Longtail Luv: Yay! I don't think this story is anywhere near done though, stick around and keep reviewing!

Cinderdreams: Those were the hardest parts to write! Thank you!

She Who Sulks In The Shadows: 0.0 I LOVE your username, btw, and thank you!

Starfrosts' Spirit: Yeah, the sadder parts will come later on...

I never had a friend in ShadowClan. Well, Darkflower, but she was really more of a mother to me then a friend, and Blackstripe, but he was my uncle and acted more like a father then my real one ever did.

There were two other apprentices in the camp besides my siblings and I, Bronzepaw and Graypaw, brother and sister and my littermates. They were the closest thing I had to close siblings, and of course, Diamondshine thought I was their sibling. But they had alienated themselves from me as well when they learned that a split tail wasn't normal. And so, I grew up alone.

So I guess the Gathering was just a release, a place to hide my faults and make friends. Real friends. Friends who wouldn't care if my tail had two tips or that my mother had rejected me. Real Friends.

"This is the Gathering," Blackstripe whispered in my ear later that night, and I opened my eyes in shock. The Great Oak was so big. I felt like it could reach down and crush me with one of its huge boughs like how I would jump on a mouse or water vole. There were so many smells, there were so many cats. My head whirled with all the new warriors and apprentices' to meet, but before I could go Blackstripe pressed his tail into my side.

"Don't say too much," he murmured in his ear, "And don't say too little. Now, go have fun, and meet back here once the Gathering is over." I nodded and rushed off, beaming. I had been this elated ever since Blackstripe and I had beaten Marshpaw and Brownstripe in the hunting rivalry. I quickly spotted a group of WindClan apprentices. And, not ever getting to meet a WindClan cat, bounded over.

"Hello," I smiled, surprising one of the apprentices, a brown and black tom. He quickly recovered and scooted over so that I could join their group. I spotted two ThunderClan apprentices in the circle, as well as two RiverClan apprentices, I quickly tucked my tail into my side then, so that no one would see it.

"Hi," the brown and black tabby from WindClan smiled soflty, "I'm Earthpaw, and this is Brownpaw and Dustpaw." I glanced at them, and quickly saw the family resemblance. They may have different pelts, brown and black tabby, light brown, and dark brown, but their eyes were the same, a crystalline blue, and their shoulders were the same, "They're my sisters." Bingo.

"I'm Tricklepaw, and this is Wavepaw from ThunderClan," said a gray tom. I could tell they weren't related. They were both males, though Tricklepaw had broad shoulders and Wavepaw had narrow. Tricklepaw was gray while Wavepaw was a light blue-gray, and their eye shape and color were different. Wavepaw had larger green eyes and Tricklepaw had smaller golden eyes, "We've no relationship." I knew it.

"And I'm Broadpaw, and this is Bluepaw," a brown tom from RiverClan meowed politely. I examined them carefully. They had different pelts and eyes. Broadpaw had brown fur and blue eyes while Bluepaw had dark blue-gray fur and green eyes. But their ear shapes were distinctly the same, and their shoulders were the same. I took a shot at cousins or half-siblings, "We're cousins." Bull's eye.

"Hello Tricklepaw, Wavepaw." A new cat entered the circle, a little younger then me, with a brown and white tabby pelt and friendly green eyes, "Whose you're new friend?"

"Hey, Petalpaw," Tricklepaw glanced at her; Wavepaw nodded to her and moved over. Judging by their eye color I guessed siblings. Tricklepaw glanced at me, "Petalpaw is Wavepaws sister." He blinked, "Oh, Petalpaw, this is… um…" he glanced unsurely at me.

"Snakepaw from ShadowClan," I meowed proudly, and Tricklepaw blinked. In surprise.

"You're an apprentice?" he meowed, confused. I blinking now, in slight confusion and more shock. What did they think I was? A warrior? Tricklepaw continued, "You're too old to be an apprentice. You should be a warrior." I laughed at that.

"I'm only ten moons," I giggled, shaking out my fur, and the other apprentices gawked. I blinked, did I saw something wrong?

"Wow…" murmured Broadpaw, "I've heard of usually large ShadowClan cats but…"

"I guess it's not true then…" whispered Bluepaw to Wavepaw, who nodded in agreement. I sat there, completely confused as the other apprentices continued to whisper and stare at me.

"W-what's wrong?" I meowed, confused, I felt my legs standing and begin to back away from the other apprentices, they continued to stare, and I felt my split tail press between my legs.

"Are you really part of ShadowClan?" demanded Wavepaw, narrowing his eyes, I had to laugh again at this.

"Of course I am." I smiled what? "You don't think I'm dark enough?"

"Ah, um, hello." Before they could answer, a new voice made me jump, and I turned to see Silverpaw and Marshpaw approaching from the left. Making a quick (and rather rash [I admit) decision, I jumped up, spun around, and left the group, padding back to my place where I would meet up with Blackstripe before we went back to the camp.

The Gathering was just beginning to start when I felt a pair of eyes shift towards me, and I turned, coming nose-to-nose with Petalpaw. I blinked, and then turned my head again, flustered.

"Do you not like Silverpaw and Marshpaw?" she meowed quietly to me as the leaders began to speak. I shrugged, and she looked at me closer with her green eyes, which now glowed with worry. I laughed softly and smiled, and her face fell.

"I noticed it earlier," she murmured, "You smile a lot, don't you, Snakepaw?" she looked so innocent when I glanced over to her, surprised, "You're so good at smiling that's why. Someone would think that you're really happy with your life. But Snakepaw…" she dug her paws into the ground. I glanced over to her, but she just shook her head.

"Never mind, Snakepaw, just… never mind." She murmured, then turned and padded back to where her brother and Tricklepaw were waiting.

My first Gathering; that was the place I first met her. She reminded me a lot of Silverpaw now that I think about it. So quiet, so cute, so innocent. I could tell that she, like the other apprentices in the Gathering, all had something to hide. Maybe that was what real friends were, maybe that was the first time I actually smiled and was happy.

Aww... that was cute. poor Snakepaw finally smiled when he was happy! Kudos for him! Anyway, theres a poll, pick between

A. ThunderClan

or

B. RiverClan

Why i won't tell you

just clic that little purply-blue button

yeah

the one at the bottom of the page

yeah

come on

you know you want to