Rosethorn felt her mouth round into a gape, as questions about what Thorntail had just said popped into her mind. What did he mean – his father wasn't his real father at all? Every cat had a father! Her father had been Crimsonspirit, her own Streamstar's father had been Venomheart, Spottedstar's father had been Howlingheart… There was no such thing as a cat that didn't have a father!

However, as Thorntail went on, almost instantly she understood what the gray cat meant.

"We're not our father's real kits," he continued softly, "Smokestar isn't my father." Rosethorn blinked, surprised. She had never even known that Thorntail had even thought that Smokestar – the leader of ShadowClan – was his father! "My mother…just used Smokestar and his high position as deputy…to get into ShadowClan – so she could be with different tom." Thorntail wrapped his tail around Shadenight's black pelt firmly, and Rosethorn had to fight to keep herself from looking away in disgust. "Graywhisker couldn't forgive that we were born that way…he couldn't take it…That's why he died, Shadenight. Not because of you…not because of you…"

Rosethorn closed her eyes. In other words, Lightsnow had never loved Smokestar. He had been deputy of the Clan, and therefore the Clan leader would probably let his forbidden mate join ShadowClan. And once she was in…she mated with her one true love…and she conceived Graywhisker and Thorntail.

And now…there was another forbidden love emitting a spark. She sighed, as she noticed Thorntail gently comforting the RiverClan she-cat by licking her ear with his unusually pink tongue – all the while, Shadenight was making some noise that was a cross between a sob and a purr.

Owlpelt seemed to make the same connection Rosethorn had, because his amber eyes instantly lit up with the realization. "Shadenight…" he meowed after a moment, gently touching his Clanmate with his brown tail, "Are you okay?"

Shadenight didn't answer – however, she did stop making that odd noise – and dug her muzzle deeper into Thorntail's chest.

"Rosethorn," Thorntail mewed suddenly, resting his pale blue gaze on her, "I'm going to take Shadenight and Owlpelt to the border. You can get back to camp on your own, right?"

Thorntail couldn't have hurt her more if he had announced that he was going to run off and become a loner with Shadenight – but not after ripping out Rosethorn's throat for knowing too much.

Rosethorn nodded, and forced herself to flick her tail so Thorntail would know that she was alright with that.

With the rain still drizzling against his gray pelt, he slowly got to his paws – and Shadenight mirrored him. Without waiting for Rosethorn to call him back, he disappeared with the RiverClan she-cat through the ferns – seeming to have forgotten about Owlpelt, who simply watched them go – his eyes filled with pain.

"Maybe I was wrong to come here…" Owlpelt mumbled after a moment, "Just to hear the whole story…" he shook his tiny head gently – possibly rebuking himself in his mind. "To drive Thorntail to say something like…that. I guess you can't be so desperate for the truth." He leveled his amber gaze with Rosethorn's sapphire, before continuing, "You know, Thorntail looked very happy when he was with you alone at the SunningRocks that one time. It had been such a long time since I had seen him so content. It reminded me of when Graywhisker was alive…" Owlpelt let out a purr at the memory. "I don't think I was supposed to see Thorntail again…" he continued, "If I really cared about him…I should've just let things be. My mother always told me if the barrier wasn't damaged, don't try to fix it…StarClan, I wish I had listened to her."

"I still don't see…" Rosethorn murmured softly, "Why Graywhisker would kill himself…over that." She could imagine the shock of finding out…but to kill yourself?

"Graywhisker hated injustice so much that he was obsessively honest," Owlpelt explained – and then let out a joking purr, "He gave away so many RiverClan secrets at Gatherings that Duststar couldn't even let him go to them anymore. I can easily imagine Graywhisker doing what he did…because of what his mother did to Smokestar." Owlpelt curled his tail. "Of course…Thorntail was hurt too, possibly even more so that Graywhisker. It's just that…with Thorntail you can't tell – it doesn't get through, you know?" Rosethorn nodded – it was hard to get Thorntail to talk about anything other than mating, and how tasty robins were. Owlpelt continued, "It also explains why Smokestar hates them so much…" Rosethorn blinked, curiously, so Owlpelt explained, "He loved Lightsnow, even if Lightsnow didn't love him. Thorntail and Graywhisker are the product of her betrayal."

