Easily some of my 2 favorite chapters to write in the whole story. I've been building up to this moment so I feel I need to give it justice.

And the cool fact of the day is: of the 36 species of cats, the jaguar has the strongest bite force which is twice that of a lion's.(it needs the extra bite to kill caimans)

"Cats of trees, hills, and streams, gather here for a Clan meeting!"

Jayfeather raised his head and turned to face the sound. He recognized Onestar's voice instantly. He was back in the WindClan camp. Beside him he could feel Lionblaze and Breezepelt's eagerness as Onestar's loud voice carried over the heads of the gathered cats. The three of them had met up in the camp to talk, and even though Breezepelt's tone still had a nervous edge to it, he seemed to be opening up more the longer he was with the two ThunderClan cats.

"Excellent, it's about to start," Lionblaze meowed, standing up. "We've been sitting around for what feels like half the day already."

"I know, right? I haven't practiced my under-belly claw thrust since-" Breezepelt broke off, a wave of hot guilt rolling off his pelt. He had clearly been thinking about the fight when he had taken sides with the Dark Forest and attacked the Clans.

Jayfeather rested his tail on his half-brother's shoulder. "Try to forget about what happened. If I have learned anything from the past few moons, it is to leave behind the bad and concentrate on making the now as great as it can be. Peace has come to the Clans and all the cats Tigerstar tricked have been pardoned."

"Easy for you to say," the WindClan cat muttered. "No cat trusts me. Even the kits are afraid of me because of the stories the other warrior's tell them."

Jayfeather didn't have an easy answer for that. I'm trying to convince him that our lives were rough too, but I know his was worse. What do I say to make him feel better? But he was saved from having to respond by Onestar's yowl.

"I hope every cat has shared tongues and their gossip with one another because sun-high is here and the time has come for us to gather and prepare for combat!"

Jayfeather let his gaze flicker up to where the WindClan leader stood on the high-rock. He knew Lionblaze and Breezepelt would enjoy the big battle while the medicine cat stayed behind to entertain the kits again. He couldn't help but deflate his shoulders a little.

"I know you are all probably wondering how this is going to work," Onestar continued. "The other Clan leaders and I have been discussing a few things and we decided to go back to old tradition: the teams will be ThunderClan and WindClan versus RiverClan and ShadowClan."

"TigerClan against LionClan, just like old times," Blackstar rumbled, sounding more agreeable than he had earlier that day.

"LionClan will gather by the ThunderClan border while TigerClan assembles by the river on the RiverClan border," Mistystar explained. "All claws are sheathed and the battle ends once all medicine cats are captured from the opposing team."

Jayfeather blinked. He almost thought he had heard wrong. Catch the medicine cats? What in StarClan does that mean? You mean I won't be spending the whole day with the kits? Perhaps the day wouldn't be a loss after all.

"When every cat is ready, we will split up and head out," Bramblestar ordered. "May StarClan light all of our paths!"


:3


Jayfeather sat quietly, tail wrapped around paws, as he listened to the warriors make a battle plan. They were on the moor by the ThunderClan border beneath the branches of one of the big oak trees that grew on the WindClan side of the river. Bramblestar and Onestar were leading the discussion with the other WindClan and ThunderClan cats circled around them.

"Since WindClan is fastest, maybe they should go find Willowshine and Littlecloud," Squirelflight suggested. "ThunderClan could stay back and defend."

"You want us to be running around the moors while you sit back here? No way," countered Breezepelt. "There's no way ThunderClan is going to have the easier task."

"But you are at home on the moors," added Berrynose. "You could run circles around them until they gave up and then capture their medicine cats."

Some WindClan cat in the back snorted in defiance.

"Berrynose does have a point," meowed Bramblestar. "WindClan have the home advantage. They know every pawstep of this land so it would be impossible for TigerClan's medicine cats to stay hidden for long."

Onestar cleared his throat. "If we are so at home on the moors," he mewed slowly. "Then why don't we help defend it? We know where the best places are to fight, and where Kestrelflight and Jayfeather could hide themselves."

"Hide on the moors?" asked Cloudtail. "No matter where you are, any cat can see you. There's no cover."

"Well, maybe not for a snow white cat like you," Ashfoot pointed out.

Jayfeather sighed as the warriors argued. He liked the whole idea of a mock battle, it was definitely something every Clan could enjoy. But he knew he would wake up sore and bruised the next morning- assuming some TigerClan cat found him. He would have to rely on his Clanmates to defend him. What a strange daylight Gathering this is.

Yowling broke out in the distance, and the discussion went silent. That was the signal that ShadowClan and RiverClan were ready!

