The full moon hung over the hollow of FourTrees, where ThunderClan, RiverClan, and WindClan anxiously awaited the arrival of the last clan.
"Do you think they'll show?" a RiverClan cat murmured nervously, voice carrying over the other subdued cats.
"They're probably all dead," a WindClan queen replied with a sniff.
"They're not dead," Raventhroat snapped, fur bristling. "I heard some while on patrol a few days ago."
Before anyone else could speak, the grass parted and a dark ginger molly glided into the clearing, followed by several other cats. The other clans recoiled from them in surprise and fear.
"Russetfur?" Leopardfur mewed. "Where is Nightstar?"
Russetfur regarded her for a moment before raising a brow. "Isn't it obvious?" She lifted her head and her voice carried over the cats. "I am Russetstar, and ShadowClan is free of its sickness."
Silence hung over the gathering like a thick smog, and Russetstar padded forward to jump onto the Greatrock. She turned to gaze down at the clan cats, then at the other leaders already sitting on the stone. Russetstar bowed to them.
"I thank you for your help. The food was much appreciated." She lifted her head, dark green eyes flashing. "But we are stronger now, and can care for ourselves. We will not forget your kindness though. If you need help with anything, you only need to ask."
The other leaders exchanged glances before Tallstar stepped forward. "I am happy to see that ShadowClan has recovered. Welcome, Russetstar, it is good to have you among us." He glanced down at the ShadowClan cats, who still bore the leanness from the sickness, but held themselves high, tails waving as they watched their leader. "Four clans, as it should be."
"Five," Russetstar corrected him gently, before looking up at the night sky. Tallstar nodded, whiskers twitching in chagrin.
"I forget how close we are to them at times," Tallstar mewed, ears flat. "They feel like a part of the clan, rather than their own."
"I know the feeling," Crookedstar murmured, tailtip twitching. "It's something we all forget now and again, but at least we have cats who are willing to remind us when we do."
Bluestar flexed her paws on the stone beneath her. "So, is there anything to report beyond Russetstar's rise to leadership?"
"Nightstar, Runningnose, and Brownpaw are dead," Russetstar meowed. "Cinderfur retired from the position of deputy, giving it to Oakfur instead." The light brown tom puffed his chest out as the gathered cats mewed at him.
"Did StarClan talk to you during your ceremony?" Crookedstar asked, ears perked forward.
"No," Russetstar mewed with a frown. "No prophecies, no warnings, just…calm and peaceful."
"So it's not just me that's perturbed by that," Tallstar mewed.
"They did remind me of the code, however, and that…it's not as complicated as we make it out to be," Russetstar mewed. "The clans can have their territories, and defend them, but there's no need to always be hostile to one another. They want us to cooperate and be friendly with each other, and we've seen the results of that with the rogues and this sickness." She bowed to each leader again. "I cannot thank you enough for helping us."
"What matters is that ShadowClan is strong again," Bluestar mewed. "Rise, Russetstar, leader of ShadowClan."
The clans chanted her name, and Russetstar blinked to clear her eyes, before stepping back to let the other leaders speak.
Crookedstar stepped forward. "The Twolegs have thankfully gone back to their nests as we near Leaf-bare, which means the river is going to likely freeze, and hunting there will be more dangerous." He glanced at Bluestar. "If your warriors fall in, I cannot promise that there'll be a patrol nearby to save them. Tread carefully around Sunningrocks."
Bluestar's whiskers twitched. "Thank you for the warning." Her blue eyes turned to her clan cats. "I would hope we wouldn't be so foolish as to try something we're not accustomed to, but you know how cats are."
A few of the ThunderClan cats glanced at Graystripe, who met their looks with a raised chin, eyes gleaming. Silverstream snaked through the throng to his side and the two put their heads together while a few RiverClan cats snickered in amusement.
Crookedstar sighed, shaking his head. "Be careful," he repeated, before glancing at Tallstar, who watched the proceedings silently.
"All's quiet in WindClan. Some old fox-scent up north, but far away from our camp and usual hunting grounds. Sometimes an occasional Twoleg walking their dog, but they're too stupid and slow to catch a WindClan cat." He blinked. "That is all."
"Then this gathering is dismissed," Bluestar mewed, flicking her tail. The leaders jumped down from the rock and the clans mingled as cats exchanged more personal news with one another.
Tallstar and Deadfoot gathered the WindClan cats together and soon departed. Fireleap watched them go curiously.
"What's the rush?" she murmured, tilting her head. Raventhroat stopped by her and flicked his ears.
"Heard the queens talking about Morningflower, who wasn't here, so I'm guessing she's got more kits. Couple that with the news of a fox – however old the scent may be – and it's no wonder they want to get back as quickly as possible. Foxes have a nasty tendency to sneak up on you when you least expect it. I think that's how Bluestar lost her kits shortly before she became deputy to Sunstar a while ago, at least according to Frostfur."
Fireleap blinked before glancing over at Bluestar, who was sitting with Oakheart and Mistyfoot, talking with them. The RiverClan deputy's ears twitched and Fireleap looked away, her whiskers itching.
"Must be rough," she mewed. Raventhroat followed her gaze and blinked thoughtfully.
"It's not uncommon for a molly to lose her kits out here," he murmured. "Whether to sickness, weakness, or wild animals." He looked up. "Even some of the birds around here are large enough to carry off a kit, and then you've got hawks and eagles that can carry off a full-grown cat-"
"Raventhroat," Fireleap mewed sharply. "That's enough."
He flinched, before ducking his head. "Sorry, he mewed, and Fireleap brushed her tail against his shoulder comfortingly.
"I know you mean well, but you tend to ramble if given enough time," she mewed in amusement.
"I get told that a lot," Raventhroat mewed dryly. "Although the elders seem far more tolerant of it than most. Probably because they can't get around like they used to and don't get a lot of company with which to gossip, so…" He shook his head. "And there I went again."
Fireleap's whiskers twitched and she stifled a purr, before hearing Bluestar yowl for the clan to gather.
Graystripe reluctantly pulled away from Silverstream and headed back to his clanmates, and Silverstream bounded over to her father, who was also gathering his cats.
Both clans bid farewell to one another and departed, leaving ShadowClan the last cats in the hollow.
Russetstar shook out her pelt and exhaled, before glancing at Littlecloud. "I think that went rather well."
The medicine cat nodded, gazing around the hollow. "Even though things haven't changed, it doesn't feel the same anymore. I don't know if that's a good thing or not though."
Russetstar frowned before brightening. "That's true, but as long as we're here, we'll deal with whatever may come, alone or together if we have to."
She gathered her clan with a wave of her tail and they returned home.
