"You look like you're attending your first Gathering all over again."

"Oh shut up Graystripe."

Fireheart shoved his friend, grinning as paced by the camp entrance. Graystripe wasn't all wrong- Fireheart had been excited the entire time leading up to the next Games. He wondered if Silverpaw or Littlepaw had become warriors yet- considering he and Graystripe were warriors now, it only made sense if some of the ShadowClan cats were too. Fireheart extended his claws into the dirt trying to temper his excitement at participating in an official warrior's spar instead of just watching from the sidelines.

He glanced around at his fellow attending cats- it was no surprise that Longtail and Willowpelt attended with their apprentices. Swiftpaw and Lynxpaw were dancing right alongside him. Whitestorm, Smallear and Spottedleaf were being far more patient than Fireheart was capable of.

Fireheart was thrilled when Bluestar finally called for them to head out. He darted for the front of the line, conscious of staying behind Bluestar, Whitestorm and Spottedleaf while keeping with the front row. It didn't take long for Fourtrees to come into view and Fireheart grinned spotting all of the cats milling around. He chuckled inwardly- Bluestar seemed to always time ThunderClan's arrival to be after the other clans without being completely late.

He almost paused on the ridge, expecting Bluestar to address the clan as she had before but this time she just strode into the clearing with Whitestorm by her side, head held high.

Fireheart glanced around at RiverClan and ShadowClan mingling. A couple of apprentice races, some warriors circling each other and elders talking to each other. Even though WindClan's absence was still a gaping hole, it felt much more like the first Games he'd attended as an apprentice. The heavy air that had suffocated the warriors leaving the nervously separated from each other had vanished.

"Feels good to be here as a warrior."

Fireheart glanced at Graystripe and nodded his agreement.

"And look at ShadowClan," Graystripe added. "They look strong."

Fireheart took a closer look at the ShadowClan cats and he was inclined to agree. Despite it having only been half a moon, gone were the bedraggled pelt and scrawny chest with visible ribs. In their place was sleek, well groomed fur and powerful muscles with plump bellies. Their eyes were bright and their movements confident.

"I'm glad they're doing better," Fireheart commented with a smile. "It was pretty pretty sad to see their camp the way it was."

"Yeah," agreed Graystripe. "Hope they've cleaned out that ratdung by the entrance."

"You can tell who the apprentices are," Fireheart observed. "They all look the right age now but their fur still looks nursery soft and their paws are huge."

"You looked like that too."

Fireheart and Graystripe turned to a brown tom with bright yellow eyes being followed by a nervous looking apprentice.

"It's me, Wetfoot," he said brightly. "I was made a warrior after the battle- and so was Littlepaw- his name is Littlecloud now."

"Congratulations," Fireheart said. "So were we!"

"Nice, do you have an apprentice yet?"

"No, Bluestar wants us to be official warriors for a little bit longer," Graystripe said with a wave of his tail. "Is that your apprentice?"

"Yup," said Wetfoot puffing out his chest. He gently nudged the frightened looking tom forward. "This is Oakpaw and he'll be the fiercest warrior in ShadowClan when I'm done with him."

"Our apprentices will be the fiercest in all the clans when we get them," Graystripe boasted.

"We'll see about that," Wetfoot chuckled. "Have you participated in any of the warrior activities yet?"

"No," Graystripe shook his head. "But Fireheart really wants to do a spar."

Wetfoot pointed to a group of cats gathered together in various pairs in a circle, "You should try that one then. Looks like they're about to start."

Fireheart bid a hasty thanks and quickly ran off to join the cats. One large warrior that he vaguely recognized as Loudbelly looked his over appraisingly.

"Over there," he said pointing to a lone blue furred molly.

Fireheart darted over to their clearing of space earning a smile from the RiverClan warrior. He spotted Graystripe and Wetfoot waiting on the sidelines and adjusted his collar nervously. He hoped he wouldn't embarrass himself and all of ThunderClan in front of the other clans.

