Blackcloud fell on her side with a heavy thud, Moorpaw stood over her. "I didn't hurt you did I?" he asked his gaze flashing. Blackcloud struggled to her paws, her apprentice was learning quickly. In the past season he had become a very strong fighter and nimble hunter.

"I'm fine," Blackcloud purred shaking debris from her pelt, "I think that is enough for today" she looked up at the sky, "Onestar should be announcing which cats are to go to the Gathering soon," she led the small tom toward the camp.

"Do you think he will let me go," Moorpaw asked as he padded alongside her.

"I'm not sure," Blackcloud puffed as she stumbled a little.

"I did hurt you," Moorpaw mewed, "I'm getting Kestrelflight" before Blackcloud could stop him, Moorpaw was racing over the moors.

"I'm not hurt," Blackcloud sighed. Her paws felt heavy and clumsy as she reached the edge of the camp.

"Blackcloud," Oatwhisker's anxious mew reached her as her mate hurried to her, "What's wrong, Moorpaw said you got hurt during battle training,"

"I'm not hurt," Blackcloud snapped irritably. Oatwhisker flinched away from her, "I'm sorry" she sighed.

"Blackcloud is right you know," Kestrelflight meowed, "She isn't hurt, she's expecting kits,"

Blackcloud stared at the mottled gray tom in disbelief, "I'm expecting kits," she repeated faintly. Oatwhisker began purring uncontrollably, his amber eyes shining with joy.

"I'm going to be a father,"

Onestar appeared with Heathertail, "Are you really expecting kits," he asked flicking his tail, "I was going to let you go to the Gathering, but if"

"I can still go," Blackcloud meowed cutting her leader off, "Can't I Kestrelflight"

The medicine cat nodded, "She won't start kitting until next moon, so she should be fine to go tonight,"

"Alright then," Onestar nodded. "The cats going tonight are Blackcloud, Oatwhisker, Moorpaw, Foxpaw, Sedgewhisker, Breezepelt, Harespring, Whitetail and Heathertail," Moorpaw gave an excited squeak, this would be his first Gathering.

The full moon shone brightly above the patrol as they padded across the moors toward the Lake "The weather is perfect for a Gathering," Oatwhisker purred as they reached the shore. A loud splash made Blackcloud turn, Moorpaw was standing in the water, soaked to the skin, Foxpaw purred with laughter.

"If you two are going to act like kits you can go home," Breezepelt hissed

"Foxpaw is the one who shoved me in," he growled shaking out his pelt, spraying his clanmates with icy drops.

Blackcloud hurried to her apprentice's side, "You aren't going to send my apprentice home when it was yours starting trouble," Blackcloud growled. Breezepelt's gaze flashed, a growl rumbled in his throat. Blackcloud ignored the older warrior and nosed Moorpaw toward Oatwhisker, "Don't mind Breezepelt he is just angry that I was chosen to be a mentor so soon," she swiped her tongue over her apprentice's ear. Blackcloud noticed Onestar's amber gaze watching her, or so she thought.

"Greetings Onestar," Bramblestar called. Blackcloud turned to look over her shoulder, the Thunderclan patrol had caught up. When they reached the tree bridge Bramblestar allowed Windclan to cross first, Blackcloud hopped up after Moorpaw, watching the tom carefully as they crossed in case he slipped.

"We're the first to arrive" Moorpaw meowed sniffing the air once he was back on solid ground.

"Keep moving so we don't get squashed" Blackcloud instructed as she leapt off the tree. She, Oatwhisker and Moorpaw found a nice spot by a holly bush.

"Hi Blackcloud," Firestorm called padding over "Who's this" he asked gesturing to Moorpaw, the tom's pale brown mottled pelt was still wet.

"Moorpaw, he's my apprentice" Blackcloud meowed proudly she noticed a small silver she-cat hiding behind Firestorm, "Is this your apprentice" she asked

The silver apprentice stepped forward, she had bright green eyes, "Yes, this is Whisperpaw" Firestorm nodded his eyes shone with pride, "She is almost done with her training,"

"Blackcloud," another meow greeted her, turning her heart leapt as she saw Lionblaze bounding over with Heathertail, "Is it true are you expecting kits,"

Blackcloud shuffled her paws in embarrassment, why did her mother have to tell Lionblaze. "Yes, Oatwhisker is their father," she blinked fondly at her mate, "Oh this is my apprentice" she nosed Moorpaw forward, "Moorpaw"

Moorpaw looked up at the golden tabby with wide eyes, "I've heard so much about you," he meowed in awe, "Are you really Blackcloud's father,"

Firestorm stepped forward rather quickly, "Whisperpaw why don't you go show Moorpaw around and introduce him to the other apprentices," the silver she-cat nodded and led Moorpaw over to the other apprentices. A muddy brown tom from Shadowclan called Frogpaw, a sleek blue-gray she-cat from Riverclan called Puddlepaw. Foxpaw was already there and chatting.

"Thanks," Blackcloud muttered. Firestorm knew the truth, but he knew it shouldn't be spread around.

"Crowfeather told me how you saved Oatwhisker from the collapsing tunnel," Lionblaze mewed "I couldn't be more proud of you Blackcloud," Lionblaze stepped forward and touched his nose to Blackcloud's cheek.

Yowling and snarling broke out among the apprentices Blackcloud hurried over, Foxpaw had Puddlepaw pinned beneath her and Moorpaw was trying to pull his sister off the Riverclan apprentice, "Foxpaw stop there's a truce" the small tom was yowling, Foxpaw knocked her brother away.

Growling Blackcloud gripped the reddish tabby by the scruff and pulled her off of Puddlepaw, "That is enough," she dropped Foxpaw roughly on the ground. Lakeheart, Mistystar, Onestar and Breezepelt, joined them.

"What is going on," Onestar demanded eyes flashing angrily.

"I just pulled Foxpaw off of Puddlepaw," Blackcloud panted. The Riverlan apprentice was bleeding from a scratch over her eye.

"Moorpaw was involved with the fight too," Breezepelt meowed shoving Blackcloud aside.

"I was trying to break it up," Moorpaw meowed licking his flank where his sister's claws had caught him.

"Sure you were," Breezepelt sneered.

"He was," Whisperpaw and Frogpaw meowed together.

"How did this start," Mistystar asked looking at Puddlepaw. The blue-gray she-cat was rubbing her scratch with a paw.

"I asked Foxpaw why she and her mentor had been trespassing on our territory" she answered glaring at Foxpaw and Breezepelt.

"You lying fish face," Foxpaw snarled.

"Enough Foxpaw" Onestar's meow was hard, "Breezepelt since your apprentice can't behave you are to take her home,"

"What! That isn't fair, why does Moorpaw get to stay," her gaze flashed indignantly.

"Because he didn't attack another apprentice, he was trying to stop you from angering our ancestors," Onestar meowed sharply, "I'm not going to discuss it anymore here,"

Blackcloud watched as Breezepelt led his apprentice away, "I'll make you regret this, you and your kits" Breezepelt hissed at the black and white warrior.

A ripple of unease passed through Blackcloud, she turned her head and licked her flank protectively, Don't worry my kits I won't let him hurt you.