"We don't have time to talk anymore," growled Bramblestar. "Onestar and I will take whatever warriors with us on the attack while the deputies organize a defense. Once they are confident the medicine cats are safe, they may send whatever available warriors to the front lines."

"Fine, that will have to do," Onestar muttered. "I want most cats battling TigerClan but perhaps a couple volunteers should slip past the enemy lines and begin searching for Willowshine and Littlecloud as soon as possible."

"I'll go," Lionblaze announced immediately. His power was an inability to lose a fight, so maybe he thought it unfair to be fighting on the frontlines.

"I'm going, too," Breezepelt added confidently.

There was a moment of quiet as Jayfeather assumed the Clan leaders were nodding their approval. Then the cats dispersed as Bramblestar and Onestar gathered a band of cats together and pelted away towards the RiverClan border. Ashfoot and Squirrelflight rounded up the remaining warriors and apprentices to prepare a defense.

"Ashfoot, you know the moors better than any cat," Squirrelflight meowed hastily. "Where are the best places to hide? We could set up an ambush and catch TigerClan by surprise."

"Ambushing is more of a ShadowClan thing, but I know some great spots where we can set up. This way!" the WindClan deputy meowed. "I'll take Sedgewhisker, Weaselfur, Swallowtail, and Whiskerpaw with me. Gorsetail, you stay with the rest of the cats nearby and guard the medicine cats. We will be by the boulder patch so just yowl if you need us to fall back. Make sure Kestrelflight and Jayfeather are well defended in case some cats sneak past our defense."

"Dovewing stay back with Gorsetail's patrol," Squirrelflight ordered. "Everyone else with me." The deputies lead their patrols away through the grass until only a pawful of cats remained behind.

"Do you two want us to escort you while you hide?" suggested Gorsetail, padding over to the medicine cats. "You would be safer in a group."

"We'll be fine," Kestrelflight mewed, laying his tail on Jayfeather's side and guiding him away from the others. "I know this part of the territory better than any cat- I gather herbs from around here all the time. A larger group would attract more attention."

Jayfeather resisted. "Wouldn't we be safer with them?" he urged the WindClan medicine cat.

But Kestrelflight let out a purr of amusement. "Two cats hide better than seven. And Dovewing can already hear where every cat is no matter where they are, right? So as long as she is with the warrior patrol, they will be able to find us."

"Okay then," mewed Gorsetail. "But we will be close by. If we spot any TigerClan cats, we will try to lead them in the opposite direction from where you are hiding."

Jayfeather shrugged, but didn't argue as the warriors' pawsteps pattered away. Dovewing's stayed behind, her gaze warming the medicine cat's fur for just a moment, then she raced after the WindClan cats without a word.

Alone with Kestrelflight, the other medicine cat padded over to him. "Sorry."

Jayfeather tilted his head. "Sorry for what?"

"Sorry for Onestar's mouse-brained idea for a Gathering. I know fighting isn't exactly what a medicine cat calls fun."

Jayfeather shrugged. "As long as we don't get caught, we don't have anything to worry about. Plus, we have Dovewing and Lionblaze on our side, and they could probably win this competition together without any other cats on their team."

"Really? I know they have powers but could they really beat all of TigerClan by themselves? Actually don't answer that. Right now we need to find a hiding place. Follow me." The WindClan cat's paws headed down the gentle slope towards the ThunderClan border. "There is a patch of tall grass by the stream that should be large enough for both of us to hide in."

"I'm right behind you," Jayfeather meowed and they darted off towards the sound of gurgling water.

It wasn't long before they were at Kestrelflight's hideout.

Safely concealed in the grass, both medicine cats hunkered down and waited for something to happen. Kestrelflight's tail twitched nervously the whole time and Jayfeather spread his awareness out to monitor the area around them. If Dovewing were with them, they would know exactly where every enemy was and how to avoid them, but where was the fun in that?

"Did you notice the plants surrounding the camp?" Kestrelflight asked suddenly. "I know they aren't in full bloom yet, but they will look amazing once green-leaf comes around."

Jayfeather perked up in interest. "That was your doing? I was wondering who would waste their time planting so many daisy's, dandelions and goldenrod," he mewed cheekily. "I wonder if I could do a similar thing around the ThunderClan camp. Those particular plants don't grow as well in the forest."

They didn't have long to chat because it seemed like only a matter of moments before the sound of yowling and caterwauling broke out in the distance and Jayfeather pricked his ears again. Cats of every Clan were fighting all over the moor and he struggled to pick out the yowls of individuals. A small party of ShadowClan cats had just run into Ashfoot and Squirrelflight's ambush by the sound of it. Lionblaze and Breezepelt were fighting a group of RiverClan cats close to the horseplace. Blackstar and Mistystar were marching in a line of warriors straight across the center of the moor, and shrieks broke out as they collided with Bramblestar and Onestar's patrol.

