Chapter 23

WindClan was the only Clan in the hollow when ThunderClan arrived. Tallstar dipped his head to Tigerstar as the massive warrior approached. They sat together, but they did not speak.

Tinyclaw spotted Onewhisker. He lifted his tail and trotted over, meowing a greeting. "Hey!" he called.

Onewhisker lifted his tail as well. They touched noses and, in a flash, Tinyclaw recalled the gorge and the incident with Whiteclaw. A pang of sorrow coursed through him – how had this affected WindClan? Was Onewhisker all right?

"Where's Graystripe?" Onewhisker asked, his voice tinged with concern. "Is he… all right?"

Tinyclaw fidgeted. So Onewhisker hadn't forgotten, either – and Tinyclaw wasn't shocked about that.

"He's fine," Tinyclaw replied. "He's over with the others." He thought back to the journey and the image of a tortoiseshell queen came to mind. The journey had been so long ago that he had almost forgotten her name. "How is Morningflower? Her kit?"

"Happy to be home, the both of them," Onewhisker purred. He waved his tail. "The kit is growing strong, getting bigger every day!"

Tinyclaw smiled. That was good news.

"The whole Clan is doing well," Onewhisker added. His eyes gleamed with amusement. "It's so great to eat rabbit again!"

Tinyclaw purred, but his purr caught in his throat as a fishy stench tinged the air. He looked up the ridge to see that RiverClan had arrived, massing at the top of the ridge. Crookedstar was at the head, with Leopardfur beside him. With a wave of Crookedstar's tail, the RiverClan cats streamed into the hollow.

On the opposite ridge, ShadowClan had gathered. They looked fit and strong again, with Nightstar proudly at the head. The hollow was suddenly clustered as ShadowClan joined the Clans at the bottom of the ridge.

"Finally," breathed Onewhisker. "It's too cold to hang about."

Tinyclaw nodded in agreement, but there was a lump in his throat as he spotted Silverstream. His eyes followed her as she tagged behind Crookedstar, meowing greetings to warriors of other Clans. Eventually, she was lost amongst the crowd.

Will Graystripe dare speak with her tonight, with all that Tigerstar might do? Tinyclaw wondered.

He picked out Graystripe. He was almost on the other side of the hollow, talking to some WindClan warriors. There were a few RiverClan and ShadowClan warriors in the mix, but no Silverstream.

"Tinyclaw."

Tinyclaw didn't notice Deadfoot until the WindClan deputy was right in front of him, grunting his name.

"H-Hello!" Tinyclaw sputtered in reply. Embarrassment pricked his fur.

"How are you?" Deadfoot wondered.

"Good," Tinyclaw replied.

Deadfoot grunted. He nodded his head and limped away. Tinyclaw followed the deputy through the crowd to where he settled beneath the Great Rock.

Onewhisker gave Tinyclaw a friendly nudge. "Wow!" he purred jokingly. "You're privileged!"

Tinyclaw was about to ask why – but Tigerstar's powerful yowl drew his attention. ThunderClan's leader was standing atop the Great Rock now, with Crookedstar and Nightstar fitting in beside him. All three leaders edged away as Tallstar joined them.

This is the first time I've seen Tallstar at a Gathering, Tinyclaw thought. The light of the moon on the old leader's patched pelt suited him, and the Gathering seemed more complete with him and WindClan there.

Tinyclaw and Onewhisker followed the crowd as they gathered tight beneath the Great Rock, huddling for warmth more than anything. Whispers quieted, and conversations ended. Quiet lay upon the hollow like frost over a stream, waiting for something powerful to break it.

Tigerstar stepped forward. Tinyclaw prepared himself for the welcoming of WindClan back to the forest – but Tigerstar was in no mood to mince words.

"RiverClan has been hunting on Sunningrocks," he growled. He swung his great head towards Crookedstar. "Explain yourself – my warriors have scented your Clan several times. Sunningrocks belongs to ThunderClan!"

Crookedstar narrowed his eyes. "Have you forgotten how recently one of my warriors died defending his territory from ThunderClan?"

"You had no need to defend your territory," Tigerstar snarled. "My warriors were not hunting. They were passing through on a mission we all agreed on. By the warrior code, they should have passed undisturbed!"

Crookedstar's neck fur fluffed at that. "You speak of the warrior code?" he spat. "Then tell me – what part of the warrior code justifies you spying on our territory?"

"Spying?" Tigerstar repeated, eyes widening.

"Spying," Crookedstar snapped. "Our patrols have scented one of your warriors on our territory for the past several moons."

Tinyclaw's blood ran cold.

"Have you seen them?" Tigerstar wondered.

"Not yet," Crookedstar replied, "but we find his scent so often… it won't be long until we do."

Graystripe, you fool! Tinyclaw thought. He resisted the urge to look at his friend. Now it's not just Bluefur or Tigerstar you need to worry about catching you!

Tigerstar lashed his tail. There was clearly nothing more to be said about this, seeing as Tigerstar hadn't all the information necessary. He turned next to Nightstar: "My warriors have also scented ShadowClan in our territory as well – not just one warrior, but a whole patrol; all the same cats."

Nightstar's eyes flashed. "ShadowClan has not been in your territory, Tigerstar. Clearly your warriors can't tell the difference between Clan-scent and those outside the Clans. What you have been scenting are a group of rogues – they've been stealing prey from ShadowClan territory as well."

Tinyclaw heard a snort from within the crowd, but he didn't see who it came from. Nightstar fixated his eyes on them and growled, "You doubt the word of ShadowClan?"

Tallstar twitched his tail. For the first time in a long time, Tallstar spoke: "We have scented ShadowClan on our land as well," he meowed. "The same warriors every time, like Tigerstar stated. We've found scraps of prey as well."

"So it's true!" Darkstripe snapped from within the crowd. "RiverClan and ShadowClan are allied against us!"

"Us?" snarled Crookedstar. He looked down at the dark warrior incredulously. "Us? You think we have an alliance? I think it's you and WindClan that have formed the alliance! Why were you so keen to bring them back? So you can invade the forest?"

Tallstar bristled. "Enough of this foolishness!" he snapped. "That is not why we have returned, and you know it – WindClan have kept to their hunting grounds since we came home!"

"Then explain the warrior scents in our territory!" Crookedstar demanded.

"They certainly aren't WindClan!" Tallstar insisted. He flicked his tail at Nightstar. "They must be rogue cats, as Nightstar suggests."

Tigerstar was bristling himself. "Fighting like this will solve nothing," he began. His eyes slid from Crookedstar to Nightstar. He murmured, "But rogues would be a convenient excuse to start a fight in trying times, wouldn't they?"

Crookedstar raised his hackles, and Nightstar's spine bristled. Tinyclaw saw Oakheart and Whitestorm step closer to the Great Rock, as if to leap to Tigerstar's defense. The Clans were clamoring, and hostility buzzed in the air.

Tinyclaw flattened his ears. Was there really going to be a fight at a Gathering?

Suddenly, darkness flooded the clearing. Hissing and spitting cut into screeches of shock as all eyes flew to the sky, Tinyclaw's included. A cloud had covered the full moon, blotting out the white light.

"StarClan has sent darkness!" Halftail, the ThunderClan elder, screeched.

Runningnose, barely visible, lifted his head. "StarClan is angry," he yowled in agreement. "These meetings are meant to be held in peace!"

"Runningnose is right," rasped Yellowfang. Her gravelly voice strained to get high enough to reach all the Clans. "We shouldn't be fighting amongst ourselves, especially in leaf-bare when there's so much more to focus on. We must obey the will of StarClan – this Gathering is over."