A/N: My longest chapter yet:D This chapter took a long time to write and get betaed (by kirbypaint), that is why it wasn't on a few days ago. I promise that this chapter is one of the best;) Enjoy~

Ch. 8

Search Parties

Blazepaw yawned as the first morning lights crept into the den. She had barely gotten any sleep last night. Why were cats missing, and where were they? While pondering those questions she had lost track of time and when Blazepaw finally closed her eyes it was just before dawn. But now she had to train. Forcing her tired eyes to remain open, she walked over the soft soil to where the herbs were stored. Silverwing already sat there; the silver she-cat was staring at the medicine supply.

"What am I going to learn today?" Blazepaw meowed while she sat next to her mentor.

Silverwing glanced up at her- she looked startled, as if she hadn't heard her apprentice approach. "Oh, Blazepaw. Sorry, I was just thinking about something..." Silverwing looked thoughtful for a second before continuing. "Well tonight is the gathering, you'll get to meet the other medicine cats. I need to tell you a few things about gatherings before you can go."

Blazepaw tilted her head, encouraging her mentor to explain. Silverwing tucked her paws under her chest as she laid down. "Gatherings are a time of peace between the clans, but that doesn't mean the clans always get along. ThunderClan, ShadowClan, and WindClan are always looking out for themselves. You need to be careful what you say to anyone who is not a RiverClan cat. You'll want to watch your tongue. Don't blurt anything that might make RiverClan seem weak. Understand?" Blazepaw nodded her consent. "Good," Silverwing purred. "As medicine cats we are allowed friendships that normal clan cats can't enjoy. So don't be afraid to talk. Though, still be careful about what you reveal." Standing back to her paws, Silverwing meowed, "I can tell you're tired, and I'll let you take a nap in a bit, but right now I want to make sure you know enough herbs and their uses to impress the other medicine cats."


Waking up from her short nap, Blazepaw walked out of the den to grab a short bite before the gathering. Silverwing had drilled her on the uses of watermint, juniper berries, poppy seeds, dock, and tansy. The young apprentice had forgotten about last night's worries. But, she was soon reminded of them as she looked up from her meal to see Beetlepath sunbathing.

Swiftstar jumped onto the treestump and yowled. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather below the treestump for a clan meeting." Blazepaw licked her lips clean from her meal and sat behind Rockfoot. "The group of cats going to the gathering will be myself, Wetfall, Silverwing, Blazepaw, Fishpaw, Pebblepaw, and Rockfoot." Blazepaw looked around the camp. That would leave two warriors, an apprentice, and an elder to watch after the camp. There really aren't that many cats in the clan, she thought. From what she had heard of previous gatherings, this was nothing compared to the number of cats that usually attended.

Blazepaw decided she would worry about it later. Right now she was going to go to the gathering and enjoy herself. She wanted to meet the other clans- worrying could wait until later.

Blazepaw clung to Silverwing's side as they walked out of the camp. I wonder if the other clans will be accepting of me. The trees on the gathering island whispered in the night breeze. The moon above glowed like a lone lamp in the night sky. The stars in Silverpelt playfully flickered around it. It was a clear cool night; nothing should disturb this gathering. In her haste to cross the log, Blazepaw almost knocked Fishpaw over the edge, before they were fully across. Fishpaw hissed at her, and his green eyes narrowed in a glare. Blazepaw meowed an apology, but Fishpaw flurried across without so much as giving her a second glance. Sighing, Blazepaw carefully treaded across the rest of the log, and followed Silverwing into the moonlight clearing.

WindClan was already there. Blazepaw recognized their scent from their border markings. Silverwing led Blazepaw over to a light brown she-cat with bright brown eyes and creamy paws. "Silverwing!" the she-cat purred and nudged Blazepaw's mentor, "I see you finally got an apprentice." The unfamiliar cat turned her gaze to her. Blazepaw shrunk back a bit, and the cat continued meowing, "Where are my manners? I'm Roseblossom."

With an encouraging nod from Silverwing, Blazepaw meowed. "I'm Blazepaw."

Roseblossom sniffed the air, "It's strange, RiverClan's stinky fish smell is not as strong on you."

