliver, can-can you tell the Great Lion we're sorry we were awake? We didn't know!"

Oliver's whiskers twitched and he turned back to walk towards the med cat den. "Of course little darlings! And he won't be mad, you're scared, he knows that. Now fall asleep, and maybe in the morning the Great Lion will have given me a message to give to you! Night-night."

Oliver ran back to his den, the storm was beginning to calm down, at least it wouldn't be there when the kits woke up. He was almost sad really, being a med cat. He'd never know the-

Oliver quickly stopped those thoughts, not wanting to feel upset when he was at the Gathering. The noise of cats was truly loud now, and he took a deep breath, rushing to catch up with Blueleaf. It wouldn't be his best idea not to follow his mentor at the Gathering.

He sat down by Mousepaw, but ignored the she-cat who was meowing aimlessly to Breezyleaf. Oliver noticed Rainmuzzle's eyes were following Emberpaw - the annoying brat from CaveClan. Goldenleaf and Maplewhisker chatting to Sweetberry and Dustnose. Dappleface was sitting alone, staring towards the smooth rock where the leaders were gathering. Tonight would be a long night...


Right, yes, I know, this is only SwiftClan, but it is one AM...

Remember to read and review! I dearly hope you enjoyed this, and don't worry, there'll hopefully be more out soon!