Shadeflower stretched her legs. She was leading the sun high patrol today. She was enjoying life as a warrior. And so was Oakbriar.

"Who are you taking on the patrol?" Oakbriar asked her sister. Shadeflower shrugged.

"Probably Mistyflame, Stormfall Ravenfeather, and Mudpelt." Shadeflower meowed.

"Of course you're asking Stormfall" Oakbriar rolled her eyes. Shadeflower scoffed.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Shadeflower asked. It had been at least two moons since they became warriors. Sure, Stormfall and her were spending a lot of time together, but She was new to being a warrior and he was her mentor.

"Nothing, I guess. You just spend so much time together." Oakbriar meowed, sitting down. "Though you should probably go get your patrol around. It's almost sunhigh." Shadeflower let her tail fall at Oakbriar's words. She backed up a little and turned to go organize her patrol.

"You ready?" Badgerclaw asked her, and she nodded. Shadeflower lookedout at the camp and she took in a deep breath.

"Mistyflame, Stormfall, Ravenfeather, and Mudpelt! Time for the sunhigh patrol!" Shadeflower yowled. The cats in the camp looked up and nodded. Featherpaw and Robinpaw looked up. Echofoot and her kits were out of the nursery. Silvershine's kit was following Aspenberry around. Mistyflame bounded over to Shadeflower. Mudpelt trudged over. Stormfall eagerly went to her side. Ravenfeather gave a longing glaze at Rowanpetal and then went over to the patrol.

"Why does Shadeflower get to lead the patrol." Mudpelt grumbled to himself. Mistyflame put her tail at his mouth.

"Hush!" Mistyflame meowed. "Badgerclaw chose her, so respect his decision." She meowed. Shadeflower sighed.

"Cmon. Let's go patrol the ThunderClan border again." Shadeflower meowed in a confident voice.

"Didn't we already do that?" Ravenfeather asked. Shadeflower nodded.

"Yes, but it doesn't hurt to check it again." She meowed. With that she led the way out of the camp, the others following behind. Stormfall walked next to Shadeflower. She looked at him and smiled, with a purr. He returned the purr and blinked slowly. She smiled.

"Hey, Ravenfeather, are you and Rowanpetal going to be mates?" Mudpelt asked the other tom. Ravenfeather shrugged in response.

"I don't know. I would like to." Ravenfeather replied. Shadeflower couldn't help but smile. She hoped the two would become mates.

"Hey, Shadeflower!! Mistyflame meowed, running to catch up. "I caught a mouse!" Shadeflower nodded.

"We can take it back later." Stormfall spoke up.

"Alright."

They reached the Thunderclan border. There was no activity, but they kept a close eyes ever since the battle two moons ago. The cats remarked the scent markers and then they returned to camp. The gathering was tonight. And Shadeflower would be going. She was honored to be chosen to go.

"Shadeflower?" Stormfall asked her, while they had some prey. Shadeflower looked up from her squirrel.

"Yeah?"

"How are you doing?" He asked with a head tilt. She blinked a couple of times.

"Okay, I guess." Shadeflower said, sounding a bit unsure. She couldn't tell him about the prophecies. There was no way. Aspenberry had spoken to Starclan, and they said the same thing Aspenberry had.

"You know, you can tell me anything." Stormfall meowed, touching her flank with his tail. Shadeflower nodded.

"I know. Thank you." She meowed. Oakbriar was watching them. She scoffed and stalked off to go hunting.

"You're very much welcome, Shadeflower." He meowed with a soft nuzzle. Shadeflower closed her eyes. She wished she could tell him what was wrong, she really did, but there was no way. It just wasn't possible.

"I hope you feel better."

"Thank you."

"I'm gonna get you!" Crowkit squealed as he jumped onto his brother Fernkit. Fernkit squealed in response "I got you, ThunderClan! Surrender to the almighty ShadowClan!"

"Get off Crowkit!!" Fernkit meowed grumpily. He clearly wasn't in the mood to play. Their mother Echofoot was sharing tounges with Mistyflame, her sister. Brownkit was batting around a ball of moss near the entrance to the nursery. Shimmerkit snuck up on her. The fluffy silver tabby she cat pounced on Brownkit.

"Hey Brownkit!!!" She meowed.

"Hi." Brownkit meowed. She coughed a little and playfully batted at Shimmerkit.

Featherpaw and Jaypaw padded into camp, carrying a mouse each. They proudly brought their prey to the fresh kill pile.

"I bet Shadeflower would be so proud of me!" Featherpaw meowed. Her sister Jaypaw rolled her eyes.

"Yeah. Totally impressed with a mouse. " Jaypaw meowed sarcastically. Featherpaw herself ignored his comment. Robinpaw was clearing out the nursery to give them fresh bedding. Dustclaw watched over her. Pinetail and Mudpelt emerged into camp after their apprentices. Robinpaw padded over to Silvershine.