"Hey, we don't stink." Silverwing meowed indignantly, pushing Roseblossom over with a soft paw. Roseblossom mrrowed with laughter. Before Roseblossom could question Blazepaw further, a black tom with light green eyes walked up and sat nice and tall.

Wrapping his dark fluffy tail around his gray paws, the tom meowed to Silverwing. "Great, an energetic apprentice has joined our ranks. Like we need more excitement with you two." Silverwing then pushed the tom over too. Blazepaw stared wide-eyed, as Silverwing and Roseblossom roared with laughter. A brown tabby she-cat with yellow eyes walked up. "Be careful you guys, no matter how much Shadegaze threatens, one day he may actually follow through." Shadegaze growled and tried to clean his dirt covered pelt.

Silverwing turned to Blazepaw. "This she-cat who just walked up is Mapleseed from ThunderClan. She is the oldest out of all of us, and needs to get an apprentice soon."

Mapleseed gently scoffed Silverwing over the ear. "I may be old, but I've still got plenty of life in me."

Silverwing purred, "And this grumpy badger is Shadegaze from ShadowClan. Finally, you've met Roseblossom from WindClan."

Blazepaw nodded, "It's nice to meet you all. I'm Blazepaw." The other cats smiled at her, except for Shadegaze who was still ruffled up and struggling to clean the dirt out of his fur. They all looked up at the tree where the leaders had gathered, and sat watching them all from their branches.

A black tom with stormy yellow eyes and streaks of white throughout his fur yowled, quieting the gathered clans below. Blazepaw peered around and realized the other clans had brought just as many cats as her own.

Silverwing whispered in her ear, "That's Lightningstar of ThunderClan."

The leader looked down on the clans from his branch. "ThunderClan is as strong as ever this leaf-fall. But," the tom hesitated, "we have lost some cats lately. Our search parties have lead us to ShadowClan territory. We wish to continue our search for them if ShadowClan will allow a search party safe passage on their territory." The leader glanced over at a black and brown tom with very deep amber eyes. The ShadowClan leader stepped as far forward as his branch would allow him- never breaking his gaze from Lightningstar.

Silverwing quickly murmured in Blazepaw's ear that the ShadowClan leader's name is Amberstar. "We can tell you that your cats aren't in ShadowClan," Amberstar bristled, "we too have lost cats and traced them back to the half-bridge. Care to explain for these disappearances Swiftstar?"

The clans were all beginning to grow angry, quietly accusing one another for missing loved ones. Blazepaw turned and heard a low growl rumbling in Fishpaw's throat as he meowed at a rival apprentice, "My mother is one of the missing cats! Why would my clan kidnap one of our own?!"

"I bet you guys are just using that as a cover up!" a WindClan apprentice hissed back.

Swiftstar looked at the tense clans and then turned to the last leader in the tree, "Has WindClan lost cats too, Rabbitstar?" The white and gray she-cat with green eyes sadly nodded her head. "It seems to me," Swiftstar meowed for all to hear, "that we have no point in quarreling with one another. We have all lost cats, and turning on one another will only weaken us in these tough months before leaf-bare."

Rabbitstar nodded her agreement, and Lighteningstar meowed. "I agree with Swiftstar, we should all work together to find those who are missing."

Amberstar's eyes glistened with sadness for a second, like he had lost a cat that he loved, but his gaze returned to normal. "ShadowClan agrees, but no other clans are allowed on our territory without a ShadowClan patrol."

Swiftstar nodded, "It should be the same for all clan territories, do not enter without that clan's patrol with you. Sending a messenger requesting a patrol will also be needed." The tabby tom looked at the other leaders, seeing if they all agreed. No one protested. "It's official then, search parties may actually get somewhere in finding the missing cats."

Swiftstar jumped down, and Silverwing and Blazepaw said their goodbyes. As RiverClan left the gathering place, all Blazepaw could think was whether or not those lost cats could truly be found.

A/N: I have been missing Fishpaw. I think I will have some of the next chapter be in his POV:) Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Oh, you did? Why not review me and let me know that:P Until next time.