Simplier Times updated today and reading the latest chapter made me realize how bad my dialogue is. Weird, I really thought I would have an easier time writing out this chapter. I'm just really bad at turning the stuff in my head into physical writing. Ah well, hopefully the next big plot point will be more fun to write out.

So I got an email from one of my teachers that basically told us that they were looking forward to the school year and didn't even send us anything of interest, but my anxiety kicked in anyway. I might have problems...

Also don't expect a update at the usual time tomorrow. I did say that Saturdays were going to be weird. Hopefully my back won't crack under all the standing I'll be doing tomorrow.

Reviews are appreciated!

There was a sense of unease as Firestar watched his warriors prepare themselves for tonight's Gathering. He couldn't believe that he had been the way he was for over a moon now. A whole moon of being no closer to figuring out where the stone came from or how to reverse what had been done to him. He had figured out that the stone was still changing him though.

He couldn't keep his changing body a secret forever, so he had come clean about the new horns to his treasures. They all responded with worry and concern for him. He hated making them unhappy. He truly hated what was happening to him, because his family was always concerned for his own wellbeing when before he hadn't needed it. He was supposed to take care of and protect them; he was the leader- the last to eat and the first cat to battle- not them.

Thankfully as time went on, his clan eventually stopped with the gossip and moved on with newer gossip. They were still wary around him, but his clan weren't showing outright fear anymore.

(He wanted to believe so badly that the small amount of fear in their eyes when some cats saw him was just due to his wings or claws and not because of him specifically.)

But just because his clan had warmed up to him and all but forgot about the fox incident, didn't mean the other three clans would feel the same way. No doubt Onestar was going to bring up the battle that he didn't remember and he would have no real way of denying what he had done. He probably would have killed the Windclan leader had Sandstorm not intervened.

Brambleclaw padded over to him, an ear swiveled over to listen the cats talk amicably. "Are you feeling uneasy as well?"

"Well, I have no doubt that Onestar will try something tonight. The best I can hope for is that he's too fearful of what happened and doesn't bring it up tonight," he snorted. He didn't like the idea of anyone being afraid of him, but if Windclan's silence gave his clan some peace, it would be worth it.

They should all be fearing me anyway.

Not again-

"I doubt that Windclan will back down after what happened last time," the deputy spoke uneasily.

Firestar lifted his head up to stare at the moon. He could see a few stray clouds moving towards it, and he gave a grimace. Seems like Starclan was already prepared to stop the Gathering before it even began. If he was right about this Gathering going awry, then perhaps the clouds covering the moon would be a good thing for them. But it would also mean the Gathering would end on a bad note...

The leader lifted his tail, and his cats stood ready as he walked to the front of the group and raced out of camp, his warriors following steadily behind.

Sandstorm came up beside him. "I have a really bad feeling," she meowed.

"So do I," he grimaced.

"Be careful when you're up there tonight, okay?" she meowed softly. He gave her a nod as they stopped by the the bridge to the island. He allowed his warriors to scale over the log before bounding over to join them on the other side. He kept his head held up high as Thunderclan strode into the clearing, the eyes of the other three clans on them.

Show them. Show them all.

His wings gave a twitch of agitation. He was feeling a little rebellious tonight. His wings opened up and he flew up the Great Oak, landing on the branch that the other leaders sat on. He made sure to land away from them, knowing that they probably wouldn't react well to him being near them.

He blinked, even wondering why he had flown up at all. In hindsight, it wasn't the best idea, because one glance told him that Onestar's fur was bristling, and Blackstar and Mistystar looked intimidated. Perhaps showing off an ability even as small as flying was a bad idea. Their opinions of him probably just dropped even more tonight.

There was no need for any of the cats below to be called to attention, for everyone was watching the leaders with baited breath. The tension was so thick in the air, Firestar thought he could cut it with his claws.

"You have some nerve showing your face tonight, after what you did," Onestar said in a heated hiss.

"I'm Thunderclan's leader aren't I? I think I have a right to be here just as much as you do," Firestar hissed. "And I don't see what I've done wrong. The only thing I've done so far is defend my territory from those who seek to move the border in a weird show of defiance and dominance."

"You almost killed me!"

"I- I'm sorry about that. I wasn't exactly... in control of myself," Firestar retorted.

Blackstar finally intervened. "Are you saying that you're losing control during battle?" he asked, skeptical.

Firestar hesitated, not wanting to admit that he could regress into a primal state at anytime. "It doesn't matter. I'm getting a hang of controlling my powers."

"So not only did you almost kill Onestar in a fit of rage, but you also single-pawedly killed two foxes without injury?" Blackstar inquired.

"It wasn't in a fit of rage!" he tried denying. "And what does this have to do with anything?"

