The next day, Brambleclaw, Maplepaw, Rosepetal, and Toadpelt went on the sunhigh patrol together. Rosepetal and Toadpelt were excited to be on their first patrol as warriors.
"So, how different is it to be a warrior? Is it very different from being an apprentice?" asked Maplepaw.
"Well, there's no training. That's a big difference. And I sleep in the warrior's den now. It's a lot more crowded. And, of course, I have my new name." answered Rosepetal.
"You also get to boss around the apprentices, and you don't need to ask before going hunting alone." Added Brambleclaw.
"Of course you would think of bossing everyone else around." Joked Rosepetal.
"Has Firestar told you who's going to the Gathering tonight?" asked Toadpelt.
"I'm sure you two will get to go. You're ThunderClan's newest warriors. I don't know who else will get to go though. Graypaw will get to go because he's Jayfeather's apprentice. Some new apprentices will probably come." He added, looking at Maplepaw.
"Do you mean me?" asked Maplepaw excitedly.
"Maybe. If you're good, I might convince Firestar to let you come. Maybe one of your friends too."
"That would be great. Can it be Eaglepaw?" asked Maplepaw.
"Why Eaglepaw?" asked Brambleclaw.
"Graypaw trusts him the most. Graypaw won't always admit it when his leg is really bothering him. I can tell."
"How bad has it been since you joined the Clan?"
"It gets much worse than it's been. He's been handling it better than I thought he would." Brambleclaw looked worried. Was Graypaw really one of the six StarClan had told them about? Or was another cat destined to come?
After the patrol, Brambleclaw immediately went to see Firestar.
"Firestar! I need to talk to you! It's important." exclaimed Brambleclaw.
"Ok. Come on, we can talk in my den." He could tell it needed to be a private conversation by the way Brambleclaw was acting.
"What is it?" asked Firestar.
"I'm not sure Graypaw is one of the six. Maplepaw tells me his leg gets much worse than it's been. I don't know if he can handle Clan life at all if it gets worse, and he would never be able to save the Clans. Tell patrols to keep an eye out. I'll go out alone. When I come back, we can tell the Clan I scented a rogue in our territory. Keep an eye out, and if anyone is spotted bring them back to camp."
"Not bad, but are we sure Graypaw isn't one of the six? We know Jayfeather is one of the three, and he's blind. We know Graypaw came with five other cats. Six cats total. The prophecy mentions six. I doubt six would come together, and then another will be involved. Graypaw will be involved somehow. Besides, he looks and acts like Jayfeather. That could be significant."
"The three that weren't my kits." Sighed Brambleclaw, "And then one died. How can the three work with the six when one of them is dead?"
"StarClan told me to look again. The answer lies within the Clan if we can find it."
"Look again? But Leafpool hasn't had any other kits! Squirrelflight has never had any. You have no other kits."
"There will be three, kin of your kin… that's it! Kin, not kits! Cloudtail is kin. He has Whitewing, and she has Dovekit and Ivykit. One of them is the third!" meowed Firestar excitedly.
"But which one?" asked Brambleclaw.
"I don't know. Their training will need to be monitored carefully. I'll take one. Sandstorm can have the other. I would give you one, but you have Maplepaw already. It's a good thing Toadpelt is a warrior. I would prefer to keep the secret of the three away from the Clan, and this prophecy too. I don't think even Lionblaze and Jayfeather know about it. But, StarClan might have told Jayfeather. And if they did, he probably told Lionblaze. If Sandstorm were unavailable, and he already knows, he would make a good mentor for one of Whitewing's kits. I would give him one of Hazeltail's later, but he's the father. He wouldn't train them well enough. Maybe next time there's a litter born. He's proven himself many times over. His kits are only a moon old anyway."
"Ivykit and Dovekit will be apprentices before the next Gathering. That reminds me, who's going tonight?" asked Brambleclaw.
"Jayfeather and Graypaw obviously. Rosepetal and Toadpelt too. You can bring Maplepaw, she probably wants to stay with Graypaw. I think she likes him. I also think Lightpaw likes Goldenpaw. Sandstorm and Sorreltail can come, and we'll add Graystripe, Dustpelt, Briarpaw, Bumblepaw, and Blossompaw. They should be warriors soon. They might enjoy one last Gathering as apprentices."
"Can we add Birchfall and Eaglepaw?"
"Why?"
"Maplepaw told me Graypaw is most likely to tell her or Eaglepaw if his leg is bothering him."
"It makes our group a bit big, but I think we can add them. Eaglepaw should have his mentor with him. He's too inexperienced to go without a warrior to explain what he can and can't do." Decided Firestar.
"Great. I'll call them together when it's time to go. And I'll tell Maplepaw and Eaglepaw to eat early. They should enjoy coming. Their first Gathering should be fun."
