A/N: I really need to get off of dA more often...it's like a drug, I tell you!! Okay, chapter 27. Enjoy! This story is coming to a close! Iono...should I make a sequel??

Light filtered in through the entrance to the medicine cat's cave. Featherflight fluttered her eyes open from where she was sleeping in her mossy nest, just outside Echosong's little sleeping crevice.

She stretched and got to her silver paws with a yawn. She was extremely tired from the night before, and was thankful that she didn't have to sit silent vigil like normal warriors did.

Silently, she cast a glance at Echosong's cavern. The silver tabby she-cat was still snoring, so Featherflight didn't bother her.

She looked at the opening to the small mouth of the cave to see two more feather-filled nests. Ivynose and Forestfoot were asleep, snoozing drowsily in what was left of the night.

Remembering the new ceremonies performed last night, Featherflight grabbed some marigold in her jaws and headed out of the cave. She saw Petalnose and Brackenpelt carrying Rainsong's body out of the camp to be buried beyond the training hollow. She paused briefly and watched them pass, silent with sorrow for the beautiful, long-furred she-cat. She had mothered Barktail and Brushbelly when they were still Ground Rogues living in GroundClan's camp was now. She was a strong, brave warrior.

Passing thoughts aside, Featherflight continued over to the Highpath until she found the elders' cave. Tinycloud was in there, Bramblekit, Cavernkit, and Amberkit playing in the dust beside her. She was gazing thoughtfully at her still-sleeping mate, Thorntail. Featherflight saw that the gashes on his shoulder and head were open again and bleeding through the cobwebs.

"Tinycloud," Featherflight mewed softly.

Tinycloud didn't look up. "I can't believe it, Featherflight," she mumbled. "What will his kits do when they find out that this is their father? Oh, Featherflight…"

The silver medicine cat rested her tail on Tinycloud's white shoulders and pressed her nose into her fur. "I'm so sorry," she whispered.

Once she was through, she pulled away from Tinycloud and chewed up the marigold. She then spat the yellow poultice onto Thorntail's wounds, wincing slightly at the fact that the sudden movement still hadn't awakened him.

"Mother! Mother!"

Featherflight turned to the three kits tussling in the dust. Amberkit had broken apart and was peering up Tinycloud. "Cavernkit and Bramblekit are playing with claws!"

Tinycloud's green eyes were dull and unseeing. "Bramblekit, Cavernkit, stop using your claws," she meowed tonelessly. "You could get hurt."

With a sudden slash of claws, Cavernkit's muzzle began bleeding.

He let out a wail of pain.

Tinycloud's senses seemed to recover as she noticed her kit's cries of pain. She hurried over and began licking the wound. "Hush, now," she purred. "Featherflight is here."

Featherflight scooped the tiniest pawful of marigold off of Thorntail's shoulder wound and brought it over to Cavernkit. She spread it over the tiny slash and ruffled his fluffy kit fur. "Don't play with your claws," she reminded the three kits. "You'll get hurt again."

Cavernkit nodded and rushed back over to the others, mewling vigorously.

Tinycloud chuckled, and Featherflight felt her heart lift at the sight of the smile. "Once Thorntail wakes up, he'll be glad to see his kits when they first leave the nursery."

"Are you going to the Gathering tonight?" Featherflight asked.

Tinycloud's eyes grew grave. "I can't, Featherflight," she mewed. "I have Thorntail and my kits to look after. I would never leave them at a time like this."

Featherflight nodded in understanding. "I'll tell you everything that happens."

"I'm not quite sure much will happen," Tinycloud responded. "StreamClan never showed up when they were supposed to."

Featherflight shrugged. "Stonestrike sent two unenthusiastic apprentices to gather up their whole Clan," she meowed. "Odds are they forgot or Batstar was too busy to listen to two little apprentices' cries of help. He's still not used to running a Clan, you know."

Tinycloud nodded with a sigh before gazing down at Thorntail once more. Featherflight touched her tail to the white queen's shoulder once more before turning and leaving the nursery. Tonight was going to be a long night.

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"Featherpaw!"

Featherflight looked up to see Rushingpaw and Riverpaw pelting toward her, her mother and father right behind them.

"Hello, guys," she purred. "And it's Featherflight now."

"Oh, Featherflight," Puddlefoot let out in a gasp. "I'm so proud of you."

"Thank you, Mother," Featherflight mewed, touching noses with the blue-grey tabby she-cat.

"And I'm Rushingriver now," Featherflight's sister purred. She widened her eyes in pleasant shock and tuned to Riverpaw.

"I'm Riverheart," her brother meowed happily.

"That's great, you guys!" Featherflight let out in exclamation. "I'm so happy for you all."

Just then, Featherflight scented that all the Clans had arrived. She saw Leafstar storm up to Batstar, but the dappled tabby she-cat didn't get to say anything, since Cloudstar yowled out for the Clans to silence.

Featherflight shifted in her position atop the Skyrock. She rested her tail neatly over her forepaws, her siblings following suit.

"Good evening, cats of all Clans," Cloudstar began. "I will start this Gathering. I would like to apologize to SkyClan deeply. A patrol noticed the fighting among your Clan and Deep Water just as the battle was breaking up. We didn't get there fast enough."

