Running hurt, his body screaming for him to stop. Looking behind himself he saw the large, fluffy gray warrior running after him. "Loudpaw stop," he called. The oldest Night Clan apprentice looked in front of him, noticing that his clan territory was just in front of him. Large paws found themselves into his shoulders, pinning him down. Featherbird growled. "You'll see your clan again, but you need to be patient." Loudpaw felt as the tom's paws released themselves from his fur, he looked up towards the cat who had saved him from his mentor, Marshleap. The apprentice went limp, he felt the gentle warrior take a hold of his scruff. Loudpaw allowed himself to be carried to the Sun Clan camp.
"Loudpaw!" He heard a voice he held dear in his heart. Cindersky. The dark gray she-cat's amber eyes lit up at seeing him, not that he noticed. She looked over his injuries and was sure to patch them up after Featherbird had told her he had tried to run.
Dovefeather looked around the clearing looking for a certain tom. Spotting the gray tom, she walked over to him. "Dovefeather, there you are." He exclaimed happily, "Furzebush, it's good to see you." She meowed lovingly, she and Furzebush had been in a secret relationship for about 7 moons now. They had met at her first gathering as an apprentice. Furzebush had been a warrior at the time so they had to wait for her to earn her warrior name before they became mates. "Dovefeather, you look more glamorious than usual tonight." Her Night Clan friend, Slateblossom, exclaimed. "And you look as beautiful as usual," the young warrior meowed.
"Let the gathering begin." The cats heard the eldest leader, Jaystar of Moon Clan, called in her light but authoritative voice. "In the past moon we earned 3 new kits of Slatemist, their names are Lightningkit, Mistkit, and Dapplekit." Happy congratulate yowls flooded the clearing. "But sadly we lost Olivesnow, she served her clan well, Hailstar you may proceed." Giving the Moon Clan leader a grateful nod, Hailstar spoke. "One of our apprentices ran away from the clan this past moon, I apologize to any cats he has bothered or harmed." Hailstar continued, "other than that, the fish continue to swarm the river and my clan is well fed." The Blossom Clan leader nodded towards the Night Clan leader, Alderstar. "We have lost an apprentice, my son Loudpaw, he has been missing for a quarter moon now." Cats from Moon Clan and Blossom Clan started talking in surprise, "He is white with black stripes and green eyes." Brackenstar looked towards the upset leader, "do not worry Alderstar, he will be returned soon enough." Alderstar stared at the Sun Clan leader, "you have him?" Several Night Clan cats snarled at the Sun Clan cats, "yes we have him." Brackenstar started, "he was severely injured, one of my warriors found him and the only way he would have survived would have been to come to my camp." Alderstar's face lightened slightly, and then hardened again. "When can I expect him home." He asked, "I will have my warriors escort him to you tomorrow morning if you want him now." Alderstar nodded in affirmation, "very well, Brackenstar, we will meet at the border." Jaystar stepped between the two leaders, "this gathering is over, you may go to your camps now."