"Owlpelt," Rosethorn asked – curious now, "Back at the RiverClan burial grounds…the ShadowClan scent…was that Smokestar?"

Owlpelt hesitated before answering, "Yeah."

Rosethorn recalled Thorntail's words about how his father was just visiting Graywhisker's grave so he wouldn't look like a heartless piece of fox-dung to his Clan. Maybe Thorntail's assumption had been correct.

"Well…" Owlpelt growled interrupting Rosethorn's thoughts, "I should probably head back to my home before a ThunderClan patrol catches me and claws my ears off." Owlpelt purred, jokingly, disappearing through the ferns as well – probably to catch up with Shadenight and Thorntail – leaving Rosethorn alone in the rain.

She blinked away some of the water that was running down her forehead, and twitched her tail as she realized what Thorntail's mother had been saying when she was talking to her kits. She was telling them that the cat who they thought that was their father – Smokestar – was a cruel and evil tom…but when she commented – with pride – on how much Thorntail looked like his father, she was referring to his…real one. The one she loved. Not the one she used.

…

"Gathering's tonight," Rosethorn purred, examining Onepaw's pad carefully. Ebonypaw had just removed a thorn from the brown tabby's paw, and Rosethorn was checking her apprentice's work. To both Ebonypaw who was sitting beside her, and Onepaw, she mewed, "You excited?"

Before Onepaw could answer, Ebonypaw mewed, "But Rosethorn, you're not going to the Gathering."

"That's right, I'm not." Rosethorn purred, looking up from Onepaw's pad. "Sandpelt, Applefur, Dusktail, and Spottedlight are all close to kitting. I can't remember a time when there were so many queens so close to one another…The fact is, any day now – including tonight – some kits could start popping out. I want to be there."

"I want to be there too!" Ebonypaw announced, "Do I have to go to the Gathering?"

Rosethorn didn't answer at first, instead she praised, "You worked on Onepaw excellently. I couldn't have done it better myself."

Onepaw shook his paw gently, and let out a purr that the thorn was finally out. Once he was done, he meowed to the black she-cat, "You should come, Ebonypaw! It'll be fun! All the greatest warriors from all the Clans are coming! Ravenfeather, Quickflow, oh! And don't forget about Whitesky!"

"You're going?" Rosethorn asked curiously, and Onepaw nodded vigorously.

"Shrewtail said I was,"

Ebonypaw's gaze flickered from her mentor to her fellow apprentice before she meowed, "Onepaw, you can tell me all about it when you get back. I really want to be here at camp for the kittings."

Rosethorn stared at the black she-cat, startled. She had never heard of an apprentice not wanting to go to a Gathering. "Ebonypaw," she meowed carefully, "I'm just staying behind just in case a cat starts to kit. You should go." She urged, but Ebonypaw shook her head.

"Please, Rosethorn?" Ebonypaw pleaded. "I really don't want to go! I want to stay in camp, and help with the kitting…if there is one," she added quickly.

Rosethorn thought for a moment, unsure how to answer. Finally, she sighed, "I see no reason to force an apprentice to go to a Gathering if she doesn't want to." She gently touched Ebonypaw's forehead with her tail. "Go tell Streamstar about your decision, so she can pick another apprentice to go instead."

Ebonypaw's eyes lit up with glee at that. "Alright!" she purred. To Onepaw, she added, "Will you come with me?" Onepaw opened his mouth to answer, but Ebonypaw cut him off with an explanation, "Talking to Streamstar makes me nervous."

At this, Onepaw fluffed out his fur and puffed out his chest to look as big as possible. "Warriors aren't afraid of anything!" he scoffed. "Of course I'll come with you!"

Ebonypaw narrowed her eyes, and Rosethorn let out a purr as she sensed Ebonypaw's annoyance at Onepaw's comment about warriors. "Warriors aren't afraid of anything, because they don't have anything to be afraid of." Ebonypaw meowed calmly. "Medicine Cats have to worry about StarClan's wrath – all you have to do is worry if that rabbit is going to cry before you kill it or not."

