The Gathering! Splotchpaw started with a shock that her head had been so filled with Shadestorm that she had forgotten. She walked beside her mentor.

"Listen, Splotchpaw, I…"Dusktail sighed. "I'm sorry. It's for the good of the Clan, and.. ya'know, I am glad to finally see my grandkits. Wow ,that made me sound old."

Splotchpaw smiled at the gleam of old humor in her mentor's eyes.

"I'm sorry to. I-I shouldn't have acted the way I did…I…I just…it's just that, it seemed that the prophecy was all that you seemed to talk about." She leaned on her mentor's side, waiting for her reply.

"Well, it wasn't all I was thinking about. I was worried how you would react, if this whole thing was too much for you, if you were too young," She continued. "Are you okay with it? With your destiny?"

By then, they were crossing the log, and she had lowered her voice to a heavy murmur. Dusktail slid away from her, catching the eye of Shadestorm, who was watching them.

"Go ahead. Just remember what you have to do," She gave her a knowing look.

Splotchpaw was slightly annoyed by this statement, but she knew she meant the best for her.

"Hey," Shadestorm purred, licking her ear as she moved toward him.

"Hi. How's Blackstar?"

"He's…okay…" Shadestorm fidgeted. "He is…"

He didn't finish. The yowl of RiverClan's leader, Mistystar, rang out through the island, and she snapped her head up to the tree.

"Who would like to go first?"Mistystar asked politely.

"I will."Firestar meowed. "ThunderClan is thriving and well, but we have found a badger on our territory, so I advise you to keep a look out."

The leaders nodded. The rest of the Gathering was uneventful, until Blackstar stepped forward.

"ShadowClan is well."He shot a glance at the other leaders, and Leafstar stepped forward threateningly.

"I believe that-"

"What of your little rogues?" Onestar snapped angrily. "They have intruded upon our territory! We told you this last moon, and you said you'd take care of the problem."

"Well, I haven't gotten the chance to-" Blackstar began.

"It seems you have little control over those rogues." Leafstar muttered, loud enough for them all to hear.

"And what is this? Any concern of yours?" Blackstar said. "The rogues and loners are my business,not yours!"

"They are our business if they continues!" Onestar meowed coldly. "As long as this carries on, you are not known as a 'Clan' to WindClan!"He leaped out of the tree.

The sleek warriors followed their leader, hissing as they passed ShadowClan on the way. Splotchpaw looked up. No clouds shrouding the moon, no storm, not thunder, not even a light breeze. For a moment, the clearing was silent, she could even hear the drops of dew that had slowly, ever so slowly, turned into liquid and was now sliding off of a leaf.

"The Gathering is over!" Leafstar yowled. "IceClan, come!"

She followed her Clan out, glancing back at the ShadowClan cats. Littlecloud and Flamtetail going to calm down Blackstar, Russetfur and Rowanclaw growling at her Clanmates, Shadestorm watching after her.

***********************#################################***************************###############

Of course, Sapphire's plan was well thought out, very complicated. She had Blitz the Assassin with her. Her plan was unfolding in an elaborate labyrinth of fighting tactics and groups.

"First. Blitz, you take Ciao, Ciboria, and Quetzal to attack from the right side of the camp, I'll take Dawn, Secret, and Darias to attack from the front. I'll give the signal. Feint to this side, then go for the side I assign you to. Flit, Tech, Sechi, Yoke, and Bonye to attack from the back of the camp. Raptor will slip into the camp and go for the kits. Within this, you, Blitz, go for the deputy of IceClan."

Blitz nodded, his amber eyes emotionless, dark orange depths of hate and anger. "I've got it. Will I need my secret attack necessities?"

"No. ShadowClan will meet us there. They have planned to ambush any patrols that have been sent out. We have no use for them."

"I see."

"You may go."

He nodded, gliding out of the box. She followed, leaping agile to the top of a green metal thing that had rubbish that smelled of monsters and Twolegs on it.

She looked out across the alleyways and rugged, gaunt cats. The sun was going down, and all that was left was a vivid streak of red-orange, the rest of the sky an every altering cerulean blue. Clouds were darkening as if a storm were coming, and the monsters headlights blared through the gathering darkness. She smiled contentedly, as the chosen cats gathered in jagged groups under the green metal thing.

"The time has come to attack!"She yowled clearly. "We leave when the sky has turned black and the wind has turned in our favor. Until then, be ready to attack. ShadowClan thinks we are their allies. We have done well. We must stay inconspicuous, so do not stray into enemy territory. They need to believe that they are safe from us, that we are no more than a few rogues that come and go." She slid down the smooth brown trunks of metal and landed with a THUD.

Ciao appeared next to her. "How long must this go on until we get rid of ShadowClan?"

"Until we have gained IceClan territory. After all, Blackstar is a fool! Remember is promise…"

F L A S H B A C K

…..

"I have a proposal. I have a Clan…IceClan that needs to be taken care of…" He'd given Sapphire a keen glance, one her sharp eyes hadn't noticed. She was to immersed in the thought of the territory.

"I have one requirement."Sapphire had said.

"And what is that?" She had noticed at least, his annoyance and/or inpatients with her reply.

"If we do this for you, then…you have to let us have the territory."

"No. ShadowClan gets it."

"Do you want to the job done?"She purred.

"Half,"Blackstar had muttered "Only half."

"Fine, fine…"Sapphire whispered, then thought, If he thinks I'm only taking half, he must be mad!

….

E N D. O F. F L A S H B A C K.

…..

"We will slaughter them all."