A moon had passed since the fight with the rogues and the Gathering was tonight. Honeypaw sat in the middle of the clearing, waiting for Brightstar to announce the cats that would go.

"Hey Honeypaw." a familiar mew made her turn.

"Oh, hi Smokepath." Honeypaw purred.

"Excited to see if you're going to the gathering?" he asked, sitting down next to her. Honeypaw nodded, then looked up as Brightstar emerged.

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey please come for this meeting." she yowled. Warriors appeared around Honeypaw and Smokepath, Poppypaw sitting next to Honeypaw. She saw Stormheart emerge from the warriors' den and expected her to come sit with her and Smokepath. Instead the she-cat sat with Snaketooth and Echopaw. Honeypaw gave a glance to Smokepath, who didn't seem to care.

"The cats to come with Whiteberry, Volepaw, Liontail, and I tonight are Mossfern, Mousetail, Ferretfoot, Smokepath, Stormheart, Snowspirit, Honeypaw, and Poppypaw." Brightstar announced. "That is all. We leave at moonhigh."

The leader turned and returned to her den.

"WHOO! Our first gathering! Isn't that awesome, Honeypaw!?" Poppypaw danced around a little before Pinepaw approached.

"Lucky you." he meowed jealously.

"Don't worry, Pinepaw. I'll tell you everything when we get back." Poppypaw and Pinepaw walked off, leaving Honeypaw alone with Smokepath, who smiled at her.

Later that night, the group headed off to venture towards the meeting place with Moon Clan. Honeypaw was in the back with her sister when Smokepath fell back to talk to her.

"So... I have a weird feeling." he confided in her.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Well this isn't my first gathering... the last one I was at was four moons ago. It was the gathering where Brightstar and Silverstar agreed that since we are only two clans without much to report, that we'd make gatherings every four moons instead of every moon. Not many agreed with this personally, but they went with it..."

"Wow." Honeypaw murmured.

"And I feel like a lot has happened. Maybe not for us... but... I don't know." Smokepath lowered his ears worriedly. Honeypaw put a tail on his back comfortingly.

"Smokepath, Honeypaw! Hurry up or you'll get left behind." she heard Liontail call and the two cats sped up.

A few minutes later the group emerged into an empty cavern, ceiling open to reveal the glimmering stars.

"Looks like Moon Clan hasn't arrived yet." Smokepath murmured to Honeypaw, making her fur prickle. Maybe Smokepath was right...

Soon a group of only five cats appeared, being led by a large gray tom.

"I-is that them?" Honeypaw asked Smokepath.

"Yes..." he replied, then padded away to talk to a black tom. She watched as a ginger she-cat broke off from the group and went to talk to Mossfern and Mousetail, tail dragging sadly.

What was going on in Moon Clan? Honeypaw wondered as she watched the gray tom, who she assumed was Silverstar, approach Brightstar. A wobbly black and white tom spoke with Whiteberry and Volepaw. Liontail went to speak with Brightstar and Silverstar.

Honeypaw turned to go towards where Smokepath and the black tom stood, but instead ran into a gray wall of fur.

"Oof." she mewed muffled.

"Sorry." replied a surprisingly deep voice. She looked up into blue eyes.

"Hi... sorry, I'm Honeypaw. You must be from Moon Clan."

"Yes, I am Ashblaze." he meowed. Honeypaw tilted her head slightly. This cat seemed a bit small for a warrior.

"I know what you must be thinking... I look like I should still be an apprentice like you. Well Moon Clan has been through several traumas that caused Silverstar to speed up the process of me and my sisters' apprenticeships. We were made warriors just last night. My sisters, Bluefoot and Palemist were chosen to stay at camp..."

Honeypaw nodded, unsure of what to say. This tom had a powerful air about him that made her legs quiver.

"Where's the deputy?" she managed to ask.

"Oh, Cloudstep? He's my father... he had to stay home to protect the rest of the clan." Ashblaze stated simply. Honeypaw was about to say something else, but a yowl made her look up. Silverstar was getting the attention of all the cats.

"Cats of Sun Clan, I'd like to explain the lack of my clan's cats. We have lost many lives due to an attack by rogues and greencough."

"Rogues? I believe we met some on our territory a moon or so ago." Liontail's mew rose up. Silverstar dipped his head.

"Yes, please be careful... But I'd like to announce that Moon Clan has three new warriors, one of which is here tonight. Ashblaze..."

From beside Honeypaw, Ashblaze stood proudly, shoulders straight and head high.

"We of Sun Clan would also like to announce new warriors Smokepath and Stormheart." Brightstar meowed.

"Not much else to be said. Enjoy a bit of socializing please." Silverstar meowed. Honeypaw turned back to Ashblaze.

"So... your clan has been through a lot..."

Ashblaze nodded curtly.

"Yes. We lost many cats. One was my own sister Mistpaw due to greencough." Ashblaze's eyes glinted with sadness for a moment.

"When do you become a warrior?" he asked her, changing the subject.

"I'm not sure. Soon, I hope. My mentor was actually Rippleheart until she had to give me to Snowspirit so she could move into the nursery. Ashblaze's eyes glinted again, this time with hope.

"Yes. Kits are a beautiful thing. That is one thing that Silverstar did not announce. I still think because he is uncertain about his decision. But about a moon and a half ago, a she-cat appeared on our territory. My mentor Shrewfang," Ashblaze motioned to the black tom that Smokepath was still speaking to, "and I found her giving birth. She was a kittypet that ended up having eight kits that we took in. It was as if Star Clan had graced us with an apology for taking so many lives from us..." Ashblaze sighed and looked away from Honeypaw.

"Eight kits?" Honeypaw mewed in disbelief.

"Yes." he answered calmly, then looked at the moon. "It's time we go. It was nice meeting you... Honeypaw."

"Moon Clan!" came Silverstar's yowl. Ashblaze and the other three cats followed their leader out. Honeypaw glanced around at her clanmates, realizing only then that she had no idea where her sister had gone.

"Smokepath," she meowed urgently. The older tom looked at her. "Have you seen Poppypaw?"

Her friend's eyes widened as he shook his head.

"Come on, we'll find her." he uttered quietly, motioning for Honeypaw to follow him. They crept out of the cavern before any of their other clan members saw.

"Poppypaw?" Honeypaw called once they'd gotten farther away.

"Poppypaw?!" Smokepath added.

Then they saw her... sprawled out in a pool of blood, gashes covering her entire body.

"Poppypaw!" Honeypaw gasped, racing to her sister's side. "SMOKEPATH! Go get Whiteberry and Volepaw!"

Smokepath nodded and turned tail to go back to find the others.

"Come on, Poppypaw! You'll be okay!" Honeypaw mewed. But she was truly terrified. Who could have done this to her sister?!