He turned and began sizing up the blue furred molly who was- as Fireheart was resigned to always being true- much larger than he was. Her ears were small so he probably shouldn't target those since there would be no claws involved and her small paws, she was probably agile too.

"Ready?" he heard Loudbelly start. "Begin!"

Fireheart quick jumped to his right when the molly promptly lunged at his throat. She seemed to be expecting that though and lashed out catching his paws. Fireheart yelped as he slammed face first into the dirt. He groaned but reacted quickly when he saw her coming towards him and smacked her across the muzzle. He struggled to his paws and she recovered and aimed at his throat once more. Fireheart sprung out of the way letting her crash into the ground and promptly pounced on her. He put pressure on her throat and one on her belly ensuring that any movement she made would just make it worse.

"Winner, uh-"

"Fireheart."

"Winner, Fireheart!"

Fireheart glanced up to see an impressed looking Loudbelly and stepped off of the RiverClan warrior. He held his head higher at the approving nods from the other warriors who'd been watching or had already finished their spars.

"You hit like a stag," groaned the molly with a grin. "Well played kit."

"You were fast," Fireheart confessed with a laugh. "Everytime I turned around you were already in my face again."

"You'll get there," the molly reassured. "You're young so in time, you'll be just as fast. Are you joining the next round?"

"No, I'm going to look for my friend," Fireheart told her. "Bye!"

"May the Souls guide your path," the molly called after him as he bounded off.

He searched around through the throng of cats before finding Graystripe laying with a familiar silvery coat.

"Hey Fireheart!" called Graystripe when he spotted him. "I challenged her to another race- I lost again."

"One day you'll give up," Fireheart snickered. "Hi Silverpaw."

"Silverstream," Graystripe correctly proudly.

"You're a warrior too?" Fireheart asked with delight.

"Yes," Silverstream purred. "There was a small flock of angry geese that were riled up by a hunting patrol. The patrol handled most of them but one wouldn't give up- so I grabbed it by the back of its throat and slammed it into the ground. I thought it was gonna keep attacking me but I guess I intimidated it because it flew off."

"Woah," Fireheart said sitting with them. "That's way cooler than how we got our warrior names."

"Graystripe says you helped chase out Brokenstar," Silverstream reminded him. "That's pretty amazing."

"Yeah but you faced down a goose in one on one combat," Fireheart laughed. "Give me Brokenstar any day but angry geese are scary."

Silverstream and Graystripe burst into laughter alongside him. They laughed harder when Fireheart jokingly added that they should hire Silverstream to create a Goose Guard patrol to defend the world from angry geese.

"I kinda want to listen to some elder stories," Fireheart remarked.

"On purpose?" asked Silverstream as Graystripe laughed.

"Fireheart's a real ant-brain," Graystripe explained. "He loves hearing the elder stories- sure, I can see Smallear from here let's go ask."

"I'll come too," Silverstream purred and climbed to her paws.

They wandered over to where Smallear was talking with a ShadowClan elder that Fireheart identified as Ashfoot curled together and laughing. They glanced up curiously as the warriors approached.

"Hi there Graystripe," greeted Smallear. "What brings you all over here?"

"Fireheart wants to hear more stories," Graystripe chuckled.

"Your clanmates could learn something from you soft belly," Ashfoot laughed. "Souls knows I wish our young warriors were as interested in our history and you are."

"The stories are so interesting," Fireheart said eagerly brushing off the use of 'soft belly.' "Do you have any about the Souls?"

"Of course," chuckled Smallear. "How about a ThunderClan tale? How the Treewalkers were created."

"I've never heard that one," Silverstream hummed settling down.

"We don't tell it often to non-ThunderClanners," Smallear explained.

And Smallear started in on the tale of Copperpaw- an excited and determined young apprentice who desperately wanted to be a warrior. He trained harder than any of his littermates, practiced longer than any of the fully named warriors. He was easily able to best most of his fellow apprentices in battle in mere seconds with his unconventional tactics and eye rapid reflexes. Despite this, he struggled with one aspect of warriorhood.