"I cleaned you're nest, Silvershine." She meowed. The queen smiled in response.

"Thank you Robinpaw,"

Shadeflower watched everyone interacting in the camp. She was anxious about the gathering that was approaching very fast. Featherpaw and Jaypaw were going, as was Badgerclaw, Stonestar, Oakbriar, Flamestorm, Stormfall, Dustclaw, Aspenberry and Pineheart. Shadeflower shook her fur and finished up the mouse she was eating. It was almost time to head out and the full moon shone overhead.

"Alright, all who are going to the gathering, we're leaving now!" Stonestar yowled. Shadeflower kept to her feet and bounded over to Oakbriar.

"Hey!" Shadeflower meowed. "You excited? We're going to the gathering!!" Shadeflower looked at her sister with enthusiasm, waiting for her response.

"Yeah! I'm excited. " Oakbriar meowed. "It's always interesting to see what happens in the other clans." Something seemed to be bothering Oakbriar. Shadeflower wanted to know, but she didn't ask. If her sister didn't want to tell her what was wrong, then that was that.

"Especially WindClan. They're so weird." Shadeflower meowed.

"You always say that." Oakbriar meowed, almost defensively. Shadeflower narrowed her eyes.

"Why are you being so defensive? Do you like someone in WindClan?" Shadeflower almost seemed as though she was accusing her of something. Oakbriar hissed at her.

"What is wrong with you!! Why...how could you accuse me of liking someone from another clan!!" Oakbriar turned around and stomped off. Shadeflower was shocked at the anger in her sisters voice. She had always thought they were really close. Shadeflower sighed and looked at her paws before joining Aspenberry.

"What's going on with Oakbriar?" Shadeflower asked her best friend. The tortishell shecat looked at Shadeflower warmly and with sweet kindness.

"Oh, don't you know? She's jealous."

"Jealous?! Of what?" Shadeflower was confused.

"Don't you see? Even a kit could see that Stormfall really likes you!" Aspenberry meowed. "That's what Oakbriar is jealous about. She wants someone to love her too."

"But I don't want a mate! Stormfall and I are just friends!" Shadeflower protested. "And I just became a warrior too! If Oakbriar wants a mate, why doesn't she just get one!! And why doesn't she see that I am just friends with Stormfall!" Shadeflower was flabbergasted at this. She shook her head and jumped onto the tree and she scrambled across it to get to the island in the lake. Aspenberry was behind her, and she said nothing to Shadeflower. The conversation was over and they had nothing more to say to each other.

Shadeflower went to sit next to her sister. Oakbriar ignored her, and just looked up to the leaders. Flowerstar, the leader of ThunderClan, a brown and white she cat sat next to Stonestar, wth her tail curled neatly around her paws. Badgerclaw and Honeystorm glared at each other. Lilystar, the leader of RiverClan, a brown tabby she cat sat on the other side of Stonestar. Stormshade, her deputy ignored the others. And WindClan's leader Swiftstar, a brown tom, sat proudly next to Flowerstar with his deputy Birdsong next to Honeystorm.

Aspenberry chatted with the other medicine cats, Morningpetal of WindClan, Berrylight of ThunderClan, and Sweetberry of RiverClan.

"Greetings from ThunderClan, it is time for the gathering to start. New leaf is getting closer, and the prey is running well in ThunderClan. We have a new warrior, Dappleflight." Flowerstar, like always, began the gathering Shadeflower gulped. That was the apprentice she had beaten. The cCans cheered for Dappleflight who cowered behind another shecat out of embarrassment.

"WindClan is also doing well, and we have new kits in the nursery." That was all Swiftstar said, and it seemed odd that Swiftstar said so little. Lilystar stepped forward.

"RiverClan, is thriving, and we thank ShadowClan, for the catmint. Without the catmint, many more lives would have been lost. Thank you Stonestar." Lilystar dipped her head in thanks.

"You are welcome, Lilystar. No cat deserves to die if it can be stopped." Stonestar meowed with wisdom. "ShadowClan is doing well. Prey is returning as the season changes." Stonestar meowed. The gathering was then over.

"We appreciate the catmint, Aspenberry." Sweetberry meowed.

"It is no problem."

"Will you receive an apprentice soon?"

"Hopefully."

Shadeflower looked at her sister who got to her feet. Shadeflower padded next to her sister, and she gathered a breath.

"I'm sorry, Oakbriar. I didn't mean to..."

"It's okay, really." Oakbriar meowed with a smile. "I know you didn't mean to offend me. I'm sorry I acted like that." Oakbriar touched her sisters flank with her tail.

"Of course I forgive you! I just want you to know, that Stormfall and I are just friends." Shadeflower said.

"Okay. I believe you."