Onepaw looked startled at Ebonypaw's stinging reply, and Ebonypaw brushed passed him. However, before she exited the den she called behind her, "You coming or not?"

Onepaw blinked. "Um…er…of course!" he squeaked, pounding out of the den as if there was fire burning at his heels.

Rosethorn watched them go, and let out a purr of amusement at how Ebonypaw had left Onepaw dumbfounded before she had scampered from the den. Her little apprentice certainly knew how to take care of herself – that was for sure!

She shook her head, amused, before turning to get the herbs for kitting ready for when the time came. However, she didn't get a lot of time to do so, because she heard paw-steps bumbling into her den, and she turned around to see who was bothering her now. As she turned, she half-expected to see Beakpaw – the little apprentice seemed to think that he had every disease known to the Clans…and that his tail was planning some sort of coup – but to her relief, she only saw the pregnant ThunderClan deputy, Sandpelt (who was now looking as wide as the sky) and the gray tom, Thorntail.

"What's wrong?" Rosethorn asked, deliberately not looking Thorntail. She couldn't bear to face him – not after he clearly had chosen Shadenight over her! Instead, she stared into Sandpelt's leaf-green gaze.

"Thorntail wants to go to the Gathering," Sandpelt sighed, and Rosethorn flicked her ears. Thorntail was a warrior – she didn't see any reason why he wouldn't be aloud to, so Sandpelt went on. "Streamstar said that he could…" even less of a reason why he wouldn't be aloud, "But…I don't think he should."

"Why not?" she asked, and Thorntail's loud obnoxious voice more or less forced her to glance at him.

"Sandpelt thinks I'm sick!" Thorntail spat at the earth, as if he didn't think that that was even a possibility. "So she said I should check with you to see if I'm well enough to go the Gathering."

Rosethorn sighed. Of course... "Lift up your paw," she meowed instantly, and Thorntail looked at her startled, but finally followed her order and lifted his paw into the air.

Rosethorn daintily touched the pad of the paw with her tail, and shivered. "Thorntail! Your paw is so…hot!"

"That means I can go to the Gathering?"

Rosethorn rolled her eyes. Thorntail was sometimes rather dense. "That means you have a fever."

"So?" Thorntail shrugged his shoulders, and Sandpelt let out a sigh of annoyance – as did Rosethorn. "I need to walk it off – that's all."

"That'll make it worse!" Rosethorn snapped. "You can't go to the Gathering – not tonight."

"I'll be fine though!" Thorntail pleaded. "I only got sick from running around in the rain yesterday. By tomorrow I'll be good as new."

Rosethorn dug her claws into the earth, frustrated. Why did Thorntail want to go the Gathering so badly? As if she couldn't guess! A certain pretty little ebony-colored she-cat with eyes as blue as the sky would be there! She hated to admit it, but if Thorntail liked Shadenight better then she had to let him go…but she wasn't going to let him kill himself by going to the Gathering!

"No." Rosethorn meowed firmly. "You're staying in camp, that's final."

"I'll inform Streamstar." Sandpelt piped up, squeezing her wide self out of the den, and leaving the two cats alone. Thorntail flashed her a mutinous glare.

"Why can't I go?" he whined – sounding like a kit.

"Thorntail…you can stay in the Warrior's Den if you like – you don't have to stay here. But if you go to the Gathering, you'll just get worse!"

Thorntail muttered something inaudible, before he meowed, "But…but I want to know who the new WindClan leader is."

"Blackshadow's going, I'm sure." Rosethorn meowed coolly. "I'm sure he'll be glad to tell you everything that happens in minute detail."

The gray tom still looked like he wanted to argue, but he seemed to have realized that Rosethorn wasn't back down on this, so finally he nodded. "Fine…" he mumbled.

"So…you want to sleep in the Warrior's Den, or here?" Rosethorn asked carefully, and quickly – almost too quickly – Thorntail answered her,

"Oh! Here! Here! Here!"

Rosethorn narrowed her eyes. He seemed a little too cheerful to be stuck in her den for her liking… However, she shrugged her shoulders. Whatever Thorntail's ulterior motive was, he wasn't going to the Gathering – and therefore, he wouldn't get worse.

