At the gathering, Volespots eagerly watched the apprentices from the other clans come to greet him.
"Hi, Volespots." Daisypaw mewed. She sat next to him. They both watched as the other group of apprentices greeted Sunblaze, Willowfern, and Flytail.
"How's it going, Sunpaw?" Volespots heard Moonpaw meow.
"I'm not Sunpaw! I'm Sunblaze!" He growled. His intent stare was at Moonpaw. She held his gaze. Sunblaze came to sit with Volespots.
"Cats of all clans." Echostar, Leader of FrostClan boomed. "We have gathered today to share news from our clans. Greenstar, why don't you start?"
"It's my pleasure." He announced. "LavaClan has a new warrior: Scorchleaf." All of the cats cheered. "We have also lost a cat: Cedarleaf." Volespots heard a gasp come from Moonblaze, who was sitting behind him.
"Prey is running well and there are plenty of mountain goats. We will always remember Cedarleaf, he was a good cat, I'm sure we will all miss him." Greenstar finished. Spottedstar padded forward. "CaveClan has new kits from Windsong: Birchkit, Darkkit, Dawnkit, and Heatherkit." Some cats from CaveClan cheered, but that was all.
"Before I was unwilling to announce this, but-" A yowl came from Sunblaze as he lunged at Moonpaw, clawing her ear. Moonpaw stood and grasped his tail in her jaws and swung him bowling into Volespots. Volespots grabbed the new warrior by the scruff before he could do any more damage.
"Sunblaze!" Ripplestar called. "Go back to camp and sleep. In the morning you will take care of the elders." Sunblaze shot a glare at Moonpaw, tail high as he plunged into the forest.
"Carry on, Spottedstar." Shadestar meowed.
"As I was saying, I haven't really wanted to say this, but CaveClan had a giant flood in all of the tunnels, losing both of our elders, Amberclaw and Firefly, and it also killed Frogleap. It drowned most of our prey. We have been very short on prey and have made camp elsewhere. We are sorry we attacked LakeClan." Spottedstar finished.
"LavaClan hopes you find some prey and get your camp back." Greenstar mewed.
"I guess I'll give LakeClan's news." Ripplestar meowed. "We have Three new warriors: Willowfern, Flytail, and Sunblaze, and one new full medicine cat: Stripefrost."
Volespots winced as Burnshadow stalked past him. The TreeClan warrior, Ravenfeather, had learned to respect him, and bowed her head as he passed her.
"I smell unusual LakeClan scent." He growled.
Volespots heard a yowl come from a cat he recognised. Riverfang? LakeClan warriors streamed out of the bushes, and Volespots felt his muscles tense as Burnshadow's control turned him to face Breezeflower. She was battling Earthclaw with her littermate, Sweetspeck. He resisted as hard as he could but it was no use. Burnshadow's concentration was too much. He stalked up to Sweetspeck, and pounced on her, scratching into her surprised cheek. He felt claws dig into his hindquarters, dragging him off.
"Stop it, you betrayer!" Breezeflower screeched. Volespots easily threw her off. Ravenfeather was battling Riverfang, but very lightly, while Pinewave began to tend to Sweetspeck's wounds. Burnshadow pushed him forward. But before he could get there, Steamsmoke flung himself onto Pinewave, ripping his throat open. Pinewave gurgled and fell, blood streaming from his neck.
"NO!" Volespots screeched. But Burnshadow used this rage. Volespots pelted to Riverfang, catching her on the leg and grasping her forepaw. He flung her to the edge of the clearing. He stood over her and raised his paw. Surprise edged her eyes.
"I'm sorry Riverfang. Burnshadow is making me do this. I'm going to kill you, and I can't stop it. All I ask is that you forgive me in StarClan, because you deserve better than to die a horrible death. Good-bye, Riverfang." She nodded.
"I'm sorry I couldn't be of help." She gave his cheek a lick. "Tell Ripplestar how I died and that it wasn't your fault. Tell him that I couldn't have been his successor. It would have always been Stormfeather." She blinked at him, and a hollow feeling came into him as he sank his claws into her neck, watching with grief as her eyes clouded.
"Farewell, Volespots." Her tail brushed his cheek as she died. He sank his face into her fur. The battle stopped when Titaniumwind yowled,
"Riverfang! Riverfang is dead!" She looked at Volespots, and rage took over her gaze.
"How could you do this?" She crouched down, ready to leap.
"I can explain." A whispy cat came down from the sky.
"Whitestar, former leader of LakeClan." Moonblaze whispered.
"Whitestar!" Fluffyfeet crashed through and came up to her mother. "Why did Volespots kill Riverfang?" Whitestar explained the whole story, of where the powers came from, and some other things even Burnshadow himself didn't know. Volespots later found himself slugging back to camp with Riverfang on his back.