Hunting.

No matter how hard he tried, he found himself unable to catch anything. Mice were always just out of his paws, squirrels were always gone before he could see them and birds were quick to fly off. Everytime Copperpaw went out to hunt, he found himself drawn to the trees. He could never explain it, it was like the forest itself was whispering to him.

"You need to be more focused," his mentor, Houndstomp scolded him. "You are a skilled fighter and tracker. Hunting should be easy for you."

"I don't know why I always find myself in the trees," Copperpaw had said. "It just feels like my paws are meant to be there."

One day, as Copperpaw laid in the forest he was approached by a squirrel. He didn't even attempt to pounce on it, knowing it would escape and he'd only waste his energy.

"Why are you so sad?" the squirrel asked.

Copperpaw blinked before telling it, "I'm such a poor hunter I'll never be a warrior. Two whole generations of warriors have already surpassed me. I just like being in the trees."

"How about if I help you make tree climbing into a hunting skill," the squirrel said.

"Why would you do that? I would be hunting your kin."

"The squirrel hunts the seed and the cat hunts the squirrel," explained the squirrel. "And when Moonsoul comes, the cat becomes the seed and the squirrel hunts the seed."

Copperpaw accepted the squirrel's offer and spent several nights training with the squirrel for his upcoming assessment. Soon it was the day of Copperpaw's latest hunting assessment. With Houndstomp watching, he quietly stalked a bird. To Houndstomp's dismay, his apprentice started climbing a tree once more.

He will never be a warrior, he thinks to himself sadly.

A twig falls from the tree and startled the bird into motion. Copperpaw promptly chased the bird through the canopy and leapt, snatching it from the air and landed on another trunk. Houndstomp stared in amazement as Copperpaw proudly walked over and placed the bird at his paws.

"Copperpaw," Smallear rumbled. "From this day on you shall be known as Copperbranch- you've shown us another way of hunting. May you teach others the art of Treewalking. And that's how Treewalkers became a part of ThunderClan."

"Wow," said Silverstream in awe. "I've never met a Treewalker! Do they have to stay in the camp?"

Smallear shook his head sadly, "No, sadly the skill has died off. Most cats are too heavy to run along the smaller branches of the trees and without any mentors, apprentices got hurt too quickly. It would take a miracle from Treesoul for the Treewalkers to dawn again."

"Oh," said Silverstream with her ears drooping. "That's… sad."

"It was a treasured skill," Smallear agreed. "That's why we Lecturers tell you about clan history. Without us, we'd lose precious times- such as the Treewalkers."

"I wonder if RiverClan has any lost skills," Silverstream said aloud. "I'd never considered that we had other ranks."

"I'm sure you did," Smallear agreed. "All clans have changed over time- some skills may have been lost simply because they're no longer needed."

"ShadowClan used to have tree hunters ourselves," Ashfoot added. "Eventually the trees thinned out and the lower branches stopped growing in and the skill died- instead, we focused on Murkers who hunt through muddy waters."

"Huh," said Graystripe. "It is probably different to hunt mice in ShadowClan than ThunderClan."

"Think of all the water," Fireheart told him. "They probably don't have a lot of easily caught mice- maybe water shrews though."

"Water shrews and ducks," purred Ashfoot in agreement. "We wouldn't know what to do in ThunderClan territory anymore- the ground is too dry there."

"Yeah," agreed Silverstream. "I'm a diver so I wouldn't know what to do with all the bushes."

"Every clan has changed to fit their territory," Ashfoot told them firmly. "One of Brokenstar's biggest mistakes was attempting to force his warriors to hunt in territory they weren't ready for."

Fireheart looked around the clearing at the cats and started noting their changes. Ripplepelt's small ears were probably to minimize drag and also her thick tail was likely for steering. Ashfoot had long legs and the fur on her legs seemed shorter than the rest of her fur which made sense when he remembered how damp ShadowClan territory was.