…

"Morningpaw," Blackshadow poked his muzzle into the apprentice's den, and the young tortoise-shell she-cat's eyes lit up as she noticed him. "You're coming to the Gathering."

Morningpaw let out a purr of glee, and beside her, her sister, Aquapaw, piped up, "Am I going?"

"Your mentor, Icepelt, would know." Blackshadow shrugged. "If she hasn't told you, I doubt it." At this, Aquapaw let out an annoyed sigh. Hoping to comfort her, he meowed, "Beakpaw isn't going either." He didn't know how he felt about that however. Personally, he didn't think that Morningpaw should go on account of the incident when she nearly fell through the ice – Beakpaw had saved her. His half-brother truly deserved this honor – though he wasn't about to question Streamstar's judgment.

Aquapaw shrugged her shoulders, as if Beakpaw's staying really didn't comfort her.

"We're going to be leaving in a little while," Blackshadow meowed to Morningpaw, deciding that Aquapaw's disappointment wasn't his problem. "If I were you, I'd eat something before we go. The trip is longer then you think."

The young tortoise-shell purred at the prospect, and brushed passed him to probably head to the fresh-kill pile. Blackshadow gave Aquapaw a curt nod, before he backed out of the den, twitching his whiskers.

He scanned the camp curiously, and noticed Sandpelt crawling out of Rosethorn's den – and then hobbling over to the Nursery. A couple of the warriors – including Badgerclaw and Shrewtail were demolishing the fresh-kill pile…and Blackshadow almost rushed over there to help them with their quest, but instead found himself padding over to the Nursery in a swift trot.

He was overjoyed to see Applefur lounging outside of it – and was even happier when he noticed how round she had become with their kits!

"Hello, Applefur." He greeted her cheerfully, and Applefur flicked her tail in a silent 'hello'. "I'm going to the Gathering." He told her.

Applefur closed her eyes – it seemed to Blackshadow that it was an involuntary action – and muttered, "Are you? Well….be careful, and…and tell me if you win the battle."

Blackshadow stared blankly at the ginger lump of fur that was his mate. What the heck did she mean by that? He quickly assessed that she was half-asleep. "I will." He promised playing along. He flicked his ears, as he heard Streamstar call out – and he quickly realized that it was about time to leave. "I'll be back soon, Applefur." He purred giving her a quick lick on the ear, before turning his back on her and rushing towards the mass of cats who were joining Streamstar to go the Gathering.

As he trotted over, his pelt tingled with apprehension as he noticed how few cats were going. He knew that Streamstar had to spare one or two strong, healthy warriors to guard the camp…but the number of ThunderClan warriors that were going was hopelessly small. He shivered, wondering what message that would send to the other Clans.

He suddenly noticed that Streamstar had been speaking, so he turned his attention to his Clan leader.

"This will be an important Gathering," the silver she-cat was saying, "We will discover who WindClan's new leader is, and we will be hearing the status of RiverClan and ShadowClan – and who their new deputies are." Blackshadow recalled that both the deputies of RiverClan and ShadowClan had died in either the battle with WindClan, or from The Blood. "We must appear strong," Streamstar continued, "So we must watch our tongues. We cannot give any of the other Clans any sign that we are weak."

Blackshadow rolled his eyes – there were so few warriors going to the Gathering, that sign was enough that ThunderClan was having slight difficulties.

Streamstar seemed to sense some of her Clan's worries, so she quickly meowed, "Remember, ShadowClan had only two healthy cats to spare when we fought WindClan. And RiverClan lost just as many cats to The Blood as we did – if not more."

But RiverClan and ShadowClan didn't have half of their Clan turn against them! Blackshadow thought disdainfully.

At this, Streamstar twitched her tail. "Let's go."

…

As Blackshadow dove into the hollow, he noticed that ThunderClan was the last to arrive – WindClan, ShadowClan, and RiverClan scents rushed into his nostrils almost instantaneously.

He stumbled to a halt in one of the Great Oaks' shadows, and flickered his gaze around. He felt a jolt of relief and surprise, when he noticed that the Hollow wasn't as filled as it usually was – and the other Clans had brought hardly any warriors as well. Especially WindClan, Blackshadow realized. Their scent was very faint and hard to detect under the RiverClan and ShadowClan scents.