Leafstar dipped her head gravely. "Apology accepted." She turned a cold glare on Batstar.

Cloudstar continued. "I also bring neutral news to this Gathering. Thrushflight, our very first medicine cat, was an elderly she-cat. She joined the elders a few nights ago. Whitewing is now our full-fledged medicine cat."

Featherflight glanced at the white medicine cat; solemn, but looking around proudly. When their eyes met, Featherflight mouthed, "Good for you." Whitewing nodded in thanks.

"Some happy news: Ferntail's new kits have been born: Hazelkit and Graykit. Once they are six moons old, they will become apprentices. Graykit will become MudClan's next medicine cat apprentice."

Featherflight turned to Whitewing again. "Fantastic!" she mouthed, receiving a proud beam from the medicine cat.

"And one more thing: Stripedpaw has become a warrior. Her warrior name is Stripedback."

Featherflight saw the familiar dark tabby she-cat sitting proudly—with Barktail. Barktail smiled warmly at her and the two touched noses.

Featherflight winced. Every cat in the gorge knew that inter-Clan relationships were against the warrior code. How could Barktail and Stripedback just go and break it without a second thought?

Once Cloudstar stepped down, Leafstar got to her paws instantly, without giving the other leaders a chance to stand. "I do recall my medicine cat, Echosong, telling me that Stonestrike of StreamClan sent two apprentices to get Batstar and his Clan to help SkyClan with their battle." She turned to Batstar, her green eyes icy cold. "What of that?"

Batstar got to his paws. "I'm very sorry, Leafstar," he started calmly. "The two apprentices, Tumblepaw and Mosspaw, were killed on their way back by three of Deep Water's rogues."

Featherflight's eyes caught StreamClan's medicine cat, Missingfoot, whimper in mourning. She remembered that Mosspaw, along with Snowpaw and Foxpaw, were the medicine cat's kits before she became a medicine cat. She had stopped mating with Flamestone, the apprentices' father, to become medicine cat. But still, children were children, and no cat could deny that.

She also saw two apprentices, one white and one dust tortoiseshell, dip their heads in mourning for their sister, Mosspaw.

Leafstar's eyes softened. "I'm so sorry," she mumbled.

Batstar nodded.

Leafstar turned to the cats once more. "SkyClan has a new deputy, due to Thorntail's new sickness. The former deputy has joined the elders. Our new deputy is Sparrowpelt."

Many cats around the Skyrock yowled out congratulations. Sparrowpelt was a very popular cat among the Clans.

"We also bring our medicine cat apprentice, recently given her true name: Featherflight."

Featherflight's ears burned in embarrassment as all the eyes in the clearing turned to her. She saw Whitewing, Missingfoot, and Treeleaf nod to her and Echosong, Whitewing's the most enthusiastic.

"One of our dearest warriors, Rainsong, was killed in the battle with Deep Water's rogues," Leafstar continued, receiving many sorrowful glances from the cats surrounding her. Rainsong was once a Ground Rogue, along will all the cats in the gorge. She was most likely known by many of them. "Which brings me to say that Flowerfrost is dead, by Featherflight's doing."

All the Clan cats breathed gasps of relief and shock, except for the SkyClan cats. "Thank StarClan!" one GroundClan she-cat called out.

Featherflight's hackles rose slightly. Was Leafstar going to tell the other Clans of StarClan's disappearance?

"But on a happier note, we bring two new warriors to this Gathering, Barktail and Brushbelly. Also, Tinycloud's kits have been born: Bramblekit, Cavernkit, and Amberkit."

Once more, Featherflight noticed Barktail and Stripedback purred together and couldn't stifle a shiver of fear. What if StarClan were angry at the gorge Clans, and that was the true reason they were leaving?

Once Leafstar had stepped down, Batstar stepped forward. "Once again, I am sorry, Leafstar, for not helping," he meowed. "And we grieve for Tumblepaw and Mosspaw. But we all must move on. Mosspaw's brother and sister have become warriors, now going by Snowflower and Foxpelt. We welcome them as full warriors."

Featherflight saw the two cats gaze around, their eyes solemn with gratitude. She saw Missingfoot lower her eyes so not as to gaze upon them in pride.

"Also, Frozeneye's kits have been born: Swallowkit, Leafkit, and Tawnykit."

As Batstar stepped down, Jaystar took his place. He spoke of Riverheart and Rushingriver's warrior ceremonies, along with two other apprentices becoming warriors: Sandstone and Longleg. Also, Kestrelflight's kits became apprentices, Littlepaw, Ripplepaw, and Brownpaw. Not to mention Waterlight's new kits, Gingerkit and Thornkit. Featherflight felt a frill of pride when she heard the name of Waterlight's kit, Thornkit. She felt grateful somehow to the silver she-cat.

The Gathering soon ended, and The Clans headed down to their camps. Featherflight said good-bye to her kin and mewed a quick word with Whitewing before following her Clanmates down to the gorge floor. She then saw Barktail touch noses with Stripedback as MudClan crossed through SkyClan territory and over to their camp.

She watched the brown tabby tom whisk happily up the Highpath and into the warriors' cave with narrowed eyes. The relationship couldn't last, and it was up to her to do something about it.