"He's trying to deny everything! I told you it's not him!" Onestar hissed.

"Now, let's just calm down," Mistystar said. She turned to face Firestar. "It's just... you've shown that you aren't very... stable," she struggled to get out.

Firestar narrowed his eyes. "What are you going on about?"

Onestar opened his mouth only to have Blackstar shove his tail into it. Onestar glared at the Shadowclan leader, who gave him a glare back. He locked eyes with Firestar. "What we're saying is that maybe you should step down as leader."

Step down... as leader? He could only stare ahead as the words reverberated in his head. They wanted him to step down? Down below in the clearing, Thunderclan angrily voiced their opposition.

"Your transformation has shifted the balance of power towards Thunderclan. Plus your clan would benefit from a leader that isn't prone to killing those that stand in his way," Blackstar fumbled, hoping that Firestar wouldn't turn around and use his claws on them right then and there.

Firestar felt a burst of rage and anger rise within him. How dare these cats tell him to step down when he had done nothing wrong! He could feel the stone's rage mix with his own, heat rushing through his body. He forced down the fire that was welling up in his throat.

"I've done nothing wrong and you want me to step down?" he said incredulous. He slowly glared at them. "You don't get to tell me what is best for Thunderclan. I decide that. The battle and the thing with the foxes were accidents!" Blackstar and Mistystar fidgeted uncomfortably under his glare.

"See how he's not even trying to be cooperative with us? I keep telling you this isn't him." His gaze shifted to Onestar, staring defiantly back at him. Onestar's ears flattened against his head. "You're not Firestar are you? You're just some monster wearing his fur."

Firestar gaped at him, surprised at his audacity.

"Our medicine cats have already informed us about what happened at the Moonpool. It's clear to see what you are and you can't hide it anymore can you? You're only going to end up destroying us all!" Onestar spat at him lowly.

"Jayfeather had a different dream from the other medicine cats-"

"Of course he did! He's just trying to cover for your sorry tail!" Mistystar and Blackstar were starting to look more and more uncomfortable as the two leaders growled at each other.

"How dare you! He's not a monster!" Brambleclaw yowled up at the Windclan leader, not wanting to be silent any longer. The Thunderclan cats and the Windclan cats squared off against each other, growling and hissing insults. Firestar was genuinely afraid a fight would break out over him, at a Gathering no less!

"Look at the moon!" someone yowled out. Out of the corner of Firestar's eye, he could see clouds covering up the moon and reducing the amount of moonlight bathing the clearing. Firestar continued to glare into Onestar.

"This Gathering is over," he declared. He spread his wings and launched himself off the Great Oak towards his clan. As his clan was rounded up and moved to leave, he heard Onestar call down to him from the Great Oak.

"We'll give you some time to step down. If not, we'll make you step down." Firestar made no move to acknowledge him, trying his best to not cry out at the intense burning the stone was pushing through him.

They have no business telling me what to do. If they want a battle, they'll get one.

He felt intense rage at these cats. How dare he... calling him a monster. He wasn't a monster, he wasn't-! No, he couldn't release his fire here!

Sandstorm raced up beside him and he turned his head to gaze at her with haunted eyes. "I'm- I'm not a monster... right?"

"Don't listen to Onestar; he's clearly lost it," Sandstorm gave a soft hiss. His body gave a violent tremble and he struggled to not breakdown in front of his cats. He really was bringing war to Thunderclan.

"We're still here for you. No one here thinks of you as a monster, because you're not," she emphasized.

That's right... he still had his precious treasures. They were the only things that mattered. As long as they were safe and protected, who cared what the other clans thought of him?

Jayfeather padded up to his other side, his head bowed. "I'm sorry, I tried convincing the other medicine cats about the dream but..." They didn't believe him, of course. They hadn't even let Firestar get a word in before accusing him of being dangerous.

"You tried your best Jayfeather," he said defeated.

Jayfeather gaze at him with sightless eyes. "I'm sorry for getting your hopes up," he said before falling back into the crowd of Thunderclan cats.

"What dream did Jayfeather have?" Sandstorm asked in a hush whisper.

"...It doesn't matter anymore," Firestar meowed.

Fires really has issues... and so does Onestar. Inwardly Blackstar and Mistystar were pleading with him to shut up lest he get mauled. Calling the dragon-cat that could easily kill you a monster to his face is a really bad idea.

The threat/ultimatum made by the other clans will get Thunderclan talking again. And not in a good way. Firestar really can't win here.

Not only that but the stone and his instincts really want him to burn down the threats. Giving into them or showing any signs of discomfort instead of staying strong wouldn't make him look like the good guy here.

Tell me how I did.