He was startled to hear a soft mew beside him, "I don't want to be here."

Blackshadow blinked surprised, and gazed down at the little black ball of fur that he recognized as Rosethorn's apprentice, Ebonypaw. "Then why are you here?" he asked curiously, and she shrugged.

"I told Streamstar I didn't want to come, but she said I had to…"

Blackshadow blinked, startled. Why would a leader force an apprentice to go to a Gathering if she didn't want to go? And why was Ebonypaw talking to him?

He didn't even have to ask – she quickly explained, "I already lost Morningpaw… Shrewtail told me that it's best for cats going to their first Gathering to stick close to their Clanmates."

Blackshadow chuckled lightly. He remembered Grasswhisper giving him the same advice for his first Gathering. He had tried to stick by Badgerclaw during that time – and wouldn't get more then two tail-lengths away. In the end, Badgerclaw got annoyed and chased him away.

He scanned the mass of cats for his apprentice, when he suddenly noticed Morningpaw speaking to a cluster of RiverClan and ShadowClan apprentices. From the looks of things, a silver ShadowClan tom had just told a pretty good joke, because every apprentice was purring hysterically.

"She's over there." He purred flicking his tail towards the tortoise-shell.

Ebonypaw's eyes lit up, and she muttered a thanks before rushing over to her.

Alone, Blackshadow decided to find a group of cats and start some sort of conversation with them.

He started to wander around Fourtrees aimlessly, when he accidentally ran into a ShadowClan she-cat.

"Oh, sorry!" he apologized, as she ShadowClan cat – a gray tabby – flashed him a furious glare.

She turned to her companion, a dark ginger tom with a big bushy tail, and meowed, "What did I tell you? ThunderClan cats are probably the loudest and clumsiest creatures that ever walked the forest."

Blackshadow's fur bristled. He had run into her by accident! He opened his mouth to say a stinging retort, but before he could, her companion spoke.

"Oh, come on, Whitesky, it was an accident."

Blackshadow almost stumbled back in surprise. A ShadowClan cat had just defended him – against one of his Clanmates? He stared blankly at the ginger tom, and suddenly recognized him as Foxpaw, the apprentice who had fought alongside ThunderClan and RiverClan against WindClan.

"And these accidents wouldn't happen if they weren't so clumsy, Foxheart." The gray cat- apparently Whitesky – argued, and Blackshadow quickly realized that Foxpaw must've received his warrior name.

Whitesky didn't seem to think that it was important to continue on with this conversation, because she stalked off towards a group of her Clanmates, and Blackshadow was left alone with Foxheart.

"So you got your warrior name?" he purred. "Congratulations!"

Foxheart shrugged his shoulders, "Thank you, Blackshadow." He meowed diplomatically, and Blackshadow had to stifle an annoyed sigh. Did ShadowClan cats ever show any emotion – other than rage?

"How's the prey running in ShadowClan?" he asked starting some small talk, and Foxheart flicked his tail – possibly not interested in the question.

"Fine, as normal." Foxheart narrowed his yellow eyes curiously, "And ThunderClan?"

"Much better now that NewLeaf is starting to kick in," Blackshadow purred, referring to the snow that had melted the day before.

Foxheart nodded in agreement, and meowed curiously, "So have you spoken to any of the WindClan cats yet?"

Blackshadow blinked, confused. "No, why?"

Foxheart let out a purr of amusement – a sign of emotion! – and explained, "They're in for some trouble in the future."

"Have they done something to ShadowClan?" he asked, wondering if WindClan had made an attack on the dark Clan as well as ThunderClan, but the ShadowClan warrior was shaking his head.

"They're all 'she's'."

Blackshadow's ears pricked at the news. "They are?"

"They are," Foxheart purred. "There's not a tom among them."

"Maybe all the toms are at camp," Blackshadow pointed out, but Foxheart shook his head.

"I doubt it," he growled, "And you know what this means, right?" Blackshadow opened his mouth to state that soon WindClan would die out, but Foxheart didn't give him time. "Runningstar's dead. He's a tom – he's not here."

