FlowerClan padded in front of them, Tulipstar proudly leading her patrol to the cave entrance. Ashstar raised his skinny gray tail in a silent command to his Clan to halt. He watched the FlowerClan patrol disappear down the tunnel and waited a few moments, his clan waiting patiently behind him.

He lowered his tail, padding out of the aspen forest. His Clan following him silently across the moonlit meadow and moving as one down the tunnel. The air became cooler as they padded along the tunnel and any noise from his Clanmates bounced off the stone. Ashstar picked up his pace, leading AspenClan quickly through the darkness of the tunnel.

As they neared the Gathering Cave stone turned into dirt beneath his paws, the mews of cats gossiping and the mingling of scents of the Clans grew stronger. Ashstar halted his Clan and pushed his head through the tall grasses to look into the cave.

The Gathering Cave was a semi-large cave, with a massive hole in the stone above their heads, which let the moon shine down upon the gathered cats. Bushes and tall grasses outlined the cave and hid the entrances. The Great Ledge sat high above the rest of the cave, with a narrow path for the leaders to climb to sit upon on it. The deputies sat beneath the Great Ledge on a flat stone. FlowerClan was just beginning to settle into the cave alongside DustClan and ShadeClan. Fallstar and Smallstar were sitting together on the Great Ledge while Tulipstar picked her way up the narrow path to join them.

With a flick of his tail, Ashstar led AspenClan at a trot into the Gathering Cave, he turned away from his Clan to begin picking his way up the path to join the other leaders. He flicked his tail in a greeting as he pulled himself up onto the ledge.

"Ashstar," Smallstar said with a dip of her small head. Ashstar touched his nose to each leader's ear in turn before sitting down between Tulipstar and Smallstar.

"How is ShadeClan?" The gray leader asked.

"Very well. The snow barely affected us."

"Good. And FlowerClan?"

"The territory is muddy but we'll survive," Tulipstar said with a flick of her orange tail. The bushes on the second entrance to the cave rustled as IceClan pushed through. The IceClan deputy led the patrol.

"Where's Scruffystar?" Fallstar murmured, turning his head towards his littermates.

"Breezeclaw said she's had her kits," Smallstar responded. They watched as the deputy carefully padded his way up the path.

"Graywhisker," Tulipstar greeted him, shifting slightly so he could sit beside her. "How is Scruffystar?"

"She's well, but she's not ready to leave her kits yet." The deputy responded with a proud purr.

"What are their names?" Fallstar asked.

"Leafkit, Graykit, and Squirrelkit."

"I hope I get to see them soon," Smallstar purred.

"Anytime, just wait on the border. I'll let all my warriors know you're to be brought to the camp to visit."

"Thank you, Graywhisker," Tulipstar said before standing up and padding to the front of the Great Ledge. She let out a yowl to get the clans' attention. "Smallstar, would you like to go first?" The brown and silver tabby stood up and padded to the edge of the ledge.

"ShadeClan is healthy! Our apprentices are intelligent and quick. We have two cats living with us to see if they want to become Warriors." The she-cat dipped her head to Fallstar and moved to sit down again. Fallstar took his sister's place, his green eyes scanning over the gathered clans.

"DustClan is fine," the tom mewed coolly. "We have nothing to report. Ashstar?" The tom asked. Ashstar pushed himself onto his paws and took Fallstar's place.

"AspenClan has three new apprentices. Columbineheart's kits, Sparklepaw, Plumpaw, and Squeakpaw have been apprenticed to Waterpelt, Nettleclaw, and Lightsoul," he paused to give time for the apprentices to sit up slightly as the clans called out their names.

"Sparklepaw! Plumpaw! Squeakpaw!" The gathered Clans called. Ashstar stepped back, nodding to Tulipstar. The orange and white she-cat padded forward, flicking her plumy tail back and forth.

"Squirrelfur's apprentice Shadowpaw finished his training and is now a FlowerClan warrior, Shadowwing!" Ashstar spied the tan and black tom as he sat up slightly and puffed out his chest.

"Shadowwing! Shadowwing!" Tulipstar returned to her spot to let the IceClan deputy pad forward.

"IceClan is proud to announce the birth of Scruffystar and Lightwing's kits, Leafkit, Graykit, and Squirrelkit. Both parents are in camp with their kits tonight. Watersong has moved into the nursery and is expecting a litter of kits." Ashstar noticed the small she-cat press against her mate, Breezeclaw. "And, we welcome Icespark as a warrior of IceClan."

"Icespark! Icespark!" Ashstar watched Graywhisker return to the leaders, a purr rising in his throat.

"Congratulations, Graywhisker," the AspenClan leader said, touching his nose to his. "I'm sure you are very proud of your daughter." The gray tom nodded.

"Thank you. I'm very proud of her... I wish Fishfur had been here for her ceremony." Tulipstar's tail touched Graywhisker's shoulder for a moment to comfort him.

"I wish Soloswoop and Willowsong were here to meet Scruffystar's kits," Fallstar said quietly. Smallstar turned on her brother, her pelt bristling.

"Why would we want them here? They obviously didn't care about us!" The silver she-cat's voice raised. Ashstar raised his gaze to the hole in the top of the cave, a few clouds were moving towards the moon.

"They were our parents," Tulipstar said softly, shifting nervously. Her eyes moved towards the moon as well.

"They abandoned us! Soloswoop couldn't lead us and ran away when we suggested how to fix it!" As the ShadeClan leader cried out, the clouds finished their journey and covered the moon. The entire cave was dark and Ashstar got onto his paws.

"StarClan has been angered. The Gathering is over!" The AspenClan leader yowled and quickly picked his way down from the Great Ledge. He called out to his Clanmates and waited by the cave entrance. Once Lightsoul joined him with the rest of AspenClan, Ashstar broke into a run to lead his Clan home.