His eyes locked on Leopardfur, the RiverClan deputy with her thick but short coat- likely to stay warm but not also not stop her from swimming. He blinked upon realizing she was talking to Tigerclaw. He watched them from the corner of his eye, Leopardfur had been caught on a couple of dawn patrols being particularly sharp with any cat she saw. He shook his head slightly- Leopardfur wouldn't break the truce and even if she did, Tigerclaw was the last cat he'd have to worry about. He was more than powerful enough to take care of himself.

Like he took care of Redtail, came unprompted into his mind.

"The buckers are back!" called Graystripe with delight. "And it's a big one."

Fireheart turned and grinned in agreement- it wasn't a fully size deer but it was a large one for sure. Probably a bit older than a yearling Fireheart wagered. A mostly ginger tortie who Silverstream called 'Ottersplash' carried over a large piece of meat for them.

"That means the reporting part of the Gathering is about to start," Fireheart mused remember the others.

"I have to get back to the RiverClan side of things," agreed Silverstream.

She ran her tail over Fireheart's back and then nuzzled Graystripe's cheek gently.

"I'll see you both later," she told them. "Good luck with getting apprentices!"

"Hope you get one too," Fireheart said as Graystripe shouted his goodbye. Ashfoot got up as well and slowly ambled off to the ShadowClan section of the Gathering just as a familiar voice gave the gathering call.

"Nightpelt?" Graystripe said in disbelief.

"It makes sense," Fireheart remarked watching as Bluestar settled in by the old cat. "He was the one who brought us in- ShadowClan probably decided he was a good leader since Blackfoot ran off too."

"And Brightflower is in the deputy spot," Graystripe mumbled through his meal staring at molly siting with Whitestorm and Leopardfur. "Maybe because she fought Brokenstar directly?"

"Probably," agreed Fireheart and took a bite himself enjoying the tase of deer washing over his tongue.

"Which clan would like to speak first?" Fireheart tuned in. He ducked his head in embarrassment realized they'd whispered through the entire opening speech.

"We," declared Bluestar.

"Then ThunderClan may have the moon."

Bluestar quickly climbed into the brightly lit spot, announcing, "ThunderClan is prosperous! We have two new apprentices in Swiftpaw and Lynxpaw!"

Fireheart happily cheered along with the rest of the clan for the two embarrassed but proud looking cats. Longtail may be a burr in the tail but in the half moon he'd known him, Swiftpaw was sweet and kind cat.

"We've also made two new warriors in Fireheart and Graystripe!"

Fireheart proudly lifted his head allowing the cheers from the other clan to wash over him and Graystripe ducked his head a bit with a smile.

Bluestar took a deep breath, "In less fortunate news, we've lost Lionheart and Ravenpaw. Whitestorm is now recognized as a deputy of ThunderClan and Ravenpaw is now recognized as Ravenwing- may deputy and diplomat watch from the stars."

The clearing for quiet for a moment before bursting into loud calls to the stars above them and Fireheart felt a pang in his chest at the startled and saddened looks from the other clans. Lionheart had been popular with the other clans- he told stories like he was already an elder and wasn't dismissive of a single apprentice. Then Ravenpaw was a diplomat in training- diplomat apprentices were super important Fireheart had discovered. It's very rare that an apprentice is willing to become a diplomat and they had to have certain demeanor lest they start more fights than they defuse.

Ravenwing's lost was both a major blow both emotionally and politically.

After giving the clans time to quiet down Bluestar added, "In other news, ThunderClan helped ShadowClan chase out Brokenstar. He and his remaining loyalists are still at large. Be careful sending out patrol- Brokentstar appears to have intentions of revenge."

Fireheart hid his smile at Bluestar's play by cleaning his muzzle. She'd clearly noticed ShadowClan's rapid recovery- it was smart to lean on the debt that ShadowClan owed them. If ShadowClan broke it, ThunderClan would likely be favored by the Souls as the keepers of a treaty.