Blackshadow suddenly realized that ShadowClan wouldn't know – as ThunderClan had – that Runningstar had died. He shivered, recalling just how Spottedlight had done it. She had mated with him first, and then came out claiming to have to make dirt, before she ordered a couple of Runningstar's own warriors to kill him.

"Who do you suppose their new leader is?" Blackshadow asked, and Foxheart shrugged.

"I can't tell. If I recall, Steeltalon died in the battle, correct? So it couldn't be him…"

Blackshadow opened his mouth to state his wild guess, but a sharp yowl at the top of the Great Rock cut him off, and he realized that the Gathering had begun!

He narrowed his eyes as he stared at the Four Cats. Smokestar had stepped slightly in front of them, his dark gray fur turning silver as the moonlight touched it and Blackshadow quickly assessed that it had been he who had made the call to begin the Gathering.

Beside the ShadowClan leader, was Streamstar – her ice-blue eyes scanning the mass of cats beneath her.

And next to her, stood the dark tabby tom that was RiverClan's docile leader, Duststar, who had his tail wrapped around his paws neatly, and was gently flicking his ears about.

However, Blackshadow had known that those three cats would be there. What he was curious about, however, was the new WindClan leader.

She stood on the other side of Smokestar than Streamstar, and Blackshadow blinked in surprise. She was so…so…tiny! WindClan cats were often rather scrawny from running across the moors after the rabbits, but their leader looked no older than Blackshadow's young apprentice, Morningpaw! And beside the large ShadowClan leader, she looked even smaller. Her pelt was a cross between blue and gray, and her gaze was a piercing blue – and it sent shivers down Blackshadow's spine as she stretched her gaze across all the cats beneath her.

"Duststar would like to begin the Gathering with his news," Smokestar meowed calmly, taking a step back, and Duststar gave him a curt nod before stepping to the edge of the great stone.

"Though RiverClan had…difficulties with The Blood, we have grown overcame it, and are strong once more." The tom began calmly, flashing a cold glare at the new WindClan leader. "We are blessed with new litters of kits, and we have two new apprentices. Rinoa and Dovepaw." He announced, and Blackshadow pricked his ears. Rinoa? Rinoa? That was not an apprentice name! It wasn't even a Warrior's name! Apparently some other cats were wondering that too, because a soft murmur rose up from the cats below.

Duststar flicked his ears, and as though he didn't seem to think that it was important to explain his apprentice's name. "We also have one new warrior. Embertail is the newest warrior of RiverClan!" he purred, and Blackshadow heard some cats yowl Embertail's name out in congratulations, though he himself didn't pay much attention. He was too busy thinking about Rinoa. Surely Duststar had let a loner join his Clan…he wanted to hear about that piece of info.
"In other news…" Duststar continued, "Some of us remember my daughter, Tawnyleaf, who was once medicine cat of RiverClan."

Blackshadow blinked. He recalled the name… though he couldn't attach a face.

"I exiled Tawnyleaf from RiverClan many moons ago because though she was a medicine cat, she still found a mate in another Clan," he spat the words 'in another Clan' as if it was a bad piece of prey. Blackshadow himself felt his tail straighten up in surprise. Was that really a reason to exile her? The poor cat! Duststar always seemed like such a calm tom – and docile! It was almost impossible to picture him exiling a cat who had tried to murder him – let alone his daughter! "During her exile," Duststar continued, "Her kits – of which there were two litters – all died… She came to me, and I decided that the loss of her kits was punishment enough…and have decided to let her re-join RiverClan as a warrior."

Blackshadow sighed in relief. He felt sorry for Tawnyleaf's kits, but although he didn't know her, he didn't think that it was right that she be sent away from her Clan for something like that.

"However…after her kits died, Tawnyleaf took another cat under her wing, and raised it as her own. Rinoa." Duststar shrugged his shoulders. "I've let her join the Clan as well, and she is training under Puddlespots to learn the Warrior Code and become a respected warrior of RiverClan."