"Do you know what's happening out there," asked Kestrelflight, breaking his concentration. "With your power?"

Jayfeather nodded. He heard the heavy paw steps on the ground and the thumping of bodies colliding as cat threw himself at cat. "It sounds intense."

"Do you think I should have brought some herbs in case of injuries?"

The ThunderClan cat shook his head. "I don't think so. They aren't actually trying to hurt each other, it's all just a big game. They are fighting with claws sheathed after all. Besides, we can always run back to camp and fetch some herbs if something does go wrong. But nobody is going to die from the wounds they get today."

All was quiet except for the sounds of cats in the distance. Jayfeather suddenly wondered if their hiding place was too good. What if no TigerClan cats ever showed up? They would be sitting there for the rest of the day! He opened his mouth to suggest finding a different spot to lurk, when he felt alarm spark off the other cat's fur.

"Cats are coming."

Jayfeather ducked down. Knowing how little cover there was on the moor, he realized their patch of tall grass must look like an obvious hiding spot. He pressed himself against the moist ground as paws thrummed towards him- and it wasn't Gorsetail's patrol.

"Come on!" Kestrelflight hissed and he scrambled away. "I know of a better place."

Jayfeather got to his paws and fled after him. He could scent ShadowClan cats nearby but a yowl broke out as Gorsetail and her patrol attacked the intruders. They would distract the enemy long enough for the medicine cats to escape.

His paws skidded on the pebbles as he rushed along the river that marked the border. Kestrelflight was leading him towards the Moonpool. But to his horror, when he pricked his ears, the patter of foreign paws met them. A cat was gaining on them! This battle will be over if that cat catches us, he thought to himself and forced his paws to move faster.

He opened his mouth wide as he ran and breathed in the scent of his attacker. It was Dawnpelt. The ShadowClan she-cat must have seen them and broken off from the rest of her patrol.

"Take the path to the Moonpool," Kestrelflight called to him from somewhere ahead. "She won't be as used to traveling on the rocks as we are."

Jayfeather nodded and pelted after him. He leapt from rock to rock and was pleased when his paws carried him swiftly and carefully to safety. It was true that Dawnpelt wasn't as experienced at traveling to the Moonpool, and he soon lost track of her paw steps.

"I think we lost her," panted Kestrelflight from the top of the rise as Jayfeather joined him.

"Nope, I'm still here."

Jayfeather spun around. Mouse-dung! He dropped into a battle crouch and heard Kestrelflight do the same with a hiss. "You won't take us without a fight," he growled, baring his teeth but keeping his claws sheathed.

Dawnpelt purred, panting slightly from the run. "Just two medicine cats? I think I can handle it." Without warning, the she-cat pounced.

Kestrelflight yelped as the warrior bowled him over. Jayfeather heard the two cats scuffling on the rocks and he hopped out of the way as they rolled towards him.

Summoning all his warrior training, he jumped around the battling cats and tried to get behind Dawnpelt. He charged, head down, and knocked the ShadowClan cat away.

"Thanks, Jayfeather," gasped Kestrelflight.

The ShadowClan warrior rolled with the hit but she was quickly back on her paws. With a hiss, she leapt again and knocked Jayfeather to the ground. He writhed in her grip but she was strong and held him firm. He pummeled her belly with his hind paws and tried to squirm away, but it was hopeless. He was about to admit defeat when he felt her stagger and lose her hold.

Kestrelflight had found his way onto the warrior's back from behind and was tugging her to the ground.

Free from his attacker's grasp, Jayfeather flung himself at the hissing she-cat and together, he and Kestrelflight managed to pin her down.

"Medicine cats aren't so easy to beat now, are they?" Kestrelflight panted into her ear.

"No fair!" whined Dawnpelt, thrashing about helplessly between the two toms. "It's two against one!"

"We beat you," mewed Jayfeather, his muscles straining to hold her firm. "Go back to TigerClan- and don't tell them where we are hiding," he added cheekily.

The two medicine cats released their catch and Jayfeather heard the ShadowClan cat flee away down the rocks until her paw steps disappeared into the distance. He sat and tried to catch his breath. Neither he nor Kestrelflight would have stood a chance against Dawnpelt alone and they all knew it.

He stroked his tongue over his ruffled fur. The fight had been short but he felt as if he had been fighting a badger. I would absolutely rather be doing this than gathering herbs any day

Ughh, this chapter was riddled with mistakes. I had to fix so much...