Chapter 9 up! I hope you enjoy this chapter, even though it's short. It's the gathering by the way...read and enjoy!

The man who fights for his fellow man is a better man than the one who fights for himself

- Clarence Seward Darrow

Chapter 9

"Hello, Snowpaw."

Snowpaw looked behind her shoulder to see the RiverClan apprentice Hollypaw behind her. The she-cat was a pretty light brown apprentice with white front paws. Snowpaw often talked to her during gatherings.

"Hello, Hollypaw," she purred, turning away from the Great Rock. "How's everything in RiverClan?" Hollypaw seemed to twitch her ear uneasily.

"Well, Froststar will tell you when the gathering starts..." Hollypaw meowed uneasily. Her eyes were filled with sadness and her gaze was on the ground. Snowpaw looked at her suspiously, but the RiverClan apprentice turned and walked toward a group of apprentices huddled nearby. Snowpaw watched her, eyes narrowing in thought.

A yowl from the snow white RiverClan leader Froststar signaled the beginning of the Gathering. All the cats, RiverClan, WindClan, ThunderClan, and ShadowClan alike turned their attention to their leaders. Looking around, Snowpaw saw the uneasiness in each cats eyes.

Froststar started first, stepping in front of the other two leaders. "RiverClan has been attacked by the rouge alliance known as FangClan," she yowled, getting immediatly to the point. There were yowls of shock from all cats. "The she-cat, Perish, was leading them. The alliance holds all 4 cats that betrayed their clan over 9 moons ago. They have returned...and killed the RiverClan apprentice Berrypaw."

Snowpaw gasped in horror and shock. Berrypaw was Hollypaw's sister. She glanced back at the apprentice, seeing three other apprentices trying to comfort the drooping she-cat. Snowpaw frowned and turned back to the leaders, her eyes flashing in fury and shame. Her mother done this!

Just then, the ShadowClan leader, Darkstar, a large black tom, stepped next to Froststar, eyes flashing.

"The rouge alliance has also attacked ShadowClan. They stole several kits and killed a single warrior, Reedtail," he annonced. The gathering was in an uproar as cats wailed from panic and fear. Snowpaw looked from side to side, trying to keep herself calm. Was she the next apprentice to be killed?

A fierce yowl from Icestar silenced the throng of cats. She stepped forward, shaking her head. "ThunderClan has too, been attack by the alliance known as FangClan." There were mummers through the crowd of cats. "They killed the warriors Shadownight and Gingersky. And this is the second attack from them in 2 moons." The other leaders looked at each other and nodded.

Just then, the WindClan leader, Wavestar, a russian blue tom, stepped forward. "WindClan has also been attacked. We lost our deputy, Dawnflower." All around her, Snowpaw watched as cats shook their head and mummered to one another. Wavestar hissed in frustration. "What are we to do about this? They are too powerful!"

Icestar and Darkstar nodded, but Froststar hissed defiently. "What? We have to do something! Those rouges aren't as powerful as the four clans!" There were few mummers of agreement below her. Snowpaw narrowed her eyes. Froststar had always been one to take rash actions, but not this rash.

Darkstar growled lowly and faced the RiverClan leader. "What are you saying, Froststar?" he meowed, trying to keep from hissing his anger. "We can't take on that many cats! Have you seen their entire army?"

With a nod, Icestar stepped next to Darkstar, her face more calm than the toms. "Yes, Froststar. We had to rescue the 3 cats that were captured from the depths of their camp. There are too many warriors. Two of my warriors died. There are hundreds of them."

Froststar hissed. "Fox dung!" she spat, eyes blazing. "The warrior that killed Berrypaw will die!" Icestar and Darkstar shook their heads, Darkstar hissing.

"Are you mousebrained?" he spat, bristling. "They'll kill us all!" With a sinking feeling, Snowpaw realized they were one word away from the breaking of the truce held only by the light of the moon. She casted an anxious glance at the moon, but saw no cloud. Wasn't StarClan angry?

After a moment, Icestar stepped between them. "Stop it," she warned, eyes hard. "We have no room to fight if we do wish to defeat the rouge alliance." She hesitated, then continued. "We all need StarClan's guidance." She casted a wary glance at Spiceleaf, and Spiceleaf nodded. Snowpaw felt growing heat as she wondered what the two shared. "If you are willing, the leaders can meet in 5 days and head to Moonstone to share with StarClan." She glanced at each of the leaders. Darkstar nodded without hesitation. Wavestar was a bit slower, and Froststar waited at least a minute before nodding.

"Good." Icestar stepped away from the leaders, watching them both. She turned back to the clans below. "Also in ThunderClan, we are missing the elder Crescentshadow. If she is seen in your territory, please let me know as soon as possible." She paused, as if debating whether to annonce the next part. Obviously, she decided not to, and she stepped back. Wavestar stepped forward.

"Since Dawnflower is dead, our new deputy is Fernstep." The other Gathering news was annonced, including some new kits in ShadowClan, new apprentices in WindClan and one new warrior in RiverClan. Then, the Gathering was over.

Snowpaw started toward her leader, ready to curl up in her den for a good nights rest. As she passed by the Great Rock, there was a whisper from behind the shadow. Yellow eyes gleamed back at her, and she bristled, frozen in place. The cat stepped forward, revealing a massive dark brown apprentice tom. His eyes shined in the moonlight, and he padded toward her.

"Go with your leader to Moonstone," he whispered as he passed. Snowpaw cocked her head, wondering what he meant, but didn't turn around, but continued toward camp, determined to go to Moonstone.

---End of Chapter---

No, the apprentice won't be important. Just...a mystery. Hope you enjoyed! Oh, and review...OR ELSE!

SoL