Beside Blackshadow, Foxheart let out a surprised squeak. Blackshadow couldn't blame him. It was unusual for Clans to take in an outsider. He couldn't help but wonder if RiverClan had really taken pity on the Rinoa and Tawnyleaf. More likely, it was that RiverClan was desperate for able-bodied warriors.

"I thought I should repeat the Warning I sent Owlpelt to deliver to ThunderClan and ShadowClan," Duststar went on, "During a patrol, a couple of my warriors and I met a loner. He is very small – and looks almost exactly like a pretty she-cat. Except he is indeed, a tom." He stressed. "His pelt is silver…and he has pale green eyes."

"One loner?" Streamstar beside him echoed. "Duststar, loners come into Clan territories all the time and we never have trouble chasing them out. And from the sounds of this tom, he isn't exactly dangerous."

"Well…" Duststar drawled, "You're right – we had no trouble chasing him out at all…but…something seemed…odd about him."

"Odd?" the WindClan she-cat echoed, twitching her whiskers curiously, and Duststar flashed her a glance and confirmed it.

"Odd." He repeated. "Something…seems to be lacking in him."

"You mean he's missing a paw or something?" Streamstar echoed. "Or do you mean he's mouse-brained?"

"No…nothing like that." Duststar meowed. "But something was off about him. I suggest all of your patrols keep a look out for him. A loner is a danger to all Clans."

A ripple of worry spread out around the cats below the HighRock – however, it was silenced, as Smokestar growled, "He's not a loner." The Clan leaders cast startled glances at Smokestar – possibly surprised that he would mention the loner at all. "He's a ShadowClan…apprentice." Smokestar meowed calmly.

"We did scent ShadowClan on him!" Duststar meowed, slightly surprised. "But we just assumed that it was because he had traveled across your territory at some point."

"You would assume that," Smokestar meowed curtly. "He wasn't born in ShadowClan, however. When he was a little younger, we let him join our Clan. His name is Silverpaw."

Suddenly, some realization seemed to hit Duststar, because he hissed, "What was a ShadowClan apprentice doing on RiverClan territory?"

Beside him, Blackshadow heard Foxheart hiss indignantly, "Only StarClan knows." Blackshadow blinked, surprised. Why was Foxheart speaking so badly about his Clanmate?

"We didn't know when we let him join…but Silverpaw is a little…well, you pointed it out just perfectly, Duststar – odd." Smokestar shrugged his shoulders. "Our medicine cat, Shadedhope was looking after him, but he ran away when The Blood broke out – with the help of his two siblings, who ran off along with him. We haven't seen any of them since."

"Foxheart," Blackshadow meowed, poking the ShadowClan tom hard in the side with his tail, "What does Smokestar mean when he says that Shadedhope was looking after Silverpaw?"

Foxheart flashed him a glance, and meowed, "He means that Silverpaw is completely out of his mind."

Blackshadow blinked; surprised that Foxheart had been so outspoken. Usually you had to claw the information out of a ShadowClan cat.

Duststar seemed to be done giving his news, because he stepped back a paw-step, and the blue-gray WindClan leader took his place.

"Greetings cats of all Clans." She meowed calmly. "I am Timidleaf, leader of WindClan."

Blackshadow let out a hiss. Timidleaf! She hadn't yet got her nine lives from StarClan! She shouldn't be allowed to speak at the Gathering! Then he realized that Timidleaf wouldn't be able to get her nine lives, until Spottedstar was dead…and Spottedstar wouldn't die until she had her kits.

"WindClan is doing fine," Timidleaf openly lied – How could WindClan be fine? All their toms were dead…as was their medicine cat! They couldn't be doing worse if they tried! "And the prey is running just fine…"

"Yes, we know." Streamstar meowed smugly – probably referring to the fact that a cat from any Clan could now hunt in WindClan territory because of the promise they had forced WindClan to make. At her joke, several cats purred with amusement – though Timidleaf flashed her a death glare, though she didn't comment on Streamstar's rudeness – she only continued with her news.

"Our warrior, Graycloud, has decided to walk the path of a medicine cat. During the Half-moon, she will join them on their journey to HighStones." Blackshadow rolled his eyes. Like Graycloud had had any choice in the matter! WindClan needed a medicine cat! "And I have chosen Mapleleaf as my deputy."

