Thank you to all who reviewed the last chapter! I love you all dearly, and I am thrilled that you guys are still following this story! Sorry it took so long to get that chapter up, though. And sorry it's taking so long with this one. I've been really busy. Grade 11 is a lot of work. Next chapter might take a while too, since exams and endtasks will be consuming much of my time. -_-

Anyway, per request by MyrtleFalls, here is a recap of who's who: Hawkfire is Sky, Rosepetal is Shadow, Oakstep is River, Boltkit (now Boltpaw) is Thunder, Echoflower is Wind, Moonshine is Silverpelt, Lightningstrike is Tigerflame, and Hopeflower is Shiningleaf.

Anyway, the Drama Club at my school did a great job with High School Musical from April 19th-21st. I was Martha Cox, the hip-hop loving brainiac. And due to the curse of the Scottish Play, my foot got run over by a set piece that wayed upwards of a hundred pounds on opening night. Thankfully, I was only on crutches Friday and Monday. Would have been just Friday, but I was stupid and put too much weight on it afterwards. And now, without further ado, here is the story.

Hollyleaf: About time!

Mormeril: Shut up!

Chapter 20

Tensions at the Gathering

Hopeflower sat in the camp, grooming a paw. She, Moonshine, and Ashifre were all sitting togetherm, waiting for the Gathering. Not far off, Boltpaw, a ThunderClan apprentice, Leafpool and Crowfeather's son, was bouncing around excitedly, chattering like a squirrel about how he was going to his first Gathering. The ThunderClan cats were still seeking refuge in ShadowClan, unable to return home as DarkClan still ruled their territory and outnumbered them greatly. Most of the ThunderClan cats had died in that attack. It would be a while before they regained their old strength.

Hopeflower turned her gaze skyward to look at the many shining stars above. They gleamed and glistened in the twilight that was fading to pure night.

"ShadowClan!" Blackstar meowed. "Time to move out!"

"ThunderClan, let's go!" Bramblestar called to the few ThunderClan cats that were going. Leafpool, Maplesky, Pineheart, Boltpaw, Larwing, Dovewing, Lionblaze, and Jayfeather were the ThunderClan representatives.

Hopeflower had a strange feeling as she walked, as if something were prickling at her pelt. She shivered suddenly, despite the fact that it wasn't cold. She had a feeling that something terrible would happen soon. But what, she did not know. All she knew was that whatever it was that was going to happen, it wouldn't be good.

Moonshine padded up to her. Hopeflower noticed that her sister looked equally nervous. "I have a bad feeling about tonight," Moonshine murmured to her, a hint of fear in her voice.

"Me too," Hopeflower mewed. "Something's going to happen, I just don't know what. I wish I did know, though."

"Same here," Moonshine meowed back softly.

Hopeflower looked up at the sky. The full moon shone down at them, it's light pale. Nearbly, clouds loomed ominously close. She had a feeling that that couldn't be a good sign.

Eventually, the cats arrived at the island and crossed the tree bridge. Their was a coldness about everyone. Cats gathered in small groups, whispering amongst each other nervously as the leaders made their way up to the tree branch that they adressed the clans from. It appeared that they weren't the only ones who had a bad feeling about that gathering.

Ashfire went off to talk to a group of toms from WindClan and SkyClan, and the two sisters stood together. "Do you think we should try to find some of teh other Chosen?" Moonshine whispered to Hopeflower. Hopeflower's tail twitched.

"I'm not sure," she mewed cautiously. "Maybe we should start seraching for Shadow and Thunder first. They're the two who would be closest to us."

Moonshine nodded in agreement. "Good point."

"Hey, it's been a while," mewed a familiar voice. The two sisters turned to see Foxleap and Seal' kits, Oakpaw and Silverpaw, padding towards them.

"Hi Oakpaw, hi Silverpaw," the two ShadowClan warriors meowed. The four had been apprentices around the same time, and had become friends during the gatherings. they hadn't socialized as much after Moonshine and Hopeflower had become warriors a few moons ago, though.

"That's Oakstep and Silverleaf, now. We're warriors!" Silverleaf meowed proudly with a toss of her silver tabby head. She looked very similar to her mother, Sealwhisker. The thought that maybe the pretty silver tabby she-cat might be River's reincarnation flashed across Hopeflower's mind, and she narrowed her eyes slightly before catching herself.

"Congratulations," she purred, as did Moonshine.

"You must be very happy to be warriors at last," Moonshine meowed.

"Yup, definitely," Oakstep purred happily. He looked curiously at Hopeflower. "Sunshade mentioned you recently. He told me that if I saw you at the gathering, to tell you he wants to see you again. I have no clue why. He wants to apologize for something," he told her. "Did the two of you get into a fight at a previous gathering?"

Hopeflower bristled at the mention of the tom. "He actually told you that?" she hissed. "The nerve!"

Moonshine looked at her sister with an expression that clearly said 'we need to talk later, and you are not getting out of it'. Hopeflower saw that expression, and immediately became nervous. Especially since Silverleaf also appeared to notice. Oakstep did too. Clearly she was going to be in trouble later.

Just then, Blackstar opened the Gathering. He announced the new warriors in the clan, and Rosepetal and Lightstorm were welcomed as warriors warmly. Blackstar had no other news for the Gathering, so Bramblestar went next. He also had little to report, other than that they continued to be grateful to ShadowClan.

WindClan was next, with news of a new warrior, Warmbreeze. She appeared to have come from nowhere, and the other clans were surprised. They'd never seen her before.

"Who is she? Do you remember her?" Oakstep hissed to Hopeflower. Hopeflower merely shrugged. She'd never seen the cat before either. She had long, soft grey fur, and an ominous glint to her green eyes. A quick glance to two other WindClan cats, Echoflower and Lightningstrike, and it was clear neither cat trusted her. Evidently, this mysterious cat was a former rogue or loner.

RiverClan spoke next, announcing Oakstep and Silverleaf as new warriors, and the fish were bountiful and the clan was feeding well. Also, a young queen named Willowwing had given birth to three kits, two toms and a she-cat, named Redkit, Greykit, and Mousekit.

Then it was SkyClan's turn. They too were welcoming a new warrior. And it was evident to Hopeflower from Lightningstrike and Echoflower's gazes that this newcomer was also one not to be trusted.

"SkyClan, too, welcomes a new warrior, a former rogue. She has proven her loyalty, and makes a strong, proud warrior. We are glad and lucky to welcome Shadowflight to SkyClan and the Clans," Leafstar announced, pride in her eyes. The other leaders and several cats nodded their approval, welcoming her as they would any other warrior.

But not Hopeflower, Echoflower, nor Lightningstrike. Hopeflower could tell from teh two WindClan cats' glares that there was something off about this new warrior. They clearly knew her, and didn't trust her. Her pelt prickled nervously. Was it possible that DarkClan was sending in cats to infiltrate the clans? If so, soon, the clans would be destroyed from the inside. The other Chosen had to be identified, and soon, before it was too late.

There you go. So sorry that it took so long. Life got busy. Really busy really fast. Next update will be sooner, I hope. No guarantees though. I'll do my best though, I promise!