"Bluestar is correct," Nightstar agreed as Bluestar stepped from the pool of moonlight. "ThunderClan was instrumental to ShadowClan's liberation. That said, ShadowClan is choosing to refer to him by his warrior name of Brokentail. A cat who defiles the stars doesn't deserve to have their mark on his soul nor their blessing in his name."

"I agree," Bluestar hummed. "Brokenstar shall then be referred to exclusively as Brokentail- he deserves none of the respect of a leader."

"He was a hardly a leader at all," agreed Stormstar. "He'd've driven his clan into ruin."

Nightstar dipped his head politely towards them, "In more good news, we have new warriors in Littlecloud and Wetfoot and apprentices in Oakpaw and Brownpaw."

Fireheart tried to cheer as loudly as he could for Littlecloud and Wetfoot. He wished that he'd been able to bump into Littlecloud tonight but he'd see him again at another Gathering- or maybe even on a border patrol.

"Finally, Brightflower is a stand in deputy," Nightstar concluded. "When we have finished fixing what Brokentail has destroyed, she intends to return to being a sitter."

The molly in question nodded, meeting the eyes of every cat who looked her way. Fireheart wondered if she was only acting as deputy to make it up to Yellowfang that she hadn't believed her.

Nightstar stepped from the pool of light allowing Stormstar's imposing figure to step into the space.

"RiverClan is glad to hear of Brokentail's ousting- he threatened all the clans with his greed and selfishness." Stormstar addressed. "Now that he is gone, RiverClan will be retaking the patch of land he took from us."

Nightstar frowned, "ShadowClan still has the same needs it did before."

"You shouldn't attempt to keep territory granted under threat of a camp invasion," Stormstar said his eyes narrowing. The two leaders stared each other down menacingly before Nightstar sighed softly. "ShadowClan shall return the territory to RiverClan. We still have the uplands after all."

What, Fireheart though furiously as his clan uproar around him.

"WindClan needs to be returned to their territory," Bluestar retorted.

"Why?" demanded Stormstar. "They were chased off- they gave in and left."

"There are four seasons and four clans- there can only be more clans but never less. Four is the balance the Souls offer."

"Who wouldn't be willing to give up leafbare and its illness and starvation?" Nightstar scoffed.

"Leafbare exists to let the world grow and recover. And besides, how does RiverClan fare when greenleaf brings long droughts and heatwaves?"

Stormstar huffs and turns his head away with agitation.

"RiverClan fares just fine in greenleaf," Leopardfur spat from below.

"Then why does RiverClan need the uplands?" Whitestorm challenged her.

Brightflower, noted Fireheart, said nothing. She didn't speak against him, but she didn't support Nightstar's claim either. Fireheart remembered with a jolt that Brightflower's old litter had perished in the battle for WindClan territory- the monarchs of ShadowClan likely wanted nothing to do with the land their kits bled and died on for a greedy tom.

"Whitestorm makes a good point," Bluestar said cooly to Stormstar. "The river is filled with fish and the banks hold plentiful eggs- how could RiverClan still be hungry?"

When neither leader responded she concluded, "WindClan being chased out was the main reason that Brokentail was forced out in the first place."

"...Bluestar is right," Nightstar said grudgingly. He sent her a reproachful look stating, "WindClan must be brought back."

Fireheart rolled his eyes at the barely hidden implications that ThunderClan should be the ones retrieving them in Nightstar's voice as Stormstar slowly voiced his agreement.

"That was the fakest agreement I've ever heard," he caught Tigerclaw mutter. "And I've listened to kits apologizing for sneaking out of camp."

And for once, Fireheart agreed with Tigerclaw. RiverClan and ShadowClan were up to something and it was nothing good. He made eye contact with the tabby warrior for just a second and they nodded to each other.

For just a moment, they're on the same branch in the same tree.