At her words, Blackshadow noticed a golden-brown she-cat sit up a little straighter, and Blackshadow made the connection that that was probably the new WindClan deputy, Mapleleaf.

"Some of you may have noticed," Timidleaf went on, "That there is not a tom among us."

Blackshadow leaned forward curious to as why Timidleaf was speaking about WindClan's weakness. He had expected Foxheart to point it out- of course ShadowClan would be giddy about WindClan's troubles. But why would the WindClan leader bring it up?

"However, WindClan has decided to do all the Clan's a favor and kill two birds with one bite." She purred, wrapping her tail neatly around her paws. "WindClan will search, and find this Silverpaw – and his siblings – and we will accept them into WindClan. He will father many kits – and none of you will have to fear of loners running about your territory."

Blackshadow exchanged a glance with Foxheart. Timidleaf had clearly decided that just now. And he couldn't help but wonder how desperate WindClan was if they would accept a loner – a loner that was formally of ShadowClan…who also was insane, to join their Clan! Timidleaf had made the decision with hardly a heartbeat to think!

"But to find him…" Timidleaf continued an odd glint in her blue eyes, "We will need the permission of the RiverClan, ThunderClan, and ShadowClan leaders to search their territories for them. So…Streamstar? Smokestar? Duststar?"

Streamstar let out a raspy purr – as if Timidleaf's words were the funniest thing she had ever heard in her entire life. "You're mouse-brained if you think we'd let you do that." She snapped. "At least ThunderClan won't. I'm sure all you'd search for is Silverpaw and his kin. So sure." She meowed sarcastically. "Step one paw on our land, and we'll show you how welcome you are!"

"Same goes for RiverClan," Duststar meowed coolly.

Timidleaf flattened her ears against her head, and flashed a glance at Smokestar. "What about you?" she asked the gray tom.

Smokestar hesitated before answering. "Timidleaf…" he growled, "I don't care how desperate you are for a tom cat. You will not search our territory for Silverpaw. And if by some chance you find him on your own…I doubt you'd want him along with the trouble he'll cause anyway." He advised,

Timidleaf's fur bristled at Smokestar's calling her desperate, and while she snapped her retort, Blackshadow poked Foxheart again.

"What does Smokestar mean by the trouble he'll cause?"

"Silverpaw caused some trouble in ShadowClan." Foxheart meowed guardedly, and Blackshadow was tempted to snap – 'I know that, thank you,' but to his surprise, a young cat somewhere behind him yowled out:

"Didn't Silverpaw kill-"

Before he or she was sharply cut off – probably from a furious Clanmate.

This piqued Blackshadow's curiosity. "Who'd Silverpaw kill?" he asked – as Foxheart flashed a furious glance behind him, possibly at the apprentice who had yowled out half a sentence.

Apparently Foxheart decided that it was pointless to keep it hidden now, so he meowed, "Silverpaw killed his mentor."

"Who was that?" Blackshadow asked, but Foxheart shook his head, unwilling to answer. However, Blackshadow was persistent – and apparently annoying – because finally Foxheart snapped,

"He killed Goldclaw."

Blackshadow sighed, disappointed. He didn't know who Goldclaw was! The news was absolutely pointless.

However, he realized, Applefur seemed to know everyone in the Forest. He ignored the news that Streamstar stepped forward to give – about their surpluss of kits, the new warrior, Dusktail, and their new deputy, Sandpelt. Blackshadow's whiskers twitched in surprise, however, when he gazed at Streamstar's eyes. She seemed to be excited about something – but he couldn't place his claw on what.

However, he decided not to worry about it – and Streamstar quickly finished up her piece of news, and Smokestar took her place – announcing the new ShadowClan deputy to be Ravenfeather, Foxheart's warrior name, and not much else. However, there might've been but Blackshadow blatantly ignored it. Instead, he couldn't help but start thinking of how odd the news he had just acquired was. Silverpaw, an apprentice…had killed his mentor? He had heard once or twice of mentors being a little too rough with their apprentices, but never had he heard of an apprentice killing their mentor!

He shivered, knowing that that dangerous – apparently slightly crazed – tom was running around the forest!